Editorials & Other Articles

Congressman Steve Cohen (Dem -TN-9), former Chairman of the Judiciary Subcommittee on the Constitution, Civil Rights and Civil Liberties, today reintroduced a Constitutional Amendment to clarify and limit a President’s pardon power.

"This Constitutional Amendment would explicitly prohibit a self-pardon, pardons of family members, administration officials, and campaign employees. It would also bar the President from issuing pardons to those whose crimes were committed to further a direct and significant personal interest of the President or others close the President, and those whose crimes were committed at the direction of, or in coordination with, the President. Finally, the amendment also clarifies that no pardon issued for a corrupt purpose – past, present, or future – is valid.

There is no substantive check on the President’s broad clemency power, making it ripe for abuse and self-dealing. This amendment is the answer. It clarifies the pardon power and places meaningful limits on it to prevent misuse.”

https://cohen.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/congressman-cohen-reintroduces-amendment-constitution-clarify-and-limit