Trump’s Pardon Power Costs Crime Victims $1.7 Billion

The report, released by Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-Md.), characterizes the current pardon process as a "cash-for-clemency" system. By bypassing career civil servants who traditionally evaluate clemency petitions based on rehabilitation and victim restitution, the White House has allegedly consolidated control to benefit donors and political associates. Raskin argues this shift has turned a constitutional authority into a tool for personal enrichment and political favoritism.

Evidence suggests that influencers and fixers act as gatekeepers to the president. Reuters identified 290 individuals who facilitated 624 acts of influence to secure pardons for 197 recipients. Notable cases include Trevor Milton, who avoided a potential $700 million penalty after donating $1.8 million to Trump-aligned committees, and Jason Galanis, who escaped $84 million in restitution after appearing as a witness in GOP-led impeachment efforts. Other beneficiaries, such as former Honduran President Juan Orlando Hernández and various white-collar fraudsters, have similarly sidestepped massive financial obligations to their victims and the government. The report concludes that while House Republicans frequently prioritize "fighting fraud" in public rhetoric, the current administration’s pardon practices actively shield those convicted of massive financial crimes.