Todd Chrisley publicly comments following Trump's clemency decree
In a surprising turn of events, reality TV star Todd Chrisley addressed the press on Friday, marking his first public appearance since receiving a pardon from former President Donald Trump. The gathering took place at the Kimpton Aertson Hotel in Nashville, Tennessee.
Chrisley stood firm on his innocence, declaring, "Even though this pardon has happened, I still was convicted of something that I did not do." He elaborated further by stating, "I refuse to feed into the shame because shame is a cancer that just spreads, and I have no shame."
Trump's pardons for the Chrisleys were issued on Wednesday, following a conviction for tax evasion, bank fraud, and a conspiracy to defraud the United States in 2022. The TV personalities, well-known for their roles on "Chrisley Knows Best," were found guilty by an Atlanta jury and received sentences of 12 years for Todd and 7 years for Julie.
Prosecutors alleged that the Chrisleys manipulated financial documents to deceive community banks in Georgia, enabling them to secure more than $36 million in loans to finance their extravagant lifestyle.
Julie was absent at the press conference, but she was spotted the previous day exiting a butcher shop in Nashville. Todd began the press conference by expressing his gratitude to God, Trump, and Alice Johnson, the first pardon recipient during the Trump administration, who also assisted with his release. Todd's daughter Savannah, a crucial figure in advocating for the pardons, was present at the conference.
Savannah addressed critics who suggested that the Chrisleys received preferential treatment due to their celebrity status. She defended herself, saying, "I fought hard, and I was exhausted, and I begged for meetings. There was nothing - I was never too good to ask."
A reporter questioned Todd about remorse, referencing Julie's apology in court the previous year. Todd responded, "You're placed in a position as a defendant to either bow down and accept responsibility for things you did not do in order to avoid a stronger sentence."
He shared that he felt "numb" when he learned about the pardon and that he was overwhelmed by a sea of fellow inmates bidding him farewell as he left federal prison. Todd and Savannah expressed their intention to use their platform to reform the criminal justice system and expose corruption. Notably, they reported that they had resumed filming their reality TV show immediately upon their return home. Todd confirmed that they were already receiving offers for multiple shows, hinting at an upcoming return to the small screen.
- Todd Chrisley, during his press conference at the Kimpton Aertson Hotel, mentioned his intent to use their platform to reform the criminal justice system and expose corruption, potentially featuring this on their reality TV show.
- At the press conference, Savannah Chrisley addressed critics who suggested that the Chrisleys received preferential treatment due to their celebrity status, insisting that she fought hard for the pardons and was never too good to ask.
- In the trial, Todd Chrisley asserted that he refused to accept responsibility for crimes he did not commit, as he believed this would result in a harsher sentence, in contrast to Julie Chrisley's apology in court the previous year.
