Category: Pardon Abuse

Trump’s Commutation of Ozy Media Founder Highlights Disregard for Justice and Corporate Accountability

President Donald Trump has once again demonstrated his troubling patterns of favoring fraudulent behavior by commuting the sentence of Carlos Watson, founder of the now-defunct Ozy Media. Watson was just hours away from beginning a hefty 116-month prison term when Trump intervened, signalling a blatant disregard for the rule of law that Trump’s administration is increasingly known for. This clemency also includes the commutation of probation imposed on Ozy Media following its conviction related to this fraud scheme.

The case against Watson was serious, involving multiple counts of conspiracy related to securities and wire fraud, as well as identity theft. Convicted for deceiving investors through false claims about his company’s financial health, he had left a trail of financial devastation before Ozy Media closed in October 2021. Notably, the company collapsed following revelations that a top executive impersonated a YouTube leader during a critical investor pitch.

Further highlighting Trump’s pattern of leniency towards powerful figures embroiled in criminal activity, he recently pardoned Trevor Milton, the founder of Nikola, another executive found guilty of securities fraud. This raises significant concerns about Trump’s commitment to justice when his actions seem to protect the wealthy elite over the general public, reflecting an authoritarian tendency in his policy decisions.

Critics of Trump have long pointed out that his approach undermines the criminal justice system, particularly in cases involving white-collar crime. These actions illustrate an alarming trend where prosecutorial efforts against fraud are sidestepped, contributing to a broader culture of impunity among corporate criminals. Glenn Martin, a criminal justice reform advocate, has celebrated this commutation as a victory, but it raises serious ethical questions about who truly benefits from this so-called ‘forgiveness.’

Trump’s clemency for Watson sends a disturbing message: that individuals who orchestrate elaborate schemes to deceive investors can find refuge in political connections. This further emphasizes the urgent need for accountability within leadership, as Trump appears committed to a system where loyalty trumps justice, reinforcing the idea that the powerful are above the law.

(h/t: https://www.cnbc.com/2025/03/28/trump-commutes-sentences-of-ozy-media-founder-carlos-watson-and-company.html)

Trump Pardons Fraudster Nikola Founder Trevor Milton

Trevor Milton, the founder of Nikola, an electric vehicle startup, has been granted a presidential pardon by Donald Trump, according to a White House confirmation. This pardon follows Milton’s conviction last year for fraud, during which he was sentenced to four years in prison for significantly exaggerating his company’s technological capabilities. The implications of this pardon could potentially relieve Milton of paying hundreds of millions of dollars in restitution, which was sought by prosecutors for defrauded investors.

Trump’s decision to pardon Milton has drawn attention due to the timing of Milton’s substantial donations—over $1.8 million—to Trump’s re-election campaign just weeks before the 2020 election. This raises serious questions about the integrity of the pardon, suggesting a potential quid pro quo arrangement, which is emblematic of the corrupt practices often associated with Trump and his Republican supporters.

During a news conference, Trump defended his decision to pardon Milton by stating that many people had recommended it, implying that Milton was unfairly persecuted for supporting him. “They say the thing that he did wrong was he was one of the first people that supported a gentleman named Donald Trump for president,” Trump stated, dismissing any wrongdoing on Milton’s part while labeling the prosecutors as “vicious.”

The scandal surrounding Nikola has been considerable, particularly after prosecutors revealed that a promotional video featuring a prototype truck was misleading, showcasing a vehicle that had merely been rolled down a hill. Following these allegations, Nikola’s stock plummeted, leading to its Chapter 11 bankruptcy filing in February. This pattern of behavior reinforces how Trump continuously favors individuals associated with him, often at the expense of justice and accountability.

This latest pardon is part of a troubling trend during Trump’s presidency, where he has utilized his executive powers to benefit wealthy allies and corporate interests, signaling a blatant disregard for the legal system. The contrast between the pardons granted to individuals like Milton and the harsh sentences for many others reflects a corruptive influence embedded within current Republican practices, consistently prioritizing loyalty to Trump over ethical governance.

