Corrupting the Presidential Pardon Power
18th January 2025
The U.S. Constitution gives presidents the power to grant pardons and commutations for federal crimes. This unique, unchecked power was meant to be used sparingly, as a last resort to correct injustices in the system. Pardons shouldn’t be gifts for friends, donors, and relatives who happen to be lawbreakers. It’s intended to right wrongs, not cause new ones.
Not all presidents have misused the pardon power, but some have. How you see it often depends upon your politics. To paraphrase an old saw: One man’s shady pardon is another man’s pursuit of justice.
President Gerald Ford’s pardon of predecessor Richard Nixon was roundly criticized at the time, and may have cost Ford the 1976 election. Nixon had picked Ford to be vice president, which led to Ford’s accession to the presidency when Nixon resigned.
President Jimmy Carter granted amnesty to Vietnam War draft evaders – keeping a promise he made during his campaign. He wanted to move the nation beyond a grim moment in history, similar to what Ford did with Nixon’s pardon.