Pardon Me - Trump's Unchecked Abuse of Power

On August 13, 2008, I wrote a column titled "Presidential Pardons are a Bad Idea."

As of June 20, 2025, I still think presential pardons are a bad idea. It turns out that I was right 18 years ago, but I had no idea how abused this perk would become.

For some background on lame duck presidents taking advantages of blanket pardons we need not go back any further than George Washington who pardoned the men who started the so-called whiskey rebellion in 1794.

Trump did the same thing with the January 6th insurrectionists in the beginning of his second term.

Jimmy Carter pardoned Vietnam war draft dodgers in 1977.

Some past examples of individual pardons are Nixon pardoned Jimmy Hoffa, President Ford pardoned Nixon, President H.W. Bush pardoned Casper Weinberger, and President Clinton pardoned his buddy Marc Rich after getting hefty donations from his wife Denise.

Corrupt abuse of pardons happened on a smaller scale before Trump wobbled into the political scene, but none have come close to the blatant abuse Trump is currently wielding. He didn't wait until he was a lame duck either like past administrations. 

I mentioned the J6 rioters earlier, but they were just the first of many questionable pardons to come. 

Five months into his presidency Trump has sparked controversy by pardoning a growing number of convicted drug dealers, including Larry Hoover who was serving multiple life sentences in federal prison for crimes linked to his role leading the Chicago-based Gangster Disciples.

Drug policy experts say it's difficult to find a coherent philosophy behind Trump's use of pardons and clemency. That's because there is none. Trump is "transactional" when it comes to pardons that often reflect the influence of powerful individuals. It's become one of his more profitable grifts and we can expect him to use it until he leaves the White House - one way or another.

The irony of Trump's pardons is as thick as a brick. During his first term he pardoned and freed Alice Maria Johnson who was sentenced to life behind bars for her role as part of a Memphis, Tenn., cocaine trafficking ring. Earlier this year he appointed her to serve as his "pardon czar." Hell, I didn't even know there was such a thing.

Financial and political supporters that were jailed are now having a banner year for pardons and commutations. It's like a game of The Price is Right but it's a grift in real time.

Some quick examples:

Devon Archer and Jason Galanis who were former business partners of Hunter Biden, accused him of improperly leveraging his father's political power to broker overseas business relationships were doing prison time - Archer for defrauding a Native American tribal entity - and Galanis for multiple fraudulent schemes. Trump granted one a full pardon and commuted the other.

Todd and Julie Chrisley who were known for their show "Chrisley Knows Best" were sentenced to a combined 19 years in prison on charges including fraud and tax evasion. Trump pardoned them last month and guess what? They're both back on TV like nothing ever happened.

Paul Walczak, a Florida businessman and nursing home executive who pled guilty to tax crimes last year was pardoned by Trump. 

Paul ripped off his employees for $10 million dollars by taking it out of their paychecks to buy luxury items for himself - like a $2 million yacht. 

According to the New York Times, Walczak's pardon application stated that his mother, Elizabeth Fago, donated and raised millions of dollars for Trump's presidential campaign.

There's a lot more, at least 100 pardons that Trump has passed out since January. That's not counting how many more he'll grant during the remainer of his corrupt regime.

As it Stands, Trump has many ways to reward loyal brownnoses beyond granting them pardons. 

An Open Apology to the World

Dear World...

I'm sorry that we Americans have let Trump loose upon you. 

America has been transformed into an authoritarian state in five short months. It's our own fault. 

We let the world's richest man buy votes for Trump in the swing states during the 2024 election and let him get away with it. Indeed, he was rewarded and given free rein to destroy government agencies and collected information on every American which he put into a central data bank. A Big Brother move if I ever saw one.

The Republican Party has been taken hostage and replaced with the MAGA cult. Traditional Republicans have forsaken their values and accepted Trump's tyranny out of fear of what he can do to them.

As world leaders gathered at the G7 Conference in Calgary, Canada recently, it was apparent how abhorrent Trump was when he spent his time there praising Putin to everyone's disgust.

The Canadian prime minister had to cancel a press conference because of Trump's ranting about Russia and attacking the G7 attendees with veiled tariff threats. It was an embarrassing display by any standards.

