NPR

Trump Sees Pardon As Power, Perk — Considers One For Muhammad Ali

For President Trump, the pardon seems to have become the ultimate symbol of presidential power. He says he's considering one for the late boxer, though Ali's attorney says it's not necessary.
In this file photo, Muhammad Ali is honored on March 14, 2001, receiving the UCP's Humanitarian Award from Donald Trump at the United Cerebral Palsy dinner at the New York Marriott Marquis Hotel in New York City.

Certain rituals have grown up around the use of the presidential pardon.

The most common is a lengthy review by the Justice Department on the merits of any such petition for a pardon.

But for President Trump, the pardon seems to have become the ultimate symbol of presidential power — the ability to use this exclusive authority as an act of benevolent largess and as the ultimate political perk.

In recent decades the has been used to varying degrees, but one thing fairly consistent is that pardons

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