Guest Opinion: Why are presidential pardons still a thing?

Editor's Note: This piece has been updated to correctly reflect that it was then-President Richard Nixon who authorized a bombing campaign in Cambodia during the Vietnam era.

It’s time we did away with presidential pardons. Why? Here’s one good reason: Donald Trump recently said if he becomes president in 2024, he will pardon every one of his followers who stormed the Capitol on January 6, 2021. Do you doubt that he will be true to his word? Just think of the thousands of hours the government has expended to see that justice is done in this attempt to change the outcome of the 2020 presidential election by force.

Such an act — and it will certainly occur should the autocratic one be elected — will not only be unjust, but it will also be a blot on the history of the United States. Of course, Trump could exercise this power only if the act falls into the category of a federal — and not state — crime, but that would be damaging enough. In addition, the damage Trump will do to the American spirit will not only be considerable, but it will also continue an unethical precedent for future presidents who may decide to use this power for political reasons.

This power has already been used by, for instance, former President Gerald Ford when he pardoned Richard Nixon from his guilt regarding the Watergate break-in. Shouldn’t Nixon have served time for breaking the law just like everyone else? Why do we put our presidents on a pedestal? Are they not humans like us and just as subject to the laws of the land? This attitude must change.

Presidents in the 20th century have pardoned or commuted the sentences of over 20,000 people. They are granted this power to pardon by Article II, Section 2, clause 1 of the Constitution. My belief is that someone convicted of a federal crime, no matter how heinous, should be pardonable only by a special non-partisan group appointed by the federal legislature.

For a president to pardon someone lifts his status from that of a politician and public servant to that of a king. We don’t want presidents with the powers of kings. After the Revolutionary War, some citizens wanted George Washington to become a king, but he wisely refused. By that time, our patriots had enough of the damage done by kings of England under their rule.

Presidents have too much power as it is and often abuse that power. Think of George H.W. Bush declaring war on Iraq without obtaining the approval of the legislature. Or President Richard Nixon’s bombing of Cambodia during the Vietnam era without the approval of Congress and keeping his decision secret, no less. Other famous pardons are as follows: Ford pardoned “Tokyo Rose” for her treasonous acts during World War II; Nixon pardoned union leader James Hoffa from his sentences for fraud and bribery; George H.W. Bush pardoned 75 individuals, including half-dozen men who were indicted for roles in the Iran-Contra affair during the Reagan administration.

The Office of Pardon Attorney exists to monitor pardons and commutations, but in this author’s opinion the Constitution should be amended to take away this power of the president because of the political damage that has been and may be done again to our country, especially by presidents like Trump.

Don’t allow criminal convictions of those who tried to overthrow the election of our last president on January 6, 2021 go unpunished. This would make a travesty of our system of justice.

David D. Jones lives in Warminster.

This article originally appeared on Bucks County Courier Times: Guest Opinion: It's time to excuse the presidential pardon