First, before we go any further I would like to say I find the headline misleading. But after reviewing articles from both the left and right side of the media there was a political slant in every source I found on the topic. IMO this is a blanket bill that would monitor this president and every future president regardless of their political party of political leaning.......................
Rep Don Bacon signed onto a bill that would establish a congressional review process for pardons
A House GOP lawmaker has become the first member of his party to support a Democrat-led effort to limit presidential pardon power.
Rep. Don Bacon, R-Neb., signed on in support of legislation led by Rep. Johnny Olszewski, D-Md., to establish a congressional review process for presidential pardons.
It comes after President Donald Trump pardoned five ex-NFL players guilty of various charges including perjury, drug trafficking and counterfeiting.
"Across multiple administrations, we’ve seen legitimate questions raised about how this authority has been used at the same time, the ability of Congress to provide oversight has weakened," Bacon said in a statement. "Frankly, it is clear to me the pardon authority has been abused."
And while Bacon did not mention Trump directly, Olszewski made clear that the Republican commander in chief is the main impetus for his push for a new constitutional amendment.
"The announcement follows the Trump Administration’s decision earlier this week to pardon five former NFL players whose charges ranged from perjury to drug trafficking," said Olszewski's press release announcing Bacon's support on Monday.
"The pardons are part of what Olszewski describes as a disturbing pattern of abuses of the presidential pardon power benefiting the wealthy and well-connected."
The amendment, if adopted, would give Congress the right to initiate a review process for presidential pardons if called for by 20 House members and five senators.
The review process would end with a vote on whether to nullify the pardon, needing two-thirds' support in both the House and the Senate to succeed.
The president would then be barred from issuing that same pardon to the same recipient again.
Former President Joe Biden notably took heat from Republicans and even some Democrats when he issued preemptive pardons for his family members and other allies, including son Hunter Biden, shortly before leaving office.
Bacon, a moderate Republican and retired Air Force brigadier general, has already announced he is not seeking re-election in November.
He's one of several GOP lawmakers in Congress who have been willing to buck Trump on a variety of issues, including the separation of powers.
For instance, Bacon was one of a handful of House Republicans who voted with Democrats to terminate Trump's emergency declaration at the northern border, which the president had used to justify imposing tariffs on Canada without congressional approval.
Bacon told Fox News Digital at the time, "It is time for Congress to make its voice heard on tariffs."
Fox News Digital reached out to the White House for comment but did not immediately receive a response.
https://www.foxnews.com/politics/gop-lawmaker-joins-democrat-led-effort-limit-trumps-pardon-powerSuch pardons have come under scrutiny from presidents of both parties from the past.................
For Bill Clinton it was Marc Rich. For George W. Bush it was Scooter Libby. Trump's first term saw a number of inflammatory pardons for close political allies and associates, including Michael Flynn, Roger Stone and Paul Manafort. Joe Biden, at the end of his term, pardoned his son Hunter, who was convicted of felony gun charges and pleaded guilty to tax charges.
