President Trump's recent pardons send the message that the rule of law is optional

Don't buy into it

Last week, I was invited on NPR and WBUR Boston’s Here & Now to discuss the writing on the wall of Trump’s latest pardons, which are being doled out as a measure of abject loyalty to and financial support for President Donald Trump.

While Trump is detaining and deporting people on allegations of gang affiliation, he also issued a commutation to a man who is serving time for nationwide criminal gang activity and related crimes.

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This is an abuse of power. Pardons are meant to restore justice, show mercy, and heal national divides. They are not meant to let loyalists get away with breaking the law.

I know this probably sounds like another Monday downer. We are all exhausted by the bad news. But it’s critical to diagnose the cancer before we can begin to treat it. Turning away from the hard stuff is not going to get us on the path to healing. So thanks for staying with me through another basic civics lesson!

A quick refresher on the presidential pardon power: