Trump’s sordid pardons cement his corrupt legacy

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Opinion by John Avlon

Updated 9:38 PM ET, Sun January 17, 2021

(CNN)The Founding Fathers would have been disgusted by President Donald Trump’s serial abuse of the pardon power. Nearly 90% of his pardons to date have gone to friends or politically connected allies — including corrupt politicians. While the President’s pardon power may seem unconstrained by the Constitution, a closer look shows that Trump is violating every principle the framers of the Constitution assumed would be followed by a principled President — and there’s evidence they intended special constraints on a President’s pardon power after they’d been impeached.

Remember, the Founders were focused on restraining the power of the President to ensure he would not turn into a new type of tyrant. That’s why the President’s pardoning power was so hotly debated at the constitutional convention.

Virginia’s George Mason argued that the President “ought not to have the power of pardoning, because he may frequently pardon crimes which were advised by himself… If he has the power of granting pardons before indictment, or conviction, may he not stop inquiry and prevent detection?” Mason warned that this could “destroy the republic.”

Continued

Carl Sagan

Article URL : https://www.cnn.com/2021/01/17/opinions/trump-presidential-pardons-avlon/index.html