Trump Pardons Former Cincinnati Councilman Sittenfeld for Federal Bribery Conviction

President Donald Trump granted a full and unconditional pardon to former Cincinnati City Councilman P.G. Sittenfeld, who was convicted on federal bribery and extortion charges and sentenced to 16 months in prison. Sittenfeld, once a rising political figure and potential future mayor of Cincinnati, had served about four and a half months before being released pending appeal, which argued he did nothing illegal accepting campaign donations from undercover FBI agents posing as developers. The conviction stemmed from a large FBI sting operation involving several city officials, with prosecutors asserting Sittenfeld's actions went beyond fundraising into bribery. Trump's pardon fits a pattern of his criticism of what he calls the "weaponization" of the legal system against political figures, as he has recently pardoned others convicted of corruption. The exact motivation behind Trump's decision remains unclear, with neither Trump nor Sittenfeld disclosing reasons, though both share experience with what they view as politically motivated prosecutions. Sittenfeld's political career began with a historic election to City Council at age 27 and was marked by contentious city politics before his downfall due to the federal case.