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Writer's Block: Pardon You, Mr. Nixon
Sep. 8th, 2008 09:03 pm[Error: unknown template qotd]
I'm not certain there should be any limits on the pardon power. People get all riled up over pardons (and Clinton certainly had some good ones, too. The reality is that the President is charged with enforcing the laws, and sometimes, that means the discretion not to enforce them.
While it is certainly irritating to see the President's cronies get off on tax evasion or insider trading, it is also a useful check on the legislative and judicial aspects of the criminal justice system. The courts have been very effective at nullifying the effectiveness of petit juries, so I think the executive pardon remains the last hope for justice of those wrongfully convicted of a crime.
I'm not certain there should be any limits on the pardon power. People get all riled up over pardons (and Clinton certainly had some good ones, too. The reality is that the President is charged with enforcing the laws, and sometimes, that means the discretion not to enforce them.
While it is certainly irritating to see the President's cronies get off on tax evasion or insider trading, it is also a useful check on the legislative and judicial aspects of the criminal justice system. The courts have been very effective at nullifying the effectiveness of petit juries, so I think the executive pardon remains the last hope for justice of those wrongfully convicted of a crime.
