Those who seek forgiveness and those who lobby on their behalf have paid allies for President Trump
Donald TrumpFacebook temporarily bans ads for weapon accessories after the riots at Sasse Capitol, in a burning opinion article, says QAnon is destroying GOP Section 230 worked on after the insurrection, but not before: How to regulate social media MORE tens of thousands of dollars to pressure the president to grant clemency, The New York Times reported on Sunday.
The Times, citing documents and interviews with more than three dozen lobbyists and lawyers, reported that requests for forgiveness intensified as people realized that Trump’s election challenges would not be effective and that his presidency has reached the final days.
Former federal prosecutor Brett Tolman, who advised the Trump administration on pardons, is among those who have raised tens of thousands of dollars in recent weeks to ask the president to lobby several people, including a son of a former Arkansas senator. , the founder of the online drug market Silk Road and a Manhattan woman who pleaded guilty to fraud, according to the Times.
The Trump administration said Tolman helped “less connected” individuals to obtain clemency, and no public record indicates that Tolman was paid for it.
On Twitter on Friday, Tolman said that “he represented many to obtain clemency. Some have paid customers, many are pro bono. I am proud of my team’s leniency work. “
John Dowd, a former Trump personal lawyer, also received tens of thousands of dollars from clients, including a wealthy sports player, pointing to his close relationship with the president to demand leniency and advising them to discuss Trump’s complaints about the judicial system.
Karen Giorno, a former Trump campaign advisor, received $ 50,000 to try to get forgiveness from John Kiriakou, a former CIA officer who was convicted of revealing the name of a CIA officer involved in the drowning of an American prisoner. A copy of the deal obtained by the Times indicates that she would receive a $ 50,000 bonus if Trump forgave Kiriakou.
The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Trump and his administration operated the forgiveness system differently than other presidents, which benefited those connected to or able to pay Trump or his allies, forgiveness lawyers told the Times.
“This type of influence peddling outside of books, a special privilege system denies consideration to the hundreds of ordinary people who obediently lined up as required by Department of Justice rules and is a basic violation of the longstanding effort to do this process at least seem fair, ”former US pardon lawyer Margaret Love told the newspaper.
It is not illegal for the president’s allies to be paid to lobby for a pardon, as only offers of payment to the president could be investigated for violating bribery laws. There was no evidence that Trump himself received an offer of money in exchange for clemency.
The Times reported earlier this month that Trump had openly discussed trying to forgive yourself and their adult children. Any such pardon would apply only to federal crimes, and it is not clear whether the pardon would continue if challenged.
Personal forgiveness could come after Trump was charged with impeachment last week on charges of inciting violence in the Capitol, which resulted in five deaths. The Senate trial is expected to begin after he leaves office.