1. United States
2. Utah
3. Letter

I am writing to express my profound dismay and indignation over former President Donald Trump's pardon of Changpeng Zhao, the founder of cryptocurrency exchange Binance. This action smacks of corruption typically found in authoritarian regimes, not in the United States. It's frankly embarrassing that presidential pardons appear to be for sale in our democracy. The facts surrounding this pardon are deeply troubling. Zhao had pleaded guilty to failing to maintain an effective anti-money laundering program at Binance, a serious offense that undermines our financial system's integrity. What's even more alarming is the glaring conflict of interest: the Trump family has significant financial stakes in World Liberty Financial, a crypto firm that has substantially increased Trump's net worth. The connections between Zhao, Binance, and World Liberty Financial are too numerous to dismiss. Binance has provided a trading platform for World Liberty Financial and assisted with cryptocurrency development. There are even suggestions of potential business deals between the Trump family and Binance's U.S. arm, contingent on Zhao's pardon. This pardon is not an isolated incident. It's part of a pattern that includes Trump pardoning other individuals involved in cryptocurrency-related crimes and his administration's stance against cryptocurrency enforcement, including the disbanding of a Justice Department crypto enforcement team. The level of corruption here is unprecedented and unacceptable. We're witnessing a former president directly benefiting his own business interests through the use of presidential pardons. This is a blatant abuse of power that undermines the very foundations of our democracy and the rule of law. I urge you to take immediate action. We need a thorough, independent investigation into the circumstances surrounding this pardon and the Trump family's connections to Binance and World Liberty Financial. Our democracy cannot withstand such flagrant corruption. We must hold our leaders accountable, regardless of their position or party affiliation. The American public deserves transparency and justice. Please, use your position to demand a full inquiry into this matter. Our nation's integrity and the public's trust in our institutions are at stake. We cannot allow this level of corruption to become normalized in our political system. It's time to draw a line and make it clear that in the United States, pardons are not commodities to be bought and sold.