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Americans Ponder Limits to Presidential Pardons
(Angus Reid Global Monitor) - Almost half of adults in the United States would place restrictions on presidential pardons, according to a poll by Rasmussen Reports. 46 per cent of respondents believe Congress should be able to overturn these decisions if lawmakers believe they were unjustified.
In addition, 42 per cent of respondents believe U.S. presidents should be prevented from issuing pardons to members of their own administrations.
Sitting American presidents can issue pardons to either reduce or eliminate a prison sentence or erase a conviction. The decisions have often been controversial. Gerald Ford pardoned Richard Nixon for "official misconduct" related to the Watergate scandal. Bill Clinton pardoned 140 people on his last day in office. George W. Bush commuted the 30-month prison sentence of former vice-presidential aide Lewis Libby after he was found guilty of obstruction of justice, perjury and making false statements.
The Office of the Pardon Attorney has received more than 3,000 requests from convicted felons who are seeking clemency, including former WorldCom chief executive Bernard Ebbers, former Canadian newspaper entrepreneur Conrad Black, former congressman Randy Cunningham, former Louisiana governor Edwin Edwards, and former sprinter Marion Jones.
Polling Data
Should Congress be able to overturn presidential pardons they think were unjustified?
|
Yes |
46% |
|
No |
37% |
|
Not sure |
18% |
Should presidents be prevented from issuing pardons to members of their own administration?
|
Yes |
42% |
|
No |
40% |
|
Not sure |
18% |
Source: Rasmussen Reports
Methodology: Telephone interviews with 1,000 likely American voters, conducted on Dec. 3 and Dec. 4, 2008. Margin of error is 3 per cent.