A presidential pardon may be overturned by the next president if Trump reversing a pardon he’s already given. That means that Trump’s pardons of cronies and relatives could be more sweeping than those of past presidents. If President Trump pardons his relatives and allies, the next president could demand more information about what they’ve done and know.
Trump’s pardons could be required to tell more of what they did and know
The House Select Committee has uncovered multiple Republican pardon requests. The committee named only one Republican, but it opened speculation about whether the president and his family knew more about the pardon requests. Cheney said the committee would present further evidence in future hearings. The committee is investigating Trump’s 2020 prospects and the possibility that he will be unable to win the 2020 election.
There are several possible scenarios for Trump’s pardons. He may have tried to self-pardon himself before his presidency ended. But the Department of Justice would have charged him with a federal crime after the deadline passed on Jan. 20. If the government pursued that case, the case would have gone to the Supreme Court. There, the Court would decide whether he had lied to Congress or to the FBI.
Cheney reportedly said that he believes that some GOP members in Congress have requested pardons from Trump. But the question remains: Could pardons be issued in secret? Veteran pardon lawyers and prosecutors wonder if this could be the case. If the president does make these executive decisions in secret, could he be required to tell more about what he did and knew?
George W Bush reversed a pardon to Isaac Robert Toussie
US President George W. Bush reversed the pardon of a politically connected Brooklyn real estate developer, Isaac Robert Toussie. Toussie had defrauded hundreds of low-income home buyers and given a generous donation to the Republican Party. His pardon was a result of his failing to properly describe his crimes and the context of his clemency application. The pardon also did not meet the guidelines of the Justice Department. President Bush revoked the pardon after it was discovered that he had not accurately described the crimes and the circumstances of his clemency application.
The reversal of the pardon came a day after the next president reaffirmed his support for Haiti and the United Nations. The pardon was granted to Toussie on Tuesday, but was revoked less than 24 hours later by the next president. The White House explained the unusual move by citing new information about Toussie’s criminal history. In fact, Toussie’s father, Robert, was a major Republican donor. In April, Toussie gave $28,500 to the Republican National Committee and another $2,300 to McCain’s campaign. He made two additional $2,300 donations to GOP senators in October.
The reversal of a presidential pardon was a rare occurrence in recent memory. In one case, the next president reversed the pardon of a convicted felon, but a court is unlikely to overrule it. That’s why it’s important to follow the rules. In this case, the White House didn’t even know about the father’s political contribution to Toussie.
