In an unexpected twist, Representative Dean Phillips (D-Minn.) has called on New York Governor Kathy Hochul (D) to pardon former President Donald Trump following his recent conviction in a hush money trial. This request has sparked significant debate and media attention.

Phillips took to social platform X on Friday, describing Trump as a “serial liar, cheater, and philanderer, a six-time declarer of corporate bankruptcy, an instigator of insurrection, and a convicted felon who thrives on portraying himself as a victim.” He urged Hochul to pardon Trump “for the good of the country.”

Isn’t it sort of funny how Dems talk about stuff?

Phillips believes the right thing to do is pardon Trump and remove the lawfare aspect from the race but he had to preface it with the usual “orange man bad” before he says it.

Trump, now the first former U.S. president to hold the status of a convicted felon, was found guilty by a jury of falsifying business records to conceal alleged affairs during his 2016 presidential campaign. The verdict has led to Trump vehemently criticizing the trial, labeling it “rigged” and “disgraceful.”

Phillips, a former presidential candidate himself, further elaborated his stance on Saturday, arguing that pardoning Trump would prevent him from becoming a martyr over what he sees as a relatively minor issue compared to other allegations. “You think pardoning is stupid? Making him a martyr over a payment to a porn star is stupid. (Election charges are entirely different.) It’s energizing his base, generating record sums of campaign cash, and will likely result in an electoral boost,” Phillips stated.

Indeed, following the conviction, Trump’s son, Eric Trump, highlighted the surge in fundraising for his father’s campaign. Speaking to Fox News’s Jesse Watters, Eric Trump boasted about the campaign’s record-breaking haul of $52.8 million within 24 hours post-indictment, surpassing their previous records.

Meanwhile, Trump’s campaign continues to attract substantial financial support from high-profile donors. On Thursday, Trump raised $12 million at a San Francisco event hosted by venture capitalists David Sacks and Chamath Palihapitiya, attended by several influential Silicon Valley figures and crypto investors.

The fundraiser, despite San Francisco’s liberal leanings, saw a significant turnout from tech industry leaders who have grown disenchanted with the Biden administration’s policies. Conservative lawyer Harmeet Dhillon, present at the event, shared that Trump was in high spirits, discussing various issues including artificial intelligence and crypto regulation.

Amidst increasing scrutiny and regulatory pressures on the crypto industry, Trump’s alignment with tech and crypto investors reflects a broader strategy to galvanize support from sectors feeling alienated by current regulatory frameworks. This sentiment was echoed by former Trump ambassador to Austria, Trevor Traina, who criticized Biden’s business regulations for alienating the tech industry.