Does the president have total power to commute and pardon?
Yes. Despite the checks and balances in the US political system, the power to pardon and commute sentences lies solely with the president. The framers of the constitution agreed that the prerogative of mercy was most efficiently and fairly exercised by a single individual rather than a body of legislators or judges. “Humanity and good policy conspire to dictate that the benign prerogative of pardoning should be as little as possible fettered or embarrassed,” Alexander Hamilton, one of the foremost interpreters of the US constitution, wrote. Did Mr Bush consult anyone on the Libby decision? The president reportedly limited discussions to a few close aides, choosing to consult neither the justice department nor those lobbying on Mr Libby’s behalf. He did not consult Patrick Fitzgerald, the chief prosecutor in the case, either, as routinely happens in cases that go through the justice department’s pardon attorney. Administration officials said Mr Bush took his decision after hearing that
