During his first five months back in office, President Donald Trump has started a debate about the old tradition of presidential pardons.
A presidential pardon is an official act that forgives a person for a federal crime under US law. By granting a pardon, a president can effectively end any further punishment and can restore an individual’s right to vote or hold public office.
This power is granted to the president by the constitution, which says that a president has the ‘power to grant reprieves and pardons for offences against the United States, except in cases of impeachment’.
After returning to the White House for his second stint as POTUS, Trump issued ‘full, complete and unconditional’ pardons or commutations on inauguration day to over 1,500 people convicted or charged in connection with the 2021 US Capitol riots.
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As a result, former Proud Boys leader Henry ‘Enrique’ Tarrio, who was jailed for 22 years for seditious conspiracy over the riot, was freed.
The presidential proclamation that granted the pardons stated that it 'ends a grave national injustice that has been perpetrated upon the American people over the last four years and begins a process of national reconciliation'.
Trump has also issued pardons to individuals who have supported him, namely politician Michele Fiore, former nursing home executive Paul Walczak, and former sheriff Scott Jenkins. The latter secured a pardon the day before he was due to report to prison for bribery.
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The former stars of the reality series Chrisley Knows Best, Todd and Julie, were serving time for bank fraud, tax evasion, and submitting false documents to banks for loans to fund their lavish lifestyle.
However, last month Trump pardoned them both, six months after their daughter Savannah spoke at the Republican national convention.
“This president appears to be rewarding people who show loyalty to him through pardons,” former pardon attorney Liz Oyer, who served in the role until March this year, told CBS.
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“People who are getting pardons are not going through the traditional application process. They’re not being vetted by the office of the pardon attorney.
"They seem to be people who have figured out how to access side channels or back channels, or how to approach the president with lobbyists fundraising at dinners, those sorts of things."
The Trump administration has defended the pardons, according to CBS News, arguing that the Department of Justice used to be ‘weaponised’ against the president and his allies. They also cited President Joe Biden’s ‘11th hour’ pardons for his family and son.
UNILAD has contacted the White House for comment.
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In a lengthy statement issued before Trump was sworn into office, the White House shared a message on Biden's behalf, who had already issued a pardon for his son Hunter Biden the previous month.
The decision came after Hunter was convicted of three federal firearms-related felony charges in June 2024.
"I hope Americans will understand why a father and a President would come to this decision," Biden said.
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"My family has been subjected to unrelenting attacks and threats, motivated solely by a desire to hurt me - the worst kind of partisan politics. Unfortunately, I have no reason to believe these attacks will end.
"I believe in the rule of law, and I am optimistic that the strength of our legal institutions will ultimately prevail over politics.
"But baseless and politically motivated investigations wreak havoc on the lives, safety, and financial security of targeted individuals and their families.
"Even when individuals have done nothing wrong and will ultimately be exonerated, the mere fact of being investigated or prosecuted can irreparably damage their reputations and finances."
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Biden went on to name James B. Biden, Sara Jones Biden, Valerie Biden Owens, John T. Owens, and Francis W. Biden as the pardoned individuals.
The pardons cover all of their 'nonviolent' actions dating back to January 1, 2014.
Topics: US News, Politics, Donald Trump, Joe Biden
Gregory Robinson