In the wake of his 17-year jail sentence, Joseph Bigg said: “Oh, I know he’ll pardon. I believe that with all my heart.”

  • CosmicTurtle@lemmy.world
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    1 year ago

    How does it work in the US?

    Generally, the pardon power is meant to be a check on the legislative and judicial branch, and thus it is designed to be this powerful.

    Obama used his pardon power to free individuals who were nonviolent drug offenders who got sentenced to years often for simple possession. This doesn’t mean that he didn’t use a slew of lawyers to find these cases. He very much did. But he could, literally, go through a roster of inmates and just pick random people to pardon.

    Trump, if reelected, will likely pardon himself and it will need to go through the courts to see if that’s even feasible. Given the current nature of our highest court, it likely will be found constitutional.

    • afraid_of_zombies@lemmy.world
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      1 year ago

      Given the current nature of our highest court, it likely will be found constitutional.

      Pretty much. From the strict text reading there is nothing about it.

      and he shall have Power to grant Reprieves and Pardons for Offences against the United States, except in Cases of Impeachment.

      Justice Thompson will get a new boat from a GOP aligned group so at least so it isn’t all bad. Sure it is travesty of the justice and breaks the entire concept of no one being above or below the law but when has that stopped the Robert’s court before?