A banker's daughter gave Trump's super PAC $3.5M and pledged $2.5M to his ballroom.
Trump then pardoned her father, who had been charged in a bribery scheme.
Swamp Watch / Topics / Pardons and clemency
TopicPardons and clemency
The president's pardon power is nearly absolute for federal crimes, and there is no requirement to explain a pardon. That makes the pattern of who receives clemency, and who gave money or support beforehand, a matter of public interest.
Our receipts on pardons set each grant of clemency beside the public record of donations, lobbying, and political support that came before it.
5 receiptsNewest first
Trump has granted clemency to at least 85 public officials charged in corruption cases.
They were spared 130 years behind bars and over $15 million in penalties.
Trump said he expected Rep. Henry Cuellar to switch parties after pardoning his bribery case.
"I guess I expected maybe he wouldn't run, or maybe he'd run maybe as a Republican."
RFK Jr. lobbied Trump to pardon fraudster Trevor Milton, a $750,000 PAC donor.
The pardon wiped out up to $660 million he could have owed his victims.
Trump PARDONED a GOP official who spent police memorial donations on plastic surgery.
He has never explained why.