I know. We the People really screwed up big time. There's a lot of reasons why, and how, this happened. As I mentioned earlier Elon Musk demonstrated just what money will buy these days in our polluted political system. Then there was election interference by MAGA minions in every state that had a Republican majority. They tied up courts trying to push draconian election laws. They were successful in many states - especially the swing states - in flooding areas with misinformation against the Democrats. 

The presidential election had 73.6 percent registered voting-age population but only 65.3 percent actually voted. Simply put, a lot of eligible voters didn't vote. Apparently, the non-voters didn't realize the threat Trump was and were content to let democracy take a massive hit. Or they didn't care one way or another. I'm guessing they care now.

I realize the rest of the world thinks Americans have gone crazy electing a far-right fascist. 

I admit there are a lot of crazy MAGA morons running around and causing chaos throughout the country right now. 

We are no longer a beacon for democracy. We are a conflicted society struggling to maintain our republic.

Please...don't give up on the United States of America. We will overcome this massive challenge to our Constitution. We've done it before, and we'll do it now. When Democrats gain control of Congress next year - and they will - the tide will be turned. There will be restraints on Trump's power. Maybe even an impeachment. By the time 2028 elections roll around I expect we'll elect a president who respects our democratic republic.

Try to be patient. All Americans are not assholes wearing red MAGA hats. I don't blame you if you no longer have a desire to vacation in the USA. Admittedly if you are brown or black skinned it's not safe to visit now as we have our own version of the Nazi Gestapo raiding churches, restaurants, court houses, and other public places.

I'm so sorry, but it's our reality right now. Hopefully it will get better someday. We are working on it. 

You may have noticed how millions of Americans are turning out in the streets protesting Trump's regime.

 We're not going to stop doing it either, until he's gone. 

As it Stands, I want to thank the world leaders who have stood up to Trump's tariff threats and shown they won't be bullied by the Orange Asshole squatting in the White House.

Another Societal Transformation: Will the Nation Survive this One?

I watched America undergo a massive transformation in the 1960s and early 70s. The streets were full of protestors against the Vietnam war. It was the nation's youth against a corrupt establishment that tried to suppress free speech while conducting an illegal war.

I still recall the protests in colleges as students fought for their rights in an environment where war hawks populated a Congress that ruthlessly attacked its detractors. The People. And I remember the Kent State massacre in 1970 when national guardsman killed four students and wounded nine others. Riots broke out at colleges throughout the country.

Those were transformative years that saw an exit from Vietnam and the emergence of the civil rights movement that produced leaders like Martin Luther King. America was tired of the war and many young people/hippies felt like they had a path to a better life. In response to the violence across the country they moved into communes and extoled the merits of living off the earth. Being close to nature. Smoking marijuana was commonplace in these little communities that were mostly located in Northern California.

Fast forward.

2025. Protests are popping up like mushrooms in a fertile field as a growing number of Americans are protesting Trump's authoritarian regime.

Los Angeles is experiencing chaos in the streets as ICE agents storm court houses and restaurants looking for immigrants dressed up in full combat gear. 

Trump called in the National Guard despite the governor's request not to, further inflaming protestors rebelling against the regime's Gestapo-like deportation raids. 

Our dictator-in-chief also sent 700 Marines to back up the 4,000 national guard troops already lingering around LA County in preparation for an invasion that will never come.

In five short months Trump has turned the country inside out. Truth is a casualty in the MAGA culture that's infected Congress and all of the states. The day of AI has arrived bolstering lies and feeding the public dark conspiracies that rivaled anything Joseph Goebbels, the Minister of Lies under Hitler, was every able to concoct.

The Constitution is being shredded daily as Trump attempts to eliminate any judicial reprisals for his illegal actions. 

On June 14th, five million Americans gathered in all 50 states to protest Trump on NO KINGS Day. 

Watching people from different states all united with one central theme - Trump Must Go - gave me hope that We the People will restore order again in the future. My wife and I attended the protest in Medford, Oregon where we live. It was inspiring to see so many people gathered in Peace to protest the Trump regime. 

While all of this upheaval is taking place almost daily there is no clear path to solving the situation facing our divided nation. It's the first time we elected a King. Getting rid of him isn't going to be easy. How long he gets away with his crusade to destroy our democratic republic is anyone's guess. Meanwhile Americans need to stay united in their opposition to Trump's corrupt regime.

As it Stands, I've already watched one transformation in our society and now it seems another is happening. America survived the first one. I wonder if we'll survive the second while I'm still alive.