Flattery, Lobbyists and a Business Deal: Crypto’s Richest Man Campaigns for a Pardon
Flattery, Lobbyists and a Business Deal: Crypto’s Richest Man Campaigns for a Pardon
A sophisticated operation is pushing President Trump to forgive Changpeng Zhao, which would boost the chances for his company, Binance, to break into the U.S. market.
Read the full article on NY Times Politics
Truth Analysis
Analysis Summary:
The article presents a narrative of Changpeng Zhao seeking a pardon from President Trump. While the general idea of lobbyists and influence is supported by sources, the specific claim of a pardon campaign for Zhao is not directly confirmed, making the accuracy mixed. The article exhibits moderate bias by framing the situation negatively and focusing on potential conflicts of interest.
Detailed Analysis:
- Claim: A sophisticated operation is pushing President Trump to forgive Changpeng Zhao.
- Verification Source #4: Source 4 mentions lobbyists reveling in the Trump era and pushing for influence, including social media posts about cryptocurrency companies. This suggests lobbying activity around cryptocurrency, but doesn't specifically confirm a pardon campaign for Zhao.
- Assessment: Unverified. While lobbying activity is confirmed, the specific claim of a pardon campaign for Zhao is not directly supported by the provided sources.
- Claim: Forgiving Zhao would boost the chances for his company, Binance, to break into the U.S. market.
- Assessment: Unverified. This is a plausible inference, but no source directly confirms this claim.
Supporting Evidence/Contradictions:
- Source 4: "... lobbyist pushed him to send a social-media post about a cryptocurrency company."
- Source 2: "Trump Just Pardoned ... a Corporation?" indicates Trump has pardoned entities related to crypto.