NY Gov. Grants Clemency to 29 with Consideration for Immigration Status
New York Governor Andrew Cuomo issued grants of clemency to 29 people on the last day of last year, Dec. 31, 2018. Of the 22 pardons from that group, several were issued with the express purpose of protecting the recipients from being targeted for deportation. New York Gov. Cuomo’s Statement In a statement…
Read MoreTennessee Gov. Grants 23 Clemency Requests on Last Day in Office
On his last day in office, Tennessee Governor Bill Haslam granted executive clemency to 23 people. The essential purpose, Haslam said in a written statement, was to better allow people with convictions to have another chance to become contributing members of society. Tennessee Clemency: Gov. Haslam’s Position “These individuals receiving pardons have made…
Read MoreColorado Gov. Squeezes 33 More Clemencies in Before End of Term
Only a week after Colorado’s Governor John Hickenlooper granted clemency for six Colorado offenders, he ordered clemency for 33 others. This brings his total to 156 pardons and 18 commutations during his eight years in office. Timing of Colorado Clemency Grants Clemencies are often issued in December, as were Hickenlooper’s, perhaps because the…
Read MoreOutgoing Calif. Governor Issues 274 Grants of Clemency as Farewell Gift
On Christmas Eve, 2018, as California Governor Jerry Brown neared the end of his term, he left some citizens a parting gift: 143 pardons and 131 commutations. The San Jose Mercury News noted that 16 of the pardons were given to people convicted of crimes in the San Francisco Bay Area. The paper also…
Read MoreTexas Governor Issues Pardons to Six Minor Offenders
Dozens of Texans submit requests for executive clemency every year. Last year there were 92 applications. In the last two weeks of 2018, according to a report in the Dallas News, Gov. Greg Abbott granted pardons to six individuals who had been convicted for minor offenses. A full pardon restores certain rights that people…
Read MoreOutgoing Colorado Governor Grants Clemency to Six Prisoners Doing Life
Colorado Governor John Hickenlooper, in his final month in office, granted clemency to six Colorado prisoners who were sentenced to life in prison without parole. All six were young at the time of their offenses, and they will now have a chance to go home. “These decisions are not made lightly,” Hickenlooper said in a…
Read MorePardon Definition
This article discusses the presidential pardon definition and explores the parameters of the pardon in order to shed some light on whether a President may, in fact, pardon himself or herself. Pardon Definition Pardon Definition – Dictionary The term “pardon” means to “excuse,” or give “forgiveness for a fault, offense, or discourtesy.” It comes from…
Read MorePresidential Clemency
The presidential clemency power is one of the most powerful tools a President can use. The presidential clemency power can be used for mercy and to instigate policy change. Clemency is defined as mercy or leniency. The presidential clemency power the President of the United States holds is extremely broad and powerful. Many powers the…
Read MoreExecutive Clemency
The executive clemency power is an extremely broad and powerful ability of a President and a governor. This power can be used to promote policies and to render mercy. Article 2, Section II of the Constitution states: “The President…shall have power to grant reprieves and pardons for offenses against the United States, except in cases…
Read MoreThe Pardon of Nixon: Still Crazy After All These Years?
Introduction: Ford’s Pardon of Nixon On September 8, 1974, less than one month since taking office and declaring that the nation’s “long national nightmare is over,” President Gerald R. Ford, addressed the nation from the Oval Office. His speech would be the defining moment of Ford’s term in office. In a heartfelt, somber address, President…
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