Democrats Pledge Probe Of Paid Trump Pardon Brokers If House Flips
On Monday, September 14, 2026, Rep. Jamie Raskin said House Democrats will open an investigation into a market for paid "pardon brokers" if the party regains the House majority.[1]
Raskin made the pledge as CBS released hidden-camera footage of lobbyists Jack Burkman and Jacob Wohl offering to lobby for a presidential pardon for $300,000 and claiming insider access.[1] A separate CBS data analysis found roughly 70% of clemency actions in President Trump's second term bypassed the Justice Department review process.[1]
CBS's reporting prompted immediate pushback from the White House, which said its pardon review is robust and called payments to brokers a waste of money.[1] Former pardon attorney Ed Martin told CBS he had not seen evidence of a transactional pardon economy.[1]
Raskin said a Democratic majority would use oversight tools to determine whether paid intermediaries and any inside channels improperly influenced clemency decisions.[1]
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📌 Key Facts
- On Monday, September 14, 2026, Rep. Jamie Raskin said House Democrats plan to investigate a 'pardon broker' market if they regain the majority.
- CBS hidden-camera video shows lobbyists Jack Burkman and Jacob Wohl offering to lobby for a presidential pardon for $300,000 using insider access.
- A CBS data analysis found roughly 70% of Trump second-term clemency actions bypassed the traditional Justice Department review process.
- The White House insists its pardon review is robust and says anyone paying brokers is wasting money; former pardon attorney Ed Martin denied seeing a transactional pardon economy.
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