Sen. Amy Klobuchar says presidential pardon process "cries out for reform"

Washington — Sen. Amy Klobuchar, a Minnesota Democrat, said Sunday that the entire presidential pardoning process "cries out for reform" following some controversial commutations and pardons made by President Biden, including when the president issued a blanket pardon of his own son, Hunter.

"This whole process cries out for reform because otherwise you undermine the justice system," Klobuchar said on "Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan." 

The White House announced early Thursday that President Biden was commuting the sentence of nearly 1,500 people, marking the widest reaching clemency granted by a president in a single day. Among the individuals, many of whom had been placed on home confinement during the COVID-19 pandemic, were some who have sparked controversy in recent days — including a judge involved in a so-called "Kids for Cash" scheme.

Klobuchar interjected that she "did not like that one," adding that she did not agree with all the pardons and commutations.

"I have no doubt there were some righteous pardons in this group," Klobuchar said. "But there were a number that I think make no sense at all."

Further, she said she didn't agree with Mr. Biden's pardon of his son, Hunter, earlier this month. 

Klobuchar noted that she has also disagreed with a number of pardons that President-elect Donald Trump made during his first term. And the Minnesota Democrat said that while the pardon ability is part of the Constitution and has a long history that she said wouldn't be changed, she would advocate for reforms.

"We should have some kind of an outside board that governors have," she said. "Governors have the ability to give mercy to people after years have gone by, but a lot of them have boards that make recommendations and other things, instead of people just doing it in the middle of the night."

Klobuchar suggested that over a year-long period, a board could look at individual petitions rather than large groups, which she argued undermines the work of FBI agents and prosecutors who took on the cases. 

"Might you want mercy 10 years later?" Klobuchar said. "Yes, you might. But let's at least look at these on a factual basis and a risk basis, instead of just in the middle of the night a month before a president leaves."