Without hesitation, the left uses the full force of the government to go after its perceived and imaginary enemies.  Like Hillary Clinton, Barack Obama is notoriously thin-skinned and ego-driven.  So when a young Arkansas state senator in early 2016 publicly announced his support for then-presidential candidate Donald J. Trump in Hillary's home state, Clinton wanted to make an example of this state senator. 

So the abusive Obama Justice Department, that was already busy taking down Obama administration opponent Congressman Steve Stockman, trotted out classic retribution for Senator Jon Woods.  Woods was the only elected official in Arkansas with the temerity to endorse Trump.  The Feds wove a web of trumped up wrongdoing from normal activities that, at most, represented a process violation.  Following their typical M.O., the feds stacked multiple counts of fraud, conspiracy, and money-laundering against Woods and his co-defendants. 

Jon Woods (photo credit: Ballotpedia).

So outrageous was his government-controlled and tainted trial that the historically left-leaning National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers filed a friend-of-the-court brief calling on the court to throw out the case due to government destruction of evidence.  This organization described the government's behavior as "outrageous" and "intolerable."

The DOJ attorneys acknowledged that the FBI special agent on the case had an incredible explanation for destroying evidence.  He paid a computer technician to have his subpoenaed FBI hard drive wiped before turning it over.  Why? 

The computer had contained exculpatory evidence.  Obama-appointed judge Timothy Brooks's order even stated that the agent acted in bad faith and described his behavior as "reprehensible."  He added that the agent violated Woods's due process rights and that his actions were likely criminal.  Nevertheless, Judge Brooks refused to allow the jury to hear testimony of the wiped hard drive because he said it might influence the jury's decision.  

According to one of Woods's friends intimately familiar with the trial, the judge said he wanted to make an example of Woods, sentencing him to more prison time than bank-robbers or hardcore drug-dealers.  He sentenced Woods to an unprecedented 18 years in prison — for what?  For helping obtain funding for a Christian college.  In truth, his real crime was supporting Donald Trump.  The Obama judge said he wanted to send a message.  He did send the political class a message — don't support free thinking; obey the left.

During the prosecution, feds pressed consultant Randell Shelton to falsely testify against Senator Woods.  As a Christian, Shelton refused to bear false witness against Woods, so the feds charged him as a co-conspirator. 

Ever the servants of their fellow men, both men have led Bible studies in the prisons where they have served.  Sen. Woods even received a certificate of appreciation from the chaplains in the Fort Worth unit where he had served until last month.  They praised him for "use of your God-given talents and professional leadership of the Protestant Worship Team Band."

Loyal Trump-supporter Senator Jon Woods and Randell Shelton need pardons, as does political prisoner Congressman Steve Stockman from Texas, who was a brave whistleblower on the corruption of players in the Obama regime.  Stockman had exposed Obama's payment of millions of dollars to the Haqqani terrorist network, Lois Lerner's use of her federal office to persecute conservative organizations, and Hillary Clinton's allowing sale of dual-use steel by her Ukrainian oligarch donor to the terrorist state of Iran. 

These men are not Romney types.  They stood strong in support of Trump, even during the harshest treatment dished out to them.  President Trump needs more brave defenders with the backbone to stand with him.  Free Senator Jon Woods, Randell Shelton, and Congressman Steve Stockman.

They all deserve full pardons.

Connie Davies has taught American government in a North Carolina Christian school for over 20 years.  As a political activist, she is concerned with injustice in our legal system that undermines the rule of law and tilts the judicial scale to favor "privileged" government officials not held to account for abuse of power.  Connie presently advocates for former Congressman Steve Stockman, who is serving time in federal prison.