A White House spokesperson has denied any suggestion that President Donald Trump’s administration could be swayed by ‘pardon brokers.’ This topic was explored by CBS’ ’60 Minutes’ during its season premiere.
The program aired a segment focused on lobbyists allegedly negotiating presidential pardons for clients citing connections to the president. Correspondent Lesley Stahl noted, ‘Presidents have been pardoning criminals since George Washington. It’s a constitutional power requiring no explanation.’ Although the Department of Justice typically screens applicants, exceptions have occurred. Notable examples include President Ford’s pardon of Richard Nixon and President Clinton’s pardon of Marc Rich after donations.
‘President Trump has developed his own vetting system, pardoning political allies, including participants in the January 6 riots and certain financial figures who claimed wrongful prosecution,’ Stahl noted.
She highlighted that donations play a role, with individuals hiring pardon brokers, lawyers, and lobbyists to leverage ties to the president for significant fees.
White House spokesperson Lauren Bis dismissed the notion that Trump’s pardons were influenced by lobbyists. Bis emphasized that any money spent on lobbying for pardons was wasted, as the president is unaware of these ‘lobbyists.’ Trump’s pardon process involves a review by the White House counsel, Department of Justice, pardon czar Alice Johnson, and ultimately the president.
Bis also harshly criticized former President Joe Biden’s pardons, accusing him of releasing violent criminals.
Fox News Digital sought comments from CBS News but did not receive an immediate response. The latest season of ’60 Minutes’ saw major changes, including mass firings of longstanding producers and correspondents. Bari Weiss, the network’s editor-in-chief, aimed to revamp the program. Former producer Guy Campanile attributed these changes to their resistance to ‘White House talking points,’ as stated in a Facebook post.
Campanile remarked, ‘We wouldn’t compromise our principles by incorporating unverifiable notions or White House talking points into our reporting.’ He also emphasized their commitment to asking difficult questions to business and political leaders.