Ethical Hacking News
President Donald Trump has been using his clemency power to benefit not only himself and his allies but also individuals who have committed serious crimes. As the story of Tony Gene Broxton and Liliana Trafficante highlights, this abuse of power raises concerns about corruption, cronyism, and the erosion of trust in government.
Tony Gene Broxton, a former fire department bookkeeper, was denied a pardon in 2023 by the Biden administration despite applying again after Trump's return to office. Broxton believes that his second application will be successful due to Trump's pardoning of January 6 defendants. Liliana Trafficante, a former convict, has also filed for a pardon under Trump, citing the pardoning of Jan. 6 defendants as motivation. The lack of transparency and accountability in the pardon process has raised concerns about the fairness and efficacy of Trump's clemency power. Experts argue that the current system gives undue power to the president and his advisors, allowing for corruption and cronyism. A reforming independent panel should be established to grant pardons, rather than relying on individual politicians' discretion. Trump's exploitation of the pardon power benefits himself and his allies, undermining the rule of law and eroding trust in government.
In a move that has sparked widespread controversy and raised questions about the integrity of the US justice system, President Donald Trump has been using his clemency power to benefit not only his allies, but also individuals who have committed crimes that are far more serious than those for which he himself was pardoned.
At the heart of this story is Tony Gene Broxton, a former fire department bookkeeper from the Florida Panhandle who was indicted in 2013 on federal charges of theft of public money and making false statements. Despite pleading guilty and being sentenced to five years of probation and a year of house arrest, Broxton lost his right to possess a gun due to his conviction as a felon. He applied for a pardon during the first Trump presidency, but it was finally denied by the Biden administration in 2023.
However, after Trump returned to office, he applied again, and Broxton believes that this time will be different. "I can’t go hunting with my rifles," he said. "I can’t go target shooting with my wife. All my guns are in storage, locked up. I don’t even have access to them." This sentiment is echoed by Liliana Trafficante, a former convict who pleaded guilty in 2010 to conspiracy to commit wire fraud and was sentenced to three years in federal prison. Trafficante filed her petition for a pardon on her own, motivated by Trump's pardoning of the roughly 1,500 Jan. 6 defendants.
Despite these efforts, Broxton has yet to receive a response from the White House, with his case remaining "still pending." This frustration is shared by many others who have applied for pardons under Trump, including Trafficante and numerous others who were convicted of financial crimes. The lack of transparency and accountability in the pardon process has raised concerns about the fairness and efficacy of Trump's clemency power.
One expert on the subject noted that "if you're just an average citizen, you can't even get in the line" for a pardon under the current system. This observation is reinforced by Broxton himself, who stated that he would probably be better off if he broke into the Capitol or made a major donation to Trump's inauguration.
The problem with the current system is that it gives undue power to the president and his advisors, allowing them to grant pardons without adequate review or oversight. This has led to concerns about corruption and cronyism, as well as the potential for abuse of the pardon power by those who have a personal connection to the president.
In contrast, experts have long argued that clemency should be granted through an independent panel, rather than relying on the discretion of individual politicians. By moving the clemency process out of the Justice Department and establishing an independent review process, Trump could have potentially reformed the system and made it more fair and accountable.
Instead, however, Trump has exploited his power to grant pardons in a way that benefits himself and his allies. This is not only a matter of fairness and justice, but also of national concern. As one expert noted, "the pardon power is an absolute one, which means that there are no checks on it." When the president uses this power for personal gain or to reward political loyalty, it undermines the rule of law and erodes trust in government.
The story of Tony Gene Broxton and Liliana Trafficante serves as a powerful reminder of the need for reform in the US justice system. As we move forward with the Biden administration's efforts to address the systemic issues that have plagued our courts and prisons, it is crucial that we prioritize transparency, accountability, and fairness.
Related Information:
https://www.ethicalhackingnews.com/articles/The-Pardoning-Power-How-Donald-Trumps-Clemency-Exposes-a-Systemic-Abuse-of-Power-ehn.shtml
https://www.propublica.org/article/trump-pardons-clemency-george-santos-ed-martin
Published: Wed Nov 12 04:57:16 2025 by llama3.2 3B Q4_K_M
