Chris Christie speaks with then President Donald Trump in the East Room of the White House in Washington, D.C., in 2017 (JIM WATSON/AFP/Getty Images)
A longtime New Jersey Republican power broker who was pardoned by Donald Trump in one of the former president's last acts in office has nonetheless been suspended from practicing law in the Garden State for "committing a criminal act."
The New Jersey Supreme Court on May 7 handed Ocean County GOP Chairman George R. Gilmore a two-year suspension, effective as of June 13 but with credit for 22 months of a temporary suspension already served for "committing a criminal act that reflects adversely on the lawyer's honesty, trustworthiness, or fitness as a lawyer in other respects" and for engaging in conduct involving dishonesty, fraud, deceit, or misrepresentation," in "two instances."
Those violations of the New Jersey Rules of Professional Conduct stemmed from Gilmore's 2019 convictions for failing to pay payroll taxes to the IRS and making false statements on an application for a bank loan.
"Gilmore worked as an equity partner and shareholder at Gilmore & Monahan P.A., a law firm in Toms River, where he exercised primary control over the firm's financial affairs," the Department of Justice said. "Because he exercised significant control over the law firm's financial affairs, Gilmore was responsible for withholding payroll taxes from the gross salary and wages of the law firm's employees to cover individual income, Social Security and Medicare tax obligations."
Trump pardoned Gilmore, along with a number of other well-known figures, on Jan. 20, 2021, the day his term ended and the day President Joe Biden's began.
That list included Albert Pirro, the ex-husband of Fox News host Jeanine Pirro, former White House strategist Steve Bannon, rapper Lil Wayne, rapper Kodak Black, former RNC Finance Chairman Elliott Broidy, Jared Kushner's friend Ken Kurson, and Casey Urlacher, the brother of NFL Hall of Fame linebacker Brian Urlacher.
In Gilmore's case, the White House cited the "important civic contributions over his career in New Jersey" and the support of various individuals, including former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie (R), in granting the "full pardon."
In a reaction to the pardon, Gilmore expressed "gratitude and humility," saying "I owe my life" to Trump.
Also after the pardon, Gilmore's attorney Kevin Marino commented on his client's temporary suspension, telling the Asbury Park Press, Gilmore "lost his law license based solely on his conviction."
George R. Gilmore, Ocean County, N.J., Republican chairman addresses an election watch party as he says that Tom MacArthur, the Republican candidate in New Jersey's third Congressional District, will not make an appearance Tuesday, Nov. 6, 2018, in Toms River, N.J. MacArthur, the Republican incumbent is facing Democrat Andy Kim in New Jersey's third Congressional District. (AP Photo/Mel Evans)
"As his conviction has now been completely erased, his license will be restored," Marino added.
In order to be reinstated as a lawyer, however, Gilmore will have to continue serving a suspension and prove his "fitness to practice law, as attested to by a mental health professional approved by the Office of Attorney Ethics."