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American History Hit

Presidential Pardons: Mormons, Conscientious Objectors & January 6th

American History Hit

History Hit

America, History

4.31.7K Ratings

🗓️ 17 June 2024

⏱️ 45 minutes

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

In the US Constitution, the President of the United States is granted the right to pardon those convicted of federal crimes.


But how do they tend to use these pardons, and when have they been used in the cases of mass insurrection? From Mormons, to conscientious objectors, to the January 6th uprising, Don is joined by Graham Dodds to discuss this history.


Professor Graham Dodds teaches at Concordia University in Montreal. His book on this subject is 'Mass Pardons in America: Rebellion, Presidential Amnesty, and Reconciliation'.


Produced by Sophie Gee. Edited by Aidan Lonergan. Senior Producer was Charlotte Long.


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Transcript

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0:00.0

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0:29.8

Overhead, the harsh fluorescent lights buzz then flicker to life.

0:37.0

For a few precious moments, the somber silence still hangs in the air.

0:41.0

But then it all begins, the waking hours. The men yawning

0:45.7

loudly, calling out to cellmates, complaining to guards. The guards shouting

0:50.9

back with shataps and keep it down.

0:54.2

It's another day in prison, another day locked behind bars.

0:58.2

The tallied days and weeks and years passed by,

1:01.6

and the many more yet to come. We rise from the cot and climb stiffly to our feet.

1:07.0

There will be breakfast, if you can call it that.

1:10.0

Then the yard for exercise, the showers, the books in the library, the work shift in the laundromat.

1:16.0

Same program as yesterday, same as tomorrow.

1:19.0

Same to the end of this interminable penalty paid.

1:22.0

Or maybe not. There could be parole, or that appeal goes through,

1:27.2

or maybe if the planets align and the angels descend, maybe then, just maybe, the President of the United States will pardon us. Good day listeners this is American History Hit and I'm your host Don Wildman.

1:49.4

Article 2 of the US Constitution lays out in four sections the executive powers election and

1:56.9

broad duties of the presidency. Section 2 of that article concerns the President's role as

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