{"product_id":"the-presidential-pardon-saikrishna-bangalore-prakash-9780674303201","title":"The Presidential Pardon: The Short Clause with a Long, Troubled History","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eAstonishing, unconstrained, and often unsettling--the presidential pardon is one of the most powerful tools in American government, and this indispensable book is your guide to how it defines the presidency, justice, and politics.\u003c\/b\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eThe Constitution's Pardon Clause grants the president a power unmatched in scope and consequence. In \u003ci\u003eThe Presidential Pardon, \u003c\/i\u003e legal scholar Saikrishna Prakash explores how this brief clause has grown into the most expansive and controversial tool of the modern presidency. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eOriginally intended as a mechanism of mercy--to temper harsh laws and foster reconciliation--the pardon was once used with solemnity and circumspection. Today, it has evolved into a blunt and potent political instrument. Presidents use it to shield allies, reward supporters, fulfill campaign promises, and issue sweeping pardons to make a political statement. In January 2025, for instance, the outgoing and incoming presidents issued major pardons--one to protect relatives and allies, the other to fulfill a promise to his electoral coalition. These actions mark a turning point: the pardon power is no longer a curious exception to politics but increasingly a feature of it. Pardons have become a continuation of politics by other means. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003ePrakash, a preeminent expert on constitutional law and the executive branch of government, delivers an engaging and accessible analysis of this transformation. \u003ci\u003eThe Presidential Pardon\u003c\/i\u003e brings together little-known history, sharp political insight, and learned constitutional interpretation in a timely examination of executive power. As the partisan exercise of pardon grows more routine, Prakash asks: Can our rule of law survive a presidential power that is checked by no one?\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eAuthor:\u003c\/b\u003e Saikrishna Bangalore Prakash\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eISBN-10:\u003c\/b\u003e 0674303202\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eISBN-13:\u003c\/b\u003e 9780674303201\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePublisher:\u003c\/b\u003e Harvard University Press\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eLanguage:\u003c\/b\u003e English\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePublished:\u003c\/b\u003e 01\/20\/2026\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePages:\u003c\/b\u003e 176\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eFormat:\u003c\/b\u003e Hardcover","brand":"Saikrishna Bangalore Prakash","offers":[{"title":"Hardcover","offer_id":47244408029439,"sku":"9780674303201","price":22.95,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0662\/2982\/9887\/files\/img_d6f4b476-b0db-4703-87bf-129f7b4ceedb.jpg?v=1758135673","url":"https:\/\/www.whiterainbookhouse.com\/products\/the-presidential-pardon-saikrishna-bangalore-prakash-9780674303201","provider":"WR Book House","version":"1.0","type":"link"}