US investigates potential bribery and lobbying schemes for pardons

The US Justice Department is looking into claims of people lobbying to receive pardons in the last days of Donald Trump’s presidency (Evan Vucci/PA)

The US Justice Department is investigating whether there was a secret scheme to lobby White House officials for a pardon as well as a related plot to offer a hefty political contribution in exchange for clemency, according to a court document unsealed on Tuesday.

Most of the information in the 18-page court order is redacted, including the identity of the people prosecutors are investigating, and for whom the proposed pardon might be intended.