Live: Todd Chrisley speaks to press after pardon

(NewsNation) — Reality TV star Todd Chrisley spoke to the press on Friday for the first time since he and his wife were pardoned by President Donald Trump.

Chrisley began by thanking supporters and pledging that he would continue to fight for the wrongly convicted and speak out about the conditions inside prison.

“I was convicted of something I did not do,” he said. “It could be you, it could be any of you.”

The Chrisleys were convicted in 2022 of conspiring to defraud Atlanta-area banks out of more than $30 million in loans by submitting false documents and tax evasion. Authorities said they took steps to obscure their earnings while living a publicly luxurious life.

Todd Chrisley declared bankruptcy and left more than $20 million in unpaid loans, which prosecutors said was the couple walking away from responsibility. Todd Chrisley was sentenced to 12 years in prison and Julie Chrisley to seven and the couple was ordered to pay $17.8 million in restitution.

The couple has maintained their innocence and said they were treated harshly.

The couple’s daughter, Savannah Chrisley, has been an advocate for their release, seeking a presidential pardon and has also publicly supported Trump.

On Wednesday, Trump pardoned the couple and they were released later that day. The couple was not seen together, but both appeared on their daughter’s Instagram with posts celebrating their release.

The Chrisleys were among a flurry of pardons issued by Trump, who has rejected the typical lengthy pardon process that includes review from the Justice Department. Several of those pardoned or whose sentences were commuted were supporters of Trump or whose crimes aligned with the president’s views, such as a military member jailed for failing to adhere to COVID-19 safety protocols.

The Chrisleys are reportedly planning to return to TV with a new series about their legal battles.