White House vetting pardon requests as some push Trump to preemptively pardon family

Vetting has already commenced in some cases by White House lawyers, sources say.

ByJohn Santucci,Katherine Faulders andOlivia Rubin

December 1, 2020, 3:00 PM ET

As White House aides come to terms with the election results and turn their focus to the remaining weeks of President Trump's administration, multiple sources tell ABC News that various Trump allies and other lawyers have begun a campaign to petition the West Wing in hopes of securing pardons for those who might receive a sympathetic reception from the president.

Those in the mix for a potential pardon have ranged from family members and associates all the way to the Tiger King, according to sources.

The growing list is divided into two groups: those being pushed by Trump allies and friends, and requests from individuals serving sentences who aren't necessarily familiar to the president.