Episode 100 | Who Should Biden Pardon? It's Complicated.

It's Complicated

In this centennial episode of our show, hosts Asha Rangappa and Renato Mariotti share their insights on who President Biden should consider pardoning, and unravel the complex implications of these decisions.

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Asha, a national security law educator at Yale and former FBI special agent, and Renato, a former federal prosecutor and legal analyst, navigate through the intricacies of presidential pardon power—granted by Article 2, Section 2 of the Constitution.

We’ll kick things off by analyzing the recent pardon of President Biden’s son, Hunter. Renato and Asha argue that presidential pardon power should ideally be used to right societal wrongs, and mend deeper systemic issues. But they’ll also touch on how Hunter's prosecution was an anomaly, wrongfully driven by political vendettas.

Our hosts explore some of the other potential recipients of pardons, considering the many individuals Trump has promised to target when he’s back in power. And though there may be a potential backlash, Asha and Renato urge President Biden to issue protective pardons for folks like Liz Cheney, and so many others.

And finally, we’ll talk about the radical idea of pardoning Donald Trump, which could steer the nation toward reconciliation and help cool partisan tensions.

As we wrap things up, you won’t want to miss Asha’s update on her birthday celebrations, or Renato’s long awaited vacation plans. They’ll also invite our listeners to join us on an 11-day cruise next summer, sailing from Copenhagen to Iceland! It’s going to be a relaxing trip with lots of engaging conversation.

Until next week, stay curious, stay engaged, and we’ll see you back here on It's Complicated.

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