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Trump Has Power to Pardon Mob That Attacked US Capitol

Dora Mekouar

   The U.S. presidential power to issue pardons, so liberally wielded by
   President Donald Trump in recent weeks, has riled his critics, but
   history shows presidential pardons have courted controversy from the
   very beginning.

   The Founding Fathers gave presidents near-absolute pardon poweras a way
   tosoften the edges of inflexible criminal law, says Brian Kalt, a
   professor of law at Michigan State University's College of Law.

   "They debated it and they decided that the power could be abused, but
   it was important to be able to pardon, even treason, because as
   [Alexander] Hamilton argued in the [1]Federalist Papers, there might be
   a rebellion going on, and it might be a good way to end it."

References

   1. https://guides.loc.gov/federalist-papers/full-text

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