One of the most controversial actions that Trump took on day one was to issue a blanket pardon to all 1500+ individuals convicted of a variety of January 6th offenses. This was not a surprise, as he had signaled that he wanted to do this throughout his campaign. However, most believed that it would be on a case-by-case basis and that there would not be pardons for violent offenders who had assaulted police. In true Trump fashion, he proved everyone wrong by issuing an ill-though-out blanket pardon for all, even the most violent offenders.
The Signal
When interviewed on Tuesday (day 2), Trump couldn’t seem to focus on particular cases when asked by reporters. To me, this signals that he didn’t think this out very well, to the end that he really wasn’t familiar at all with individual cases. Even for the most violent offenders, he couldn’t say for sure whether he had issued pardons or commutations. Once again, he didn’t appear to do his homework before acting. That smacks of an impulsive act, rather than a carefully measured one.
Implications
The implications of this action are far-reaching and there will be many unintended consequences. The best analysis I have seen today is from Benjamin Wittes, writing in Lawfare:
The Situation: Why the Jan. 6 Pardons Won’t Work
This is a good read and well-reasoned analysis. I couldn’t agree more.
The blanket pardons were a bad idea. I don’t have as much of a problem pardoning some, but don’t agree with commuting the sentence or pardoning anyone sentenced to prison time. For the “I support the blue” president, it certainly is hypocritical.