Republican Anna Paulina Luna Urges California Governor Gavin Newsom to Free Rapper Amid Claims of Prosecutorial Misconduct

In a bold move that has sparked heated debate, Republican Congresswoman Anna Paulina Luna of Florida has publicly called on California Governor Gavin Newsom to issue a pardon for incarcerated rapper Tory Lanez, whose real name is Daystar Peterson. Lanez is currently serving a 10-year sentence following his 2023 conviction for the 2020 shooting of rapper Megan Thee Stallion. Luna’s demand, posted on X on May 19, 2025, alleges that Lanez’s conviction was marred by “flawed evidence, political pressure, and prosecutorial bias,” igniting a firestorm of reactions across social media and the hip-hop community.

“I am calling on Gov. Newsom @CAgovernor to review Tory Lanez’s case and issue a pardon,” Luna wrote in her post, which included a link to a petition by the Caldwell Institute for Public Safety. “His 10-year sentence was based on flawed evidence, political pressure, and prosecutorial bias. Justice must be blind—not driven by headlines. Free Tory Lanez.” The petition, which has garnered over 260,000 signatures, claims Lanez’s conviction lacked conclusive physical evidence, citing the absence of his DNA on the firearm’s magazine and untested gunshot residue on key witness Kelsey Harris.

Luna’s intervention comes on the heels of a violent incident in which Lanez was reportedly stabbed 14 times in a California prison on May 12, 2025, suffering collapsed lungs and requiring hospitalization. The attack has intensified calls from supporters, including rapper Drake, who shared the same pardon petition days earlier with the caption, “@torylanez come home soon.” Lanez’s legal team has also recently claimed new evidence, including a sworn affidavit from a bodyguard alleging that Harris, Megan Thee Stallion’s former friend, fired the gun during the 2020 incident.

The congresswoman’s stance has drawn both praise and criticism. Supporters argue that Luna is highlighting systemic issues in the justice system, pointing to a 2021 study by the National Registry of Exonerations, which found that official misconduct contributed to 31% of wrongful convictions in the U.S., disproportionately affecting Black and Latino men. Critics, however, including Megan Thee Stallion’s legal team, maintain that Lanez’s conviction was just, with attorney Alex Spiro stating, “Tory Lanez was tried and convicted by a jury of his peers and his case was properly adjudicated through the court system. This is not a political matter—this is a case of a violent assault.”

Luna, known for her conservative advocacy and membership in the House Freedom Caucus until March 2025, has framed her call as a stand against prosecutorial overreach. In a letter to Newsom, she questioned forensic inconsistencies and the influence of media sensationalism on the trial, urging a full review of the case. Governor Newsom’s office has not yet responded to Luna’s request or the growing public pressure, leaving the rapper’s fate uncertain.

The case continues to divide the hip-hop community, with artists like Chris Brown and Iggy Azalea voicing support for Lanez, while others, including Kehlani and JoJo, have stood by Megan Thee Stallion. As the pardon petition gains traction and Lanez recovers from his injuries, Luna’s high-profile involvement has thrust the case back into the national spotlight, raising broader questions about justice, celebrity, and political influence in the legal system.