The misuse of presidential pardons has sparked debate over their integrity and purpose
Washington: The U.S. Constitution gives presidents the power to grant pardons for federal crimes. This power is meant to correct injustices, not to reward friends or donors. It’s a serious responsibility.
While not every president has abused this power, some definitely have. It often comes down to political views. What one person sees as a shady pardon, another might view as justice.
Recently, President Joe Biden granted a full pardon to his son, Hunter, covering a decade of potential federal offenses. He had previously said he wouldn’t do it. Biden also commuted sentences for 37 out of 40 death row inmates, signaling a stance against capital punishment. Plus, he commuted nearly 2,500 sentences for nonviolent drug offenders.
Back in the day, President Gerald Ford faced backlash for pardoning Richard Nixon after his resignation. Many believed it cost Ford the 1976 election. Nixon had chosen Ford as his vice president, which made the pardon even more controversial.
Then there was Jimmy Carter, who granted amnesty to Vietnam War draft evaders, fulfilling a campaign promise. He aimed to help the nation move past a tough time, similar to Ford’s approach with Nixon.
Before leaving office, George H.W. Bush pardoned several Reagan administration officials involved in the Iran-Contra scandal. His ties to these officials raised questions about his motives, but since it happened after his 1992 election loss, it didn’t become a big issue.
In 1999, Bill Clinton commuted sentences for 16 members of a Puerto Rican paramilitary group. While some supported his decision, many criticized it as a political move to help Hillary Clinton’s Senate run in New York.
On his last day in office, Clinton also pardoned a number of federal offenders, including Marc Rich, a fugitive whose wife had donated to his library and Hillary’s campaign. This raised eyebrows, especially since he pardoned others with connections to his family.
Donald Trump’s pardons were particularly bold. His first went to former sheriff Joe Arpaio, and he later pardoned his former national security adviser, Michael Flynn, and his son-in-law’s father, Charles Kushner.
Trump also granted clemency to several political allies, including Paul Manafort and Roger Stone. This led to accusations of corruption, with some Democrats in Congress questioning the motives behind these pardons.
Unfortunately, there’s not much that can be done about questionable pardons since it’s a constitutional power. However, two ideas could help improve the situation.
First, make pardons a key topic during campaigns. The media should press candidates on their clemency policies. Will they pardon friends or political allies? It’s surprising how rarely these questions come up.
Second, consider changing the Constitution to prevent pardons in the last 100 days of a president’s term. This would mean no clemency after mid-October in election years.
Presidents often grant pardons to turkeys around Thanksgiving for fun. But when those turkeys are well-connected criminals, it’s not so amusing.
Ron Faucheux is a nonpartisan political analyst and pollster and the publisher of a national newsletter on public opinion, LunchtimePolitics.com. This article was originally published by RealClearPolitics and made available via RealClearWire.
