Yes.
A presidential pardon excuses the punishments of a felony, but the crime isn’t automatically overturned or erased from one’s record.
Adam Johnson, photographed with Nancy Pelosi’s lectern during the Jan. 6 Capitol riots, announced he’s running for office in Manatee County. He was among nearly 1,600 people pardoned by President Trump. Johnson — who was convicted of a misdemeanor — and others convicted of felonies had their civil rights restored by the pardon, allowing them to hold office.
Legal interpretations of pardons have evolved over the years. In 1866, a court ruled a pardon acts as if that person never committed the felony.
Carlesi v. New York (1914), however, said a pardon doesn’t erase the facts of a crime; Nixon v. United States (1993) said it sets aside punishment but doesn’t overturn a conviction.
Editor’s Note: This fact brief was updated to clarify that Adam Johnson was convicted of a misdemeanor.
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Sources
- Cornell Law School Legal Effects of a Pardon
- U.S. Report Carlesi v. New York
- Justia Nixon v. United States
- U.S. Department of Justice Presidential Pardon
