Min Leads Pardon Probe Over Pay-to-Play Questions
Democrats in Congress have opened a pardon and commutation investigation into whether President Trump’s clemency decisions were driven by pay-to-play dynamics. On Thursday, Dave Min, Raul Ruiz and Peter Welch sent letters to more than a dozen recipients asking for records tied to lawyers, lobbyists, social media influencers and donations.
Dave Min Letters
Min said recipients who do not respond could become subjects of future congressional investigations. In an interview with CBS News, he said, "If they don't respond, they run the risk of highlighting themselves — of being the subjects of future congressional investigations and creating more of a target on their backs for potential further criminal prosecutions" and said some people try to "get around the justice system." He added, "what is wrong with America right now under this administration."
The letters requested contracts showing how much money recipients paid to advocates who worked on their behalf, plus communications with federal officials, records of donations to Trump or groups affiliated with him, and other documents tied to clemency efforts. Democrats said they were looking for favorable treatment from Trump or his advisers through "intermediaries, financial contributions, or other forms of influence."
Changpeng Zhao Clemency
The investigation includes pardons for Changpeng Zhao, Joseph Schwartz and Trevor Milton. Zhao pleaded guilty to money laundering. Schwartz was convicted of tax crimes, and Milton was sentenced to four years in prison in 2023 after being convicted of lying to investors.
The most high-profile case is Trump’s pardon last year of Zhao. Federal disclosures show the clemency push for Zhao was led by Ches McDowell and Teresa Goody Guillén, while the letters also asked for records involving lawyers, lobbyists and social media influencers who advocated on recipients’ behalf.
House Senate Oversight
Democrats said Trump’s acts of clemency were "depriving victims of compensation and justice" and cited the president’s elimination of hundreds of millions of dollars in restitution and fines. They also said Trump appeared to reward allies in a manner that departs from the Supreme Court’s description of executive clemency as "an act of grace" exercised for the "public welfare."
Because Democrats are in the minority in both chambers, they lack subpoena power. They said the clemency pipeline will likely be a top oversight area if they regain majorities in either chamber in the midterm elections this year, leaving the current inquiry dependent on voluntary responses unless the balance of power changes.
