BlockBeats News, June 18th - U.S. Republican Senator Cynthia Lummis and Democratic Senator Rubén Gallego expressed support for a non-binding resolution to be introduced on Wednesday that opposes former FTX CEO Sam Bankman-Fried (SBF) receiving a presidential pardon, commutation, or any form of executive clemency.
The resolution states that under no circumstances should SBF receive executive clemency, including a presidential pardon or commutation. It also argues that if U.S. President Trump approves SBF's pardon request, it would "wipe out his conviction, weaken deterrence, and send a grave signal that large-scale financial fraudsters can evade permanent accountability." As the U.S. President's pardon power is granted by the Constitution, the resolution is non-binding.
SBF had previously formally applied to Trump for a pardon. Last week, the U.S. Federal Appeals Court upheld his conviction and sentence, leaving him with only the options of a presidential pardon or appealing to the U.S. Supreme Court. SBF was convicted in November 2023 on seven felony charges related to the misuse of FTX user funds and was sentenced to 25 years in prison in 2024.
