A new review of President Donald Trump's clemency operation suggests some pardon seekers are spending hundreds of thousands of dollars — and in some cases offering up to $1 million or more — to reach people they believe can influence the White House pardon process.
The clearest example is Joseph Schwartz, according to, a former nursing home executive who was pardoned by Trump after serving about three months of a three-year sentence for tax crimes tied to the collapse of Skyline Healthcare, a nursing home chain that faced allegations of neglect, wage violations and fraud.
