To provide increased Congressional oversight of certain pardons, to clarify the applicability of bribery prohibitions to pardons and commutations, and for other purposes.
Abuse of the Pardon Prevention Act
This bill requires the President and the Department of Justice (DOJ) to provide certain information when the President grants a pardon for certain offenses. The bill also amends criminal statutes relating to the bribery of public officials.
If the President pardons or commutes the sentence of an individual for certain crimes, the President and DOJ shall submit to Congress all materials obtained, produced, or prepared by certain government entities relating to the offense and pardon. This requirement shall apply to a pardon for an offense against the United States involving the President or a relative of the President, or for specified offenses such as witness tampering and obstruction of justice.
The President and DOJ shall make these submissions no later than 30 days after the pardon.
The bill also amends a criminal statute prohibiting the bribery of public officials to state that for the purposes of the statute (1) the President or Vice President is a public official; and (2) a pardon, commutation, or reprieve (or an offer of such) is an official act. (Generally, the statute prohibits, among other things, corruptly offering anything of value to a public official with intent to influence an official act.)
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