Could a Case Currently Before the Supreme Court Result in a Wider Presidential Pardon Power?
No, a case currently before the Supreme Court is unlikely to result in a wider presidential pardon power. The Supreme Court will only decide the legal issues presented in the case at hand and will not upend the longstanding precedent of limited power for the president when it comes to pardons. The US Supreme Court has historically been reluctant to expand the president’s pardon power, and the current case before the court does not involve any direct challenge to the president’s pardoning authority. The Supreme Court has previously explained that the president’s power to pardon is limited by the Constitution, and the president cannot pardon someone for a crime they have not yet committed. Furthermore, the Supreme Court has held that the president’s power to pardon is subject to judicial review, and the president cannot use the pardon power to interfere with criminal proceedings. As a result, it is unlikely that the Supreme Court will take any action that results in a wider presidential pardon power.
