President Trump just pardoned a former governor whose federal investigation began exactly 10 days after she endorsed him in 2020, raising explosive questions about the weaponization of justice against political allies.
Story Highlights
- Former Puerto Rico Governor Wanda Vázquez Garced receives presidential pardon for federal bribery charges
- White House calls prosecution “political persecution” that began 10 days after her Trump endorsement
- Co-defendants Julio Martín Herrera-Velutini and Mark Rossini also pardoned in campaign finance case
- Federal investigators found no evidence of quid pro quo despite pursuing charges for over three years
The Suspicious Timing That Started Everything
Wanda Vázquez Garced made a fateful decision in 2020 when she publicly endorsed Donald Trump for reelection. Within 10 days, federal investigators launched a probe into her campaign financing that would consume the next six years of her life. The timing wasn’t lost on Trump’s team, who now frame her pardon as correcting a grave injustice perpetrated by partisan prosecutors seeking revenge against a Trump supporter.
The investigation targeted alleged bribery involving her 2020 gubernatorial campaign funds, ultimately leading to her August 2022 indictment alongside financier Julio Martín Herrera-Velutini and associate Mark Rossini. Despite years of investigation, prosecutors never established any quid pro quo arrangement, yet pressed forward with charges that devastated Vázquez’s political career and reputation.
From Hurricane Recovery to Political Target
Vázquez’s path to the governor’s mansion came through extraordinary circumstances. She ascended to Puerto Rico’s highest office in 2019 amid unprecedented political chaos following Hurricane Maria’s aftermath and the explosive #Telegrams scandal that toppled Governor Ricardo Rosselló. Her tenure was marked by efforts to stabilize the island’s government while navigating complex federal oversight and partisan tensions.
As a member of Puerto Rico’s pro-statehood New Progressive Party, Vázquez represented the wing of Puerto Rican politics most aligned with Republican values and American integration. Her Trump endorsement reflected both personal conviction and political calculation, making her a valuable ally for Trump’s outreach to Hispanic voters in a crucial election year.
The Deep State Strikes Back
The rapid deployment of federal investigators against Vázquez fits an alarming pattern of DOJ weaponization against Trump allies. Her case bears striking similarities to other politically motivated prosecutions that emerged during Trump’s first presidency and continued under the Biden administration. The absence of any proven quid pro quo makes the persistence of these charges particularly suspect.
White House officials didn’t mince words in their assessment, describing the entire prosecution as “political persecution” designed to punish loyalty to Trump. This frank acknowledgment represents a significant departure from typical presidential pardon justifications, signaling Trump’s willingness to directly confront what he sees as systematic abuse of prosecutorial power.
Justice Restored Through Presidential Power
Trump’s pardon of Vázquez and her co-defendants represents more than individual clemency; it’s a statement about presidential authority to check prosecutorial overreach. The pardon power exists precisely for situations where the justice system fails to deliver actual justice, and this case exemplifies that constitutional safeguard in action.
The broader implications extend beyond Puerto Rico to every American who fears their political beliefs could make them targets of federal investigation. By pardoning Vázquez, Trump sends a clear message that loyalty to conservative principles won’t be punished on his watch, while simultaneously exposing the partisan nature of selective enforcement that plagued his first term.
Sources:
Trump to pardon former Puerto Rico governor and her co-defendants, White House official says
Trump pardoning Puerto Rico former governor Wanda Vazquez, officials say
Trump to pardon former Puerto Rico governor Vazquez