OKLAHOMA CITY — One name missing in President Donald Trump’s long list of last minute of pardons is “Tiger King” Joe Exotic.
The zookeeper-turned-reality-TV-star is serving a 22-year federal prison sentence in Texas.
In response to being left off the list, Joe Exotic, whose real name is Joseph Maldonado-Passage, sent a message to fans through Twitter.
"I only mattered to Don Jr. when he needed to make a comment about me to boost his social media post. Boy were we all stupid to believe he actually stood for Equal Justice?" Maldonado-Passage tweeted.
I was too innocent and too GAY to deserve a Pardon from Trump. I only mattered to Don Jr. when he needed to make a comment about me to boost his social media post. Boy were we all stupid to believe he actually stood for Equal Justice? His corrupt friends all come first. pic.twitter.com/ysGfwnqlHi
— Joe Exotic (@joe_exotic) January 20, 2021
His backers were so confident in a pardon that they sent a limousine and a hair and wardrobe team for Maldonado-Passage. But he wasn’t on the list announced Wednesday morning.
He was convicted for his role in a failed murder-for-hire plot targeting his rival, Carole Baskin, who runs a rescue sanctuary for big cats in Florida.
He also was convicted of killing five tigers, selling tiger cubs and falsifying wildlife records.
Maldonado-Passage has maintained his innocence.
