"No MAGA Left Behind" -- New DOJ Pardon Attorney crows about Trump's two-tiered justice system that favors his political allies

[essentialsaltes]

A look at Trump’s controversial pardons for political allies and loyalists​

In his second term, President Trump has moved to pardon many who are considered to be loyal to him, from local Republican officials convicted of fraud to Jan. 6 rioters. The New York Times reported that Trump pardoned a Florida businessman convicted of tax evasion after his mother attended a million dollar per-plate fundraising dinner at Mar-a-Lago. Laura Barrón-López discussed more with Liz Oyer. [Oyer formerly held the position of DOJ Pardon Attorney until being fired by Trump.]

This evening, the president called the daughter of reality TV stars Todd and Julie Chrisley to tell her that he plans to pardon her parents. The pair are both serving yearslong prison sentences for bank and tax fraud.

Also today, The New York Times published new details about the pardon of a Florida businessman convicted of tax evasion.

And, yesterday, President Trump pardoned Virginia Sheriff Scott Jenkins, who was handing out deputy sheriff badges in exchange for money. He was paid more than $75,000 in bribes in what the DOJ called a — quote — "cash-for-badges scheme."

Jenkins was also a big supporter of President Trump and expressed some anti-immigrant sentiments. What's your takeaway from that pardon? And is this normally how pardons work?

[Oyer:] This is not at all how pardons normally work. Pardons are normally reserved for people who show remorse for a crime they have been convicted of and who have actually served at least some and typically all of their sentence and have shown personal growth and rehabilitation during that time.

However, this administration appears to be using pardons in a completely different and new way, which is to reward people who demonstrate political loyalty to the administration. And that is unprecedented.

And the second thing that is really different is that Trump appears to be doing this just for wealthy, well-connected people. In the first administration, there were some truly deserving individuals who were more along the lines of ordinary Americans who did benefit from pardons, alongside the politically connected and those who had personal relationships with President Trump.

But now the ordinary people seem to have been completely forgotten.

I also want to talk to you about Ed Martin, the new pardon attorney who now holds the position you once held. [after his original nomination as US Attorney was withdrawn due to clear Senate objections]

He fully supported the pardons of January 6 rioters, [indeed he had been representing some of them and served on the board of a pro-J6er organization] including those who were convicted of violently assaulting police. And, recently, when Ed Martin was praising Trump's decision to pardon convicted Virginia Sheriff Scott Jenkins, Martin posted on X: "No MAGA left behind."

What message does that send and what does it mean that Martin is now in this position?

[Oyer:] It sends a message that the pardon power is now being totally and thoroughly politicized, that it will be used as a benefit to those who are supporters of the president and not for those who do not express political loyalty.

 

[essentialsaltes]

Further reading:

Walczak ("Florida businessman" in first paragraph: Note that OP article also says the judge specifically called out during sentencing that wealth is not a get out of jail free card. But after Mom spent $1 million, he not only avoided jail but more than $4 million in restitution that he owed to We The People for his tax fraud.

Waste, Fraud, and Abuse: Trump Pardons Tax-Cheating Son of Donor/Fundraiser

https://www.nytimes.com/2025/05/27/us/politics/trump-pardon-paul-walczak-tax-crimes.html?unlocked_article_code=1.KU8.JA6b.kjLjH6R92-nK&smid=url-share Mr. Walczak’s pardon application argued that his criminal prosecution was motivated more by his mother’s efforts for Mr. Trump than by his...

www.christianforums.com

Sheriff Scott Jenkins:

Waste, Fraud, and Abuse: Trump Pardons Another Corrupt Official

https://thehill.com/homenews/administration/5319140-trump-pardons-scott-jenkins/ President Trump granted another pardon on Monday for a former official he claimed was the victim of a “weaponized” Justice Department (DOJ) during the Biden administration, granting clemency to former Sheriff Scott...

www.christianforums.com

Ed Martin:

Despite apologies, Trump DC Attorney nominee Ed Martin can't escape connection to Hitler-loving Jan 6 hostage (He's out, Pirro is now interim)

Trump US attorney nominee distances himself from antisemitic Jan. 6 rioter he once praised Ed Martin, President Donald Trump's nominee for the next U.S. attorney for Washington, D.C., apologized in a new interview for his past praise of a Jan. 6 rioter who had a lengthy history of antisemitic...

www.christianforums.com

 

[Fantine]

It speaks so poorly of the character of Trump's voters to see how they admire outright criminality from their leader and role model.

I'm pretty sure his office uses auto pens to issue the pardons--Trump is so busy endorsing the checks from the donors who paid for them!

 

[The IbanezerScrooge]

It speaks so poorly of the character of Trump's voters to see how they admire outright criminality from their leader and role model.

I'm pretty sure his office uses auto pens to issue the pardons--Trump is so busy endorsing the checks from the donors who paid for them!

the convicted felon in chief admitted he didn't even sign the order to invoke the AEA and just the other day he let Melania, an unelected, formerly illegal immigrant sign an EO in front of cameras.

This whole administration is a criminally dangerous joke.

 

[durangodawood]

...And, yesterday, President Trump pardoned Virginia Sheriff Scott Jenkins, who was handing out deputy sheriff badges in exchange for money. He was paid more than $75,000 in bribes in what the DOJ called a — quote — "cash-for-badges scheme."

