Congressional Democrats target Trump's "pardon industrial complex"
Summary
House Democrats Mike Levin and Jason Crow introduced the Abuse of the Pardon Prevention Act, which would add investigations and disclosure rules for presidential pardons and bar self-pardons. The White House says President Trump’s pardon process is sound, while legal experts cited in the article said parts of the bill could conflict with the president’s constitutional pardon power.Key Facts
- The bill would direct the Justice Department inspector general to investigate pardons that raise potential conflicts of interest.
- The measure would make explicit that the president and vice president can be prosecuted for trading pardons for something of value.
- It would require pardon recipients to disclose gifts to projects tied to the president and would prohibit self-pardons.
- A CBS News investigation found that about 70% of Trump’s second-term clemency actions bypassed the Justice Department pardon office, or 92% when Jan. 6 defendants were included.
- The White House said the pardon process involves the White House counsel, the Justice Department, pardon adviser Alice Johnson and Trump as the final decision-maker.
- Three legal experts told CBS News that key provisions could conflict with the president’s constitutional pardon power.
- The experts said impeachment and removal, rather than legislation regulating pardons, may be the constitutional remedy for misuse.
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