Former Tennessee state senator Brian Kelsey, who was two weeks into a 21-month prison sentence for an illegal campaign finance scheme, has been pardoned by former President Donald Trump. Kelsey, who was once represented by White House Counsel David Warrington, received the pardon on Tuesday, March 12, 2025, according to sources familiar with the matter. The White House has not publicly commented on the pardon.
Kelsey pleaded guilty in 2022 to charges related to illegally funneling tens of thousands of dollars from his state campaign committee to a federal committee to fund his unsuccessful 2016 congressional bid. He initially entered a guilty plea but later sought to withdraw it, arguing that he was emotionally overwhelmed at the time due to the death of his father and the birth of his twins. Warrington, his attorney at the time, claimed Kelsey acted in a “confused mind” due to sleep deprivation and stress.
However, U.S. District Judge Waverly Crenshaw denied Kelsey’s request to withdraw his plea, noting that Kelsey, a law school graduate and practicing attorney, understood the consequences of his actions. The Supreme Court declined to hear his case in 2024, leading to his eventual sentencing. Kelsey began serving his sentence on February 24, 2025, at a minimum-security prison in Ashland, Kentucky, but was released after just two weeks following Trump’s pardon.
The White House Counsel’s office typically reviews presidential pardons, but it remains unclear whether Warrington recused himself from the process given his prior representation of Kelsey. The White House has not responded to inquiries regarding Warrington’s involvement.
In a social media post following his release, Kelsey expressed gratitude, writing, “Praise the Lord most high! May God bless America, despite the prosecutorial sins it committed against me, President Trump, and others the past four years. And God bless Donald J. Trump for Making America Great Again!”
This pardon marks another instance of Trump using his executive clemency powers to grant reprieves to individuals with political or personal connections. Kelsey’s case has drawn attention due to its ties to campaign finance violations and the involvement of high-profile legal figures.
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