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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:

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