A Trump-linked Firm Launches Lobbying Practice to Target Presidential Pardons

Former officials from Donald Trump's administration have launched a lucrative lobbying practice focused on securing presidential pardons.

Mo Strategies, a firm led by veteran political operatives, recently expanded its federal practice to guide clients through the executive clemency process, according to CBS News.

The group secured its first major contract in late May. Federal disclosures show the firm received $500,000 from Blessinger Legal, a Northern Virginia law firm, for immigration and pardon-related advocacy.

Marty Obst, president of Mo Strategies and a former senior adviser to Mike Pence, said the firm expects additional work in this sector.

Obst stated the group provides guidance on the legal and political frameworks of the pardon process to determine what appeals to the White House.

The business reflects a broader expansion of lobbying efforts centered on presidential clemency during Trump's second term.

The president has previously commuted sentences for political allies and individuals represented by his associates.

Insider Access

Mo Strategies relies on operatives with deep ties to the current administration.

Obst served in senior roles on both the 2016 and 2020 Trump campaigns.

Robert Goad, another registered lobbyist on the Blessinger Legal account, worked as a domestic policy assistant in the first Trump White House.

The filing detailing the $500,000 income confirmed the firm lobbied both the Justice Department and the White House this year.

The White House has publicly distanced itself from clemency brokerage. Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt stated that Trump considers attempts to profit from pardons detestable.

Leavitt maintained that the administration utilizes a rigorous review process before applications reach the president.

The Justice Department confirmed its pardon office is currently processing a record number of clemency requests and evaluating them to uphold the rule of law.

Client Expansion

Eileen Blessinger, founder of Blessinger Legal, initiated the lobbying arrangement to navigate aggressive federal immigration enforcement. Her firm specializes in removal proceedings and employment-based visas.

Obst indicated that Mo Strategies is reviewing dozens of Blessinger's cases to identify viable candidates for executive clemency.

The firm has secured contracts reaching $530,000 per filing period.

Tencent America, the U.S. subsidiary of the Chinese technology conglomerate, is the firm's highest-paying client.

Obst advises the company on U.S. trade and defense policy. Other clients include NextEra Energy, Team Hemp, and the Serb Republic.

Oversight Scrutiny

The $500,000 disclosure from Blessinger Legal is among the largest pardon-related filings in the U.S. Senate database.

Over two dozen similar lobbying registrations have appeared during the current administration, though a fraction have preceded actual clemency.

The largest disclosed payment for clemency lobbying remains a $960,000 contract filed last year.

Political operatives Jack Burkman and Jacob Wohl secured that sum to represent Joseph Schwartz, a nursing home operator who pleaded guilty to a $39 million payroll tax fraud scheme.

Schwartz received a presidential pardon from Trump after serving three months of a three-year sentence.

Democratic lawmakers in the House and Senate are currently investigating these arrangements as potential pay-to-play dynamics.

Obst acknowledged the political risks, stating that Mo Strategies prepares all engagements to withstand potential congressional oversight.