Democrats Preview a New Attack: Trump’s Pardons Are Majorly Expensive

A new Judiciary Committee memo claims President Donald Trump’s nearly 1,600 pardons could deprive victims of about $1.3 billion in fines and restitution.

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House Judiciary Committee Ranking Member Jamie Raskin is seen before a markup on Capitol Hill. Francis Chung/POLITICO/AP

A new internal memo to House Judiciary Committee Democrats zeroes in on a new attack line: President Donald Trump’s nearly 1,600 pardons are expensive.

According to the document, Trump’s pardons are costing crime victims and taxpayers potentially $1.3 billion.

“Not only has President Trump issued an unprecedented number of pardons in his second term,” the memo states, “he has used his clemency powers to take an estimated $1.3 billion away from victims and survivors of crime, allowing perpetrators to keep profiting from their crimes — a sharp break with established practice.”