Newsom Slams Trump’s Crypto Pardons With New Public Website

Gavin Newsom launched a website spotlighting Trump’s pardons of crypto figures, including CZ and Ross Ulbricht, criticizing Trump’s leniency toward digital asset executives and linking it to political favoritism.

California Governor Gavin Newsom has launched a state-backed website that highlights individuals pardoned or protected by Donald Trump, focusing on figures from the cryptocurrency industry. The site features stylized mug shots and details the criminal records of high-profile digital asset executives, including Binance founder Changpeng "CZ" Zhao, Silk Road founder Ross Ulbricht, and BitMEX co-founders, all of whom received clemency or pardons from Trump. Newsom argues that Trump’s use of executive clemency demonstrates a pattern of leniency toward those convicted of crypto-related crimes and frames this as political favoritism. The initiative aims to centralize information about Trump’s pardons and commutations, suggesting a connection between presidential power and the crypto sector. Newsom contrasts California’s declining violent crime rates with Trump’s actions, positioning his own approach as one of accountability and effective law enforcement. The move is seen as part of Newsom’s broader campaign to challenge Trump’s reputation and highlight the implications of pardoning influential figures in the digital asset world.