Skip to content
RollCall logo

Podcasts

Pardon me? Tales of presidential pardons

Political Theater, Episode 355

Security barricades the House chamber as rioters disrupt the joint session of Congress to certify the Electoral College vote on Jan. 6, 2021. Reps. Troy Nehls, R-Texas, blue shirt, and Markwayne Mullin, R-Okla., right, are also pictured. President Donald Trump issued pardons to all those involved in the attack.
Security barricades the House chamber as rioters disrupt the joint session of Congress to certify the Electoral College vote on Jan. 6, 2021. Reps. Troy Nehls, R-Texas, blue shirt, and Markwayne Mullin, R-Okla., right, are also pictured. President Donald Trump issued pardons to all those involved in the attack. (Tom Williams/CQ Roll Call)
By Jason Dick and Todd Ruger
Posted January 22, 2025 at 2:57pm

Presidential pardons are all over the place, thanks to outgoing President Joe Biden and newly sworn in President Donald Trump. Presidents’ power to pardon is pretty comprehensive, and has been used to pardon Confederates, Jimmy Hoffa, Richard Nixon, Defense secretaries, family members and dirty tricksters, and most recently the Jan. 6 crowd and the founder of the black market drug marketplace Silk Road.

Show Notes:

Recent Stories

Democratic Senate candidate Graham Platner speaks at a primary election event on June 9 in Blue Hill, Maine. Platner announced Wednesday he was suspending his campaign amid a sexual assault accusation. Platner has called the accusation false.

Platner, accused of sexual assault, suspends Senate campaign

Sen. Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., arrives to chair a Senate Defense Appropriations Subcommittee hearing on May 19, before his hospitalization in mid-June.

GOP leaders tried to quell McConnell health questions. It’s not working

A Graham Platner campaign sign is seen on June 9 at his primary election night event in Blue Hill, Maine.

Jockeying to replace Platner on Maine ballot has already begun

President Donald Trump meets with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Wednesday during a NATO summit in Ankara, Turkey.

Little clarity on Iran from Trump, but new help ahead for Ukraine

From left, Supreme Justices Elena Kagan, Brett M. Kavanaugh and Amy Coney Barrett attend President Donald Trump’s State of the Union address in the Capitol on Feb. 24.

Justices to face Congress after contentious court rulings

Marines salute during a ceremony at the Marine Barracks Washington on July 10, 2023.

Contractor curbs on repair data causing Marines ‘significant’ issues