# How does the presidential pardon work for unknown crimes? **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [November 12, 2020, 7:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-does-the-presidential-pardon-work-for-unknown-crimes/925452 "2020-11-12T19:20:42Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![paulmarkj](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/9e8a1a/32.png) [@paulmarkj](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/paulmarkj)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2020, 7:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-does-the-presidential-pardon-work-for-unknown-crimes/925452/1 "2020-11-12T19:20:42Z")
I always thought the presidential pardon was for people wh have been convicted of a crime. But if Trump wants a pardon for himself and has not been convicted, can that still work? Can a president pardon someone for a crime for which he/she has not been convicted? Can a president give a blanket pardon possible crimes? (Ie: to say ’ he is pardoned for any crimes relating to X '). Can a president give a pardon for a future crime? ---
**Author:** ![Velocity](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/velocity/32/18006_2.png) [@Velocity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Velocity)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2020, 7:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-does-the-presidential-pardon-work-for-unknown-crimes/925452/2 "2020-11-12T19:25:42Z")
Wasn’t Ford’s pardon of Nixon a blanket pardon for all federal crimes Nixon may or may not have committed while in office? ---
**Author:** ![DavidNRockies](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/davidnrockies/32/6279_2.png) [@DavidNRockies](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DavidNRockies)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2020, 7:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-does-the-presidential-pardon-work-for-unknown-crimes/925452/3 "2020-11-12T19:28:49Z")
I think it’s roughly equivalent to sincerely apologizing to your spouse when you have _absolutely no idea_ what you did wrong. ---
**Author:** ![DavidNRockies](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/davidnrockies/32/6279_2.png) [@DavidNRockies](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DavidNRockies)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2020, 7:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-does-the-presidential-pardon-work-for-unknown-crimes/925452/4 "2020-11-12T19:31:39Z")
FactCheck supports this position: > **[Blanket Pardons - FactCheck.org](https://www.factcheck.org/2008/06/blanket-pardons/)** > > Q: Can a president issue a blanket pardon to an individual for crimes that may have been committed in the past but have not yet been discovered? A: Yes. That’s just what Gerald Ford did when he granted “a full, free, and absolute pardon” to Richard... ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2020, 7:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-does-the-presidential-pardon-work-for-unknown-crimes/925452/5 "2020-11-12T19:35:56Z")
> [@Velocity](#): > > Wasn’t Ford’s pardon of Nixon a blanket pardon for all federal crimes Nixon may or may not have committed while in office? Here’s the relevant text: > [@](#): > > Now, THEREFORE, I, GERALD R. FORD, President of the United States, pursuant to the pardon power conferred upon me by Article II, Section 2, of the Constitution, have granted and by these presents do grant a full, free, and absolute pardon unto Richard Nixon for all offenses against the United States which he, Richard Nixon, has committed or may have committed or taken part in during the period from January 20, 1969 through August 9, 1974. ---
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2020, 7:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-does-the-presidential-pardon-work-for-unknown-crimes/925452/6 "2020-11-12T19:42:16Z")
A couple of howevers. Presidential pardons apply only to federal crimes, not to state crimes. They apply only to actions in the past; they cannot pardon future crimes. Someone who has accepted a pardon no longer has a fifth amendment right against self-incrimination for that offense and can be compelled to testify/ A pardon, therefore, is not a magic spell. It has real-world limitations. ---
**Author:** ![Red\_Wiggler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/red_wiggler/32/13190_2.png) [@Red\_Wiggler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Red_Wiggler)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2020, 7:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-does-the-presidential-pardon-work-for-unknown-crimes/925452/7 "2020-11-12T19:42:44Z")
Ok, but isn’t the self-pardon some sort of admission to culpability? That would be a big step for our baby president. ---
**Author:** ![Velocity](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/velocity/32/18006_2.png) [@Velocity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Velocity)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2020, 7:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-does-the-presidential-pardon-work-for-unknown-crimes/925452/8 "2020-11-12T19:52:21Z")
Yes, but when or if someone is facing real jeopardy with real consequences, they can swallow their pride reeeaaal quick. In theory. ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2020, 7:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-does-the-presidential-pardon-work-for-unknown-crimes/925452/9 "2020-11-12T19:57:21Z")
Ford wanted Nixon to express contrition before the pardon, but Nixon refused, believing he had committed no crimes. Ford issued the pardon anyway. Afterward Nixon expressed regret for not handling Watergate “decisively or forthrightly,” and said he made mistakes, but never admitted to a crime. ---
**Author:** ![Sam\_Stone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Sam\_Stone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sam_Stone)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2020, 8:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-does-the-presidential-pardon-work-for-unknown-crimes/925452/10 "2020-11-12T20:01:50Z")
> [@Red\_Wiggler](#): > > Ok, but isn’t the self-pardon some sort of admission to culpability? That would be a big step for our baby president. Not necessarily. If a President thought he was innocent but was being unfairly hounded, he might pardon himself just to stop what he believes is a witch hunt. But I don’t expect Trump to pardon himself, nor do I expect him to be charged with any federal crimes for his time in office.