1/18/2021 Trump allies ‘paid to lobby for presidential pardons’

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Trump allies ‘paid to lobby for

presidential pardons’
January 17, 2021 in News

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A lucrative market has emerged for presidential pardons and clemency, with associates of Donald Trump
being paid to lobby on individuals’ behalf, the New York Times reported.   

Thousands of dollars have changed hands according to documents filed by lobbyists to Congress.

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1/18/2021 Trump allies ‘paid to lobby for presidential pardons’

A D V E R T I S E M E N T

While there is no suggestion of illegality, the latest allegations will be embarrassing for Mr Trump who,
when running for office, promised to “drain the swamp” of lobbyists and paid influence peddlers in
Washington.

Details of the alleged cash for clemency emerged amid speculation that Mr Trump is seeking a pardon
for himself and members of his family after he leaves office.

Some of those facing charges for the attack on the Capitol have also said they will seek a presidential
pardon – a move which was opposed by Lindsey Graham, a close ally of Mr Trump’s.

Over the past few months, the US president has announced several pardons for several allies
including Paul Manafort, his former presidential campaign chairman, Michael Flynn, the administration’s
former National Security Adviser, and Roger Stone, a former adviser.    

There is no suggestion that they paid anybody to intercede on their behalf. But it is alleged that others
who have received pardons have been aided by lobbyists.  

A D V E R T I S E M E N T

They include Charles Kushner, the father of the president’s son-in-law, Jared, who had been convicted
for tax evasion, witness tampering and campaign finance violations.

According to a statement from the White House, his plea was supported by Brett Tolman, a former US
district attorney in Utah, and Matt Schlapp, of the American Conservative Union.

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1/18/2021 Trump allies ‘paid to lobby for presidential pardons’

They succeeded in persuading the president that Kushner’s record of philanthropy, since being released
from prison, overshadowed his earlier conviction.

Mr Tolman also lobbied on behalf of Mark Shapiro and Irving Stitsky, real estate developers who were
serving 85-year jail terms after their company crashed costing their investors millions of dollars.

It was unclear whether Kushner, Shapiro or Stitsky paid Mr Tolman for his work.

However, on Twitter Mr Tolman said he had represented a number of clients. “Some have been paying
clients, many have been pro-bono.”

And in a legal filing to the House of Representatives, Mr Tolman declared he had received $22,500
lobbying for clemency, although it is unclear from whom.

The New York Times alleges a number of other associates of Mr Trump have been engaged in similar
work.

Mr Trump is not the first president to have been accused of using his powers of pardon and clemency to
aid supporters.

Bill Clinton issued 170 pardons and commutations, some of which went to donors, including financier
Marc Ritch, whose former wife contributed $1.1 million towards his presidential library.  

Mr Clinton insisted, in an article in the New York Times, that there was no “quid pro quo”.  

“Presidents usually rely on the Pardon Attorney’s Office in the US Department of Justice to screen
applications from clemency petitioners,” explained Professor Jeffrey Crouch of the American University
and one of the country’s leading authorities on presidential pardons.

“Trump has been unusual when compared with other recent presidents in two ways. First, he almost
never relies on this formal process, opting instead for his own group of advisors.

 “Second, he seems to prefer to grant clemency primarily to people he knows or knows about. These
lucky clemency recipients are often Trump’s political allies, supporters, or people who have a connection
to him.”

Christopher Galdieri, associate professor of politics at Saint Anselm College, added: “It strikes me as
typical of Trump’s use of pardons as a way to reward supporters and the influential more than as an act
of mercy that can undo injustices.

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1/18/2021 Trump allies ‘paid to lobby for presidential pardons’

“I doubt many folks with unjustly long sentences or wrongful convictions are the ones hiring lobbyists
with access to this White House.”

The involvement of lobbyists in the pardon process was condemned by David Gergen, a former White
House adviser to presidents Nixon, Ford, Reagan and Clinton.

“It’s disgusting and violates all the norms and expectations of the clemency process,” he told the
Telegraph.

The post Trump allies ‘paid to lobby for presidential pardons’ appeared first on The Telegraph.

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