In a surprising turn of events, a Democratic member of the U.S. House of Representatives is calling for New York Gov. Kathy Hochul (D) to pardon former President Donald Trump. 

The Democrat, according to the Washington Examiner, is U.S. Rep. Dean Phillips (D-MN). Phillips is the man who unsuccessfully challenged President Joe Biden in the 2024 Democratic presidential primary.

Phillips's call for Hochul to pardon Trump came on Saturday, after a jury found Trump guilty in the so-called hush-money case brought against him by Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg (D).

As will be demonstrated, Phillips is no fan of Trump, but he believes that a pardon would be "for the good of the country."

"Hochul should pardon him"

Phillips began his first message, on Saturday, with an attack on Trump.

"Donald Trump is a serial liar, cheater, and philanderer, a six-time declarer of corporate bankruptcy, an instigator of insurrection, and a convicted felon who thrives on portraying himself as a victim," the congressman wrote. 

Yet, he said that "@GovKathyHochul should pardon him for the good of the country."

There is little doubt that Phillips's attack on Trump was designed to prevent a backlash over his pardon call. Yet, the backlash came anyway. Several social media users tore into Phillips for the idea, prompting Phillips to respond.

"You think pardoning is stupid? Making him a martyr over a payment to a porn star is stupid. (Election charges are entirely different.) It’s energizing his base, generating record sums of campaign cash, and will likely result in an electoral boost," the congressman wrote.

Phillips is probably right, but . . .

In terms of political strategy, Phillips is probably right here. It likely would be in the Democrats' best interest to pardon Trump to help push back on the narrative that they have weaponized the American legal system against their political opponent.

The problem, however, is that Phillips is talking too much sense for Trump-hating Democrats. They simply are not having it.

The New York Post reports that Hochul has been asked whether she would consider pardoning Trump, and it appears that the answer is no.

The Post reports:

A person close to Hochul said a pardon was “unlikely.” “I cannot image a world where she would consider doing this, this makes no sense,” said the insider.

It is clear that the Democrats see this as their opportunity to finally get Trump, and it appears that they will stop at nothing until they do.