Short thread: In essence, what the Senator is suggesting is that because the political commutations happened, the rest of the commutations should not have happened. Knowing several people who were commuted personally, I could not disagree more
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Like many people I am outraged by Trump’s corruption. And of course we have seen shady pardons and commutations from past presidents. But having recently helped secure clemency for a man on AL death row who would be dead without it, I know executive power over sentencing is a necessary safety valve.
aug 11, 2025, 1:06 pm • 0 0 • view
I’ll keep working toward a society where executive pardons and clemency, at least as they currently “function,” are not necessary. But we are such a long way off from that. Right now I see executive pardons & clemency as a bad option that nonetheless helps relieve a worse problem.
aug 11, 2025, 1:06 pm • 0 0 • view
Every single person on CARES home confinement was commuted, every person on death row was commuted...This was less than a year ago...Non political Commutations happen regularly (they just don't get as much pressure coverage)
aug 11, 2025, 3:12 pm • 1 0 • view
Exactly...I understand the frustration...I guess the sad truth is that the power isn't "being abused" because the power is largely unfettered
aug 11, 2025, 3:13 pm • 1 0 • view
Even today I consider pardons a largely symbolic issue. For that reason I'm unsurprised Slotkin is actually taking a side on this one. You look hard enough for bipartisan consensus, you'll find it, but on low-friction and generally low-consequence issues. Get partisan already.
aug 11, 2025, 6:44 pm • 0 0 • view
If her problem is that Trump is gaming the system, I can think of a number of system loopholes/antifeatures that should be much higher priority than pardon power. But of course she needs an issue she can "both sides" on.
aug 11, 2025, 6:45 pm • 1 0 • view
True
aug 11, 2025, 7:13 pm • 0 0 • view
Not largely symbolic for the people whose lives are saved or for their family and friends...Less than a year ago, nearly every person on federal death row was commuted...hundreds of people on CARES Act home confinement were commuted. I understand why you feel that way, but let us not forget
aug 11, 2025, 7:13 pm • 1 0 • view
It no longer makes sense for a president to have King-like, unilateral, un-reviewable power to pardon. Prior pardon's that followed administrative procedure are OK. The politicized, corrupt, damaging ones (by Ford, Biden, Trump, etc) skipped that. Make appropriate process a requirement.
aug 11, 2025, 4:40 am • 1 0 • view
I know a bit about this, and there was no "administrative procedure" that wasn't created by specific Presidents at particular places and times, and they were often counterproductive (see, for instance, articles on this written by Professor Mark Osler) You are also, not addressing my argument
aug 11, 2025, 4:46 am • 0 0 • view
Nixon's pardon by Ford, Hunter Biden/etc pardons by Biden and all of Trump's pardons of anybody followed zero prior formalized administrative process. I agree pardons are a necessary function to ensure justice and mercy I disagree they should be invested in 1 person ever.
aug 11, 2025, 4:53 am • 0 0 • view
I don't mean to be a jerk at all, but I did understand your point :) We agree about the important part of this (in relation to what I was saying)...so, not worth arguing about. My point was only that there was no "administrative process" inherent in the power to start with
aug 11, 2025, 4:56 am • 0 0 • view
A few other caveats: 1. Ford did a lot of pardons (not only Nixon, which is partially my point...these things get forgotten b/c of outrage) 2. The Senator was not arguing for an administrative procedure, she was arguing for eliminating the power entirely
aug 11, 2025, 4:58 am • 0 0 • view
3. Biden did a LOT of good pardons (in addition to the questionable pardon of his son)
aug 11, 2025, 5:00 am • 0 0 • view
I'm just talking about the pardons for Hunter/Fauci/Milley/etc after trump won election which didn't follow his previous set process...for a reasonable reason.
aug 11, 2025, 5:07 am • 1 0 • view
Well, he didn't have a set process per se (and I knew his pardon attorney a bit)...but, yes, his preemptive pardons were different for sure Again, we can agree with there being problematic political pardons, but Slotkin was arguing for a total rollback (not for governing procedures)
aug 11, 2025, 5:09 am • 0 0 • view
I'm not defending the Senator. I disagree with the Senator on this and many things. Pardons are a necessary thing. But I'm against vesting pardon power in 1 person w/o required process and review. And, yeah. I know it's in the constitution that way. But it's dumb.
aug 11, 2025, 5:24 am • 1 0 • view
Certainly not carefully constructed :)
aug 11, 2025, 5:25 am • 1 0 • view
...which might be intentional, but no procedure preceded the power...some Presidents created rules that they followed, some continued to follow those rules...others did not
aug 11, 2025, 4:47 am • 0 0 • view
I just got back from teaching at the annual cohort run by Dream.Org. One of the people I was lucky enough to teach was commuted by President Biden, while another was commuted by President Trump. In both cases, they were EXCELLENT additions to our cohort and met every challenge
aug 11, 2025, 4:19 am • 1 0 • view
The Senator is also wrong about the need for commutations being antiquated...only someone who knew very little about our criminal justice system would believe such a thing. In fact, the reasoning of Alexander Hamilton is as true today as it was when he originally said this
aug 11, 2025, 4:22 am • 3 0 • view
I have personally advocated for many of the individuals who have been recently commuted. In the case of CARES Act home confinement commutations, I organized several events, including direct appeals, and made numerous other efforts. Mercy is in too short supply
aug 11, 2025, 4:26 am • 0 0 • view
Way too often...the people in need of commutations get either ignored under the glare of press outrage over political commutations or buried under outrage b/c the person commuted was convicted of something awful The truth is that people change & often make a real difference post-release
aug 11, 2025, 4:30 am • 0 0 • view
The organization that I work with has been involved in lobbying for commutations under all recent Presidencies & will continue to advocate for people to recieve commutations Do not allow the politics of any day destroy a tool that has been used to save the lives of people who have no other options
aug 11, 2025, 4:36 am • 0 0 • view