(h/t: https://apnews.com/article/nikola-trevor-milton-fraud-trump-pardon-3fcebb0a3820cecb205656f2dc3f6764)

Trump’s Pardon for Convicted Ex-Lawmaker Raises Ethical Red Flags and Undermines Justice

Former President Donald Trump has issued a pardon for Brian Kelsey, a convicted former Tennessee lawmaker who was serving a 21-month prison sentence for an illegal campaign finance scheme. Kelsey had previously pleaded guilty to funneling tens of thousands of dollars from his state campaign committee to fund his failed congressional bid in 2016. Sources report that Trump signed the pardon paperwork on Tuesday, although the White House has not provided any public commentary regarding the action.

Kelsey was just two weeks into his prison sentence when he received the pardon, which raises significant ethical concerns given that he was represented by current White House Counsel David Warrington. The role of the White House counsel typically involves reviewing presidential pardons, leaving many to question whether Warrington appropriately recused himself from the pardon process due to his prior involvement with Kelsey.

During Kelsey’s legal proceedings, Warrington argued that Kelsey’s decision to plead guilty was made in a state of confusion, influenced by personal turmoil, including the death of his father and the birth of his twins. However, U.S. District Judge Waverly Crenshaw did not accept this argument, maintaining that Kelsey was aware of his actions upon entering his guilty plea. The Supreme Court later declined to hear Kelsey’s appeal, which solidified his prison sentence.

Upon receiving the pardon, Kelsey expressed gratitude to Trump on social media, invoking religious language to describe the perceived injustices he faced during his legal battles. The timing and implications of this pardon further illustrate the troubling pattern of Trump favoring individuals connected to him or his administration, thus undermining the integrity of the justice system.

This incident not only spotlights the problematic intersection of law and politics but also raises alarms about the long-term consequences of Trump’s continued use of pardons as a tool for personal and political gain. As Trump remains embroiled in ongoing legal challenges, the ramifications of such pardons extend beyond individual cases, posing serious threats to democratic principles and accountability.

Trump Allies Manipulate Justice System to Shield Themselves from Accountability

The U.S. Justice Department has initiated a review of the nine-year prison sentence given to Tina Peters, a former county clerk in Colorado and an ally of Donald Trump. Peters was convicted for leading a security breach of election systems following the 2020 presidential election, a blatant disregard for election integrity that echoes the dangerous tactics often employed by Trump and his supporters.

Peters was found guilty of allowing access to sensitive election software to an individual linked to MyPillow’s Mike Lindell, who is notorious for spreading false claims about election fraud. The repercussions of her actions have amplified the pervasive misinformation undermining democratic processes across the nation. Peters’ intent to appeal her conviction suggests a troubling trend where individuals associated with Trump attempt to evade accountability for their actions.

The Justice Department’s intervention, although unusual, raises alarms about potential favoritism from Trump-appointed officials towards his allies. This situation reflects a broader pattern of interference often exhibited by the Republican Party, prioritizing the protection of their political allies over the integrity of the judicial process. As highlighted by Daniel Rubinstein, the Mesa County District Attorney, the prosecution was initiated by a conservative district attorney, dispelling the notion that it was politically motivated.

The Justice Department’s filing claims that Peters’ case represents a broader study of alleged abuses within the criminal justice system, a rationalization that risks undermining the legitimacy of the legal process. Such actions could be interpreted as an attempt to shield Trump’s allies from the consequences of their unlawful activities, perpetuating a cycle of impunity that is characteristic of authoritarian regimes.

The manipulation of legal frameworks for political ends threatens to dismantle the foundation of accountability within the American democratic system. Peters’ case exemplifies the lengths to which Trump’s faction will go to protect themselves while perpetuating baseless narratives about election integrity. This ongoing saga serves as a stark reminder of the urgent need to uphold the principles of justice, even in the face of political pressure.

(h/t: https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/justice-department-reviewing-state-election-tampering-conviction-trump/story?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=dhfacebook&utm_content=null&id=119425719&fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAR1993KO5FgsWXzjDBBgovNbJS8MhI-RzSyZePAiol6oTtASVW81a3y9rLI_aem_SWtxPzsG5owX8SituotZVw)

Trump’s Controversial Push for Pete Rose Pardon Highlights Corruption and Ethical Failures

Donald Trump has announced plans to posthumously pardon former baseball player Pete Rose, who was banned for betting on games, a move that raises serious ethical concerns. Trump criticized Major League Baseball (MLB) for its refusal to induct Rose into the Hall of Fame, despite Rose being the all-time hits leader. Trump’s statement on Truth Social emphasized his belief that Rose, who passed away in September, deserved recognition, declaring, “WHAT A SHAME.”

