Evers appoints pair to Pardon Advisory Board, pardons 33

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Gov. Tony Evers announced Thursday that he has appointed two additional members to the Governor’s Pardon Advisory Board. Additionally, the governor also announced that he has granted another 33 pardons, bringing his total number of pardons granted to 449.

The new appointees to the board include Anthony Cooper Sr. and Rev. John McVicker Sr.

Cooper serves as the vice president of Strategic Partnership and Reentry Services at Nehemiah Center for Urban Leadership Development. He was granted a pardon from Evers in January 2021.

McVicker is the founding pastor of Christ the King Baptist Church in Milwaukee. He additionally serves as an associate chaplain for the Milwaukee County Sheriff’s Department.

The Governor’s Pardon Advisory Board heard from applicants virtually on Feb. 11, and applications that were selected for expedited review or recommended by the Board were forwarded to Gov. Evers for final consideration.

Among the individuals pardoned is John Armstrong. Armstrong was 18 when he sold a small amount of fake hash to an undercover officer. In the two decades since, he has obtained a Bachelor’s degree in environmental studies and has volunteered with the local fire department and several environmental groups. He resides in Mazomanie with his daughter. Both the court and the district attorney’s office supported his pardon application.

A full list of the 33 pardons can be viewed here.

The next Governor’s Pardon Advisory Board will take place from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. on March 25, airing on wiseye.org/live and on YouTube.