Paid pardon advocacy expands during Trump's first term
Reporting and findings
- reported
The New York Times reported a first-term market in which Trump associates collected fees to press clemency requests outside the ordinary Justice Department channel. Disclosures showed Brett Tolman received $22,500 to seek clemency for Ross Ulbricht, while an agreement paid former Trump campaign adviser Karen Giorno $50,000 to seek John Kiriakou's pardon and promised another $50,000 if she obtained it. The report said Kiriakou was not pardoned and stated that paid clemency advocacy was legal absent an exchange with the president.
- The New York Times: Prospect of Pardons in Final Days Fuels Market to Buy Access to TrumpReported engagements, disclosed fees, Kiriakou agreement and legal boundary
Summary and current status
Reported paid engagements; no pardon obtained in the cited Kiriakou matter
People and organizations
- Karen GiornoFormer Trump campaign adviser retained by Kiriakou
- Brett TolmanFormer prosecutor and paid clemency advocate
- John KiriakouPardon seeker
- Donald J. TrumpPresident whose clemency power clients sought to reach
Relationships in this file
- Donald J. TrumpFormer campaign adviser retained to seek presidential clemencyKaren Giorno
- Karen GiornoRetained to seek Kiriakou's pardonJohn Kiriakou
Money trail
feeReported Tolman fee for Ulbricht clemency advocacy$22,500 - Fee recipient
- Brett Tolman
- Financially affected
- Ross Ulbricht clemency advocacy
feeReported Kiriakou pardon retainer$50,000 - Fee payer / source
- John Kiriakou
- Fee recipient
- Karen Giorno
commitmentReported contingent Kiriakou pardon bonus$50,000 - Committed by / source
- John Kiriakou
- Committed toward / intended recipient
- Karen Giorno