If approved by voters, it would, for the first time in history, place some restrictions on the governor’s power to issue pardons and commutations while in office.
The measure is sponsored by Sen. Christian McDaniel, R-Ryland Heights, who says it was filed in response to controversial pardons and commutations issued by former Gov. Matt Bevin during his final days in office after he lost his re-election bid to Democrat Andy Beshear.
The measure is sponsored by Sen. Christian McDaniel, R-Ryland Heights, who says it was filed in response to controversial pardons and commutations issued by former Gov. Matt Bevin during his final days in office after he lost his re-election bid to Democrat Andy Beshear.
According to McDaniel, “Sixty days prior to a gubernatorial election, and from the time of the gubernatorial election until swearing in, a governor cannot issue a pardon.
“This forces any pardons a governor would wish to issue to be done in such a manner that they have to stand to account for the party whose standard-bearer they are and has to stand to account to the voters of the Commonwealth of Kentucky.”
Originally, McDaniel had proposed that the ban begin 30 days before the election but lengthened it because of early voting in Kentucky.
He acknowledges that some people say lawmakers should not eliminate the pardon power. But McDaniel says the proposed amendment does not do that.
“This is 90 days out of every four years, where there is a restriction on that ability. I think this is a reasonable solution to a glaring hole in the Commonwealth’s Constitution.”
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Original article on Kentucky Today
