Trump’s Pardons Club Swells with Bribe-Takers and Failed Politicians
KEY POINTS
- •Rep. Henry Cuellar and his wife were pardoned Thursday after bribery accusations involving nearly $600,000 surfaced last year.
- •George Santos was released early from a 7-year prison sentence for fraud following Trump's commutation order in October.
- •Former Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich received full clemency after serving eight years for attempting to sell Barack Obama’s Senate seat.
- •Trump’s clemency list also includes several former Republican lawmakers convicted of tax fraud, corruption, and misusing charitable funds.
In a masterclass of forgiveness or perhaps favoritism, President Trump granted clemency to a bipartisan buffet of political pardon pals. Fresh out of jail is Rep. Henry Cuellar and his wife, accused of pocketing nearly $600,000 from a combo platter of Azerbaijani oil bribes and Mexican bank perks. Throw in George Santos, who got an early release despite a 7+ year sentence for wire fraud and identity theft - because apparently voting Republican deserves a get-out-of-jail-free card. Former Gov. Rod Blagojevich, who tried auctioning Obama's Senate seat like an eBay auction gone wrong, also scored a pardon after cultivating a buddy-buddy reality TV relationship with Trump. Tossed in the mix are others like tax-fraud-tangled Michael Grimm, corruption-tainted John Rowland, and charity-email-spending Steve Stockman—because why stop at small-time crimes when you have a presidential eraser? Meanwhile, Trump claimed he’s all about correcting 'over-prosecution' but somehow missed all his own DOJ accusations. The White House insists lawyers scrutinize every pardon but concede criticism should only be saved for Biden’s clemency—because that’s how you keep the squad tight.
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Trump’s pardon pen is the political version of a nightclub guest list where the dress code is bribery, fraud, and good ol’ corruption served with a side of loyalty.
If Trump were handing out participation trophies for crime, Congress would look like a motivational seminar for felons with charm.
Nothing screams ‘rule of law’ like pardoning a multinational-themed bribery duo and a con artist who markets patriotism like a used-car salesman.
Source: Axios | Published: 12/3/2025 | Author: Avery Lotz
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