How many pardons did Obama give?

By the end of his second and final term on January 20, 2017, United States President Barack Obama had exercised his constitutional power to grant the executive clemency—that is, "pardon, commutation of sentence, remission of fine or restitution, and reprieve"—to 1,927 individuals convicted of federal crimes.

How many pardons did Bill Clinton give?

President Bill Clinton granted pardons and commutations to 459 people during his time in office, including a large group of 140 on his final day, January 20, 2001, though he also faced controversy, particularly for pardons like that of Marc Rich. 

How many pardons did Trump give out in 2020?

Trump issued a total of 144 pardons during his first four years in office: 1 in 2017, 6 in 2018, 11 in 2019, 52 in 2020, and 74 in January 2021.

Has anyone ever rejected a presidential pardon?

Their refusal has precedent, Paul says. In an 1833 case, the Supreme Court ruled that George Wilson could refuse a pardon issued by President Andrew Jackson.

Did President Trump pardon anyone?

Trump commuted the sentences of 14 people by name (members of the Proud Boys and Oath Keepers who were convicted of seditious conspiracy) and gave "a full, complete and unconditional pardon to all other individuals convicted of offenses related to events that occurred at or near the United States Capitol on January 6, ...

President Obama doubled his presidential pardons

How many pardons did Barack Obama hand out?

Of the acts of clemency, 1,715 were commutations (including 504 life sentences) and 212 were pardons. Most individuals granted executive clemency by Obama had been convicted on drug charges, and had received lengthy and sometimes mandatory sentences at the height of the war on drugs.

Did Trump pardon Rudy Giuliani?

In April 2024, he was indicted on charges related to the 2020 election in Arizona. He was later disbarred in the state of New York in July, and in the District of Columbia in September. In November 2025, Trump pardoned Giuliani.

Did Trump pardon Charles Kushner?

Yes, Donald Trump pardoned his son-in-law Jared Kushner's father, Charles Kushner, in December 2020, near the end of his presidency, for his convictions on tax evasion, making illegal campaign donations, and witness tampering. The pardon followed pleas of guilt from Charles Kushner for crimes including orchestrating a scheme to target his brother-in-law who was cooperating with federal investigators. 

How many pardons can the president hand out?

A U.S. President can grant an unlimited number of pardons, with no cap on how many they can issue, though these apply only to federal offenses and not to impeachment cases, as outlined in Article II of the Constitution. Presidents have historically used this power differently, with some like Franklin D. Roosevelt issuing thousands, while others have granted fewer, but the power itself is broad and allows pardons before or after conviction, and even for offenses not yet charged, notes the Constitution Annotated. 

Can a President pardon someone that hasn't been charged with anything?

A federal pardon can be issued prior to the start of a legal case or inquiry, prior to any indictments being issued, for unspecified offenses, and prior to or after a conviction for a federal crime. President Gerald R. Ford's broad federal pardon of former president Richard M.

Which President pardoned Mark Rich?

Fearing arrest, he did not even return to the United States to attend his daughter's funeral in 1996. On January 20, 2001, hours before leaving office, U.S. President Bill Clinton granted Rich a controversial presidential pardon.

What is the difference between a pardon and clemency?

Clemency is the broad umbrella term for mercy shown by an executive (President/Governor) in a criminal case, while a pardon is a specific type of clemency that forgives a conviction, removing penalties and restoring rights; other forms of clemency include commutation (reducing a sentence) and reprieve (temporarily delaying punishment). So, all pardons are clemency, but not all clemency is a pardon. A pardon aims to wipe the slate clean, while a commutation only lessens the punishment, leaving the conviction on the record. 

Are you still a felon if you get a presidential pardon?

Although a pardon absolves the pardoned person from guilt, it does not remove the conviction from their criminal record. Carlesi clarified that point by allowing the sentencing judge to consider the past conviction despite a pardon.

How did Obama change America?

The main reforms include: the Affordable Care Act, sometimes referred to as "the ACA" or "Obamacare", the Dodd–Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, and the Don't Ask, Don't Tell Repeal Act of 2010.

Do pardons affect gun rights?

Loss & restoration of civil/firearms rights

Federal firearms disabilities are removed for those with state convictions by various state law restoration mechanisms, and for those with federal convictions by a presidential pardon. Federal law does not prohibit possession of antique firearms.

Which president never pardoned?

Only two U.S. Presidents never issued a pardon: William Henry Harrison, who died just a month into his term, and James A. Garfield, who was assassinated after only 200 days in office, leaving neither with enough time to grant any pardons. 

What black lady did Trump pardon?

The prominent Black woman pardoned by Donald Trump and later appointed his "Pardon Czar" is Alice Marie Johnson, a criminal justice reform advocate who served over 21 years for a nonviolent drug offense before Trump commuted her life sentence in 2018 and fully pardoned her in 2020. She was appointed to her advisory role in early 2025, recommending individuals for clemency, and her advocacy, championed by figures like Kim Kardashian, brought her case to national attention. 

Was Jared Kushner involved in the Abraham Accords?

Yes, Jared Kushner was a key architect and heavily involved in brokering the Abraham Accords, which normalized relations between Israel and several Arab nations during the first Trump administration, leveraging deep regional relationships and serving as a lead negotiator alongside Avi Berkowitz. He built diplomatic ties in the Middle East and played a crucial role in forging the agreements, which included Israel-UAE, Israel-Bahrain, Israel-Sudan, and Israel-Morocco normalization deals. 

Why did Trump pardon Desiree Perez?

She received a sentence of five years probation, but was later charged with violating her parole. The violation led to nine months in prison in 1999. In 2021, then-president Donald Trump pardoned Perez of the charges, citing her efforts to "turn her life around." Following the pardon, Perez expressed her gratitude.

Was Rudy Giuliani a good mayor?

Rudy Giuliani's time as New York City mayor (1994-2001) is viewed polarizingly: widely praised for dramatic crime reduction, economic reforms, and unifying leadership post-9/11 (earning him "America's Mayor" title), but also criticized for authoritarian tactics, controversial policing methods like stop-and-frisk, and racial profiling that disproportionately affected Black and Hispanic New Yorkers, creating a complex legacy of effective crisis management versus divisive social policies. 

Who was mayor during 9/11?

Giuliani (1994 - 2001)

Can a President pardon themselves?

O.L.C. Supp. 370, 370 (1974) (opining during the Nixon Administration that a President may not pardon himself based on the fundamental rule that no one may be a judge in his own case ).

Do pardons affect someone's record?

While receiving a pardon will restore some of your rights, it will not seal or destroy your criminal record. This means that you will still have to inform new employers of your criminal conviction and disclose this information in any other situation that requires you to do so.

Did Biden pardon his brother?

Pardon by Joe Biden

On January 20, 2025, President Joe Biden issued a pardon for James, along with their other siblings and their spouses.