Wielding the Presidential Pardon

http://thekojonnamdishow.org/shows/2010-12-02/wielding-presidential-pardon

Guest Host:

Diane Vogel
Wielding the Presidential Pardon

Nearly two years into his term, President Obama has pardoned more Thanksgiving turkeys than human beings -- following the lead of his two predecessors. We explore the evolution of the pardon and the reasons for its recent slow-down.

Nearly two years into his term, President Obama has pardoned more Thanksgiving turkeys than human beings. It's a trend across recent administrations, both Republican and Democratic. We explore the evolution of the presidential pardon and the concerns over its less-frequent use in recent years.

Guests

Samuel Morison

Former attorney-advisor at the Office of the Pardon Attorney in the U.S. Department of Justice and current Appellate Counsel in the Defense Department's Office of Military Commissions

P.S. Ruckman

Associate Professor of Political Science at Rock Valley College; Editor of the blog Pardon Power

Related Links

Web Extras

Pardon Power blog
Samuel T. Morison's op-ed in LA Times
Office of the Pardon Attorney clemency statistics

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The Kojo Nnamdi Show is produced by member-supported WAMU 88.5 in Washington DC.