Jenkins was also a big supporter of President Trump and expressed some anti-immigrant sentiments. What's your takeaway from that pardon? And is this normally how pardons work?
...

Disgusting

....to anyone with decent values anyway.

 

[NxNW]

On the bright side, he was selling pardons for $2M in his first term, and now they've cut the price in half!

 

[Vambram]

After the auto pen pardons done by the Biden administration in the last weeks of that terrible administration, then the liberals really ought not complain about President Trump's pardons..... unless liberals were equally upset by Biden's pardons.

 

[Vambram]

On the bright side, he was selling pardons for $2M in his first term, and now they've cut the price in half!

Anonymous sources from a 2023 article which is 3 years after the end of Trump's first term.

 

[essentialsaltes]

unless liberals were equally upset by Biden's pardons.

We are equally upset about any corrupt, self-dealing or politically motivated pardons. I think that would include the Hunter Biden pardon, which many of us criticized at the time. Okay that's one.

The OP thread has a topic and the topic is the hundreds of politically motivated pardons in the Trump Administration, including some where a financial quid pro quo is part of the mix, and the Pardon Attorney openly gloating about it.

 

[durangodawood]

After the auto pen pardons done by the Biden administration in the last weeks of that terrible administration, then the liberals really ought not complain about President Trump's pardons..... unless liberals were equally upset by Biden's pardons.

You have to name a specific pardon to compare. Of course presidents issue valid pardons sometimes. Im sure Trump even has done some.

 

[essentialsaltes]

Trump pardons former GOP congressman Michael Grimm over tax fraud charges​

Grimm, a Republican, was convicted in November 2014 of tax fraud and related charges stemming from his ownership of a Manhattan restaurant before joining Congress. Prosecutors said he underreported wages and revenue to the government, and that he filed false tax documents. Grimm was sentenced to eight months in prison.

Grimm won reelection in 2014 in spite of his indictment, but he pleaded guilty a month later to one count of tax fraud.

 

[essentialsaltes]

Trump is stretching his pardon power – to the delight of his Maga acolytes​

The office of the pardon attorney is typically run by a career appointee, not a political appointee chosen for their adherence to the president’s agenda. Presidents at times go outside the pardon attorney’s office for the less routine pardons, often for their political allies, as Biden did when he pardoned his family members. There are criteria the justice department would follow when considering a typical pardon application, including showing rehabilitation and remorse, though the president decides whether to act on their recommendation.

Now, though, a political appointee is in charge. Ed Martin, the recently appointed pardon attorney, is a staunch Trump ally who advocated for pardons for January 6 defendants before he took a role in the administration.

Those pardoned include the former governor of Illinois who now calls himself a “Trump-ocrat”, the founder of the Silk Road darknet online market, two police officers convicted for their roles in the death and coverup of a young woman, a former state senator in Tennessee, the founder of an electric vehicle company, a nursing home executive and a woman who collected money for a police memorial who used the money for herself instead.

Oh I forgot about her!

Nev. Politician Convicted of Stealing Charity Funds for Fallen Police Officers to Fund Daughter’s Wedding; gets Trump pardon

A former Las Vegas city councilwoman who ran for Governor in Nevada is facing federal charges for allegedly raising money to honor fallen police officers and then using the funds for herself, the U.S. Department of Justice said. On Tuesday, July 16, a federal grand jury returned an indictment...

www.christianforums.com

 

[durangodawood]

.....and a woman who collected money for a police memorial who used the money for herself instead.....

Yeah that Trump pardon actually shocked me when I heard about it. Gosh I was so naive to believe it would make his supporters look askance.

She was loudly maga, which is the going get out of jail free card.

 

[wing2000]

The pair are both serving yearslong prison sentences for bank and tax fraud.

Also today, The New York Times published new details about the pardon of a Florida businessman convicted of tax evasion.

The message is being sent to DOJ offices across the country: Crimes committed by donors to MAGA should be ignored.

 

[NxNW]

Anonymous sources from a 2023 article which is 3 years after the end of Trump's first term.

Documented in court filings in the case against Giuliani, indicating there are audio recordings.

 

[Vambram]

You have to name a specific pardon to compare. Of course presidents issue valid pardons sometimes. Im sure Trump even has done some.

I'm talking about each and everyone of The Biden administration’s pardons which happened in the last weeks of his administration.

 

[Vambram]

Documented in court filings in the case against Giuliani, indicating there are audio recordings.

The anonymous source could not prove any kind of accuracy of those statements.

 

[NxNW]

The anonymous source could not prove any kind of accuracy of those statements.

Since when are the court filings against Giuliani anonymous? When it goes to court, we'll hear the recordings.

 

[Vambram]

Since when are the court filings against Giuliani anonymous? When it goes to court, we'll hear the recordings.

The NBC article used an anonymous source. Maybe we will hear the recordings in court. Also, it is equally feasible that Guilliani wasn't really speaking for Trump IF Guilliani actually said what he was accused of saying in that audio recording.

 

[durangodawood]

I'm talking about each and everyone of The Biden administration’s pardons which happened in the last weeks of his administration.

What was wrong with them?

If theres a case to be made for a pardon, then they should have one.