According to the Wall Street Journal, Donald Trump's second presidential term is witnessing the formation of an unofficial "amnesty market," where behind-the-scenes lobbying has become a full-fledged industry. In this context, Changpeng Zhao (CZ), founder and former CEO of Binance, is believed to be one of the figures benefiting from this unconventional amnesty mechanism.
According to lobbyists close to the Trump administration, the “market” cost of lobbying for a presidential pardon can reach around $1 million. This path is described as an unofficial route, allowing wealthy individuals or those with deep political connections to directly approach the White House, rather than following the traditional pardon application process , which is lengthy and involves multiple layers of review by the U.S. Department of Justice. During Trump's second term, this route reportedly became increasingly popular, sparking considerable controversy in Washington's political and legal circles.
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One striking detail was the statement by lobbyist Ches McDowell, who claimed that Donald Trump Jr. did not support him in seeking a pardon for CZ. However, just about a week after that statement, President Trump officially signed the pardon, surprising the public and lawmakers in the US capital and sparking heated debate. Many argued that the timing and manner of this decision clearly reflected the existence of "political shortcuts" in pardon decisions under the Trump administration.
CZ's legal team quickly issued a statement to reassure the public. Lawyer Teresa Goody Guillén asserted that the pardon was entirely unrelated to any business decisions or behind-the-scenes deals, but was based on the President's impartial and independent assessment. She emphasized that CZ did not receive any special treatment outside the framework of the law.
