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Pardons Should Be An Abuse Of Power Essay

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In the US Constitution, Article II, Section 2 states that “the President ... shall have the power to grant reprieves and pardons for offenses against the United States , except in cases of impeachment” (Keesee 93). This allows presidents to delay one’s sentence, completely eliminate any punishment, or just get rid of some of the punishment . But should the president have the power to do that? How the presidents pardon and why they do it does not fit the founders ’ framework for separation of powers because it usually just benefits or acts on the current administration , it puts too much power into one man’s hands, and they are an abuse of power of the president .
On average, pardons can take anywhere from 6 to 24 months, depending on the case . To …show more content…

This allows each branch to amend or veto acts of other branches .
“ Pardons have become an unnecessary political weapon of the uniquely powerful to reward their friends or barter for political chits . ” (Cupps) The president only pardons people for a few reasons . The first being that pardoning a criminal will allow the president to move forward in his career . The second being that it enables the president to pardon people he likes no matterMcGahan 3 the crime that was committed .
The president being able to pardon is considered an abuse of power . The president has the ability to pardon anyone he would like and that act cannot be overturned by anyone not even by the Senate or the House of Representatives . Norman Eisen said, “When it’s the right thing to do, when it’s the ethical thing to do , when it’s the moral thing to do, the qualities of mercy in the pardon power should be extended . But they can never be extended if it’s the corrupt thing to do”
(Eisen). Nowadays, the presidents are taking the definition of pardoning and twisting it so it fits their own agenda, whether it be good or bad .
Recently, President Donald Trump had pardoned a man named Joe Arpaio . Arpaio,

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