US President Donald Trump is set to pardon former Puerto Rico Governor Wanda Vázquez, a move that has been met with widespread criticism from politicians and legal experts alike.
According to a White House official who spoke on condition of anonymity, the planned pardon comes ahead of Vázquez's scheduled sentencing in a federal case. The charges against her date back to 2019, when she was accused of engaging in a bribery scheme. Authorities alleged that Vázquez accepted a promise of campaign contribution from Julio Martín Herrera Velutini, a Venezuelan banker with ties to former FBI agent Mark Rossini.
Vázquez pleaded guilty last August to accepting a donation from a foreigner for her 2020 political campaign. Her attorneys had argued that prosecutors were attempting to violate their client's plea deal by pursuing additional charges.
Critics argue that the pardon is an attempt at political retribution, given Vázquez's endorsement of Trump in 2020 and her stance on statehood. The move has also sparked concerns about impunity and corruption, with many seeing it as a slap in the face to those who believe in honest governance.
"This pardon undermines public integrity, shatters faith in justice, and offends those of us who believe in honest governance," said Pablo José Hernández, a Democrat representing Puerto Rico in Congress. "Impunity protects and fosters corruption."
The move has been condemned by politicians from both parties, with many arguing that it sets a concerning precedent for future pardons. The official confirmation of the planned pardon comes as CBS News was the first to report on the development.
Vázquez's case had drawn widespread attention due to her status as Puerto Rico's first former governor to plead guilty to a crime. Her decision to take the plea deal marked a significant departure from previous corruption cases involving politicians in the US territory.
According to a White House official who spoke on condition of anonymity, the planned pardon comes ahead of Vázquez's scheduled sentencing in a federal case. The charges against her date back to 2019, when she was accused of engaging in a bribery scheme. Authorities alleged that Vázquez accepted a promise of campaign contribution from Julio Martín Herrera Velutini, a Venezuelan banker with ties to former FBI agent Mark Rossini.
Vázquez pleaded guilty last August to accepting a donation from a foreigner for her 2020 political campaign. Her attorneys had argued that prosecutors were attempting to violate their client's plea deal by pursuing additional charges.
Critics argue that the pardon is an attempt at political retribution, given Vázquez's endorsement of Trump in 2020 and her stance on statehood. The move has also sparked concerns about impunity and corruption, with many seeing it as a slap in the face to those who believe in honest governance.
"This pardon undermines public integrity, shatters faith in justice, and offends those of us who believe in honest governance," said Pablo José Hernández, a Democrat representing Puerto Rico in Congress. "Impunity protects and fosters corruption."
The move has been condemned by politicians from both parties, with many arguing that it sets a concerning precedent for future pardons. The official confirmation of the planned pardon comes as CBS News was the first to report on the development.
Vázquez's case had drawn widespread attention due to her status as Puerto Rico's first former governor to plead guilty to a crime. Her decision to take the plea deal marked a significant departure from previous corruption cases involving politicians in the US territory.
. A pardon for someone like Wanda Vázquez who clearly broke the law? It's just mind-boggling to me how far down the rabbit hole of corruption and dishonesty this guy is willing to go 
. And what really gets my goat is that it's all about politics, not justice 
. I mean, come on, if you're gonna pardon someone for a crime, at least have the decency to make an example out of them and say "you're sorry" or something... but nope, Trump just wants to sweep this under the rug and pretend everything is okay again 
. And what about all the other politicians who might be thinking they can get away with stuff too? This pardon sets a really bad precedent 
.
it's literally changed my morning routine i mean, i'm not even kidding, their cold brew is like a whole different world from what i'm used to back home anyway, i was reading about this pardon thing and i just thought about how some people are so extra... like, wanda vázquez's case is one thing, but come on, who needs that kind of drama in our lives? 
. I mean, come on, if Trump wants to give her a second chance, that's fine, but can't he at least do it after she's served some time? It feels like he's giving her a free pass just 'cause she endorsed him in 2020 
...