John,
At its core, Trump’s use of his power to pardon is not about mercy -- it’s about power, money, and impunity.
The presidential pardon was meant to be an extraordinary backstop against injustice, used sparingly and with care. Under Donald Trump, it has been stripped of that purpose and repurposed as a transactional instrument -- a way to reward loyalty, enrich allies, and flex his most king-like power as the one who decides who, like himself, is beyond the reach of the law.
Trump approaches the presidency as an endless series of opportunities to glorify himself and empower those who empower him, regardless of their past -- or future -- criminal behavior. As a convicted felon himself who has evaded accountability for his own crimes, Trump appears to relish the role of liberator, freeing others convicted of crimes involving hundreds of millions of dollars, and releasing perpetrators while leaving victims uncompensated and forgotten.
Over the past year, Trump’s pardons have become frequent, monetized, and nakedly political. He issued blanket pardons to January 6 defendants, including violent organizers who assaulted Capitol Police. At least ten have since been re-arrested for crimes that include possession of child pornography and the sexual assault of a 7-year-old.
Trump has turned clemency into a pay-to-play marketplace, where lobbyists now openly market their access to Trump’s inner circle. The Justice Department’s role has been sidelined, replaced by donors, loyalists, and political fixers.
Send a direct message to Congress to demand they subpoena the lobbyists, donors, and administration officials who are enabling Trump to subvert the clemency process for his own financial or political advantage, Restore the integrity of our justice system.
Trump pardoned high-profile financial criminals and drug traffickers, including Binance co-founder Changpeng “CZ” Zhao, convicted of money laundering; Devon Archer, convicted of securities fraud against the Oglala Sioux; and Juan Orlando Hernández, the former Honduran president serving a 45-year sentence for smuggling cocaine into the United States. These were not acts of justice. They were shout-outs to Trump’s rich and powerful allies.
Zhao’s pardon highlighted the business ties between Binance and Eric and Donald Trump Jr.’s World Liberty Financial, and led to an immediate surge in Trump family crypto interests. Archer’s pardon rewarded his assistance in the investigation of Hunter Biden, while letting Archer off the hook for more than $43 million owed to the Oglala Sioux. And Hernández’s pardon bolstered Trump’s alliance with the right wing National Party of Honduras.
Whistleblowers who objected to politically motivated pardons were marginalized or pushed out, while the scale and brazenness of the abuse accelerated. What was once an exceptional constitutional power has been normalized into a personal indulgence. Under Trump, loyalty outranks the law, and accountability is left only for those without money or influence.
Congress must act. Lawmakers should subpoena the donors, lobbyists, and administration officials who enable Trump’s pardon pipeline, and investigate how clemency has been, and is still being, converted into a mechanism for personal enrichment and political payoff.
The integrity of the justice system is not self-correcting -- it must be defended. Demand accountability now, before the next round of pardons once again frees powerful criminals and leaves their victims with nothing.
Thank you for demanding strong voices in Congress hold Trump accountable now, to shine a light on actions too shameful for even his most faithful to support.
– DFA AF Team
