ProPublica obtained correspondence on behalf of pardon applicants between elected officials and the Justice Department’s Office of the Pardon Attorney through a Freedom of Information Act request. Below are the 10 elected officials who wrote on behalf of the most applicants. For all of the letters and emails, see our document dive.
| Petitioner |
Total Letters Written |
Total Individuals Supported |
Committee Assignments |
Pardon Rate |
Donors |
| Sen. Thad Cochran, R-Miss. |
14 |
10 |
- Senate Joint Committee on the Library
- Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry
- Senate Committee on Appropriations
- Senate Committee on Rules and Administration
|
1 of 10 pardoned |
None found |
| Sen. Saxby Chambliss, R-Ga. |
8 |
7 |
- Senate Select Committee on Intelligence – Vice Chairman
- Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition & Forestry
- Senate Armed Services Committee
- Senate Committee on Rules and Administration
- Senate Special Committee on Aging
|
0 pardoned |
William Clark and Robert Reeves |
| Rep. John M. Spratt Jr., D-S.C. |
6 |
5 |
- House Committee on Armed Services
- House Committee on the Budget – Chairman
1 of 5 pardoned |
None found |
|
| Sen. Jesse Helms, R-N.C. |
8 |
4 |
- Senate Committee on Foreign Relations – Chairman
- Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry – Chairman
|
0 pardoned |
None found |
| Sen. John Breaux, D-La. |
6 |
4 |
- Senate Special Committee on Aging, Ranking Minority Member
- Senate Committee on Finance
- Senate Committee on Rules and Administration
- Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation
|
0 pardoned |
None found |
| Sen. Norm Coleman, R-Minn. |
5 |
4 |
- Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs
- Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry
- Senate Committee on Foreign Relations
- Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship
- Senate Special Committee on Aging
|
0 pardoned |
Frank Vennes Jr. (redacted) |
| Rep. John J. Duncan Jr., R-Tenn. |
5 |
4 |
- House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure
- House Committee on Natural Resources
|
0 pardoned |
None found |
| Sen. Richard C. Shelby, R-Ala. |
4 |
4 |
- Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs – Ranking Member
- Senate Committee on Appropriations
- Senate Special Committee on Aging
|
0 pardoned |
Republican donor |
| Sen. David Vitter, R-La. |
4 |
4 |
- Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works
- Senate Committee on Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs
- Senate Committee on Armed Services
- Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship
|
0 pardoned |
None found |
| Rep. Shelley Moore Capito, R-W.Va. |
7 |
3 |
- House Financial Services Committee
- House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee
|
1 of 3 pardoned |
None |
