Maryville, TN – Former Tennessee State Senator Brian Kelsey received a presidential pardon from Donald Trump on Tuesday afternoon, nearly a year after pleading guilty to charges related to an illegal campaign finance scheme. Kelsey, who was sentenced to 21 months in prison, had been convicted for attempting to funnel campaign funds from his legislative campaign into his failed 2016 congressional bid.
The case against Kelsey, which resulted in his indictment in October 2021 and subsequent guilty plea in November 2022, involved the alleged illegal use of campaign donations for personal political gain. Despite admitting to the charges, Kelsey later attempted to reverse his plea, though he was unsuccessful. In February 2025, Kelsey began serving his 21-month sentence at the minimum-security satellite camp at FCI Ashland in Kentucky.
In a statement on X (formerly Twitter), Kelsey expressed his gratitude for the pardon, calling it a victory and thanking former President Trump. “God used Donald Trump to save me from the weaponized Biden DOJ,” Kelsey wrote. He went on to claim that even his primary accuser had admitted that Kelsey did not commit the crimes he was charged with.
Kelsey, who has maintained that his prosecution was politically motivated, has consistently referred to the case as a “witch hunt” orchestrated by the Democratic administration under President Joe Biden. He also expressed his faith and support for President Trump in his tweet, offering praise for both Trump and America. “Thank you for all your prayers,” Kelsey said, adding, “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.”
The pardon has sparked discussions regarding the influence of political figures in the justice system and whether Kelsey’s case was impacted by broader political dynamics. As of now, it remains unclear how this event may affect Kelsey’s political future or the broader legal landscape surrounding campaign finance violations.
Kelsey’s case also serves as a reminder of the controversial use of presidential pardons, a power granted to U.S. presidents that has often been the subject of debate regarding fairness and potential abuse.
