Congressman wants to limit pardon authority for outgoing presidents

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Rep. Barney Frank, D-Massachusetts, Tuesday introduced a constitutional amendment to ban presidents from using the pardon authority for the period starting one month prior to a presidential election through Inauguration Day.

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"The abuses we have seen of the pardoning power -- most egregiously by former President Clinton -- came in the lame-duck period," he said in a statement. "But if a pardon is justified, the president granting the pardon should be prepared to defend it before the American people while he or his party is still subject to electoral sanction."

An outgoing president would still be allowed to delay executions during the period if new information affecting the condemned is brought to light, a press release from Frank's office said.

A proposed constitutional amendment must pass the House and Senate with a two-thirds majority, be signed by the president and win ratification by three-fourths of the state legislatures to be adopted.

"We can amend the Constitution in a way that leaves the beneficial aspects of the pardoning power intact while substantially reducing the chances that it will be abused," Frank said.

Clinton issued 140 pardons and 36 sentence commutations hours before he left office. Several of them have drawn criticism because of the political connections of some of those who won presidential clemency and questions about whether campaign donations played a role. Clinton has denied any impropriety.

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