We live in a land of laws and disorder. A land where the rich and powerful answer to a different code of laws. One needs to look no further than the broad pardon powers of the president of the United States.
Article II, Section 2, Clause 1 establishes the president’s authority to grant clemency, encompassing not only pardons of individuals but several other forms of relief from criminal punishments as well.
President Trump’s use of his constitutional powers to pardon or commute the sentences of more than 1,500 people convicted of crimes related to the forcible obstruction of Congress’ certification of the 2020 presidential election results on Jan. 6, 2021, strikes at the heart of America’s democratic system.
Individuals indicted and/or sentenced for the Jan. 6 attack on the United States Capitol by a jury of their peers have had their sentences commuted or pardoned through executive clemency. Individuals who were found guilty by a jury of their peers and incarcerated have received presidential pardons.
Even more recently, we have examples of the executive branch of government ignoring edicts from the highest court in the land, the Supreme Court of the United States. Apparently if you know the right people you can literally get away with anything. Is this what a democracy is about?
Richard E. Arnold
Murrysville