Sorry Hugh Hewitt, But Kemp Can't Pardon Trump

It's been widely discussed in the media ever since Trump was indicted in Georgia that a pardon wasn't going to save him from facing criminal charges there. A president can't pardon state charges, and in Georgia, the State Board of Pardons and Paroles grants pardons, not the Governor:

Georgia's RICO charge carries a mandatory minimum sentence of five years in prison if convicted.In Georgia, a pardon is an "order of official forgiveness" only granted to those who have completed their sentence, according to the State Board of Pardons and Paroles' website.

A pardon "does not expunge, remove or erase the crime from your record," the website states. "It may serve as a means for a petitioner to advance in employment or education."

A pardon will also restore civil and political rights.

In Georgia, pardon power does not rest with the governor (aka Gov. Brian Kemp, a Republican) but with the State Board of Pardons and Paroles, a board within the state's executive branch.

The State Board of Pardons and Paroles is made up of five members who are appointed by the governor and then confirmed by the state Senate for a seven-year term.

read more