Increased Transparency for Presidential Pardons and Protection of Investigations
This Act increases transparency in the presidential clemency process by requiring the President to publish a written explanation for every pardon decision. It mandates the preparation of a Justice Impact Statement, which must include input from crime victims and law enforcement officials, aiming to protect ongoing investigations. Furthermore, the law expands lobbying disclosure requirements to cover individuals seeking pardons, giving citizens better insight into who influences these decisions.
Key points
The President must publish a written explanation for every grant of executive clemency (pardon, commutation, reprieve) in the Federal Register and on the official website.
The Pardon Attorney must prepare a Justice Impact Statement, including the opinions of victims and an assessment of the clemency's impact on any ongoing investigation or prosecution.
Lobbying disclosure requirements are expanded to cover individuals lobbying for executive clemency, requiring prompt registration and reporting of these activities.
Victims of offenses subject to potential clemency must be informed and allowed to submit written statements for inclusion in the Justice Impact Statement.
The Act requires the Pardon Attorney to conduct regular studies and submit reports to Congress on compliance with these new transparency rules.
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