Memorable World History/Authors

List of Presidential Pardons

A list of peoplepardoned or granted clemency by the President of the UnitedStates. The plenary power to grant a pardon or a reprieve isgranted to the president of the United States by Article II,Section 2, Clause 1 of the Constitution; the only limitsmentioned in the Constitution are that pardons are limited to federaloffenses, and that they cannot affect an impeachment process: "Thepresident shall ... have power to grant reprieves and pardons foroffenses against the United States, except in cases of impeachment".

Though pardons have been challenged inthe courts, and the power to grant them challenged by Congress, theCourt has consistently declined to put limits on the president'sdiscretion. The president can issue a full pardon, reversing acriminal conviction (along with its legal effects) as if it neverhappened. A pardon can be issued from the time an offense iscommitted, and can even be issued after the full sentence has beenserved. The president can issue a reprieve, commuting a criminalsentence, lessening its severity, its duration, or both while leavinga record of the conviction in place. Additionally, the president canmake a pardon conditional, or vacate a conviction while leaving partsof the sentence in place, like the payment of fines or restitution.

Approximately 20,000 pardons andcommutations were issued by U.S. presidents in the 20th centuryalone. Pardons granted by presidents from George Washington untilGrover Cleveland's first term (1885–1889) were handwritten by thepresident; thereafter, pardons were prepared for the president byadministrative staff requiring only that the president sign it. Therecords of these presidential acts were openly available for publicinspection until 1934. In 1981 the Office of the Pardon Attorney wascreated and records from President George H. W. Bush forward are nowlisted.

George Washington

President George Washington pardoned,commuted, or rescinded the convictions of 16 people. Among them are:

Philip Vigol (or Wigle) and JohnMitchel, convicted of treason for their roles in the WhiskeyRebellion

John Adams

Federalist president John Adamspardoned, commuted or rescinded the convictions of 20 people. Amongthem are:

David Bradford, for his role in theWhiskey Rebellion

John Fries, for his role in Fries'sRebellion; convicted of treason due to opposition to a tax; Fries andothers were pardoned, and a general amnesty was issued for everyoneinvolved.

Thomas Jefferson

Democratic-Republican president ThomasJefferson pardoned, commuted or rescinded the convictions of 119people. One of his first acts upon taking office was to issue ageneral pardon for any person convicted under the Sedition Act. Among them are:

David Brown – convicted of seditionunder the Sedition Act of 1798 because of his criticism of the U.S.federal government, receiving the harshest sentence of anyone;pardoned along with all violators of the act.