Posted on 10/25/2025 2:36:55 PM PDT by karpov
America’s Founders made the presidential pardon power absolute, and they did so as a protection against injustice. But Hamilton and Madison might be having second thoughts as they watch President Trump dole out pardons as a form of political legal tender.
In the latest example, Mr. Trump on Wednesday pardoned crypto kingpin Changpeng Zhao, who happens to be a Trump family business partner. “I gave him a pardon at the request of a lot of very good people,” Mr. Trump said. “A lot of people say that he wasn’t guilty of anything.”
One of those people wasn’t Mr. Zhao, unless he was lying when he pleaded guilty in 2023 to violating anti-money laundering laws by not implementing safeguards on Binance, the crypto exchange he founded. The plea agreement he struck with the Justice Department says he turned a blind eye as terrorists, cyber-criminals and foreign adversaries used Binance to embezzle and dodge sanctions.
Mr. Zhao “prioritized Binance’s growth and profits over compliance with U.S. law, telling Binance employees that it was ‘better to ask for forgiveness than permission’ in what he described as a ‘grey zone,’” the plea deal says. The deal says Binance knew that many of its users resided in jurisdictions covered by U.S. sanctions such as Iran, North Korea and Cuba.
By allowing U.S. users to trade with these jurisdictions, the plea agreement says Binance abetted sanctions violations. Between August 2017 and October 2022, Binance allowed at least $890 million in transactions between U.S. and Iranian users. These are serious charges and Mr. Zhao admitted to them.
(Excerpt) Read more at wsj.com ...
unless he was lying when he pleaded guilty in 2023 to violating anti-money laundering laws by not implementing safeguards on Binance
*****
I don’t know the facts of this particular case, but folks OFTEN lie when pleading guilty to a lesser charge when faced with much harsher penalties when being upcharged or framed and actual guilt was questionable. A forced plea to a lesser charge is proof of nothing.
Did WSJ clutch its pearls when Clinton pardoned Puerto Rican terrorists and other sleazy folks?
Or when he pardoned Marc Rich?
How does that “look bad”? People should be compensated if they are illegally prosecuted.
Bill and Hillary Clinton and Hunter and Joe Biden: “What? Money laundering is illegal? Since when?”
Exactly.
Had to look that one up. I had forgotten about him.
And it is called perjury.
Just what this forum cries out for, another concern troll.
sure thing comrade
“His Family’s Crypto Pal“
Another fine article from the Trump hating a-holes at the WSJ.
People think, when they hear money laundering, of terrorists and drug dealers. They should be thinking of Canada’s Freedom Convoy.
Sour grapes blathering from TWSJ.
Tales From The Crypto
Can’t wait to see the WSJ editorial on the pardon for the Didler.
Oh boo effing hoo.
“I gave him a pardon at the request of a lot of very good people”
Maybe the enhanced adjective isn’t merited.
Let me run that past Pam, Patel and Vance.
White House Proposed Pardons and Commutations, Week 48
Hi, we’re from the government.
What is the problem?
What would you like me to do?
“Did WSJ clutch its pearls when Clinton pardoned Puerto Rican terrorists and other sleazy folks?”
No. They (the WSJ oped page editors) criticized Clinton for it at the time.
(Note to the readers: When Murdoch bought the WSJ’s parent company - Dow Jones, the deal struck with the previous owners of the WSJ was that they, the previous owners, not the Murdochs, have editorial control of the opinion section of the WSJ.)
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