Lawyers
How an ex-U.S. attorney for Utah’s push for Trump pardons suits his about-face on legal justice
Brett Tolman went from being a tough prosecutor to championing defendant rights, same-sex marriage and help for female victims of violent crimes.
(Francisco Kjolseth | Tribune file photo) Former U.S. Attorney for Utah Brett Tolman has been lobbying the White House to gain pardons for his clients — and earning tens of thousands of dollars or more for doing it.
Brett Tolman, the former U.S. attorney for Utah who’s making headlines for making big bucks lobbying the White House for pardons for his clients, has made news before — as an advocate for women who are victims of violent crimes and a crusader reforming the legal system.
It’s the latest twist in a career that cast Tolman as a tough prosecutor, a strong advocate for defendants, a supporter of same-sex marriage, and a champion for reforming the legal system.
Since that ceremony in December 2018, Tolman has functioned as an informal adviser to Trump on pardons and commutations. And, according to The Times, Trump’s White House “favors pardon-seekers who have connections to Trump or his team, or who pay someone who does,” according to a pardon lawyer who “worked for years through the Justice Department system.”
Kushner, who is the father of Trump’s son-in-law, Jared Kushner, was convicted of tax evasion, illegal campaign contributions and witness tampering in 2005.
Tolman tweeted “I’m proud of my team’s clemency work” and noted that while “some have been paying clients, many have been pro bono.”
He continues to advocate for judicial reform. On Thursday, he tweeted that the “first thing I want and expect” from the Biden administration’s Justice Department is “retroactive application” of the First Step Act” to “crack/powder sentencing.” He also pushed for moving the Office of the Pardon Attorney out of the Justice Department and into the White House, explaining that “federal expungement needs to pass, but until then” the White House should approve “many, many pardons.”
According to media reports, Trump plans to issue at least 100 more pardons and commutations Tuesday before he leaves office the next day.