Democrats Reportedly Looking Into Whether There Was A ‘Pay-To-Play’ Aspect To Trump Pardons

Congressional Democrats are looking into whether some of the pardons issued by President Trump involved favors or financial contributions, according to a new report.

CBS News detailed that the lawmakers are specifically examining pardons given to cryptocurrency billionaire Changpeng Zhao, who pleaded guilty to money laundering; nursing home operator Joseph Schwartz, who was convicted of tax crimes; and entrepreneur Trevor Milton, sentenced to four years in prison in 2023 after being convicted of lying to investors.

The Democrats remain in the minority in the Senate and the House which limits their ability to use congressional authority to investigate the matter. Instead, officials have sent letters of inquiry to pardon recipients.

The letters ask whether individuals received their executive clemency “through intermediaries, financial contributions, or other forms of influence,” according to the outlet.

The New York Times reported earlier this year that Schwartz’s clemency campaign involved a lobbying effort that cost nearly $1 million paid to lobbyist affiliated with the political right.

Congressional filings cited by the outlet showed that lobbyists Jack Burkman and Jacob Wohl were paid $960,000 to help seek the federal pardon. The filing said the pair contacted Congress, the White House and the Justice Department on Schwartz’s behalf. Lobbyists can be hired to work on behalf of a person seeking clemency.

The White House has consistently denied that there was any “pay-to-play” aspects to the issuance of pardons and Trump’s decisions.

“Anyone spending money to lobby for pardons is foolishly wasting their money,” White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said previously. She added that Trump is “the final decider.”

The White House also pointed out that Schwartz had paid about $5 million in restitution related to his past misconduct.

CBS News reported that Milton and his wife donated at least $3 million to Trump’s 2024 campaign and other political groups. The network reported that the White House denied that the donations played any role in the clemency decision.