Feb. 7, 2025
Biden-era political prisoner still waiting for his release
GOP consultant Mike Shirley speaks out regarding overly harsh 7-year sentence, oddities from 'sham trial'
MIAMI — Although more than 1,500 Americans received a pardon from President Donald J. Trump during his first week back in Oval Office, numerous victims of the "weaponized DOJ" await justice.
Among them: Mike Shirley, Florida native and veteran GOP operative, strategist of national and local campaigns. He was sentenced to seven years in prison last year on the shakiest of grounds, masked as "bribery" and "honest fraud" charges.
Shirley, who had been silent since reporting to prison last spring, began speaking out on his X account via volunteers. “He stood up to the Biden DOJ’s political witch hunt and paid a heavy price. He was sent to prison for a crime he didn’t commit, all because he wouldn’t lie about Trump, [Fla. Gov. Ron] DeSantis, and Gaetz,” a recent post stated.
Shirley's case became the last of a string of convictions in an attempt to discredit Republican candidates including Trump ally and former Congressman Matt Gaetz and recently elected U.S. Rep. Ashley Moody.
Shirley's defense team pointed out various irregularities in his trial, including changing the instructions for the jury at the last minute to vague and confusing instructions that had already been struck down by the Supreme Court. The prosecution also went well-outside the boundaries of the indictment, accusing him of contract price markups (which would be a state regulatory matter). There were numerous contradictory statements from witnesses, he said. Shirley called the proceedings a "sham trial" and noted that he was deemed a public official of a county office in Florida when he was only a contractor. Shirley pointed out federal prosecutors had refused to call its star witness, former Seminole County Tax Assessor-Collector Joel Greenberg, whose statements in previous legal proceedings led to Shirley's questionable indictment.
"The totality of the ambiguousness of the case from start to finish is the antithesis to unambiguousness needed in a criminal case," the defense noted in a filing. "[But] ... The Government had to engage in such shenanigans to secure a conviction of Shirley ..."
Shirley’s appeal is still pending, according to his attorney, Dr. Gavin Clarkson of Katy, Texas. The following statement may be attributed to Clarkson:
"The DOJ’s case against Mr. Shirley was so tenuous that it abandoned its initial allegations and pivoted to an unfounded claim that Mr. Shirley’s invoicing practices were illegal, falsely categorizing him as a public official. The regime’s desperation became evident during the trial. ...
The truth is clear: the accusations against Mr. Shirley were based on lies and political malfeasance. ... Mr. Shirley is currently serving a 7-year sentence for his refusal to participate in the Biden regime’s corrupt schemes. His wrongful imprisonment serves as a warning against standing up to the Deep State’s overreach. This grave injustice must be corrected.
Mr. Shirley’s appeal is ongoing, but he should not have to endure prolonged incarceration while awaiting an uncertain resolution. Immediate relief — whether through a pardon, commutation, or overturning of his conviction — is necessary."
Shirley is currently being held at a minimum-security prison camp of FCI Miami, a federal prison with around 1,000 male inmates.
More information about the case, including legal filings, news clips, fundraising link, and compelling reasons why Shirley is not guilty, may be found at the Free Mike Shirley site at https://freemikeshirley.blogspot.com.
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