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The Supreme Court Could Make the President a King

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Kimberly Welle: “Any day now, the Supreme Court could issue its decision in former President Donald Trump’s case seeking immunity from criminal prosecution. While the most direct impact of the decision will be on how free presidents may feel to skirt or break criminal laws, the decision could also indirectly affect one of the other powers granted to U.S. presidents: the pardon power.”

“The pardon power is an odd monarchical feature tucked into the Constitution. For the framers, it was mostly a carryover relic — a bonus, almost subsidiary power they decided might be useful from time to time to foster social unity. They didn’t bother to put many limits on it, partly because they thought it would only be used thoughtfully and sparingly.”

“But the Supreme Court now appears poised to use the fact that there are few constraints on a president’s pardon power as a model for expanding the powers of the presidency by granting presidents unprecedented immunity from criminal prosecution.”

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About Political Wire

goddard-bw-snapshotTaegan Goddard is the founder of Political Wire, one of the earliest and most influential political web sites. He also runs Political Job Hunt, Electoral Vote Map and the Political Dictionary.

Goddard spent more than a decade as managing director and chief operating officer of a prominent investment firm in New York City. Previously, he was a policy adviser to a U.S. Senator and Governor.

Goddard is also co-author of You Won - Now What? (Scribner, 1998), a political management book hailed by prominent journalists and politicians from both parties. In addition, Goddard's essays on politics and public policy have appeared in dozens of newspapers across the country.

Goddard earned degrees from Vassar College and Harvard University. He lives in New York with his wife and three sons.

Goddard is the owner of Goddard Media LLC.

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