This week, President Trump pardoned Adriana Camberos, a San Diego woman previously convicted in 2016 for a counterfeit 5-Hour Energy scheme. Despite a prior sentence commutation, Camberos was later convicted in 2024 of a separate fraud case involving the purchase and resale of wholesale groceries. Prosecutors said she and her brother made millions in illegal profits, funding a lavish lifestyle. The pardon decision joins other recent clemencies, and a White House official stated that they felt it was correcting an earlier wrong.
Read More
The “MAGA Granny,” Pamela Hemphill, offered an emotional apology to Capitol Police officers during a hearing commemorating the fifth anniversary of the January 6th insurrection. This hearing, reconvened by Democrats, allowed witnesses and lawmakers to reflect on the events of that day. Despite a previous recommendation to prosecute Trump on federal charges, Hemphill refused a pardon offered by Trump in his second term to 1500 individuals charged in connection to the riot.
Read More
Judge won’t delay order that nursing home owner pardoned by Trump report to Arkansas prison. So, the deal is, this nursing home owner, a guy named Schwartz, got a pardon from Trump, but the state of Arkansas still wants him to serve time in prison. The judge isn’t backing down, and the order stands: Schwartz has to report. Now, the main sticking point seems to be Schwartz’s kosher diet. He says he needs to stick to it, and his lawyers asked for a delay.
Judge won’t delay order that nursing home owner pardoned by Trump report to Arkansas prison. The judge, however, said the state’s given info that the prison has a kosher kitchen.… Continue reading
Former Colorado elections clerk Tina Peters is petitioning the state appeals court to recognize Donald Trump’s pardon of her state convictions as valid, citing a precedent from the Whiskey Rebellion. Peters’ lawyers argue the pardon removes the court’s jurisdiction and requests her release from prison. The Colorado Attorney General’s office, defending the conviction, has been given until January 8 to respond. The court previously denied Peters’ federal court bid for release.
Read More
President Trump announced his intention to pardon Tina Peters, a former Colorado county clerk serving a state sentence for election-related crimes. Peters, convicted of state charges including attempting to influence a public servant, was prosecuted in a Republican county, which has led to significant criticism. Despite the president’s claim that the pardon is related to alleged election fraud, Colorado officials, including Secretary of State Jena Griswold and Attorney General Phil Weiser, assert that the president lacks the constitutional authority to pardon state crimes. While Peters’ attorney argues that the president may have the power to pardon in this case, legal experts widely disagree, citing that the presidential pardon power is limited to federal offenses.
Read More
President Donald Trump pardoned Timothy Leiweke, an entertainment executive, shortly after a golf game where Leiweke’s attorney, Trey Gowdy, allegedly discussed Leiweke’s case. The pardon, issued despite Leiweke facing charges of rigging a $375 million University of Texas arena bid, undermines the Justice Department’s case. Gowdy reportedly urged Trump to intervene, and Leiweke, who pleaded not guilty, has since expressed gratitude and plans to pursue new ventures. This action comes amidst ongoing scrutiny of concert ticket prices and the Justice Department’s antitrust efforts to address rising costs.
Read More
Senator Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) has alleged that President Trump’s pardons are a “cash grab” orchestrated by the president’s inner circle and lobbyists with ties to the White House. According to Murphy, these individuals are profiting from the pardons, which are being granted to fraudsters and white-collar criminals in exchange for money. This practice has created a lucrative business for lobbyists and consultants linked to the administration. Moreover, Trump has also pardoned corporations, signaling a concerning trend of authoritarian power.
Read More
On Tuesday, President Trump pardoned sports and entertainment executive Tim Leiweke, who was indicted in July for allegedly rigging the bidding process for an arena at a public university in Austin, Texas. Leiweke, the co-founder of Oak View Group, had pleaded not guilty and was slated to stand trial next year. The pardon, posted on a justice department website, represents the fifth one granted by Trump to powerful individuals in the past week, with no official reasoning provided. The indictment alleged that Leiweke’s actions deprived the university and taxpayers of the benefits of competitive bidding.
Read More
President Trump has pardoned Texas Democratic Rep. Henry Cuellar and his wife, Imelda, who were indicted on federal charges related to bribery allegations. Trump announced the pardon on social media, claiming the prosecution was politically motivated due to Cuellar’s opposition to certain policies. The charges included accepting bribes from an oil and gas company and a Mexican bank. Cuellar and his wife faced numerous counts including conspiracy and money laundering, but the pardon allows him to move forward.
Read More
President Trump’s pardon of former Honduran President Juan Orlando Hernández, convicted of drug trafficking, has drawn criticism from within his own party. Several Republican senators expressed confusion and concern, citing the mixed message sent by pardoning a convicted drug trafficker while also threatening action against drug trafficking in Venezuela. Some lawmakers, such as Senator Rand Paul, questioned the logic and potential consequences of the pardon, considering Hernandez’s role in facilitating the movement of hundreds of tons of cocaine. Trump’s recent pardons, including those of individuals convicted of financial crimes and January 6th rioters, have reignited debate about the scope of presidential pardon power, with some calling for constitutional amendments to limit its application.
Read More
John Q. Hosedrinker 
Matt Underwood