I'd like to point out that a Presidential pardon and being granted executive clemency are two totally different animals. Executive clemency entails either the commutation or the reduction of your sentence. It is rarely granted but when it is, it is sure to raise some eyebrows. As for Presidential pardons...

The President ... shall have power to grant reprieves and pardons for offenses against the United States, except in cases of impeachment. - United States Constitution, Article II, Section 2

And ya know what, every one of them (with the exception of Garfield and Harrison who both died in office) did.

How Do I Get One?

Well, obviously there are some standards that must be adhered to but in general, you must have demonstrated "good conduct" for a period of time after your conviction and after you have served your sentence. Should you decide to petition for a presidential pardon, the Department of Justice considers that period to be at least 5 years.

What Do You Mean By "Good Conduct"?

Be prepared to have the FBI run a little check on you to see what you've been up after you've been released. They'll probably look into such things as your employment history, your financial dealings, what you do in your community, your educational history, any kind of volunteer or charity work that you do, and if you've been convicted for any other crimes.

What Are Some Other Considerations?

How about the seriousness of your crime? Such offenses that are considered as violent crimes, large scale drug trafficking, a betrayal of the public trust or fraud involving large amounts of money are generally put on the back burner when it comes to Presidential pardons. In these instances, the longer you wait to file a petition, the better off you'll likely be. The reason is twofold. One, these cases generally draw major media attention and might involve so-called prominent individuals who are visible to the public eye. Secondly, if the pardon occurs too quickly after the time is served, the effect of the sentence as a deterrent is cheapened. Any impact that your crime might have had to the victims is also a major consideration.

What Should I Include In My Petition?

Besides certain biographical information such as name/age/date of birth/social security number etc, etc, etc, you should include a statement indicating your remorse for the offense of which you were convicted. Try and stay away from statements that attempt to justify your actions such as the old "Everybody else was doing it" or that you didn't realize your actions were illegal. They don't carry much weight. Remember, you looking to be forgiven, not vindicated.

You should also state the reason your looking for a pardon in the first place. Certain felony convictions carry a wide range of implications regarding things such as future employment, the ability to cast your vote and/or possess a handgun or other types of firearms. It will also stave off any threats of deportation that might be coming your way.

A Few Other Things

Any official reports that cast you in a favorable light should also be included. These might include statements from the prosecuting attorney, the sentencing judge and parole board.

Some You Might Have Heard Of

The following a partial list of some of the more recent high profile Presidential pardons and the granting of executive clemency that have raised some eybrows over the years.

Warren G. Harding – Eugene V. Debs

Harry S. Truman – granted clemency to Oscar Collazo for his attempted assassination of Truman himself. He reduced his death sentence to that of life imprisonment. Later, Collazo was granted clemency again by Jimmy Carter and his sentenced reduced to time served.

Richard M.Nixon – commutes the sentence of Jimmy Hoffa. In an unrelated incident, the Teamsters Union votes Republican for the first time in its history.

Gerald Ford – Full pardon to Richard M. Nixon

Gerald Ford – Grants a full pardon to Tokyo Rose for activities during World War II

Jimmy Carter – grants amnesty to the Vietnam War draft resisters

Jimmy Carter - commutes the sentence of Patty Hearst on her armed robbery conviction

Jimmy Carter – commutes the sentence of G. Gordon Liddy for his involvement in the Watergate scandal.

Jimmy Carter – grants clemency to Peter Yarrow of Peter, Paul and Mary fame for a sexual offense.

Ronald Reagan – pardons George Steinbrenner

Ronald Reagan - grants clemency to two FBI agents by the name of Mark Felt and Edward Miller for breaking into Vietnam protesters office without any warrants.

George Bush – pardons Caspar Weinberger for his role in the Iran-Contra Scandal

George Bush – pardons Edwin L. Cox for bank fraud

Bill Clinton – pardons Marc Rich for evading $48 million in taxes, as well as conspiracy, racketeering and trading with the enemy. (Note – Rich never even stood trial, he fled the country and lived mostly in Europe.)

Just another note on Bill Clinton, he left over three thousand appeals for Presidential pardons still pending when he left office. They now become the responsibility of George W. Bush's administration.

Last but not least, here's a listing of the President's and the number of pardons that they granted during their time in office.

Franklin D. Roosevelt – 3687
Woodrow Wilson – 2480
Harry S. Truman – 2044
Calvin Coolidge – 1545
Herbert Hoover – 1385
Ulysses S. Grant – 1332
Lyndon B. Johnson – 1187
Dwight D. Eisenhower – 1157
Grover Cleveland – 1107
Theodore Roosevelt – 981
Richard Nixon – 926
William McKinley – 918
Rutherford B. Hayes – 893
Warren G. Harding – 800
William H. Taft – 758
Andrew Johnson – 654
Benjamin Harrison – 613
John F. Kennedy – 575
Jimmy Carter – 566
Bill Clinton – 456
James Monroe – 419
Gerald Ford – 409
Ronald Reagan – 406
Andrew Jackson – 386
Abraham Lincoln – 343
Chester Arthur – 337
James K. Polk – 268
John Tyler – 209
James Madison – 196
John Quincy Adams – 183
Millard Fillmore – 170
Martin Van Buren – 168
James Buchanan – 150
Franklin Pierce – 142
Thomas Jefferson – 119
George Bush – 77
Zachary Taylor – 38
John Adams – 21
George Washington – 16
James Garfield – 0
William H Harrison – 0 jurist.law.pitt.edu/pardons
www.usdoj.gov/olc/pardon3.19.htm
www.silicon-valley.com/pardonme/index.shtml