Pardon broker reports $960,000 from Joseph Schwartz before Trump's pardon
Reporting and findings
- documented
J M Burkman & Associates reported $960,000 in second-quarter 2025 income from Joseph Schwartz for work described as a federal pardon and related Justice Department matters. The report names Jack Burkman as the lobbyist and lists the Executive Office of the President as a contacted entity.
- U.S. Lobbying Disclosure Act database: J M Burkman & Associates second-quarter 2025 report for Joseph SchwartzLD-2 lines 12–19: income, issue description, lobbyist and contacted entity
- documented
The Justice Department's clemency roster records Trump's November 14, 2025 pardon of Joseph Schwartz. The filing establishes the fee and advocacy; the timing does not by itself establish that Trump received the money or exchanged the pardon for it.
- U.S. Department of Justice: Clemency Grants by President Donald J. Trump, 2025 to PresentNovember 14, 2025 clemency grants, Joseph Schwartz row
- CBS News: Pardon brokers offer to put pressure on the president, at sky-high costsSchwartz fee, sentence and pardon chronology
Summary and current status
Lobbying disclosed; Trump granted the pardon November 14, 2025
People and organizations
- Jack BurkmanLobbyist signing the report
- Joseph SchwartzPardon recipient and lobbying client
- Donald J. TrumpPresident who later pardoned Schwartz
- J M Burkman & AssociatesRegistrant reporting income
Relationships in this file
- Joseph SchwartzPaid reported lobbying income for pardon advocacyJ M Burkman & Associates
- Donald J. TrumpGranted clemency after the recipient's disclosed paid lobbying engagementJoseph Schwartz
Money trail
feeReported Schwartz lobbying payment$960,000 - Fee payer / source
- Joseph Schwartz
- Fee recipient
- J M Burkman & Associates