Crime victims left behind as Trump pardons wipe out $1.3 billion in restitution

TLDR:

• Nearly $2 billion in restitution and fines has been wiped out by President Trump’s pardons, according to a new analysis
• Over $1.3 billion of that was owed directly to crime victims who will now go unpaid
• Trump has pardoned an unusually high number of wealthy people convicted of financial crimes, including reality TV stars the Chrisleys
• California Gov. Gavin Newsom and the White House are trading sharp attacks over the pardons

Crime victims are being left empty-handed as President Trump’s pardons erase nearly $2 billion in restitution payments and fines, according to a new analysis by California Gov. Gavin Newsom.

More than $1.3 billion of that total was owed directly to victims of crimes — money they will now never see.

“Trump’s pardons have erased those legal and moral obligations,” Mr. Newsom said. “Trump is showing who he is by favoring his friends and donors over the livelihoods of Americans who have been hurt by those he’s pardoned.”

Mr. Newsom, a Democrat with White House ambitions, also accused Mr. Trump of pardoning “an unusually high number of wealthy people accused of financial crimes” — even as the president criticizes Democrat-led states for welfare fraud.

Among those pardoned were reality TV stars Julie and Todd Chrisley, whose pardon was expected to wipe out $17.8 million in restitution owed to banks.

The White House fired back, with spokeswoman Abigail Jackson pointing to Mr. Newsom’s own pardon of an immigrant convicted of attempted murder — first reported by The Washington Times — to shield him from deportation.

“President Trump has exercised his constitutional authority to issue pardons and commutations for a variety of individuals,” Ms. Jackson said.

Read more:

• Trump’s pardons erased $2 billion in victim restitution, repayments to Treasury, Newsom says