The decision to posthumously pardon Rose is controversial, as it suggests a tacit endorsement of unethical conduct related to betting, undermining the integrity of the sport. Rose has been a divisive figure in baseball since his lifetime ban was enforced in 1989 after admitting to gambling on games, although he insisted he never bet against his team. However, this insistence does not mitigate the ethical violations he committed.

Trump’s advocacy for Rose’s induction into the Hall of Fame is not new. Throughout his term and after Rose’s death, he consistently lobbied for the baseball legend’s recognition, framing it as a reclamation of justice. He described Rose as a “FAR BETTER PLAYER than most of those who made it,” which is a subjective claim that fails to address the serious allegations against Rose.

While Trump expressed his intent to sign a pardon soon, he did not clarify the implications of this action, particularly since Rose had previously served prison time for tax-related offenses. This lack of transparency over the pardon process raises further questions about Trump’s motivations and the potential for political maneuvering amidst scandals.

The announcement fits a pattern of Trump’s apparent disregard for ethical standards and his tendency to prioritize personal connections over integrity, risking the erosion of sportsmanship values for populist appeal. His focus on Rose’s legacy underlies a broader trend where Trump often aligns with controversial figures, pushing narratives that benefit him while challenging fundamental principles of accountability.

Justice Department Drops Corruption Charges Against Mayor Adams Amid Trump-Era Political Favoritism

The U.S. Justice Department has made a stunning decision to drop corruption charges against New York City Mayor Eric Adams, a move seen as politically motivated and symptomatic of the troubling influences from Trump-era policies. Acting Deputy Attorney General Emil Bove ordered federal prosecutors to dismiss the bribery allegations against Adams, stating that the case was distracting from the mayor’s official duties, specifically his role in Trump’s crackdown on illegal immigration.

This directive represents a significant departure from standard Justice Department practices, which typically do not exempt public officials from accountability due to their political roles, even during a campaign. Bove’s memo did not assess the evidence’s strength but focused on the timing relative to Adams’ reelection bid, claiming it was necessary for him to fully engage with pressing law-and-order priorities fostered under the Trump administration.

Interestingly, this decision has reignited debates around political favoritism and the manipulation of legal actions for electoral benefits, particularly as Adams, who has shifted right following his indictment, aligns himself with Trump’s immigration policies. His willingness to abandon previous commitments to sanctuary city principles further illustrates the growing entanglement of politics and justice, facilitated by a corrupt system.

Despite Adams and his attorney proclaiming the mayor’s innocence with the dismissal of charges, the implications of this intervention raise concerns about the ethical boundaries being crossed. Prosecutors had indicated that the investigation into Adams began well before his recent políticas-alignment and public feud with President Biden, underscoring that the political landscape is continuously shaped by Republican interests and favoritism.

As the Trump administration teeters on the brink of corruption and self-serving governance, the precedent set by this case signals a worrying environment where political figures can potentially evade accountability, further entrenching a system of privilege over justice. The recent actions of the Justice Department vividly illustrate the ongoing struggle between democratic accountability and the authoritarian tendencies that threaten to dominate American governance.

(h/t: https://apnews.com/article/eric-adams-indictment-109ef48bd49bc8adc1850709c99bf666)

Trump Commutes Sentence Of Longtime Friend And Adviser Roger Stone

President Trump on Friday evening commuted the prison sentence of his longtime friend Roger Stone, a veteran Republican operative who was convicted of lying to Congress about his efforts to contact WikiLeaks during Russia’s interference in the 2016 election.

“Roger Stone is a victim of the Russia Hoax that the Left and its allies in the media perpetuated for years in an attempt to undermine the Trump Presidency,” White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany said in a statement. “There was never any collusion between the Trump Campaign, or the Trump Administration, with Russia.”

