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“Presidential Pardons and Executive Clemency”
Presented by Eyad Boukli

The integrity of justice systems has faced challenges when "exceptions" arise—times when laws seem to bend for those in power and their inner circles. Growing up in the Middle East, I saw how dictators' close allies and families often operated above the law, shielded from accountability. Ordinary people, meanwhile, navigated this uneven playing field, sometimes benefiting from these exceptions but more often feeling the injustice.

In democratic countries, are we really immune to this? President Biden’s pardon of his son raises important questions about trust in the U.S. justice system. Does this act reflect a lack of confidence in its fairness? Could it signal a further erosion of equality before the law?

Closer to home, we should also ask: do similar patterns show up in Canada? Are we at risk of a declining justice system, or is our framework strong enough to withstand these challenges?

https://www.theguardian.com/news/audio/2024/dec/03/why-joe-biden-pardoned-his-son-podcast

https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/audio/2024/dec/05/the-heartfelt-hypocrisy-of-hunter-bidens-pardon-full-story-podcast