Trump Pardon Recipients Face Congressional Investigation over "Pay-to-Play" Questions
Lawmakers are seeking records from more than a dozen clemency recipients as they examine payments, donations and lobbying tied to Trump pardons.
- On Thursday, Democratic Reps. Dave Min and Raul Ruiz and Sen. Peter Welch sent letters to 17 pardon recipients, asking whether President Donald Trump granted them clemency through "pay-to-play" schemes.
- Trump's clemency process bypasses the traditional Justice Department review, prompting lawmakers' scrutiny as it frequently rewards political allies and wealthy donors who faced prosecution.
- Among recipients under investigation are Binance founder Changpeng Zhao and Nikola Corporation founder Trevor Milton, who allegedly received pardons after providing significant financial contributions or hiring lobbyists; lawmakers note clemency has nullified almost $2 billion in recovered money from Medicare and tax fraud.
- White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said anyone "spending money to lobby for pardons is foolishly wasting their money," denying any "pay-to-play" aspects to Trump's clemency decisions.
- Democrats currently lack subpoena power but intend to prioritize this "pay-to-play" pipeline as a top oversight area if they regain majorities in November's midterm elections, gaining authority to compel documents and conduct full investigations.
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Democrats Open Investigation Into Potential ‘Pay-to-Play’ Scheme for Trump Pardons
President Donald Trump signs an executive order pardoning about 1,500 defendants charged in the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol in the Oval Office of the White House, Monday, Jan. 20, 2025, in Washington. Evan Vucci/APDemocrats in both the House and Senate are launching an investigation into what they allege is a potential “pay-to-play” scheme for presidential pardons.Reps. Dave Min and Raul Ruiz, alongside Sen. Peter Welch, sent letters to 17…
Democrats launch probe on whether Trump pardons were ‘pay-to-play’
Sen. Peter Welch (D-Vt.) and Rep. Dave Min (D-Calif.) on Thursday sent letters to 17 people who received pardons or commutations from President Trump, asking whether the president granted them leniency under “pay-for-play” circumstances. The lawmakers said the individuals got Trump’s clemency “under suspicious circumstances,” according to a list of recipients released by Min’s office.…
Democrats Investigate Alleged “Pay-to-Play” Trump Pardons
Washington, D.C. — Congressional Democrats announced Thursday they are investigating whether corruption or political favoritism influenced President Donald Trump’s recent pardon decisions, focusing on several high-profile clemency recipients with financial or political ties to Republican circles. Sen. Peter Welch of Vermont and Democratic Reps. Dave Min and Raul Ruiz sent letters to more than a dozen pardon recipients requesting records tied to …
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