WASHINGTON, D.C. – Presidents in both parties have used their unique power of granting pardons. Some congressional members said its outdated and could be used to protect allies.
Granting pardons is one of the unique and singular powers the president has. It essentially releases a person from punishment and restores all civil liberties. Over the years and administrations, there’s been a flurry of controversy over the president’s pardon decisions. President Gerald Ford pardoned is predecessor, Richard Nixon. Most recently, President Joe Biden pardoned his son, Hunter Biden.
When President Donald Trump returned to office, he pardoned most of the people who were charged with crimes relating to the January 6, 2021 US Captiol attack. Most recently, he granted pardons to people like the former President of Honduras who was convicted of trafficking drugs to the United States; Democratic Congressman Henry Cuellar (D- TX) who was charged in 2024 with accepting bribes from foreign entities; and the CEO of Binance, a cryptocurrency company.
“The timing of this pardon is what’s suspicious,” said Sen. Elissa Slotkin (D- MI) in a video shared on X. “This CEO of the cryptocurrency company heavily invested in President Trump’s family and their crypto venture. They sealed the deal for the CEO to heavily invest in the company back in May and then five months later he gets a pardon. So again, it brings up this real whiff of pay to play that if you invest in the president’s ventures, you’re going to get yourself a presidential pardon.”
Slotkin said this power has been abused by presidents in both parties and is looking to end the presidential pardon. We asked others if the president should keep that unique executive power.
“That goes to the executive and the executive has the ability to do that,” said Rep. Mike Kelly (R- PA).
“I do think they should have that power but I do think it’s a power be used with great care because it’s such a singular and unique power and I think it should be done in a way that the American citizens believe that its credible and used with discretion,” said Sen. Dave McCormick (R- PA). “So, I don’t think that happened necessarily under the Biden administration, there was lots of pardons given along the way family members in the end. President Trump has used the pardon pretty extensively. Some of those pardons I don’t totally understand to be honest with you so I do think whoever is the president need to exercise that power with a lot of discretion.”
The Senator said he wants to speak with the President about the pardons for the former Honduras President and for the Bianance CEO.
“Those two those are big statements I don’t understand the logic about it and I haven’t talked to the president about it,” said the Senator. “It’s certainly something I would like to understand.”