“Roger Stone has already suffered greatly,” she continued. “He was treated very unfairly, as were many others in this case. Roger Stone is now a free man!”

Stone’s attorney Robert Buschel told NPR, “We are grateful and relieved. Glad this nightmare is over.”

The commutation, which Trump issued days before Stone was to report to federal prison, brings an end to Stone’s legal fight — but only further inflames the political battle over his prosecution and the broader Russia investigation.

Earlier Friday evening, a federal appeals court had denied an emergency bid from Stone to stay out of prison.

The case against Stone was brought by then-special counsel Robert Mueller as part of his probe into Russia’s interference in the 2016 election and possible ties between Moscow and the Trump campaign.

Stone was indicted on charges of lying to Congress, witness tampering and obstruction. The charges related to his efforts during the 2016 presidential race to act as an intermediary between the Trump campaign and WikiLeaks.

WikiLeaks was releasing Democratic emails stolen by Russian intelligence services, and Stone publicly and privately presented himself as someone with inside knowledge about the group’s operations.

After the election, when Stone was questioned under oath about the matter by the House Intelligence Committee, he lied to lawmakers about his efforts to contact WikiLeaks. He also tried to prevent an associate from testifying before the committee.

After a tumultuous runup to his trial, during which the presiding judge, Amy Berman Jackson, imposed a gag order on Stone after he published a threatening photograph of her, a jury found him guilty on all seven counts in November.

After his trial, Stone raised allegations of juror misconduct and tried to get the verdict dismissed. Jackson entertained the motion, even holding a hearing in which she brought back members of the jury for questioning, but she ultimately rejected Stone’s bid for a new trial and sentenced him to more than three years in prison.

Stone has since appealed his conviction.

In an interview this month with ABC News, Attorney General William Barr called Stone’s prosecution “righteous” and said the sentence handed down was “fair.”

On Twitter Friday night, Rep. Adam Schiff, D-Calif., the chair of the House Intelligence Committee, said that “commuting Roger Stone’s sentence is a terrible blow to justice and the rule of law.” He added: “Through this act, Trump is saying: ‘If you lie for me, if you cover up for me, if you obstruct for me, I will protect you.’ “

Utah Sen. Mitt Romney, the lone Republican to vote to convict Trump in his impeachment trial, also blasted the commutation, calling it “[u]nprecedented, historic corruption” on Twitter on Saturday morning.

[NPR]

Trump says he’s ‘strongly considering’ a full pardon for Michael Flynn

President Donald Trump said Sunday he is “strongly considering” a full pardon of his former national security adviser Michael Flynn, who pleaded guilty in 2017 to lying to the FBI as part of its investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 election.

It was unclear what sparked Trump’s tweet Sunday, which came amid the coronavirus outbreak. Trump said “it is reported that” the FBI and the Justice Department “lost” records related to Flynn. Flynn’s attorney, Sidney Powell, has accused the FBI of tampering with the interview notes of her client.

The Justice Department and the White House did not immediately respond to requests for comment about what Trump was referring to.

Although he pleaded guilty in late 2017, admitting he lied to the FBI about conversations during the Trump transition period with Sergey Kislyak, then the Russian ambassador to the U.S., Flynn has sought to withdraw his guilty plea, alleging FBI misconduct. That has delayed his sentencing hearing, which had been scheduled to take place Feb. 27.

Last month, NBC News reported that the Justice Department had opened an inquiry into the FBI’s interview of Flynn while he briefly served as Trump’s national security adviser.

Attorney General William Barr asked the U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of Missouri, Jeffrey Jensen, to review the matter, people familiar with the inquiry said.

In October, Trump tweeted that Flynn’s prosecution was “a disgrace.” Earlier last year, he asked “why was I not told” about Flynn’s being under investigation sooner “so that I could make a change?”

Barr’s efforts to take a heavier role in matters within the Justice Department that are of personal interest to the president, including the Flynn case and the sentencing of Trump associate Roger Stone, have come under scrutiny in recent months. Barr is set to testify later this month in front of the House Judiciary Committee about his personal involvement in cases relating to allies of the president (it’s unclear whether the coronavirus outbreak will delay the hearing).

