Tiger King star Joe Exotic slammed Donald Trump for again failing to pardon him and said he would have been better off if he had stormed the US Capitol on January 6.
The 61-year-old tiger trader, who’s currently serving a 22-year prison sentence after being convicted in 2019 of hiring hitmen to kill his zoo keeper rival, Carole Baskin, previously failed to receive a pardon from Trump during his first term.
While Trump told a reporter in 2020 that he would “take a look” at Exotic’s case, nothing came from it. He instead went on to pardon and commute the sentences of 143 people, including rappers Lil Wayne and Kodak Black.
Exoctic later sought clemency from former President Joe Biden, but his efforts remained unsuccessful.
Now he watched in dismay as Trump used his first few days back in the White House to pardon around 1,5000 people convicted over January 6.
He also pardoned two members of the far-right Proud Boys and Ross Ulbricht, the Silk Road founder, and additionally commuted the sentences of five Proud Boys and nine members of the Oath Keepers militia.
“If I was a crack dealer, maybe if I broke in the capital or even have been related to the Bidens. I might have gotten some relief on being in prison innocent,” Exotic wrote in a Tuesday (January 21) Instagram post, alongside a cartoon of a forlorn figure seated on the ground with the message: “President Trump you forgot me... again,” written above.
“Hell the guy who killed 2 FBI Agents even got a pardon today,” he added, referring to Leonard Peltier, who was controversially commuted by Biden in the final hours of his presidency, along with several of Biden’s family members.
“I can’t even get a new trial based on admitted perjury testimony,” Exotic said.
In a series of following Instagram posts, the felon further implored his followers to help him reach Trump by tagging the president on social media.
“President Trump what is going on? Pardon Joe Exotic!” he added in another post before going on to list a number of reasons why he should be freed.
“Joe Exotic did not hurt anyone. Joe Exotic did not pay anyone. Joe Exotic had no plans to hurt anyone,” he claimed, alleging that he’s “suffered for seven years behind bars being isolated, abused, and treated in ways no American should ever endure.”
“Trump, please sign clemency #C308172 and freedom for Joe Exotic the Tiger King so he can go back to doing good in the world,” the message concluded.
