INV-043 · Money & ethics · Pardons
Paid pardon brokers and erased restitution
Stage 2 of 5: Inquiry · Letters and records requests · Last development 16 Oct 2026
Lobbyists disclosed more than $2.1 million in 2025 fees from people seeking clemency, and CBS News reports brokers charge up to $3 million for access. Nursing-home executive Joseph Schwartz, sentenced for a $38 million tax fraud, paid lobbyists about $1.1 million and was pardoned in Nov 2025. Pardons have included officials convicted of corruption, such as former Tennessee House Speaker Glen Casada (17 counts) and Las Vegas councilwoman Michele Fiore (memorial-fund fraud). House Judiciary Democrats estimate the clemency grants have erased nearly $1.7 billion in restitution and fines.
The $1.7 billion figure is a Democratic staff estimate of amounts owed, not money collected. Disclosed lobbying is legal, many advisers are not required to disclose, and no pardon has been shown to have been bought.
- People
- Donald Trump, Glen Casada, Michele Fiore, Joseph Schwartz, Ed Martin
- Agencies
- White House, Justice Dept
- Reviewed by
- House Judiciary Democrats
Money involved
- $1.7 billion Restitution and fines erased by clemency (Restitution and fines erased by pardons, estimate) [5]
Timeline
Sen. Cory Booker introduces the Presidential Pardon Integrity Act, which would require paid clemency advocates to register and report contacts with officials, require recipients to disclose benefits given to the President, his family or businesses, and let victims sue for restitution after a pardon. It is a proposed bill. [8]
A Reuters review counts at least 85 public officials charged with or convicted of corruption-related crimes who received clemency across Trump's two terms: 36 elected Republicans, 19 Republican appointees, 4 known Democrats and 17 whose party could not be determined. Reuters estimates the grants spared them 130 years in prison and more than $15 million in penalties. [7]
CBS 60 Minutes reports pardon brokers charge up to $3 million. [6]
House Judiciary Democrats' "Pardons, Inc." staff report raises the restitution estimate to nearly $1.7 billion. [5]
NOTUS: lobbyists disclosed more than $2.1 million in 2025 from clemency seekers. [4]
Trump pardons Joseph Schwartz; a lobbyist had registered for him the day before. [4]
Trump pardons Glen Casada and aide Cade Cothren, convicted of wire fraud and money laundering conspiracy. [3]
House Judiciary Democrats estimate pardons erased about $1.3 billion in restitution and fines. [2]
Trump pardons Michele Fiore before her sentencing for fraud involving a police memorial fund. [1]
Responses
- White House (Harrison Fields): Said the president is "righting the wrongs of political prosecutions". [2]
- White House official: Said the Biden DOJ "significantly over-prosecuted" Casada and Cothren. [3]
- White House: A spokesperson said Trump was granting clemency to Americans prosecuted by a "weaponized" Justice Department. [7]
Who is acting on it
- Report House Judiciary Democrats: Estimated $1.3B in restitution and fines erased by pardons (17 Jun 2025, Published)
- Report House Judiciary Democrats: "Pardons, Inc." report raising the estimate to nearly $1.7B (Aug 2026, Published)
- Bill Sen. Cory Booker (D-NJ): Introduced the Presidential Pardon Integrity Act: paid clemency advocates would have to register, and recipients disclose benefits given to the President, his family or businesses (16 Oct 2026, No reply or result recorded yet)
Sources
Cite this case
Public Trust Tracker. "Paid pardon brokers and erased restitution" (INV-043). Last updated 16 Oct 2026. https://publictrusttracker.org/case/inv-043-paid-pardon-brokers-and-erased-restitution/
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