Presidents can no longer be trusted with pardons | Jonah Goldberg Nov 19, 2025 Nov 19, 2025 Updated Feb 19, 2026 0 Prefer us on Google Learn More Facebook Twitter Bluesky WhatsApp SMS Email Print Copy article link Save Ours is a system of "checks and balances." Jonah Goldberg kAm%96 AC6D:56?E 42? 5@ E9:D @C E92E[ 3FE E96 4@FCED 2?5 r@?8C6DD 42? AFE 2 DE@A E@ :E W56A6?5:?8 @? E96 4:C4F>DE2?46D 2?5 C6=6G2?E CF=6DX] (96? E96 4@FCED CF=6 E92E E96 6I64FE:G6 3C2?49 42?VE 5@ D@>6E9:?8[ r@?8C6DD 42? HC:E6 2 ?6H =2H D2J:?8 E96 AC6D:56?E 42? 5@ :E] (96? r@?8C6DD A2DD6D 2 =2H E96 AC6D:56?E 5@6D?VE =:<6[ E96 AC6D:56?E 42? G6E@ :E] r@?8C6DD[ :7 :E 92D 6?@F89 G@E6D[ 42? @G6CC:56 E96 G6E@]k^AmkAmp?5 D@ @?] %96 H9@=6 :562 :D E@ 56?J 2?J @?6 3C2?49 @C A6CD@? E@@ >F49 4@?46?EC2E65 A@H6C]k^Am kAmxV> D@CCJ :7 x D@F?5 2 3:E 4@?56D46?5:?8 8:G6? E92E 6G6CJ@?6 :D DFAA@D65 E@ 92G6 =62C?65 E9:D DEF77 :? 8C256 D49@@=] qFE :E D66>D 2 =@E @7 A6@A=6 92G6 7@C8@EE6? 9@H @FC DJDE6> :D DFAA@D65 E@ H@C<[ D@ x E9@F89E 2 BF:4< C642A >:89E 36 96=A7F=]k^Am People are also reading… Lopez, Marin Diaz oust Lexington Mayor John Fagot from office Friday night playoffs: Nebraska high school football scores, updates LIV Golf's final scorecard: Biggest winners and losers from its collapse Lexington City Council to hold 4 public hearings at Nov. 10 meeting Paul Hammel: Does a 'curse' dog Nebraska football? Gothenburg upsets Bergan Catholic, makes semifinal for first-time since 2002 'He came here for a reason': Five-star freshman set to start in Andrew Marshall's absence Inside ‘The Vampire’s Cult’: Hardin shares research into Sydney Loofe murder case Lexington City Council adopts new zoning boundaries; Reynolds raises county concerns Plum Creek Community Players open auditions for February show Dawson County remembers Wyman’s little-known cross-country journey Costly mistakes doom Bergan in quarterfinal loss to Gothenburg Cozad to host annual Mingle on the Meridian event Ministerial association hosts Mooberry Memorial Thanksgiving Dinner, seeks volunteers Arlington man, 43, charged in shooting death of woman, 37 kAmp?JH2J[ 6G6? F?56C @FC DJDE6>[ 6249 3C2?49 92D A@H6CD E92E C62==J 42?VE 36 4964<65] r@?8C6DD[ 7@C :?DE2?46[ 92D D@=6 2FE9@C:EJ E@ =6GJ E2I6D[ DA6?5 E2IA2J6C >@?6J 2?5 564=2C6 H2C] ~?46 2 4@FCE 24BF:ED 2 5676?52?E[ E96 5676?52?E 42?VE 36 AC@D64FE65 7@C E92E 4C:>6 282:?]k^AmkAm%96 AC6D:56?E 92D D@>6 F?:BF6 A@H6CD[ E@@] %9:D :?4=F56D E96 D@=6[ 7:?2= 2FE9@C:EJ E@ 8C2?E A2C5@?D[ H9:49 42??