John,

President Trump seems determined to decriminalize political corruption, one pardon at a time. Take a look:

The Hill: “Trump pardons Texas Democrat Henry Cuellar after bribery indictment.”

In December, Trump pardoned Representative Henry Cuellar, who was indicted in 2024 for allegedly accepting nearly $600,000 in bribes from a company controlled by a foreign government and a foreign bank.

Now the Democratic representative from Texas is running for re-election, which infuriated Trump, who has demanded that Cuellar owes him "LOYALTY."

John, this tells us all we need to know about how Trump views the pardon system.

A presidential pardon shouldn’t be the end of accountability. That’s why CREW is urging the House Ethics Committee to continue its investigation of Cuellar’s alleged illegal and unethical conduct.

We’re also suing the Department of Justice for records of Cuellar’s pardon. The public deserves to know the details of Cuellar’s alleged corrupt dealings and what, if any, unethical considerations influenced Trump’s decision to pardon him.

We’re committed to fighting against corruption in our public institutions and restoring the public’s faith in our elected officials and we need you with us. Join the fight for accountability by donating to support CREW today →

Trump has repeatedly granted clemency to public officials accused of or convicted of public corruption.

He has pardoned or commuted the sentences of nine federal elected officials and eleven state and local officials convicted of corruption charges, letting at least 20 corrupt officials off the hook across his two terms.

While Trump is not the first to grant clemency to corrupt elected officials, he outdid past presidents in corruption-related political pardons even by the end of his first term.

So far in his second term, he’s already pardoned 10 politicians for corruption-related crimes.

With these pardons, Trump has indicated that corruption-related charges—ranging from bribery and fraud to acting as a foreign agent and insider trading—are not necessary, despite the damage they do to public trust and the cost to taxpayers.

The Trump administration is normalizing corruption and sending a clear message: elected officials can break the law with impunity. That’s a massive problem for our democracy and public trust in government.

CREW is working to hold Trump and all elected officials accountable to the rule of law. We’re fighting to expose corruption and restore trust in our government—and we need your support. Donate today to support CREW and join us in the fight for an accountable and ethical government →

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Thank you,

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