The Nature and Extent of Presidential Pardon Power: An Analysis in Light of Recent Political Developments

Authors

Max Guirguis Ph.D., Shepherd UniversityFollow

Abstract

Long recognized as the most sweeping and least checked power vested in the Chief Executive, the pardon power received renewed scholarly attention with the federal investigation of the Trump White House. President Trump’s assertion via a Twitter post that “the U.S. President has the complete power to pardon” provoked a heated national debate on the reach of his pardoning authority. This paper is an attempt to elucidate the nature of the pardon power by examining its historical contours and the constitutional principles governing its exercise.

Recommended Citation

Guirguis, Max Ph.D. (2021) "The Nature and Extent of Presidential Pardon Power: An Analysis in Light of Recent Political Developments," Commonwealth Review of Political Science: Vol. 5: No. 1, Article 4.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.61611/2994-0044.1038
Available at: https://digitalcommons.murraystate.edu/crps/vol5/iss1/4