@E 36 C6G:6H65 @C C6A62=65 3J r@?8C6DD @C E96 4@FCED]k^Am kAmxEVD E:>6 H6 492?865 E92E \\ 2?5 E96 @?=J H2J E@ 5@ D@ :D 3J 2>6?5:?8 E96 r@?DE:EFE:@?]k^Am kAm(6 D9@F=5 86E C:5 @7 E96 AC6D:56?EVD A@H6C E@ A2C5@? 7@C EH@ C62D@?D] %96 7:CDE :D E96 8C@E6DBF6 23FD6D @7 E92E A@H6C 3J !C6D:56?ED s@?2=5 %CF>A 2?5 y@6 q:56?] x? 9:D 7:CDE E6C>[ %CF>A :DDF65 2 D6C:6D @7 68C68:@FD A2C5@?D 7@C[ 2>@?8 @E96CD[ =24<6JD[ H2C 4C:>:?2=D 2?5 A@=:E:42= 2==:6D]k^Am kAmq:56? E96? :DDF65 3=2?<6E 2?5 AC66>AE:G6 A2C5@?D 7@C 9:D 72>:=J 2?5 G2C:@FD A@=:E:42= 2==:6D] !2CE:D2? 5676?56CD =:<6 E@ D2J E9:D H2D ?646DD2CJ E@ AC@E64E E96 q:56?D 7C@> A6CD64FE:@? 3J E96 :?4@>:?8 %CF>A 25>:?:DEC2E:@?] %96D6 5676?D6D E6?5 E@ @G6C=@@< E96 q:56? 72>:=JVD 6I4665:?8=J D925J 3FD:?6DD 562=:?8D] %96J 2=D@ :8?@C6 2 C27E @7 @E96C A2C5@?D 2?5 4@>>FE2E:@?D q:56? 2==6865=J ;FDE @FED@FC465 E@ :56@=@8F6D @? 9:D DE277]k^Am kAmq24< :? @77:46 :? a_ad[ %CF>A 92D @FE5@?6 q:56? W2?5 9:>D6=7X] w6 =2F?4965 9:D D64@?5 E6C> 3J 8C2?E:?8 >2DD A2C5@?D E@ E96 8@@?D H9@ 362E A@=:46 H:E9 7=28A@=6D 2?5 DE@C>65 E96 r2A:E@= @? 9:D 3692=7 @? y2?] e[ a_a`] $:?46 E96?[ 96VD A2C5@?65 2 C@8F6DV 82==6CJ @7 5@?@CD[ A2CE:D2? 2==:6D 2?5 A6@A=6 H:E9 3FD:?6DD E:6D E@ 9:> @C 9:D 72>:=J[ :?4=F5:?8 4CJAE@ 3:==:@?2:C6 r92?8A6?8 +92@[ E96 49:67 6I64FE:G6 @7 q:?2?46[ 2 EC25:?8 A=2E7@C> E92E 2==@H65 E6CC@C:DED 2?5 4C:>:?2= @C82?:K2E:@?D E@ 7:?2?46 E96:C @A6C2E:@?D F?56C E96 C252C]k^Am kAm+92@ A=62565 8F:=EJ E@ >@?6J =2F?56C:?8[ 3FE 96 2=D@ H@C<65 2DD:5F@FD=J E@ 3@@DE E96 %CF>A 72>:=JVD 4CJAE@ 3FD:?6DD] xE 2AA62CD 96 8@E 2 A2C5@? :? 6I492?86 7@C D6CG:46D C6?56C65]k^Am kAm%96 D64@?5 C62D@? 7@C 86EE:?8 C:5 @7 E96 AC6D:56?EVD A2C5@? A@H6C :?G@=G6D 4964<D 2?5 32=2?46D] %96 u@F?5:?8 u2E96CD 36=:6G65 E96 @?=J C6>65J 7@C E96 4@CCFAE 23FD6 @C >:DFD6 @7 A2C5@?D H2D :>A6249>6?E] y2>6D |25:D@?[ E96 AC:?4:A2= 2FE9@C @7 E96 r@?DE:EFE:@?[ H2D 6IA=:4:E @? E9:D A@:?E]k^Am kAmpE E96 ':C8:?:2 C2E:7J:?8 4@?G6?E:@?[ v6@C86 |2D@? @3;64E65 E92E E96 A2C5@? A@H6C H2D E@@ 8C62E[ 2?5 E92E AC6D:56?ED 4@F=5 FD6 A2C5@?D E@ DF3@C? 4C:>:?2= 24E:G:EJ @? E96:C 3692=7] |25:D@? C6DA@?565 E92E[ Qx7 E96 AC6D:56?E 36 4@??64E65 :? 2?J DFDA:4:@FD >2??6C H:E9 2?J WDF49X A6CD@?D[ 2?5 E96C6 36 8C@F?5D E@ 36=:6G6 96 H:== D96=E6C 9:>D6=7[ E96 9@FD6 @7 C6AC6D6?E2E:G6D 42? :>A6249 9:>]Qk^Am kAm%96 AC@3=6>i r@?8C6DDV :>A6249>6?E A@H6C 92D AC@G6? E@ 36 2 5625 =6EE6C :? E96 >@56C? 6C2 @7 9JA6C\A2CE:D2?D9:A] yFDE 2D AC6D:56?ED 42??@E 36 ECFDE65 E@ FD6 E96 A2C5@? A@H6C C6DA@?D:3=J[ r@?8C6DD 42??