In the long American tradition of clemency as both mercy and currency, CBS's '60 Minutes' has illuminated what it calls a 'marketplace of money and mercy' surrounding President Trump's pardon power — a system where lawyers and lobbyists charge fees to broker access to clemency. The White House swiftly denied that Trump is shaped by such intermediaries, insisting a formal review process governs all pardon decisions. Yet the denial arrives against a backdrop of internal turbulence at CBS News itself, where former staff allege pressure to soften coverage, leaving the public to weigh competing cla