Trump Delivers Pardon Bonanza to Loyal Supporters

WASHINGTON: Reality TV personalities, former politicians, a sheriff, an executive from a nursing home, and a drug lord—what could possibly connect these individuals?

In fact, they are among the Americans who have been convicted of crimes and have received pardons from President Donald Trump since he took office in January.

While it’s not unusual for US presidents to grant controversial pardons, Trump’s approach is “larger and more bold, lacking any sense of shame,” remarked Kermit Roosevelt, a law professor at the University of Pennsylvania.

“The power to pardon has always posed some challenges, as it is an entirely unchecked power held by the president,” Roosevelt explained to AFP.

“Most presidents have issued at least a few pardons that raise eyebrows, making people think, ‘That seems self-serving’ or ‘This feels corrupt in some way.’

However, Trump’s pardons appear to resemble quid pro quo arrangements tied to financial contributions,” he added.

Among those pardoned was Paul Walczak, a nursing home executive found guilty of tax offenses, whose mother attended a $1 million-per-plate fundraising event at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate in April.

Reality TV stars Todd and Julie Chrisley, who were serving lengthy sentences for bank fraud and tax evasion, also received pardons.

Notably, their daughter, Savannah, is a vocal supporter of Trump and delivered a speech during last year’s Republican National Convention.

In addition, several former Republican lawmakers convicted of various charges received pardons, including a Virginia sheriff who was sentenced to 10 years for accepting $75,000 in bribes.

On his first day as president, Trump pardoned more than 1,500 supporters who invaded the US Capitol on January 6, 2021, in an effort to obstruct the congressional certification of Joe Biden’s election victory.

The following day, he pardoned Ross Ulbricht, who was serving a life sentence for operating the “Silk Road” online marketplace that enabled millions of dollars in drug sales.

‘Just Another Deal’

Barbara McQuade, a former prosecutor who now teaches law at the University of Michigan, commented that while Trump isn’t the first president to face accusations of allowing improper motives to affect pardon decisions, he certainly stands out.

Gerald Ford’s pardon of Richard Nixon, Bill Clinton’s pardon of a key Democratic donor’s husband, and Joe Biden’s pardon of relatives, including his son Hunter, have all faced criticism.

“[But] Trump is in a league of his own regarding both the extent and boldness of his actions,” McQuade expressed in a column for Bloomberg.

“To him, pardons are merely transactions; as long as a defendant can offer something of value in return, no crime seems too grievous,” she stated.

Democratic Representative Jamie Raskin has inquired in a letter to Ed Martin, Trump’s pardon attorney at the Justice Department, about the criteria used for pardon recommendations.

“It seems you are utilizing the Office of the Pardon Attorney to grant pardons as favors to the President’s loyal supporters and most generous donors,” Raskin wrote.

Martin, for his part, has openly acknowledged the political nature of the pardons suggested by his office.

“No MAGA left behind,” Martin tweeted after the pardon of the bribe-taking Virginia sheriff, alluding to Trump’s “Make America Great Again” slogan.

Lee Kovarsky, a law professor at the University of Texas, remarked that Trump’s “pardon spree” introduces a “dangerous new territory of presidential power,” which he terms “patronage pardoning.”

By alleviating penalties for misdeeds, Trump is making a “public commitment to protect and reward loyalty, no matter how criminal,” Kovarsky wrote in a piece for the New York Times.