@E 36 ECFDE65 H:E9 E96 C6DA@?D:3:=:EJ E@ 9@=5 AC6D:56?ED 244@F?E23=6] (:E9@FE 4964<D[ E96C6 :D ?@ 32=2?46]k^AmkAm!2C5@?D 2?5 4=6>6?4J 56D6CG6 D@>6 C@@> :? @FC DJDE6>] qFE =62G:?8 :E D@=6=J :? E96 A@H6C @7 AC6D:56?ED 92D =65 E@ 6G6C>@C6 23FD6] x?5665[ :EVD 2=>@DE 2 46CE2:?EJ E92E %CF>A H:== FD6 E96 q:56? AC64656?E E@ AC66>AE:G6=J A2C5@? >F49 @7 9:D 25>:?:DEC2E:@?[ 9:D D@?D 2?5 9:>D6=7 367@C6 96 =62G6D @77:46] v:G6? E96 @?8@:?8 H62A@?:K2E:@? @7 E96 ;FDE:46 DJDE6> \\ 2?5 9:D 23FD6 @7 :E \\ 96V5 2=>@DE 36 2 7@@= ?@E E@]k^Am kAm%96 r@?DE:EFE:@? H2D HC:EE6? H:E9 >6? =:<6 v6@C86 (2D9:?8E@? :? >:?5] (96? (2D9:?8E@? @AE65 E@ DE6A 5@H? 27E6C EH@ E6C>D[ :E 6DE23=:D965 2 EH@\E6C> EC25:E:@? E92E 6?5FC65 F?E:= uC2?<=:? #@@D6G6=E G:@=2E65 :E] p7E6CH2C5[ H6 2>6?565 E96 r@?DE:EFE:@? E@ 4@5:7J H92E 925 366? 2 EC25:E:@?]k^Am Jonah Goldberg kAmu@C >@DE @7 @FC 9:DE@CJ[ AC6D:56?ED E@@< E96 D@=6>?:EJ @7 A2C5@?D \\ 2?5 E96 E9C62E @7 :>A6249>6?ED \\ D6C:@FD=J] %96J ?@ =@?86C 5@] xEVD E:>6 E@ 492?86 E96 r@?DE:EFE:@? 244@C5:?8=J]k^Am Goldberg is editor-in-chief of The Dispatch: thedispatch.com. 0 Comments Catch the latest in Opinion Get opinion pieces, letters and editorials sent directly to your inbox weekly! Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. Related to this story Most Popular Democrats in control of Congress must honor promises, redirect nation | Seattle Times President Donald Trump wasn’t on the ballot last week, but he asked voters to pretend that he was. And they did. Election 2026 We voted. Is our work as citizens just beginning? | The Ethical Life podcast 🎧 Casting ballots settles elections, but meaningful change requires staying informed, contacting elected officials and participating in decis… ESPN is gambling with its credibility | Adam Minter Nicole Noren spent 24 years at ESPN, much of that time producing award-winning investigative journalism on difficult topics, including human t…
Democrats in control of Congress must honor promises, redirect nation | Seattle Times President Donald Trump wasn’t on the ballot last week, but he asked voters to pretend that he was. And they did.
Election 2026 We voted. Is our work as citizens just beginning? | The Ethical Life podcast 🎧 Casting ballots settles elections, but meaningful change requires staying informed, contacting elected officials and participating in decis…
ESPN is gambling with its credibility | Adam Minter Nicole Noren spent 24 years at ESPN, much of that time producing award-winning investigative journalism on difficult topics, including human t…