Trump granted at least 85 officials pardons and other clemency acts — The Japan Times
In the United States, President Donald Trump granted pardons or other acts of clemency to at least 85 officials who had been charged or convicted in corruption-related cases. As The Japan Times reports, Republicans and public supporters of the MAGA movement predominate among them.
Of the 85 identified officials, 36 were elected as Republicans, while another 19 were Republicans appointed to political positions. Nine others either campaigned for Trump or publicly supported his agenda. Only four Democrats are known to be among the recipients of such acts, while the publication was unable to establish the party affiliation of another 17 officials.
Relief from punishment
According to the publication's calculations, roughly three-quarters of these 85 people were released from prison early, avoided trial or sentencing, or had certain rights restored through Trump's decisions, including the right to own firearms. In total, they avoided about 130 years in prison and more than $15 million in financial penalties.
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Those pardoned include former Las Vegas City Council member Michele Fiore. In October 2024, a federal jury found her guilty on seven counts of fraud involving charitable funds. According to the jury's findings, she collected donations for a memorial to a slain police officer and spent nearly $80,000 on plastic surgery, her daughter's wedding, and housing rent. Several weeks before sentencing, Trump granted her a full and unconditional pardon. Fiore denied spending the donations on personal needs.
Criticism of the procedure
Former and current prosecutors, lawyers, and researchers interviewed by the publication believe that such decisions may create a sense of impunity among people entrusted with carrying out public functions. The Trump administration, for its part, says the president is granting pardons to Americans whom it believes were unfairly prosecuted by the Justice Department under the Joe Biden administration.
The publication also notes that in nearly 2,000 instances of clemency, Trump departed from the established practice of having such cases assessed by the Justice Department and increasingly relied on advisers connected to him or his inner circle. More than three-quarters of the 85 officials did not cooperate with prosecutors, while most did not admit guilt in court and did not express public remorse after their convictions.
