In Office

The word "pardon" finds its roots in the Latin "perdonare,"
which means to give wholeheartedly. In countries all over
the world each year, such pardons are given by sovereign
powers to accused persons, conveying the forgiveness of
crimes and their associated penalties.

In the United States, the authority for granting pardons
for federal crimes lies with the president. It was on his
final day in office that George Washington granted the
first high-profile federal pardon. Today, U.S. presidents
receive upwards of 600 petitions for forgiveness a year.
The percentage granted varies from president to president.


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