House Democrats Work To Check Trump’s Pardon Power

WASHINGTON (AP) – House Democrats are trying to rein in one of President Donald Trump’s biggest powers: the power of the pardon. A House panel on Thursday plans to vote on legislation that is intended to discourage presidents from giving pardons to friends and family. The legislation would also ban presidents from pardoning themselves. While the bills are unlikely to pass Congress, Democrats say a response is necessary after Trump has come to the aid of allies he believes have been mistreated by the justice system, including longtime confidant Roger Stone. Trump commuted Stone’s prison sentence earlier this month after he was convicted of crimes related to the Russia investigation.