A startling new report by ABC News reveals that out of the 60 pardons and commutations President Donald Trump issued since his massive, 1,500-person spree for everyone involved in the January 6 attack, one in five of them went to people who have some sort of either financial or political connection to him.
Many of these pardons went to rich, white-collar criminals who defrauded people of millions — and a common thread is that Trump has broadly justified these pardons by claiming, often with no evidence, that they were victims of political persecution.
"Beyond the nearly 1,600 'Day 1' pardons and 14 commutations handed out to those charged in the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol, Trump has, at this point in his second presidency, pardoned or commuted more than 60 individuals according to the Department of Justice Office of the Pardon Attorney and White House officials," said the report, noting that "In previous administrations, presidents have typically issued the majority of their pardons in their final weeks in office."
Among the people handed Trump pardons include Trevor Milton, an entrepreneur who defrauded investors about a clean energy truck that didn't exist; Imaad Zuberi, a venture capitalist convicted of campaign finance crimes; Paul Walzcak, a Florida nursing home tycoon who was busted for tax crimes; and Brian Kelsey, a former GOP Tennessee state senator who engaged in fraudulent campaign finance. All four of them contributed money to Trump or aligned GOP causes.
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Others given pardons include Scott Jenkins, a Virginia sheriff who traded bribes for badges; Michele Fiore, a Nevada GOP official who pocketed money fundraised for a fallen law enforcement officer monument; Rod Blagojevich, the former governor of Illinois who was caught trying to sell former President Barack Obama's Senate seat; and Michael Grimm, a former New York congressman found guilty of tax crimes. These individuals all either endorsed or promoted the Trump campaign in some way, or worked with the Trump administration on policy.
Trump recently appointed Ed Martin, a longtime GOP activist who controversially served as interim U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia, as the Justice Department pardon attorney, where he has been advising on clemency orders.
Martin is reportedly reviewing petitions by militia leaders convicted of seditious conspiracy for their roles in January 6 to have their commutations upgraded to full pardons.
