Trump to pardon ex-Puerto Rico governor who pleaded guilty to campaign finance violation

From CNN’s Kevin Liptak

(CNN) — President Donald Trump intends to pardon former Puerto Rico Gov. Wanda Vázquez, who pleaded guilty to a campaign finance violation last summer, according to a White House official.

Vázquez, along with two co-defendants whom Trump also plans to pardon, was facing time behind bars after the Justice Department brought bribery charges connected to the financing of her 2020 campaign.

From December 2019 through June 2020, the former governor allegedly conspired in a scheme to finance her gubernatorial campaign, according to the DOJ.

A former FBI agent and the owner of the international bank that operated in San Juan also participated in the alleged scheme, federal officials said.

The indictment alleged Julio Herrera Velutini, the owner of the international bank, and his consultant Mark Rossini, the former FBI agent, agreed to provide funding for Vázquez’s campaign in exchange for her replacing the island’s top bank regulator with one of their choosing. At the time, the bank was the “subject of an examination” by the regulatory agency, federal prosecutors say.

After reaching an agreement with the government, Vázquez, Herrera and Rossini pleaded guilty to misdemeanor charges in August.

The White House claimed the charges were brought due to political motivations. The White House official cited the timing of the investigation into Vázquez — which they said began 10 days after she endorsed Trump in 2020 — as proof. Trump was still president at that time, although Vázquez was not arrested until 2022, during President Joe Biden’s administration.

The official said in her materials advocating for a pardon, Vázquez claims there was no quid pro quo or bribery at play in her dealings with the banker.

The-CNN-Wire
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