This Day Pardon Season, And A Case Before Biden w/ Shannon Lynch
Jan 7, 2025
Shannon Lynch, a podcast producer and host at the New America Foundation, joins to discuss the history and significance of presidential pardons. They delve into the controversial nature of pardons, often linked to self-serving motives, while exploring how they can also rectify historical injustices. Lynch highlights the heartbreaking case of eight wrongfully imprisoned men in Washington, D.C., emphasizing the ongoing fight for their pardons. The conversation raises vital questions about justice, accountability, and the complex dynamics surrounding wrongful convictions.
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Pardon Season and Its Motives
- Presidential pardons often occur in the final weeks of a presidency, sometimes for righteous reasons, other times for political favors.
- This "pardon season" raises questions about the power and potential misuse of this presidential privilege.
Hamilton and the Pardon Power
- Alexander Hamilton, a proponent of a strong executive branch, advocated for presidential pardon power without Congressional oversight.
- This unchecked power, originally held by kings, raises concerns about potential abuse.
The 8th and H Case
- The 8th and H case involved eight young Black men wrongly convicted of murder based on coerced confessions and hidden exculpatory evidence.
- Six surviving men, now released, seek a pardon to clear their names after decades of wrongful imprisonment.