The president “clearly has the constitutional power to execute pardons” without conferring with the Office of the Pardon Attorney, Sessions said during a hearing before the Senate Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, Science and Related Agencies. Both decisions were made without input from the Justice Department. Sessions had said during past congressional testimony that it would be an abuse of power for the president to pardon someone without first going through the pardon attorney, said Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.). “You and I are in total agreement, and that is that we care deeply about the integrity of the Justice Department . Sen. Jerry Moran (R-Kan.) asked Sessions about a citizenship question the Justice Department wants included in the 2020 census.

Source: Washington Post April 25, 2018 19:10 UTC