Kim Kardashian teamed up with Vice President Kamala Harris at the White House on Thursday for a roundtable discussion centered on the pardons granted by President Joe Biden – marking another significant step for the reality star into the realm of national criminal justice policy.
This dialogue followed the president’s issuance of pardons for 11 individuals and the commutation of sentences for five others convicted of non-violent drug offenses.
Among those participating in the forum were individuals who had received pardons the previous day – Jason Hernandez, Bobby Darrell Lowery, Jesse Mosley, and Beverly Holcy – who shared their firsthand encounters with the justice system. All four have since established businesses or non-profit ventures within their communities post-incarceration.
“I’m a big believer in the power of redemption,” Harris said. “Is it not the sign of a civil society that we allow people a way to earn their way back and give them the support and the resources they need to do that?”
Harris extended her gratitude to Kardashian, who had previously visited the White House multiple times during the Trump administration to advocate for criminal justice reform, acknowledging her impactful advocacy and utilization of her platform to elevate discussions about and commitment to second chances.
Kardashian replied, “I’m here to lend support and amplify awareness,” before expressing her eagerness to hear the stories of the pardon recipients.
In addition to the discussion, Harris seized the opportunity to unveil a new regulation that significantly loosens restrictions on Small Business Administration loans based on an individual’s criminal history.
Mosley, one participant at the roundtable, expressed that he felt “overwhelming gratitude for being one of the few that they did pardon.”
“Now I’m sitting at the table with the VP and Kim K.,” he said.
The gathering coincides with the Biden administration’s recognition of “Second Chance Month,” during which President Biden reaffirmed his commitment to “forge a criminal justice system that embodies those principles, ensuring that individuals re-entering society from incarceration have a genuine opportunity to pursue the American Dream,” as stated in a presidential proclamation issued last month.
