President Donald Trump is preparing to issue around 100 pardons and commutations on his final full day in his office.
According to three people familiar with the matter, the clemency will be granted to white-collar criminals, high-profile rappers and political allies, but does not include Trump himself.
Reports claim that some in Trump’s circle have been monetizing pardons, with a former CIA officer convicted of illegally disclosing classified information reportedly being told a pardon could be had for $2 million.
Advisers have warned Trump against clemency for any Capitol rioters, as well as pardoning himself as it would imply guilt.
“There are a lot of people urging the President to pardon the folks,” Trump ally Sen. Lindsey Graham said, referring to anyone involved in the Capitol siege.
“To seek a pardon of these people would be wrong.”
Trump had pardoned a number of political allies in the past, including Roger Stone, Michael Flynn and Paul Manafort.
Two major batches had been prepared to roll out initially, one at the end of last week and one on Tuesday, but officials expect the last batch to be the only one.
The last batch of pardons will include a mix of criminal justice reform-minded pardons, as well as controversial ones secured or doled out to political allies.
“Everything is a transaction. He likes pardons because it is unilateral. And he likes doing favors for people he thinks will owe him,” a source said.
The pardons are one of the several items the outgoing president must complete before he leaves office, adding to executive orders prepared by White House officials.
Trump is also hoping to declassify Russian probe information before his official term ends – but a waning number of administration officials still in jobs may lessen the likelihood that any of it gets done.
He is expected to leave the White House on January 20, allowing him to issue pardons up until noon on Inaguration Day.