India, July 1 -- The White House is weighing a plan to grant 250 presidential pardons to coincide with America's 250th birthday, a proposal so politically charged it has already spawned a shadow lobbying industry, with attorneys reportedly charging clients up to $2 million simply for a shot at getting on the list.

A Symbolic Number for a Symbolic Anniversary

White House officials are working on a plan for President Donald Trump to pardon 250 convicts in celebration of the United States' 250 years of independence. Trump has not yet been presented with the idea, and the proposal may not reach the president's desk because his advisers are split on how the move would be received.

The plan, dubbed "250 pardons for 250 years," would place on...