Why are President's allowed to Pardon people in their own administration?

[Quixote1818]

Who the hell wrote this stupid law into the Constitution? It's a recipe for corruption! Is it possible to change this law? Maybe we can't nail Libby but this kind of thing needs to be ended and the laws need to be changed!

[madokie]

1. well it does look like scooter is going to walk but at what cost to the * cabal

lots of talk of impeachment going round

[Quixote1818]

3. I think everyone who is under investigation now is just going to lie

because they now know Bush will pardon them all. I will believe impeachment when I see it.

[Phredicles]

2. James Madison DID say that doing so should be grounds for impeachment;

the public seems to be taking the hint; will congress?

[DesertKart]

4. there's a good reason for it

It was primarily designed, Consitutiontally, so that a popularly elected President can release the political dissidents of the prior administration. If we ever have another oppressive Abraham Lincoln type, it will be really nice that the next Andrew Johnson type has the power to release all of his prisoners, even if he gets impeached for it.

[karlrschneider]

7. It still could be configured to disallow a SITTING president from pardoning his own

people, though. Yes I know it would take a Constitutional Amendment...and that ain't easy to do.

[Lasher]

5. I feel the same way

It sounds real pretty to say nobody is above the law but this is not so. Nixon was pardoned by Ford before any charges could even be brought. Poppy pardoned Iran-Contra traitors before they could be tried, which shut down an investigation that would have led to charges against him. And Junior commuted Libby's sentence, with a full pardon sure to follow, so that he wouldn't tell what he knows of the conspiracy to betray the CIA.

Taking the pardon away from presidents would take a Constitutional ammendment but I think we should go for it. Transfer that power to Congress, where a super majority should be required on a case-by-case basis.

[Quixote1818]

9. I agree 100% Congress should be given this power.

Right now it's being abused big time. It's out of control!

[BlooInBloo]

6. See Federalist #74 for some thoughts on it.

[yes2truth]

8. For the same reason that ALL laws, criminal & civil

get passed ONLY if they include exceptions/loopholes that will make it possible for the ruling class to violate them without having to pay the consequences. The law is like a spder's web; it catches only the little bugs, not BIG insects.