Boosie Says *60 Minutes* Didn’t Tell His Full Story After $600,000 Pardon Deal Falls Apart

Boosie BadAzz is speaking out after his appearance on 60 Minutes, claiming the nationally televised investigation left out key details about the $600,000 he paid Washington lobbyists to advocate for a presidential pardon.

The Baton Rouge rapper, whose legal name is Torence Hatch, hired JM Burkman & Associates in 2025 while facing a federal firearm case. According to Boosie, Jack Burkman and Jacob Wohl led him to believe their political relationships could help place his case before President Donald Trump.

“This is what I was led to believe: If you come with this money, you will get a pardon,” Boosie told journalist Lesley Stahl.

Boosie paid the firm $600,000 upfront. Messages presented during the broadcast allegedly referenced several people believed to have influence within Republican political circles, including House Speaker Mike Johnson, Laura Loomer, Erika Kirk and presidential assistant Natalie Harp.

CBS reported that the individuals named in those communications denied participating in Boosie’s pardon campaign. Burkman and Wohl have also disputed aspects of the messages and deny engaging in wrongdoing.

The pardon never arrived.

Boosie maintains that their agreement allowed him to request the return of $300,000 if a pardon was not obtained by the stated deadline. The firm disputes that an enforceable refund agreement existed and argues that it performed legitimate lobbying and advocacy services.

The disagreement has now moved into arbitration.

However, Boosie’s frustration did not end with the lobbying firm. After his 60 Minutes segment aired, he publicly criticized the program for reducing an hour-long interview to only a small portion of his account.

He says the broadcast excluded important context, including his previous meeting with a White House official responsible for reviewing pardon requests and his belief that his criminal history deserved a closer examination. Boosie insisted that participating in the investigation did not make him a “snitch”—it made him someone seeking accountability after allegedly being misled out of hundreds of thousands of dollars.

That distinction matters.

A lawsuit is not the same as cooperating with authorities to help prosecute someone in a criminal case. Boosie is pursuing a financial claim against people he says failed to honor an agreement. Whether a court or arbitrator ultimately accepts his version remains unresolved, but using the legal system to recover money is not automatically “snitching.”

The larger story extends far beyond one rapper.

The 60 Minutes investigation examined the growing business surrounding presidential clemency, where lawyers, lobbyists and political operatives can charge enormous fees while offering access, advocacy or influence—but cannot legally guarantee what only a president has the authority to grant.

The White House denied that paying outside lobbyists increases anyone’s likelihood of receiving clemency. A spokesperson said Burkman and Wohl have no relationship with the president and warned that people paying for supposed pardon access may be wasting their money.

Boosie’s experience raises a serious question: Has presidential mercy become another marketplace where wealthy defendants pay for proximity while ordinary people remain locked outside the room?

His case is still unresolved, and the firm continues to deny owing him a refund. But Boosie’s message is clear: He believes he paid for results based on promises of access, received no pardon and now wants accountability.

This is not simply a celebrity dispute over money. It is a warning about what can happen when political influence becomes a product, access becomes a sales pitch and desperation makes people vulnerable to promises no private individual can guarantee.

Watch the complete Boss Talk 101 News discussion and tell us what you think:

Was Boosie misled—or did he accept the risks that come with paying lobbyists for political advocacy?

— Boss Talk 101 News

Editorial note: The accusations discussed remain disputed. Burkman, Wohl and JM Burkman & Associates deny wrongdoing and contest Boosie’s refund claim.