Hernandez Pardon Concerns - Form Letter Response

Rule of Law

Contact Information

Date Contacted: January 21, 2026 Method: Email Topic: Trump’s pardon of convicted drug trafficker Juan Orlando Hernández Response Status: Same-day form letter response (6:03 PM)

Constituent’s Letter

Constituent wrote expressing concerns about Trump’s pardon of Juan Orlando Hernández, the former President of Honduras convicted of drug trafficking. The constituent argued the pardon “proved that Trump doesn’t really care about drug trafficking.”

Response from Rep. Langworthy’s Office

Date: January 21, 2026 (same day) Tracking ID: [YRY2N5-V250K]

Dear Ms. [Redacted],

Thank you for contacting me to express your concerns about the pardon of Juan Orlando Hernandez. I appreciate the opportunity to respond.

As you may know, under Article II, Section 2 of the U.S. Constitution, the President has the authority to pardon any federal conviction. On November 28, 2025, President Trump exercised this authority by pardoning the former President of Honduras, Juan Orlando Hernandez, who had been convicted of conspiring to distribute cocaine and related firearms offenses. While I understand your concerns, the President acted within his constitutional authority.

I appreciate hearing your views and share your support for upholding the rule of law. However, the pardons that should concern every American are President Biden’s pardon of his own son, Hunter Biden, and the explosive scandal over his Administration’s use of the autopen that pardoned and commuted the sentences of child murderers and other violent offenders. As a Member of the House Oversight Committee, our investigation into the use of an autopen by the Biden White House has confirmed the use of an autopen for multiple pardons – some without clear approval from the President. The American people deserve to know the truth about who issued these pardons, and it’s very telling that top White House officials are either obstructing or pleading the fifth.

Rest assured, I will keep your concerns in mind. Once again, thank you for contacting me about this important issue. Please do not hesitate to reach out with any additional questions, comments, or concerns. My door is always open, and I am honored to serve Western New York and the Southern Tier in Washington.

Sincerely, Rep. Nicholas A. Langworthy Member of Congress

Response Letter: Download PDF

Notes

  • Response received same day - unusually fast compared to other documented letters (75+ days)
  • Response pivots from constituent’s concern about Hernández pardon to Biden administration criticism
  • Does not address whether Langworthy supports or opposes the Hernández pardon
  • Contains hidden HTML tracking code in source

Related: Fact-Check: Hernandez Pardon Response

Research contribution: Julia Schrader (constituent submission)