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> While in office Trump abused his pardon privilege to excuse dozens of corrupt, convicted allies, and he would likely do so again if reelected. That’s awful -
by nailer 4y ago
> While in office Trump abused his pardon privilege to excuse dozens of corrupt, convicted allies, and he would likely do so again if reelected.
That’s awful - but didn’t every US president do that?
- jfengel 4y agoNot really, no. Clinton pardoned a couple of friends, and Bush commuted (but didn't pardon) one of his. George HW Bush pardoned one of Reagan's cronies. As far as I'm aware, Obama isn't accused of pardoning any of his allies (or of them needing any). Trump did this on a wholesale basis. Many of his close allies were convicted, and he pardoned them. Before him, Presidents interfered very rarely, and it was usually a major event when it did happen. In Trump's case, many were convicted of crimes relating to his getting elected -- not just corruption in office, but fundamentally upsetting the rules of democracy itself. So while Presidents previously were not always angels, there wasn't an expectation that they'd use the pardon indiscriminately. It's a difference not just of number, but in approach, where the process itself comes into question.
- atian 4y agoAlternative perspective: https://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2021/01/22/trump-used-his-clemency-power-sparingly-despite-a-raft-of-late-pardons-and-commutations/ https://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2021/01/22/trump-used-...
- monkeydreams 4y agoThe comment above yours states Trump pardoned friends and allies moreso than any other president. All his comparatively low overall numbers demonstrate is that if your pardoning did not help him, it wasn't going to happen.
- DontchaKnowit 4y agoWeirdly, tTrump commuted the sentances of a bunch of rappers, including Lil Wayne and Kodak Black. Strange decision. Kodaj almost certainly deserves prison.