A Washington-based watchdog group sued President Donald Trump to shed light on pardons he issued.
The group American Oversight said in a complaint filed Thursday in Washington federal court that Trump's advisory committee _ the Clemency Task Force _ is illegal because it hasn't filed a charter and hasn't released minutes of its meeting, as would be required by law.
"Federal law does not permit the president to establish or utilize a secret advisory committee," the group said. It seeks an order from a judge for Trump to turn over documents that it says the public is entitled to.
On Feb. 18, Trump pardoned former New York City police Commissioner Bernard Kerik, who was sentenced to four years in prison for failure to pay taxes and lying to White House officials, and Edward DeBartolo Jr., who owned the San Francisco 49ers and pleaded guilty in 1998 to failing to report an alleged extortion attempt.
Trump also announced a set of clemencies that day, including for former Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich who was convicted of public corruption and for financier Michael Milken, who was convicted of securities fraud.
