None of the most-publicized Presidential pardons/clemency grants have been for the only acceptable reason: a miscarriage of justice. In all of these cases, a party either judged guilty or under a reasonable cloud of suspicion has been set free. Instead of proposals like that of former Senator Mondale to allow a Congressional override of these actions, I'd go further and take away the President's power to grant clemency altogether, since the instances of its misuse appear to outnumber those in which it was warranted.

I agree. This is a power created to be abused. Exoneration and clemency can be granted through the courts, even by the people of a community to someone who has been wronged. When you let someone get away with doing something wrong, you are not doing him any favors.

I looked into some of the pardons for both Bush 41 and Clinton. Rich was convicted of tax evasion. Rich, being a Swiss citizen, went home. He could have stayed there for the rest of his life. Clinton erased the jail time, but Rich still had to pay the fine and back taxes. That is something that Rich had tried to do all during the trial. It was odd that the IRS thought that jail time was more important than getting the money.

The FALN terrorists that Clinton pardoned had been in jail for more than 20 years. The majority of all pardons or commutations the jail time had already been served. There were a number of instances where the individual who was pardoned had political juice, but that wasn't the majority. Most of them just seem to be ordinary schmucks who were caught up in one crime or another. Two women that were pardoned by Clinton had basically been living with guys who were dealing. The women were convicted of dealing also, but there actually wasn't any proof that they were more than users.....

That's at least one case which jumps to mind of executive clemency in the name of rectifying miscarriage of justice.

Arnold Schwarzenegger, interestingly, has also made humane use of his pardon and clemency power.

On the federal level, your point might hold some more water... but couldn't it also be the case that only the dodgy pardons draw national attention? Are you sure there aren't honorable exercises of the clemency/pardon power operating under your radar?

By Bush-41. They not only include Cap Weinberger but a Pakistani heroin dealer and a Cuban terrorist.

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