How many people did Bill Clinton pardon?

President Bill Clinton granted pardons and commutations to 459 people during his two terms, including a large final batch of 140 on his last day in office, January 20, 2001, though the specific number of pardons versus commutations can vary slightly by source, the total number of individuals benefiting from his clemency power was around 459.

How many people did Obama pardon?

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.

How many pardons can each president give?

There are no limits to how many people the President may pardon. President Franklin D. Roosevelt, for example, pardoned 2,819 individuals during his time in office – more than any other President. President Barack Obama pardoned 212 individuals during his time in office.

Did Bill Clinton pardon Susan Rosenberg?

Release. Rosenberg's sentence was commuted by President Bill Clinton on January 20, 2001, his last day in office, to the more than 16 years' time served. Her commutation produced a wave of criticism by police and New York elected officials.

How many pardons did Donald Trump have?

List of people granted executive clemency in the second Trump presidency. In his role as the 47th president of the United States (January 20, 2025 – present), Donald Trump granted executive clemency to more than 1,600 individuals as of July 23, 2025, all of whom were charged or convicted of federal criminal offenses.

Bill Clinton's Biggest Scandal: Pardon Day

What president did not pardon anyone?

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. 

Who cannot be pardoned by the President?

The President of the United States may pardon anyone who commits a federal offense against the United States. They may also pardon anyone who commits a federal offense against the District of Columbia. The president cannot grant pardons for violations of state laws.

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.

What happens if a pardon is refused?

"A pardon is a deed, to the validity of which delivery is essential, and delivery is not complete without acceptance. It may then be rejected by the person to whom it is tendered, and if it be rejected, we have discovered no power in a court to force it on him."

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 ).

Who decides who gets pardoned?

Under the Constitution, the President has the authority to grant pardon for federal offenses, including those obtained in the United States District Courts, the Superior Court of the District of Columbia, and military courts-martial.

What is the difference between a pardon and clemency?

Clemency is the broad power of an executive (President or Governor) to show mercy in criminal cases, while a pardon is one specific type of clemency that forgives guilt and relieves punishment, essentially wiping the slate clean; other forms of clemency include commutation (reducing a sentence) and reprieve (temporarily postponing a sentence). So, all pardons are clemency, but not all clemency is a pardon.
 

How many pardons did Clinton have?

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. 

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.

Does a presidential pardon get you out of jail?

Pardons are one of the most important powers presidents have. With a swipe of their pen, they can erase a person's federal criminal conviction, freeing them from prison if they're locked up, and erasing the collateral consequences that often haunt people even after they've served their sentence.

Has Donald Trump pardoned anyone?

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.

Who was the woman who refused Trump's pardon?

Hemphill is noted for changing her mind on Donald Trump during her time in prison and afterward, supporting Joe Biden and voting for Kamala Harris in the 2024 presidential election, as well as for her refusal of Trump's presidential pardon in 2025.

Can an impeached President pardon anyone?

The president may not grant a pardon in the impeachment case, but may in any resulting federal criminal case (unless it is the president who is convicted and thus loses the pardon power). However, whether the president can self-pardon for criminal offenses is an open question, which has never been reviewed by a court.

Can anyone overturn a presidential pardon?

The Pardon Attorney investigates and reviews applications for clemency but serves only an advisory role; the president may disregard the findings. The pardon power is considered "plenary" and thus generally cannot be restricted or modified by Congress or the judiciary.

What are the only two limits on the president's pardon power?

The language in the Constitution highlights just two limits to the presidential pardon power. The president's authority extends only to offenses against the United States (federal crimes), meaning state crimes are beyond the president's control. And the president cannot circumvent Congress' power of impeachment.

Did Ronald Reagan pardon a turkey?

"If they'd given me a different answer on Charlie and his future, I would have pardoned him." ―Ronald Reagan, 1987. The first president on record issuing a "pardon" to his turkey was Ronald Reagan.

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.

Why did George Wilson not accept his pardon?

An official report stated Wilson chose to “waive and decline any advantage or protection which might be supposed to arise from the pardon….” Wilson also stated he “…had nothing to say, and did not wish in any manner to avail himself in order to avoid sentence….” The U.S. Supreme Court determined, “The court cannot give ...