Five Myths about Presidential Pardons
To Get One, Do You Have to Be Convicted First? (“President Trump is in a pardon frenzy. Last month, he dispensed absolution for boxer Jack Johnson and pundit Dinesh D’Souza, and this past week, he declared that he can even pardon himself. A White House official told The Washington Post that Trump is now “obsessed” with pardons, his new “favorite thing.” The pardon power is the most kinglike power our presidents have; they can apply it whenever and to whomever they like. Still, many misconceptions surround this constitutional perquisite.”)