See more of our coverage in your search results.
WASHINGTON — Real Housewife Teresa Giudice and her daughter Gia visited the White House to celebrate Italian-American heritage on Friday for Columbus Day — as the women plead for President Trump to pardon the family’s patriarch Joe.
White House Deputy Assistant to the President for Coalition Policy and Engagement Lynne Patton posted a photo on Instagram showing the women outside the Oval Office.
The Giudices, who became famous through the “Real Housewives of New Jersey,” were at the White House “at the invitation of the President & First Lady in honor of Columbus Day & Italian-American heritage,” Patton wrote.
“I am not in charge of pardons. Nor do I decide who receives them. That is the President’s sole decision based upon recommendations from the White House Pardon Czar, [Alice Johnson], and White House Counsel.
“However, I will say this: I believe deeply in second chances.”
The first lady’s office declined to comment.
Teresa Giudice became nationally well-known in 2009 for attempting to flip a table during an emotional outburst on the Garden State drama-fest. Joe was later deported to Italy in 2019 after serving 41 months in prison for a crime spree including fraud to obtain $5 million in loans and failing to report $1 million in taxable earnings.
Teresa, who shares four daughters with Joe, has since remarried to Luis Ruelas.
Another daughter Milania Giudice, 20, recently admitted to struggling with her mental health after public breakdowns and is currently at a treatment center. Gia, the eldest daughter, has previously asked for a pardon for her dad.
“Do I believe that Joe deserves a second chance? Unfortunately, it is not my place to decide,” Patton said in a heartfelt post when she opened up about her own struggles with overcoming addiction.
“But what I do know is that one of his beautiful daughters desperately needs him now more than ever. And even God supports that.”