Prompt Cast
The Controversy and Power of Presidential Pardons
TLDR President Obama has yet to take action on the thousands of requests for clemency he has received, while past presidents have used pardons to forgive groups of people and grant clemency to their friends. Presidential pardons only apply to federal cases and cannot be used for state or local cases, and they also cannot be used to pardon someone who is being impeached.
Timestamped Summary
00:00
Barack Obama has waited longer than any other president to address clemency requests, tying with John Adams at 536 days.
04:33
President Obama has not taken any action on the thousands of requests for clemency that he has received.
08:44
Presidents often grant pardons, sometimes to their friends, and there have been controversial cases like Scooter Libby and Mark Rich.
13:08
A presidential pardon not only gets you out of prison, but also restores your civil rights as a free individual, although it does stay on your record.
17:34
Presidential pardons only apply to federal cases and cannot be used for state or local cases, and they also cannot be used to pardon someone who is being impeached.
21:41
Presidential pardons only apply to federal cases and cannot affect civil cases, such as O.J. Simpson's murder trial, which is an affront to the laws of the United States and falls under civil law.
25:54
The presidential pardon does not cover contempt of court charges or contempt of Congress charges, which gives Congress the ability to compel witnesses to testify and hold them in contempt if they refuse.
30:04
Presidents have used pardons in the past to forgive groups of people, such as draft dodgers and small-time drug offenders, and there are calls for Obama to issue blanket pardons for those convicted under mandatory crack minimums.
34:25
Presidents have the power to pardon individuals convicted of crimes, and the Office of the Pardon Attorney is responsible for reviewing cases and making recommendations to the president, although the president is not obligated to follow their advice.
38:40
Presidents have issued varying numbers of pardons throughout history, with Franklin Roosevelt having the most at over 3,000.
Categories:
Society & Culture