Trump’s tweet Sunday comes nearly a month after he granted clemency to a series of people. He commuted the sentence of former Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich, who was serving a lengthy prison term on corruption charges. Trump also pardoned former New York City Police Commissioner Bernard Kerik, who was sentenced in 2010 to four years in prison after pleading guilty to felony charges, including tax fraud and lying to White House officials.

[NBC News]

Trump Got Tons of Campaign Cash Before Handing Out Pardon

President Donald Trump on Tuesday granted clemency to 11 people, including several convicted felons who are either Fox News regulars or have been championed by the president’s favorite cable-news network. And in another case, the family of one pardon recipient dished out massive contributions to the president’s re-election campaign just months before Trump’s clemency spree.

Among those granted pardons or sentence commutations were former Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich, who was sentenced to 14 years in prison for attempting to sell former President Barack Obama’s Senate seat; former New York City police commissioner Bernard Kerik, who was sentenced to four years in 2010 for tax fraud and lying to the feds; and Michael Milken, the “junk-bonds king” whose early-’90s insider-trading conviction made him a poster boy of white-collar crime.

Unsurprisingly, a key influence that led to Trump’s decision, particularly as it related to Blagojevich, was Fox News. The same could partly be said of the decision on Kerik, a frequent Fox News guest whose pardon was backed by several of the network’s stars; Milken, whose pardon was supported by Fox Business Network host and Trump loyalist Maria Bartiromo; and Angela Stanton, an occasional pro-Trump TV pundit whose pardon was pushed by frequent Fox News guest and evangelical leader Alveda King.

Speaking to reporters on Tuesday, Trump made the Fox News connection abundantly clear, telling reporters that he decided to commute the rest of Blagojevich’s sentence because he’d seen the ex-governor’s wife Patti Blagojevich pleading her husband’s case on Fox.

“I watched his wife on television,” Trump declared, adding that he didn’t know the ex-governor “very well” despite Blagojevich’s appearances on The Celebrity Apprentice years ago.

In mid-2018, the president repeatedly asked close advisers to explore a Blagojevich pardon and, while doing so, emphatically referenced clips he’d seen on Fox, including a segment on informal Trump adviser Jeanine Pirro’s weekend show, according to two sources who independently discussed the matter with the president at the time.

According to liberal media-watchdog Media Matters for America, Patti Blagojevich took to Fox programming in April 2018 to push for her husband’s sentence to be reduced, making at least seven appearances on some of Trump’s favorite primetime shows such as Tucker Carlson Tonight and The Ingraham Angle.

The hosts, meanwhile, didn’t even bother with subtlety during the interviews. For instance, Tucker Carlson asked Mrs. Blagojevich what she would say “if you could speak to the president.” 

Kerik, meanwhile, has been a frequent guest of Fox News primetime programming for several years, generally offering on-air criticism of how Democrats handle New York City’s police department and criminal justice in general.

In what can generously be described as ironic, Kerik appeared the evening before his pardon on Tucker Carlson Tonight to rail against bail reform in New York while urging for harsher punishment for criminals, claiming crime was down when the police department increased arrests for “jumping turnstiles” and other low-level misdemeanors.

Kerik has also been used as a Trump-friendly critic of the so-called “deep state” on Fox News airwaves, at one point advocating for the arrest of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and House Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam Schiff (D-CA) for trying to carry out an “attempted coup” of Trump with the whistleblower complaint and impeachment inquiry.

According to the White House, Kerik’s pardon was supported by Fox News stars like Geraldo Rivera and Judge Andrew Napolitano. Additionally, the administration said, Trump’s personal lawyer Rudy Giuliani—a frequent Fox News commentator and Kerik’s one-time boss—backed the decision.

Pirro, meanwhile, celebrated Kerik’s pardon and Blagojevich’s commutation on Twitter, personally thanking the president while declaring that “political prosecutions have no place in this country.”

The pro-Trump Fox News star, who brushed off Blagojevich’s crimes as “just practicing politics” in an April 2018 interview with Patti Blagojevich, has something of a sordid history with Kerik. Back in 2006, Pirro—who was then running as a Republican for New York attorney general—admitted she asked Kerik to bug her then-husband’s boat to see if he was having an affair after federal prosecutors began investigating whether she and Kerik illegally taped conversations.

