April 25 (UPI) — Reality TV star turned businesswoman Kim Kardashian joined Vice President Kamala Harris at the White House on Thursday to discuss strategies for criminal justice reform and congratulate recently pardoned people.
Kardashian, who is famous largely for her family name, has used her celebrity platform to draw attention to individual prisoners she believes have been wrongly convicted and talked with Harris about President Joe Biden‘s use of pardons and clemency.
Kardashian was at the White House during the same week that Biden pardoned 11 people convicted of nonviolent drug charges and commuted the sentences of five others.
“I am super honored to be here to hear your stories today and I think it’s so important to share them and amplify them because there are so many people that are in your position that could use the inspiration,” Kardashian said to the pardoned individuals attending the event: Beverly Holcy, Jason Hernandez, Bobby Darrell Lowery and Jesse Mosley. “I’m just here to help and spread the word.”
Harris said during the event that she is a “big believer in second changes,” and that the administration will continue to work to remove barriers for people who have paid their debt to society but still face obstacles to success. She added that the Biden administration will continue to use pardons and commutations as a means to address the issue.
“For example, on marijuana, we have pardoned all people for federal convictions for simple marijuana possession,” Harris said. “Many of you have heard me say I just don’t think people should have to go to jail for smoking weed. And these pardons have been issued as an extension of that approach.”
Harris also mentioned during her remarks the finalization of a Small Business Administration rule she announced in January. It removes almost all loan eligibility restrictions based on someone’s criminal record.
Kardashian has visited the White House during both Democratic and Republican administrations. In 2020, she met with former president Donald Trump and thanked him for commuting the sentences of three women and discussing change she said the U.S. justice system “desperately needs.”
“It was actually in this very room that I was in years ago, my first clemency meeting, that really inspired me to take a journey,” Kardashian said Thursday. “I didn’t know a whole lot, and I was inspired to go to law school and really further my education to see what I can do to help.”
Kardashian also brought specific cases to Trump of people she believed were wrongly convicted.
This week’s meeting came as the Biden administration marks “Second Chance Month,” during which Biden has promised to “recommit to building a criminal justice system that lives up to those ideals so that people returning to their communities from jail or prison have a fair shot at the American Dream,” according to the White House proclamation.