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Undeniably, President Donald Trump’s misuse of the pardon authority has long appeared corrupt, yet it has carried a heavy price as well: although he grabbed headlines last week by proposing to divert roughly $1.8 billion from the Treasury to distribute to his political backers, the power of pardons had already brought him close to that amount, draining federal coffers—and crime victims—of about $1.5 billion in fines, restitution, and other obligations owed by—remember this part—criminals.
