Trump Pardons Money Launderer Mid-Sentence, Critics Say 'About Time'
Mainstream outlets like the BBC will report the 'news' of Trump's pardon of Changpeng Zhao, who pleaded guilty to money laundering violations and was mid-sentence for a four-month term. What they won't dwell on is the curious timing or the optics of a former president, facing his own legal battles, extending such a swift clemency. This is the same former president who, in 2020, pardoned convicted
felons like Roger Stone and Michael Flynn, often sparking bipartisan condemnation over the perceived politicization of presidential power. It seems certain individuals, regardless of their financial misdeeds, are simply too important—or perhaps too connected—to face the full consequences. So, a man who admitted to 'knowingly failing' to uphold AML rules, facilitating billions in illicit
transactions, gets a presidential pass. Meanwhile, ordinary citizens face jail time for petty offenses. One might wonder if 'justice' is merely a suggestion for the well-heeled, particularly those with connections in high places. How many four-month sentences get this kind of executive attention?