Steve Bannon, Rudy Giuliani and Lil Wayne. Who is, and isn’t, in line for a pardon from Donald Trump – SBS News

A controversial star of a Netflix documentary and a rapper are among the high-profile names in line for a last-minute presidential pardon before Donald Trump leaves the White House.

Before Christmas, Mr Trump issued a number of controversial pardons and he is set to do so again.

The outgoing president is widely expected to use his final full day in office to issue approximately 100 presidential pardons andcommutations.

Joe Exotic, star of the Netflix documentary series Tiger King is one of the more controversial pardons believed to be on the cards.

The 57-year-old, whose real name isJoseph Maldonado-Passage, is serving a 22 year jail sentence for plotting to kill his rival Carole Baskin, as well as several counts of animal abuse charges.

FILE - In this Aug. 28, 2013, file photo, Joseph Maldonado-Passage, also known as Joe Exotic, is seen at the zoo he used to run in Wynnewood, Okla.

AP

A stretch limo was seen outside the Fort Worth Prison in Texas on Wednesday, where he is serving his sentence.

Rapper Lil Wayne is also in line for a presidential pardon, according to The New York Times.

The rapper, whose real name isDwayne Michael Carter Jr, pleaded guilty last month to possession of a gold-plated handgun in Miami and is facing up to 10 years in prison.

He is a known supporter of Mr Trump and has previously tweeted out his support and met with the outgoing president.

A number of high-profile figures are reportedly set to miss out on a pardon.

These include Mr Trump's personal lawyer Rudy Giuliani, who has not been charged with any crime but could receive a pre-emptive pardon ahead of expected legal difficulties.

Mr Trump's former White House Strategist Steve Bannon will likely miss out, despite facing charges of defrauding donors to Mr Trump's "Build the Wall" campaign. He has pleaded not guilty to the charges.

There has also been intense lobbying from supporters of Wikileaks founder Julian Assange for Mr Trump to grant him clemency in his finals days in office.

Mr Assange is facing extradition to the United States to face charges of espionage and conspiring to hack US government computers.

Despite praising Wikileaks during his 2016 campaign for their release of emails damaging to his Democratic then-rival Hillary Clinton, Mr Trump is not expected to grant Mr Assange a pardon.

WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange

AAP

There have also been calls from those directly charged over the 6 January Capitol Hill riots for Mr Trump to grant them pardons.

The president hasn't given any indication that he plans to pardon the rioters, who face a range of charges, including violent entry into a restricted building and disorderly conduct.

With legal and financial woes waiting for him outside of the Oval Office, there are questions that Mr Trump could attempt to pardon himself.

Legal and constitutional experts are split about whether the President even has the power, but Mr Trump has previously stated that he believes he does.

Many scholars have said a self-pardon would be unconstitutional because it violates the basic principle that nobody should be the judge in their own case.

Mr Trump is facing several financial and sexual harassment lawsuits and may also end up in legal trouble over the incitement of rioters just prior to the Capitol Hill attack.

However, US media widely reported on Wednesday that Mr Trump wasn't planning on pardoning himself as it would be seen as an admission of guilt for crimes he believes he hasn't committed.

Likewise, Mr Trump is not planning on granting pardons to any of his children, or his son-in-law Jared Kushner.

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Steve Bannon, Rudy Giuliani and Lil Wayne. Who is, and isn't, in line for a pardon from Donald Trump - SBS News