Criminal justice reform activist Alice Marie Johnson fired back Friday morning at a controversial tweet by Politico that claimed she was being “propped up” by President Trump’s reelection campaign.
Ms. Johnson, 63, was released from prison in June after serving 21 years of a life sentence for first-time, nonviolent drug convictions. Kim Kardashian West, wife of Trump-supporting rapper Kanye West, played a key role in lobbying the president to commute Ms. Johnson’s sentence.
During a speech for the Republican National Convention Thursday night, Ms. Johnson said she was “forever grateful” to the president for her freedom, declaring she was, “free in body thanks to President Trump, but free in mind thanks to the almighty God.”
Politico faced a wave of criticism for a tweet about Ms. Johnson’s performance, which characterized her as the face of Mr. Trump’s prison reform efforts.
“Alice Johnson, a key player in Trump’s criminal justice reform push, delivered her RNC address tonight,” the outlet wrote. “She’s been propped up as one of the most prominent beneficiaries of the terms of the First Step Act. Kim Kardashian played a role in her prison release.”
Critics on social media slammed the tweet as condescending.
.@Politico’s bitter and desperate partisanship on full display today.
Alice Johnson is no one’s prop.
How dare you disrespect this amazing and powerful woman.
You reveal yourselves in your derision.
How petty, small, and pathetic you are. https://t.co/IIHNCErj78
— Nan Hayworth, M.D. (@NanHayworth) August 28, 2020
She’s been “propped up”…. wow is that super condescending…
Get a grip Politico
— Nick Zerwas (@NickZerwas) August 28, 2020
This headline removes agency from Alice in a way that is extremely uncomfortable and bizarre. https://t.co/9uPTWNk0Zt
— Erielle Davidson (@politicalelle) August 28, 2020
Ms. Johnson was asked to respond to Politico’s tweet during an appearance on “Fox & Friends.”
“Do you think you’re being propped up by this campaign?” Fox News anchor Ainsley Earhardt asked Ms. Johnson.
“No, Ainsley,” Ms. Johnson responded. “You know what amazes me about the things that are being said, is that another form of prisoner spoke at the DNC last week and she was not called a prop for choosing to speak there. Yet, I don’t have the choice to speak where I want to. I’m a person who was very honored to be there last night. So I just don’t know this double standard.”
“I’m not a prop and I’m not a puppet,” she added. “I make my own choices as to what I’d like to do. I am free.”
Ms. Johnson was apparently referring to author and activist Donna Hylton, who was convicted of murder and kidnapping for her role in the murder of New York businessman Thomas Vigliarolo in 1985. Ms. Hylton, who was paroled in 2012, participated in a pre-recorded video that opened the Democratic National Convention last week.
