Democrats question RFK Jr. and Zeldin over roles in Trump pardons

Trump’s March 27, 2025, warrant granted Milton a full and unconditional pardon for the listed federal offenses. It also remitted fines, penalties, forfeitures and court-ordered restitution, the Justice Department warrant states.

CBS reported that Milton and his wife gave almost $2 million to a political committee aligned with Trump’s reelection and $750,000 to a political action committee aligned with Kennedy’s Make America Healthy Again agenda. The donations and pardon make questions about contacts relevant to oversight, but the reported contributions do not establish that they influenced Trump’s decision.

Kennedy has not offered a response to CBS through his department: HHS did not respond to the outlet’s request for comment. A source close to Kennedy, speaking anonymously, told CBS the source had heard Kennedy privately say he would not advocate for pardons. That account is secondhand, not a public statement by Kennedy.

What is disputed about Zeldin and Troy Lake?

The letter to Zeldin centers on Lake, a Colorado diesel mechanic convicted in 2024 of conspiracy to violate the Clean Air Act. CBS reported that Lake spent seven months in federal prison. The Justice Department’s clemency list records Trump’s pardon of Lake on Sept. 3, 2026.

The lawmakers’ letter cites a statement by Lake’s wife that appeared to credit Zeldin with helping bring the pardon request to the White House. An unnamed senior EPA official gave CBS a different account, saying Zeldin did not recommend or suggest a pardon and instead updated people inside the agency about case facts.

The official told CBS: "His family reached out a few times but Zeldin did not make a recommendation or suggestion, other than just updating people internally on the facts of the case". The statement describes internal updates while denying a recommendation; it does not resolve what contacts took place or how the request moved through the process.

Wyoming consultant and lobbyist Jeff Daugherty, who helped with Lake’s request, defended the process to CBS: "We followed the process. We submitted the application and there were no special favors". His account offers a defense of the request, while the lawmakers are seeking details about Zeldin’s possible role.

Why are the letters focused on access to pardons?

The questions come as presidential clemency decisions face scrutiny over who can reach the White House and how requests are handled. CBS reported that a September investigation documented lobbyists offering to seek presidential influence in exchange for fees. That broader context does not establish that either Kennedy or Zeldin improperly influenced these pardons.

The distinction matters: Milton’s donations are documented, and both men received pardons, but those facts alone do not prove an exchange. In Lake’s case, lawmakers point to his wife’s statement while an EPA official says Zeldin made no recommendation. The letters seek information that could clarify contacts and any advocacy without treating the questions as proof of misconduct.

Democrats, then in the congressional minority, have limited means to compel answers, CBS reported. A majority in the House or Senate after the midterm elections would give them subpoena power for a broad range of investigations. The lawmakers’ immediate request is narrower: Kennedy and Zeldin are asked to account for contacts, pardon advocacy and any involvement in other clemency cases by Oct. 20.