Trump grants clemency to two scuba divers responsible for releasing 19 sharks near the coast of Florida
Unleashing the Aquatic Avengers: Trump Pardons the Shark Savers
Miami went wild last week as President Donald Trump granted pardons to Tanner Mansell and John Moore Jr., two South Florida shark divers who had been convicted of theft for freeing 19 sharks and a giant grouper from an offshore longline.
Trump's pen, swept across the paper last Wednesday, cancelled out their years-long legal battle. The men had been convicted in 2022 of stealing property within special maritime jurisdiction, a charge that carried strict penalties, including a ban on voting, firearm ownership, and international travel.
"Justice has finally prevailed," said Marc Seitles, Moore's attorney. "It's an unjust prosecution, and we couldn't be happier for John and Tanner."
The duo, consisting of a charter boat's captain and a crew member on aFM, stumbled upon a longline about 3 miles off Jupiter Inlet in August 2020 [1][2]. As avid marine life enthusiasts, they believed the longline was an illegal fishing line and decided to set the hooked marine life free. After reporting the incident to state wildlife officials and retrieving the line, they found themselves in hot water with federal prosecutors.
Officials claimed the longline belonged to a fisherman licensed by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) for research purposes [1][2]. However, the passive advocates maintained they intended no harm, only to save the aquatic creatures from the hooks.
The jury's verdict convicted Mansell and Moore, and their appeals were denied. But Trump chose to side with the men, granting full and unconditional pardons in an unusual display of environmental compassion [1][2].
"This case never should have been filed," claimed Ian Goldstein, Mansell's attorney. "They were trying to save sharks from what they believed to be an illegal setup." Trump's animosity towards sharks, stemming back over a decade, has been well-documented. In 2013, he took to Twitter stating, "Sharks are last on my list—other than perhaps the losers and haters of the World!"
Despite his past musings, the pardons for the shark saviors indicate a shift in perspective—or perhaps just a remarkable exception to Trump's usual stance on tunas with fins.
In the wake of Trump's pardons, a political stir has ensued regarding the duo who were once convicted for freeing sharks. The general news is buzzing with discussions on Trump's unusual display of environmental compassion in granting full pardons to Tanner Mansell and John Moore Jr., previously convicted of theft in a special maritime jurisdiction case. Meanwhile, crime-and-justice debates continue as opposing parties question the legality and fairness of these pardons, given the previous convictions and strict penalties.
