The President is given the pardon power under Article II, section 2 of the Constitution, which states that the President “shall have power to grant reprieves and pardons for offenses against the United States, except in cases of impeachment”. Presidential pardons are therefore only applicable to federal offenses, and cannot be granted for state crimes. Pardon petitions are addressed to the President but usually referred further to the Office of the Pardon Attorney for a non-binding recommendation. A symbolic use of this power is the annual pardoning of a turkey as part of the National Thanksgiving Turkey Presentation.
Ian C. Pilarczyk
A legal history blog on sundry topics related to the majesty and mystery of law
Nice and concise! If a Turkey is pardoned one year, is the pardon for that Thanksgiving only? Kind of, just kidding with that question.
They go to a retirement farm for turkeys…. not really kidding about that!
Is this Facebook comment I keep reading true, that someone wants the president to have pardoning power for state crimes as well?
I’m sure some people do. But as it stands he has pardoning power under the laws arising under the Constitution of the U.S.; state crimes would not apply.