A firm with ties to former President Donald Trump has started lobbying for pardons, with its first client already paying $500,000, according to federal lobbying disclosures.
The company, Mo Strategies, has signed on to lobby for the law firm Blessinger Legal in Northern Virginia for “immigration and pardon-related discussions”. The engagement has already yielded the firm $500,000 in income, and more work is expected, said Marty Obst, president of Mo Strategies.
Pardon Lobbying Industry
The pardon work reflects how a cottage industry of well-connected lobbyists, lawyers, and influencers who advocate on presidential clemency has flourished during Mr. Trump’s second term. Mr. Trump has pardoned or commuted prison sentences for a number of his allies who were prosecuted, as well as those who hired people with ties to the president.
Mo Strategies’ president, Marty Obst, is a longtime political strategist who held senior roles on Mr. Trump’s 2016 and 2020 campaigns, and was a senior adviser to former Vice President Mike Pence. The other lobbyist, Robert Goad, worked in the first Trump White House as a special assistant to the president on domestic policy.
Reactions and Implications
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said in a statement that Mr. Trump “finds it detestable that anyone would even attempt to profit off pardons” and that the administration has a “rigorous review process” before applications reach the president’s desk. The Justice Department also stated that its pardon office will review applications “to make recommendations to the president that are consistent, unbiased, and uphold the rule of law”.
The development has raised questions about the influence of lobbying on the pardon process, with some critics arguing that it creates an uneven playing field for those seeking clemency. As the pardon lobbying industry continues to grow, it remains to be seen how it will impact the broader landscape of presidential clemency.
