Trump-linked Mo Strategies expands into pardon lobbying in Washington

Mo Strategies moved into pardon lobbying by signing on to represent Blessinger Legal in Northern Virginia for “immigration and pardon-related discussions,” and federal lobbying disclosures filed in late May show the engagement had already generated $500,000 in income.

Marty Obst, Mo Strategies’ president, said more work was expected. “We’re one of the fastest-growing firms in D.C., and are helping them navigate the landscape and process,” Obst said. He added, “What I’ve tried to do is provide guidance of what the process looks like, and what types of cases would appeal to this White House.” Obst also said, “There’s a legal process and a political process for pardons and clemency.”

He held senior roles on Donald Trump’s 2016 and 2020 campaigns and later served as a senior adviser to former Vice President Mike Pence. The other lobbyist listed for Blessinger Legal, Robert Goad, worked in the first Trump White House as a special assistant to the president on domestic policy and helped develop education policy for Trump’s 2016 campaign.

Blessinger Legal was founded by Eileen Blessinger, an immigration lawyer who has litigated cases before U.S. immigration courts, asylum offices and the State Department. Mo Strategies’ filing lists the White House and the Justice Department as lobbying targets this year.

The White House said Trump “finds it detestable that anyone would even attempt to profit off pardons” and said the administration used a “rigorous review process” before applications reached the president. The Justice Department said its pardon office had received a record number of clemency applications and would review them “to make recommendations to the president that are consistent, unbiased, and uphold the rule of law.” The Office of the Pardon Attorney assists the president in the exercise of executive clemency by reviewing applications and making recommendations.

OpenSecrets said the firm had been hired by 24 clients in 2025 so far, for a total of $2,215,000. Pardon lobbyists continued to collect five- and six-figure fees, and at least one client paid $960,000 for clemency-related work.