He Got Clemency From Trump. Now He’s Facing Charges of Injuring a Child.

Jonathan Braun has been in legal trouble multiple times since his federal prison sentence was commuted by President Trump more than four years ago. This was part of a hasty process of granting clemency to allies and well-connected individuals before Trump left office.

Recently, Mr. Braun, a significant figure in the predatory lending industry, was arrested on Long Island for assaulting an acquaintance and a 3-year-old child. This marks his fourth arrest since his release by Trump.

The court documents state that Mr. Braun punched the man in the face and pushed the child to the ground, causing injury. He now faces charges of assault and endangering the welfare of a child.

Despite being released on bail, Mr. Braun’s lawyer, Robert Caliendo, has not commented on the situation.

In the final hours of his presidency, Trump commuted Braun’s 10-year sentence for operating a marijuana smuggling ring. Braun’s family leveraged a connection to Charles Kushner, Jared Kushner’s father, to appeal to Trump. Jared Kushner’s office was involved in drafting the commutation announcement.

Since then, Braun returned to predatory lending but was banned from the business by state and federal judges for deceptive practices. He has also been accused of various crimes, including assaulting family members and threatening others.

Braun’s behavior has raised concerns about Trump’s use of clemency powers and the lack of thorough vetting in granting pardons and commutations.

In his second term, Trump centralized the pardon application review process in the White House, leading to a rush of requests from individuals with connections to the administration.

Braun’s repeated arrests raise doubts about Trump’s claims of cracking down on violent crime. The administration’s focus on specific types of violence, particularly by immigrants and those damaging property, has been criticized.

While Trump has removed perceived opponents from the Justice Department, he has freely used his clemency powers, granting pardons to supporters involved in criminal activities.

The White House spokesperson declined to address Braun’s case, highlighting the administration’s priorities.

Despite being on supervised release, Braun has not been sent back to prison by Judge Matsumoto, who sentenced him originally.

A clerk for Judge Matsumoto declined to comment, deferring questions to the U.S. Attorney’s Office. Mr. Braun’s history of violence dates back to his days as a drug dealer and predatory lender.

While in prison, Braun was approached by federal investigators for cooperation in prosecuting others in the merchant cash advance industry. However, he pursued a pardon from Trump, which was granted on the final day of Trump’s first term.

The commutation of Braun’s sentence hindered the federal investigation into the merchant cash advance business. Law enforcement officials and experts questioned Trump’s decision to grant clemency to someone with a violent past.

Following his release, Braun returned to the merchant cash advance business and had several encounters with the law, including assault charges.

His repeated arrests highlight the challenges in dealing with individuals who have received clemency but continue to engage in criminal behavior.

Braun’s legal troubles persist, with charges ranging from assault to traffic violations. The pattern of behavior post-clemency raises questions about the effectiveness of pardoning individuals with a history of violence.

The case underscores the need for thorough vetting and consideration before granting clemency, especially to individuals with documented violent tendencies.