Orland Pastor Charged With Election Interference In Georgia Among 70 Pardoned By Trump

ORLAND PARK, IL — An Orland Park pastor who was charged with racketeering in Georgia following the 2020 election is among 70 people pardoned by President Donald Trump, according to a list released Monday by U.S. Pardon Attorney Ed Martin.

Rev. Stephen Cliffgard Lee, a pastor at Living Word Lutheran Church in Orland Park, was among 18 associates and supporters of Trump to be charged in a sweeping racketeering indictment in August 2023. The group, which included Trump, was accused of trying to interfere with the 2020 presidential election.

Lee's 17 co-defendants are all also on the list shared on X. Trump himself is not.

Trump issued Lee and others "full, complete, and unconditional pardon to all United States citizens for conduct relating to the advice, creation, organization, execution, submission, support, voting, activities, participation in, or advocacy for or of any slate or proposed slate of Presidential electors, whether or not recognized by any State or State official, in connection with the 2020 Presidential Election, well for any conduct relating to their efforts to expose voting fraud and vulnerabilities in the 2020 Presidential Election," the document reads.

"This proclamation ends a grave national injustice perpetrated upon the American people following the 2020 Presidential Election and continues the process of national reconciliation."

According to the 98-page indictment, Lee conspired with Chicago publicist Trevian Kutti; Harrison Floyd, a former mixed martial arts fighter who led the group Black Voices for Trump; and Scott Hall, a bail bondsman in the Atlanta area, in connection with alleged efforts to pressure a Georgia election worker to lie about election fraud, Patch reported.

Lee, specifically, was charged with two counts of criminal attempt to commit influencing witnesses, conspiracy to commit solicitation of false statements and writings, influencing witnesses, and violation of the Georgia Racketeer Influenced And Corrupt Organizations Act, according to Fulton County Jail records.

The charges against Lee pertain to Fulton County election worker Ruby Freeman. Reuters reported that Lee went to Freeman's home after first passing her a note through a neighbor saying her "time was running out," and that he could help her and her daughter. Lee "played a central role in a failed effort to pressure Freeman to admit to an election fraud that never occurred," Reuters reported.

After Freeman declined to cooperate with Lee, he reportedly contacted Floyd, who then is said to have sent Kutti, who threatened to imprison Freeman unless she falsely confessed to election fraud, Reuters previously reported.

Freeman and her daughter, Wandrea “Shaye” Moss, were later falsely accused of committing election fraud by Trump and Rudy Giuliani. The mother and daughter of "sneaking in ballots in suitcases, counting ballots multiple times, and tampering with voting machines," the Associated Press reported.

Freeman and her daughter later sued Giuliani for defamation, and in December 2023 were awarded $148 million in damages. In January 2025, Giuliani struck a deal with the women that allows him to keep all of his property in exchange for a payment of an unknown amount, Politico reported.

Freeman and her and daughter also testified for the U.S. House Select Committee to Investigate the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol.

"I lost my name, I’ve lost my reputation. I’ve lost my sense of security — all because a group of people, starting with Number 45 and his ally Rudy Giuliani, decided to scapegoat me and my daughter, Shaye, to push their own lies about how the presidential election was stolen," Freeman said, according to a transcript of her testimony.

On Monday, Martin thanked Trump for the opportunity to pardon Lee and others involved.

"Thank you: @POTUS for allowing me, as U.S. Pardon Attorney, to work with @WhiteHouse, along with @AGPamBondi, @DAGToddBlanche & SG John Sauer, to achieve your intent—let their healing begin," Martin wrote.