Trump pardons drive a big, burgeoning business for lobbyists

With Trump issuing pardons on a rolling basis, lobbyists say clients are willing to pay significant sums to get their cases in front of the president.

Seeking a pardon from Trump has become big business for lobbying and consulting firms close to the administration, with wealthy hopefuls willing to spend millions of dollars for help getting their case in front of the right people.

“From a lobbying perspective, pardons have gotten profitable,” said one lobbyist whose firm has received such calls.

There’s no set rate for pardon help. But two people directly familiar with proposals to lobbying firms said they knew of a client’s offer of $5 million to help get a case to Trump. These people, like others, were granted anonymity to speak candidly. And while such high numbers do not seem to be standard, they speak to a burgeoning pardon economy.