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Representative Jamie Raskin has initiated an inquiry into the process by which Donald Trump is granting pardons, addressing his concerns in a letter to Ed Martin, the Pardon Attorney at the Department of Justice (DOJ).
In his correspondence, Raskin posed critical questions to Martin:
Could you clarify the criteria and procedures currently employed by your office when recommending individuals for presidential pardons?
As you must know, the mission of the Office of the Pardon Attorney is to “support second chances through clemency” by thoroughly evaluating all applications from those who have been convicted and making impartial recommendations to the President that uphold the “interests of justice.”
However, it appears that you are misusing this office to grant pardons as political favors to the President’s staunch supporters and major contributors, thereby neglecting the thousands of individuals seeking clemency.
These Americans rely on your office for a fair opportunity at redemption within a process that ought to possess genuine integrity. The signs are indeed concerning. During your brief tenure as the Interim U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia, you characterized yourself and your office’s career prosecutors as “President Trump’s lawyers.” You seemingly prioritized the President’s allies, who had been convicted of political violence and other offenses, while targeting his perceived adversaries, thus compromising public safety in our nation’s capital.
