Nixon on Pardoning North, Poindexter
How right you are when you say that Nixon himself is the strongest possible argument against pretrial pardons (“View From the Past,” editorial, April 12). I believe (and hope) that Ford’s premature pardon of Nixon was one of the reasons Ford lost the election to Jimmy Carter. Unfortunately, President Reagan has nothing to lose by pardoning North and Poindexter. Nothing, that is, except the respect of those who believe in letting the courts decide matters of guilt and innocence.
Maybe it’s time to take whatever steps are necessary to outlaw presidential pardons, since they can so obviously be abused and used to circumvent justice.
LOUISE D. LILLARD
Los Angeles
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