"Controversial Trump Pardon Unveils Troubling Kushner Connection"

The commutation of Jonathan Braun's sentence by former President Donald Trump is raising questions about how Trump used his clemency powers and what he could do in a second term. Braun, a convicted drug smuggler and predatory lender, returned to his illegal activities shortly after his release. The commutation also hindered a criminal investigation into the predatory lending industry. Braun's family used their connection to Charles Kushner, father of Jared Kushner, to seek Trump's intervention. The lack of rigorous vetting and the sidelining of the Justice Department in the clemency process were major problems in the Trump White House.