Democrats in both the House and Senate are launching an investigation into what they allege is a potential “pay-to-play” scheme for presidential pardons.

Reps. Dave Min and Raul Ruiz, alongside Sen. Peter Welch, sent letters to 17 recipients of executive clemency as part of an attempt to determine whether recipients may have received favorable treatment from President Donald Trump or his advisers “through intermediaries, financial contributions, or other forms of influence.”

Trump has issued pardons at an accelerated rate since returning to office last year. The Cato Institute, a libertarian think tank, called the trend an “embarrassment” in a report that noted the number of pardons and commutations issued by Trump during his first year dwarfs his predecessors.

These include almost 1,500 pardons for his supporters who were charged or convicted for their role in the Jan. 6 Capitol insurrection. His other pardons and clemency cases have tended to focus on white-collar crimes.

The Democrats’ probe is unlikely to go anywhere in the near future, as Republicans have control of both chambers of Congress — but the move is a likely preview into how Democrats would conduct oversight if they retake Congress after the November midterms.

“Executive clemency has historically been understood as an act of grace exercised in the interest of justice and the public welfare, but it cannot become a tool for political favoritism, corruption, or pay-to-play dealings,” the lawmakers said in a press release Thursday. “At a moment when Americans are already losing faith in our institutions, Congress has a responsibility to conduct oversight and ensure that no one, including a sitting President, is above accountability.”

The lawmakers are seeking to gather information on the process by which Trump granted clemency requests and issued pardons. In particular, the probe hopes to uncover whether the involvement of intermediaries, lobbyists or advocates represented a conflict of interest.

“The information you provide will allow Congress to better evaluate whether legislative or Constitutional reforms are necessary to ensure that no President abuses their power to grant executive clemency,” the lawmakers wrote in their letters.

The lawmakers note that the letters were sent to “convicted fraudsters, political fundraisers, corporate executives and wealthy donors.”

One of the letter recipients was Changpeng Zhao, who pleaded guilty in 2024 to money laundering. Trump pardoned the cryptocurrency billionaire in October 2025 after he had served a four-month jail sentence. At the time of the pardon, members of the Senate Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs Committee pressed the Department of Justice and the Treasury Department on the pardon.

Welch, Min and Ruiz noted that Zhao reportedly played a role in brokering a massive investment in the Trump family’s crypto business, surging the Trump stablecoin, USD1, to a $2.1 billion value.

Trump has repeatedly denied any connection to Zhao and said he has “no idea” who Zhao is.

Other recipients include Joseph Schwartz, a nursing home operator convicted of tax crimes, Trevor Milton, an entrepreneur convicted of lying to investors, and Lawrence Duran, a co-owner of a mental health company who was convicted of Medicaid fraud.

“If they don’t respond, they run the risk of highlighting themselves — of being the subjects of future congressional investigations and creating more of a target on their backs for potential further criminal prosecutions,” Min told CBS News, which first reported on the letters.

The lawmakers expressed concern about the lost restitution for victims and said the inquiries are designed to “ensure that no President abuses their power to grant executive clemency.”

Just last month, Trump reportedly joked that he would issue mass pardons for anyone who had come within 200 feet of the Oval Office during his second term.