While junk-bond king Michael Milken is not a Fox News regular by any measure, his pardon was backed by Bartiromo, yet another Fox star who has morphed into an unofficial mouthpiece of and adviser to President Trump. 

Additionally, Angela Stanton, who was pardoned for her role in a stolen luxury-vehicle ring, has appeared on Fox News as a pro-Trump commentator—much like her godmother Alveda King, who backed her pardon—often arguing that Democrats want more poor women of color to have abortions.

Appearances on Fox News and Fox Business—two of Trump’s favorite networks—are popular vessels for those seeking to make their cases for pardons or clemency directly to the president, a voracious consumer of TV and cable news.

The most prominent example was the sustained, successful on-air and behind-the-scenes campaign on Fox to lobby Trump to grant clemency to accused and convicted American war criminals. Fox & Friends Weekend host Pete Hegseth was a ringleader of that highly controversial effort.

“[Trump] knows how people play this game,” said one source close to the president. “He’s even told me before something to the effect of, ‘All these people keep getting themselves on Fox News begging me for a pardon,’ so he’s self-conscious about this stuff. But it doesn’t matter, it still has an effect on him.”

For those who didn’t receive the Fox News treatment, it appears that in at least one case, cold hard cash did the talking. Paul Pogue, a construction company owner who pleaded guilty to underpaying his taxes by $473,000 and received three years probation, was issued a full pardon and clemency by the president.

According to FEC filings, Pogue’s family has donated hundreds of thousands of dollars in direct contributions and in-kind air travel to the Trump Victory Committee. Beginning in August 2019, Ben Pogue—CEO of Pogue Construction and son of Paul Pogue—and his wife Ashleigh made over $200,000 in contributions to the campaign.

In August alone, Ben Pogue donated $85,000 to Trump Victory while Ashleigh Pogue contributed $50,000 that month. The following month, Ben Pogue made an in-kind air travel contribution of $75,404.40. The couple also made several large donations to the Republican National Committee and each donated $5,600 to Donald Trump for President Inc.

On the day of their first donation to the Trump campaign, Ashleigh posted an Instagram photo of her and her husband posing with Donald Trump Jr. and his girlfriend, Kimberly Guilfoyle, at the Hamptons.

Prior to the Pogues’ sudden significant donating spree to Trump and the Republicans, the couple was not seen as big campaign spenders, having donated a few thousand dollars for Paul Ryan’s congressional campaign in 2017 and $5,400 for former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum’s 2016 Republican presidential run.

Notably, one of the advocates for Pogue’s clemency: Santorum, who is now a CNN contributor.

[The Daily Beast]

Trump pardons junk bond king Michael Milken

President Donald Trump said Tuesday that he was granting clemency to Michael Milken, the legendary bond king from the 1980s who served several years in prison for violating securities laws and has since become a prominent philanthropist.

Trump made the announcement to reporters Tuesday, along with the news that he was commuting the sentence of former Illinois governor Rod Blagojevich and pardoning ex-NYPD commissioner Bernard Kerik.

Milken rose to prominence on Wall Street in the 1980s as the head of the high-yield bond department, also known as junk bonds, at the now defunct firm Drexel Burnham Lambert.

But Milken was accused of taking part in an insider trading scheme and eventually pleaded guilty to several counts of securities violations tied to a scandal with former stock trader Ivan Boesky. He also paid a $600 million fine and was banned from the securities industry.

Milken was sentenced to 10 years in prison in 1990 and served 22 months. Trump adviser Rudy Giuliani, a former United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, was one of the main prosecutors at that time, although he did not prosecute Milken.

Since his release from prison in 1993, Milken, now 73 and a survivor of prostate cancer, has become a major donor to charities funding cancer research. He also started up the Milken Institute, a leading nonprofit and non-partisan economic research firm that holds a major conference every spring attended by many A-listers in the world of finance.

In comments to reporters Tuesday, Trump said that Milken has “done an incredible job for the world with all his research on cancer” and that “he’s suffered greatly. He paid a big price.”

Milken said in a statement on his website that his family is “very grateful to the president.”

“We look forward to many more years of pursuing our efforts in medical research, education and public health,” Milken added.

[CNN]

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