The Pardon Game

Published: Jan. 8, 2009, 11:01 a.m.

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A US president has a constitutional and inalienable right to grant pardons. He usually does this just before he leaves office. It is a mysterious and controversial business - notorious past pardons include Jimmy Hoffa, Caspar Weinberger, Ford's pardon of Nixon, Patty Hearst and fugitive billionaire Marc Rich. Listen to Owen Bennett-Jones as travels to Washington to find out what the process involves and who might be getting one from President George W. Bush.

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