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President Donald Trump plans to pardon former Puerto Rico Governor Wanda Vázquez, according to a White House official speaking on condition of anonymity. The planned pardon comes before Vázquez’s scheduled sentencing later this month for a campaign finance violation to which she pleaded guilty last August.
Federal prosecutors had been seeking a one-year prison term for Vázquez, a position her attorneys opposed, arguing that prosecutors had violated the terms of her plea agreement. The attorneys noted that Vázquez had only admitted to accepting a promise of a campaign contribution that was never actually received.
The case originally involved more serious charges including bribery and fraud, which were dropped as part of the plea deal reached last year. According to the White House official, Trump views the prosecution as politically motivated, noting that the investigation into Vázquez began just 10 days after she endorsed Trump in 2020.
Vázquez, a Republican affiliated with Puerto Rico’s pro-statehood New Progressive Party, was the first former governor of the U.S. territory to plead guilty to a crime. Her legal troubles stemmed from allegations that she participated in a bribery scheme between December 2019 and June 2020 while serving as governor.
The case centered on Puerto Rico’s Office of the Commissioner of Financial Institutions, which was investigating an international bank owned by Venezuelan banker Julio Martín Herrera Velutini for allegedly failing to report suspicious transactions. Prosecutors claimed that Herrera and former FBI agent Mark Rossini, who provided consulting services to Herrera, promised to support Vázquez’s 2020 campaign if she dismissed the commissioner and appointed someone of Herrera’s choosing.
Authorities alleged that Vázquez demanded the commissioner’s resignation in February 2020 after accepting the bribe offer and appointed a new commissioner in May 2020 – a former consultant for Herrera’s bank.
The pardon has already drawn criticism from Pablo José Hernández, Puerto Rico’s representative in Congress and a member of the island’s main opposition party, the Popular Democratic Party. “Impunity protects and fosters corruption. The pardon undermines public integrity, shatters faith in justice, and offends those of us who believe in honest governance,” said Hernández, a Democrat.
Vázquez became Puerto Rico’s second female governor in August 2019 following the resignation of Ricardo Rosselló amid massive protests over his administration. When initially arrested in August 2022, she maintained her innocence, telling reporters she had done nothing wrong. She served as governor until 2021, after losing the primaries of her party to former Governor Pedro Pierluisi.
The planned pardon adds to a series of controversial clemency decisions made during Trump’s presidency. His use of the pardon power has frequently sparked debate, with critics arguing that many of his pardons have benefited political allies or those with personal connections to him.
Political analysts note that this pardon could resonate with Puerto Rican voters in key battleground states, potentially influencing an important voting bloc in the upcoming election. Puerto Rico itself cannot vote in presidential elections, but the large diaspora of Puerto Ricans living in states like Florida, Pennsylvania, and New York represents a significant constituency.
The Justice Department declined to comment on the planned pardon, which was first reported by CBS News. Attorneys for Vázquez have not yet responded to requests for comment regarding the pardon announcement.
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6 Comments
This pardon raises some red flags given the timing and nature of Vázquez’s case. I’d be curious to hear more about the rationale, as it seems to have the potential for abuse of presidential power. Transparency around the justification would be important here.
The planned pardon of the former Puerto Rico governor is certainly raising eyebrows. While the charges were reduced, the campaign finance violation still seemed to merit some form of accountability. Curious to see how this develops in the final days of the Trump administration.
Interesting to see Trump considering a pardon for the former Puerto Rico governor. Given the campaign finance issues, I’m curious to hear more about the justification for this pardon. It could be viewed as politically motivated, but the full context would be helpful to evaluate.
The details around Vázquez’s case are murky, but the planned pardon raises questions about Trump’s use of this power in his final days. Voters may see this as a politically-charged move to shield an ally. Regardless of one’s views, this decision deserves close scrutiny.
While the charges against Vázquez were reduced, a prison sentence still seemed warranted for the campaign finance violation. This pardon appears to be another politically-charged move by Trump on his way out. I wonder how it will be received in Puerto Rico and the broader U.S.
This pardon seems politically motivated, with the investigation starting shortly after Vázquez endorsed Trump. While the plea deal downgraded the charges, a prison term still seemed appropriate given the campaign finance violation. It will be interesting to see if Trump follows through on the pardon before leaving office.