Top Democrats pledge investigation into Trump pardon brokers if party regains control of Congress

September 14, 2026 / 8:45 PM EDT / CBS News

Top Democrats pledge investigation into Trump pardon brokers if party regains control of Congress

TL;DR

  • Democratic lawmakers intend to investigate the alleged market surrounding President Trump's pardons.
  • CBS News exposed lobbyists charging felons up to millions of dollars for access to secure pardons.
  • The alleged practice bypasses the traditional Justice Department clemency process.
  • Lobbyists Jack Burkman and Jacob Wohl were caught on video offering to apply pressure on the president for a fee.
  • A White House spokesperson stated that lobbying for pardons is a waste of money and the administration has a review process.
  • Democrats believe this represents a significant corruption of the pardon process.
  • Some Republicans and clemency experts have also voiced concerns about the system.
  • Democrats plan to investigate further if they regain control of Congress.