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BREAKING: Republican Congressman breaks ranks to rein in Trump’s pardon abuse with new Constitutional amendment.
BREAKING: Republican Congressman breaks ranks to rein in Trump’s pardon abuse with new Constitutional amendment.
In a stunning sign that even some Republicans have had enough, a Republican lawmaker just signed onto a constitutional amendment to rein in Donald Trump’s out-of-control pardon power.
Rep. Don Bacon (R-Neb.) has become the first House Republican to co-sponsor the “Pardon Integrity Act,” a proposed constitutional amendment that would allow Congress to block presidential pardons with a two-thirds vote. The effort is being led by Rep. Johnny Olszewski (D-Md.), and it’s a direct response to Trump’s jaw-dropping second-term pardon binge.
And what a binge it’s been.
Trump kicked off his new term by pardoning thousands of January 6 defendants — including people charged with assaulting police officers who defended the Capitol. He’s handed out clemency like party favors: to disgraced former Rep. George Santos, Silk Road founder Ross Ulbricht, Rod Blagojevich, crypto mogul “CZ” Zhao, and even five former NFL players convicted of financial and drug-related crimes.
This isn’t mercy. It’s a loyalty rewards program.
Bacon didn’t mince words. “Frankly, it is clear to me the pardon authority has been abused,” he said, calling the amendment a “narrow, commonsense guardrail.”
The proposal would allow just 20 House members and five senators to trigger a vote to nullify a pardon — but it would still require a two-thirds majority in both chambers. In other words, it wouldn’t be easy. It would simply restore a basic check on a president who treats the Constitution like a suggestion.
Let’s be clear: every modern president has had at least one controversial pardon. But Trump has turned clemency into a political weapon — shielding allies, signaling loyalty tests, and sending the message that if you protect him, he’ll protect you.
Even in a deeply polarized Congress, bipartisan frustration is growing. That alone tells you something.
Will this constitutional amendment pass? It’s a long shot. Amendments require two-thirds of Congress and ratification by 38 states.
But the bigger headline is this: the cracks are showing. When even Republicans start admitting the pardon power has been abused, you know the abuse has gone way, way too far.
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