Joe Exotic says he was ‘too innocent and too gay’ for Donald Trump pardon

The Tiger King’s nemesis Carole Baskin has shared her relief at the decision
Joe Exotic, 57, said Trump’s ‘corrupt friends’ come first

Joe Exotic has hit out at Donald Trump’s failure to pardon him before leaving office, suggesting the ex-president’s decision was motivated by homophobia and corruption.

The Tiger King star had desperately hoped to be granted clemency by the outgoing leader but was not added to the list of nearly 150 high-profile beneficiaries.

The 57-year-old, who is currently serving a 22-year jail sentence for plotting to kill his rival Carole Baskin and for animal cruelty, was so confident he would be released that his legal team arranged for a limousine to pick him up from the prison gates.

But Exotic, real name Joseph Maldonado-Passage, did not feature among the 143 names released on Wednesday morning, which included rapper Lil Wayne and Mr Trump’s former chief strategist Steve Bannon.

The former zoo keeper responded with fury to the omission, tweeting: “I was too innocent and too GAY to deserve a Pardon from Trump."

He then hit out at the former president’s son, who had reportedly met with Exotic’s lawyers to discuss his potential reprieve.

“I only mattered to Don Jr. when he needed to make a comment about me to boost his social media post,” the thwarted Netflix favourite wrote.

“Boy were we all stupid to believe he actually stood for Equal Justice? His corrupt friends all come first.”

In his pardon application filed in September, Exotic’s lawyers argued that he was “railroaded and betrayed” by others.

The 57-year-old is scheduled to be released from custody in 2037, but his lawyers said in the application that “he will likely die in prison” because of health concerns.

Exotic was jailed for plotting to have animal rights campaigner Baskin murdered.
Netflix

Meanwhile, Baskin, 59, welcomed news that her former adversary would stay behind bars.

She wrote on social media: “I am thankful that Joe Schreibvogel Maldonado Passage was not granted a pardon.”

Baskin said a notice she received from the prison system appeared to say Exotic has had an extra month added to his sentence for not obeying prison rules.

She also suggested he should follow the lead of another Tiger King star, Mario Tabraue, and give evidence in order to take years off his sentence.

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