By .
Jared Kushner is recalling how powerful Kim Kardashian’s influence was in the case of Alice Johnson’s pardon.
In an excerpt for the former Senior White House Advisor’s upcoming book Breaking History: A White House Memoir, he shared to People how instrumental the reality star’s help was in convincing former U.S. President Donald Trump to pardon Johnson.
Kardashian first brought up the case to Ivanka Trump in 2017 before it was brought to Kushner’s attention.
READ MORE:
Kim Kardashian’s Top 10 Clap Backs
Johnson was convicted in 1996 on a nonviolent drug offense and had then been serving the 21st year of a life sentence. She had spent the time incarcerated transforming her life.
“She’d become an ordained minister, completed multiple vocational certifications, mentored fellow inmates, and maintained a spotless behavioral record,” Kushner recalled.
“With the president increasingly supportive of criminal justice reform, I decided it was the perfect moment to bring him Alice Johnson’s clemency case,” Kushner continued. “In an Oval Office meeting in May, after working closely with Kim Kardashian to vet the file, I presented Alice’s case to the president.”
Despite how well they presented the case, White House counsel Don McGahn claimed Johnson was the “kingpin” of the drug operation she was involved in, and was against the idea.
In order to get a balanced view of the facts, Trump invited Kardashian to present the case personally at the White House.
READ MORE:
Kim Kardashian, Kylie Jenner Aren’t Happy About The Latest Instagram Updates
“She gracefully presented Alice’s case to the president,” Kushner wrote. “She knew the details backward and forward.”
The former president was impressed with her arguments.
“Two days later, [Trump] called me early in the morning and said, ‘Let’s do the pardon. Let’s hope Alice doesn’t go out and kill anyone!’” Kushner said.
He also alleged, however, that McGahn began leaking “falsehoods” to the press that Johnson was being pardoned merely on Kardashian’s celebrity status.
The reality star has been actively advocating for prison reform and has called attention to the cases of Cyntoia Brown, Melissa Lucio, and rapper Gunna.
Breaking History: A White House Memoir comes out on Aug. 23.