Overview
- Chief of staff Susie Wiles moved to restrict who can bring clemency requests to the president after concerns about optics and paid intermediaries, according to NOTUS reporting cited by Alternet and The Independent.
- Alice Marie Johnson’s direct meetings were curtailed, though she briefly spoke with Trump at Mar-a-Lago before a group of NFL players she backed received pardons, the outlets report.
- White House officials deny any change to the clemency system, saying a defined review includes the Justice Department, Johnson, and the White House Counsel’s Office, with Trump making final decisions.
- Insiders describe the operation as lacking a set schedule and call it “chaos,” as The Independent notes Trump has issued roughly 1,700 pardons in his second term, including a blanket reprieve for about 1,500 Jan. 6 defendants and some controversial high-profile cases.
- ProPublica previously reported well-connected allies were paid by wealthy felons seeking intervention, and Alternet reports the DOJ pardon attorney’s role has been reduced, with a separate allegation that Trump ally Ed Martin leaked grand jury information.