Former Sheriff of Virginia, indicted for bribery, granted presidential pardon by Trump.
Host: AYESHA RASCOE, WITH FRANK LANGFITT JOINING US NOW
Rascoe: Prez Trump went wild with the pardons and commutations list last week. One of the lucky recipients? That'd be former Virginia sheriff, Scott Jenkins, who was about to serve a ten-year stretch in the pen for bribery. Trump took to his Truth Social platform to fling some praise Jenkins' way, accusing the Biden DOJ of unfairly throwing the book at him. So, Frank, let's hear about the reception to Jenkins' pardon in his old stomping grounds of Culpeper County.
Langfitt: Hey, Ayesha! I chatted with plenty of folks in Culpeper County, and it's safe to say most of them didn't agree with Trump's decision to pardon Jenkins. Even a Trump supporter like Ken Green, a 70-year-old retired entrepreneur, thought it was a blunder. He called it a "terrific mistake" and accused Trump of throwing a slap in the face to the rule of law by pardoning the former sheriff and those involved in the January 6 insurrection.
Rascoe: Alright, so what was the nitty-gritty of this case against Jenkins?
Langfitt: Here's the scoop. Federal prosecutors alleged Jenkins was swapping auxiliary deputy badges for hefty bribes and campaign contributions, with the total amount reaching about $75,000. The businessmen involved in the scheme believed that these badges would give them the green light to carry a concealed weapon without a permit or wiggle their way out of traffic tickets. Two of the individuals Jenkins took money from were undercover FBI agents. The jury took all of two hours to find Jenkins guilty.
Rascoe: Makes you wonder why the Prez would be so interested in the goings-on of a county sheriff, no?
Langfitt: Exactly what the folks of Culpeper County were pondering last week! Seems like one theory floating around is the presence of Roger Stone, an old pal of Trump's. Stone dished about urging Trump to pardon Jenkins on his podcast, "The Stone Zone," claiming the former sheriff was a victim of the Biden administration.
Wanna know something crazy? Stone himself is a convict, having been convicted of witness tampering and lying to Congress. And yup, Trump deserved him a pardon too!
Rascoe: So, anything from the former Sheriff himself about all this?
Langfitt: Jenkins actually appeared on "The Stone Zone" and set forth the idea that the DOJ targeted him because he and other sheriffs discussed examining Hunter Biden's laptop. His lawyers didn't get back to me, but Jenkins seemed thankful for the support of pals like Stone.
Rascoe: I heard whispers that Jenkins' supporters back in Culpeper County saw the case as politically-driven. What's the consensus among folks there?
Langfitt: Only one person I talked to thought Jenkins' prosecution came about because of his attempts to counter gun control legislation. Almost everyone I spoke to believed the former sheriff was guilty and deserved to do his time behind bars.
Rascoe: Thanks for the update, Frank. Keep up the good work!
Langfitt: You got it, Ayesha.
The discussion surrounding Scott Jenkins' pardon has led to divided opinions in Culpeper County, with many thinking Trump's decision was a misstep and even a slap in the face to the rule of law. Jenkins' case of bribery involved taking hefty bribes and campaign contributions, with the total amount reaching about $75,000, as alleged by federal prosecutors.
