60 Minutes: ‘Pardon Brokers’ Pitching Trump Clemency for Six-Figure Fees

CBS News’ 60 Minutes opened its new season with a hidden-camera investigation into so-called “pardon brokers” pitching access to President Donald Trump for six- and seven-figure fees. The segment centers on two Trump-aligned lobbyists and raises fresh questions about how clemency decisions are being made in the second Trump term.

What 60 Minutes actually caught on camera

Inside a Virginia hotel bar, two Washington lobbyists were filmed offering to secure a presidential pardon for a convicted felon for $300,000, as part of a CBS News investigation into a growing market of brokers charging large sums to pursue pardons.

Lobbyists Jack Burkman and Jacob Wohl told the felon, aquarium operator Ammon Covino, they could secure his freedom by October. Covino was working with CBS News, and the entire pitch was filmed at the Ritz-Carlton in Tysons Corner, Virginia.

Covino had already been convicted on illegal wildlife trafficking charges in 2013 and served 23 months, and had sought a pardon through the standard three-page application, but was rejected.

The Boosie Badazz angle

Baton Rouge rapper Boosie BadAzz told 60 Minutes he paid $600,000 to lobby for a presidential pardon that never came and is still fighting to recover half the money.

CBS showed messages it said were sent to Boosie’s attorney referencing conservative activist Laura Loomer, Turning Point USA CEO Erika Kirk, House Speaker Mike Johnson of Louisiana and Trump executive assistant Natalie Harp as people who could potentially help with the effort. Stahl said all four denied any involvement in the case.

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How pardons are being processed

CBS News found that roughly 70% of Trump’s second-term clemency actions bypassed the Justice Department entirely, rising to 92% once the January 6 Capitol riot cases are included. Brokers who claim connections to Trump and his allies charge fees reportedly reaching $3 million for pursuing clemency cases.

The White House response

The White House rejected the idea that paying lobbyists improves a person’s chances of receiving clemency, with spokesperson Lauren Bis telling CBS that anyone spending money to lobby for pardons is wasting it, and adding that Trump has a review process involving White House counsel, the Justice Department and others before the president makes the final decision.

Burkman and Wohl denied doing anything improper and said their work amounted to legal lobbying and advocacy.

Options market and stocks to watch

The story is political rather than corporate, but investors should watch a few adjacent names for headline risk and volume:

• PARA: Paramount, the parent of CBS News, tends to see attention around high-profile 60 Minutes investigations. Watch for reaction if the story escalates into a broader political fight over CBS coverage.
• DJT: Trump Media & Technology Group often trades on political headlines tied to the president. Watch for flow around narratives questioning White House ethics.
• WBD and NXST: Broader media names to monitor if the segment triggers a wider political news cycle.

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