George Stephanopoulos spent thirty years building a career on asking tough questions.
But a defense attorney said something legally impossible on national television – and Stephanopoulos said nothing.
And Megyn Kelly just exposed what George Stephanopoulos did when a lawyer said something illegal on live TV.
The Pardon That Cannot Exist
Lindsay Clancy strangled her three children – Cora, 5, Dawson, 3, and Callan, 8 months – in their Duxbury, Massachusetts home in January 2023.
Her trial ended in a mistrial September 4 when one holdout juror refused to convict.
Defense attorney Kevin Reddington appeared on Good Morning America four days later and made a direct appeal to the President of the United States.
"Perhaps Donald Trump, who felt compelled to speak out about this case, may very well – Mr. President, I would hope that you would consider this young lady, the type of person she is, what she's been through, and consider a pardon," Reddington told Stephanopoulos.
There is one problem with Reddington's pardon request.
Lindsay Clancy is charged with state crimes in Massachusetts.
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Donald Trump cannot pardon her.
Presidential pardon authority covers federal offenses only – it is written directly into Article II of the Constitution.
A first-year law student knows this.
George Stephanopoulos, who has been anchoring national television for nearly three decades, apparently did not.
Kelly Reads the Tape
Megyn Kelly played the clip on her show Tuesday and did not hold back.
"It would have been nice if George Stephanopoulos would have asked him one follow-up question, which is: Why would you be asking for a pardon when your client is charged with a state crime, something for which the president cannot pardon her?" Kelly said.
She tried to give Stephanopoulos the benefit of the doubt, noting that morning television runs on tight segments.
Then she noted that Reddington's segment ran seven minutes.
"God forbid you blow a break or you actually just take the time that's necessary to clarify what in God's name your guest is talking about," Kelly said.
Instead, Stephanopoulos thanked Reddington, cut to commercial, and left every viewer at home believing Trump might be able to pardon a woman convicted of no federal crime.
He also let Reddington walk out after attacking the lone holdout juror on national television.
According to a note from the jury foreperson, that juror "had doubt but he would not apply the law of reasonable doubt as presented by the judge."
That juror sat through nearly two months of testimony about three strangled children and decided he was not convinced beyond a reasonable doubt.
Reddington smeared him on live television and Stephanopoulos said nothing.
"Wouldn't it have been nice if we had a competent journalist sitting across from Reddington to challenge him," Kelly said.
The Man Who Interviewed Biden Like a Grandson
This is who George Stephanopoulos is – and Tuesday morning was not a fluke.
After Biden's catastrophic debate collapse in June 2024, the White House handed Stephanopoulos the interview that was supposed to save Biden's presidency.
Author Chris Whipple later reported in his book Uncharted that Stephanopoulos "questioned the president gently, like a grandson."
Stephanopoulos privately called the interview "heartbreaking up close" – and still didn't ask the questions America needed answered.
Before that, he donated $75,000 to the Clinton Foundation while anchoring political coverage at ABC.
He had to publicly apologize and recuse himself from Republican debate coverage.
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He is a former Clinton White House communications director who became the face of ABC News.
And on Tuesday morning, he sat across from a defense attorney who asked the president for a pardon that doesn't legally exist – and let it go.
Cora was five years old.
Dawson was three.
Callan was eight months old when he was strangled with an exercise band in the basement of the family's home while his father was out running an errand.
Those kids deserved a journalist in that chair.
They got a Clinton operative who didn't know presidential pardon law.
Sources:
- Ariel Zilber, "Megyn Kelly rips George Stephanopoulos for not challenging Lindsay Clancy lawyer's 'bizarre' plea," New York Post, September 9, 2026.
- "Megyn Slams George Stephanopoulos for Terrible 'GMA' Interview with Lindsay Clancy's Attorney," MegynKelly.com, September 8, 2026.
- Marlene Lenthang et al., "Lindsay Clancy's triple-murder trial ended in a mistrial," NBC News, September 4, 2026.
- Lindsay Kornick and Hanna Panreck, "George Stephanopoulos described Biden as 'heartbreaking up close' during crucial post-debate interview: book," Fox News, April 9, 2025.
- "On 'GMA,' ABC's George Stephanopoulos Apologizes To Viewers," Variety, May 15, 2015.
- "Duxbury Woman Arraigned On Charges That She Murdered Her Three Children," Plymouth County District Attorney's Office, 2023.
