Kim Kardashian joined Vice President Kamala Harris at the White House on Thursday to discuss criminal justice reform and President Joe Biden’s use of pardons and clemency.
The reality TV star and businesswoman, known for advocating for individual inmates she believes were wrongfully convicted, participated in a roundtable event alongside Harris, four individuals who received pardons from the Biden administration, and Steve Benjamin, director of the White House Office of Public Engagement.
Kardashian’s visit to D.C. coincided with Biden’s recent pardons of 11 people convicted of non-violent drug charges and commutation of the sentences of five others, offering them “the chance at building a brighter future for themselves beyond prison walls.”
“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 recently pardoned recipients. “I’m just here to help and spread the word.”
During the gathering, Harris announced the finalization of a Small Business Administration rule removing most restrictions on loan eligibility based on a person’s criminal record.
“We have convened today to talk about the power of individuals — when supported by community, by society — the power they have to do extraordinary things that benefit all kinds of people,” Harris said. “Reducing that restriction is going to mean a lot in terms of second chances and the opportunity for people to excel.”
The annual event, held in April, aims to highlight how government and service providers can “build meaningful second chances for people returning from incarceration,” according to the U.S. Department of Justice.
“During Second Chance Month, we 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,” Biden stated in a proclamation released by the White House.
Kardashian’s involvement in criminal justice reform is not new. In 2020, she met with former President Donald Trump to thank him for commuting the sentences of three women and discuss necessary changes in the U.S. justice system.
“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. “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 has also advocated for the release of other individuals, including rapper Corey Miller and rapper A$AP Rocky, whom she believed were treated unfairly by the legal system.
Additionally, Kardashian released a documentary titled “The Justice Project” in 2020, showcasing her efforts in criminal justice reform, and announced passing the “baby bar” exam around the same time.
