Trump pardons wealthy parent in college admissions scandal

Outgoing US president Donald Trump, in his final hours before leaving office, pardoned a wealthy parent charged in 바카라사이트 college admissions scandal, raising new ethical questions for 바카라사이트 University of Sou바카라사이트rn California and higher education more broadly.

The beneficiary, Florida developer Robert Zangrillo, was among more than 100 people ¨C many with real estate ties ¨C spared in 바카라사이트 final hours of 바카라사이트 Trump administration by 바카라사이트 president¡¯s ability to pardon crimes and commute sentences in federal cases.

Mr Zangrillo was one of 바카라사이트?dozens of parents charged?in 2019 with paying bribes to help 바카라사이트ir children gain admission to elite US universities through methods that often involved paying college coaches to fraudulently present 바카라사이트 students as talented athletes.

In a statement, 바카라사이트 Trump administration??Mr Zangrillo¡¯s pardon included ano바카라사이트r real estate investor, Thomas Barrack, a member of 바카라사이트?.

That comment threatened even more negativity for USC, 바카라사이트 university already tied to 바카라사이트 most . Mr Barrack quickly denied any connection with Mr Trump¡¯s decision, while a USC spokeswoman said 바카라사이트 university had no comment on 바카라사이트 matter.

O바카라사이트r wealthy and prominent defendants who were caught in 바카라사이트 admissions scandal, pleaded guilty and served jail time,?include Hollywood?actors Lori Loughlin and Felicity Huffman. Mr Zangrillo is among 바카라사이트 few indicted parents who chose to keep fighting 바카라사이트 charges, and he was scheduled for trial in September.

Explaining its rationale for 바카라사이트 pardon, 바카라사이트 Trump administration statement argued that Mr Zangrillo's daughter ¨C who allegedly gained admission to USC through a $250,000 (?180,000) bribe that helped portray her as a member of 바카라사이트 crew team ¨C was now earning a 3.9 grade-point average at 바카라사이트 private Los Angeles institution.

The Republican-appointed federal prosecutor in Massachusetts who has been overseeing 바카라사이트 prosecution of 바카라사이트 scandal, US attorney Andrew Lelling, expressed surprise at Mr Trump¡¯s action. ¡°It is 바카라사이트 highest calling of 바카라사이트 criminal justice system to hold all people equally to account, regardless of wealth or privilege,¡± Mr Lelling said.

Mr Lelling, however, has joined US higher education in offering his own?mixed signals?about 바카라사이트 ethics of wealth-aided admissions, saying from 바카라사이트 beginning of 바카라사이트 scandal that while bribery of individual employees is criminal, it¡¯s?respectable and legal?for parents to boost an applicant¡¯s candidacy by making a direct financial contribution to a college.

In his final days and weeks in 바카라사이트 White House, Mr Trump had been widely reported as evaluating 바카라사이트 use of his power of presidential pardon to help political and business allies who might be?.

Mr Trump formally attributed nine of his o바카라사이트r final-day pardons and commutations, all involving defendants charged or convicted in various types of consumer and corporate fraud, to 바카라사이트 recommendations of named and unnamed academics.

The one Mr Trump cited most often was Alan Dershowitz, 바카라사이트 emeritus professor of law at Harvard University who aided Mr Trump¡¯s first impeachment defence and has been talking of helping in his second.

paul.basken@ws-2000.com