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Connections
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Connections

Pardon me, do we have too many presidential pardons?

By Evan Dawson,
Megan Mack, Julie Williams
Published December 4, 2025 at 3:14 PM EST
Four men wearing headphones sit at a table in a radio talk studio: a man front left has short grey hair and is wearing a white button-down shirt, black sweater and jeans; a man front right has short dark hair and is wearing a grey button-down shirt, jeans and brown shoes; a man back left has short grey hair and is wearing a green button-down shirt under a grey sweater; a man back right has short grey hair and is wearing glasses, a grey button-down shirt and a grey and black argyle sweater.
Gary Pudup
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WXXI News
(foreground) John Ark, (background) Richard Dollinger and Thomas VanStrydonck with host Evan Dawson on "Connections with Evan Dawson" on Thursday, December 4, 2025
WXXI News

After several more controversial pardons from President Trump, legal scholars are debating how to reform the pardon process.

Trump's pardons come on the heels of a wave of pardons from President Biden, shielding family and close associates from possible future legal consequences.

What changes should be made to the process, if any? Our guests discuss it.

In studio:

  • John Ark, retired New York State Supreme Court justice
  • Richard Dollinger, retired New York Court of Claims judge
  • Thomas VanStrydonck, retired New York State Supreme Court justice

Connections
Evan Dawson
Evan Dawson is the host of "Connections with Evan Dawson." He joined WXXI in January 2014 after working at 13WHAM-TV, where he served as morning news anchor. He was hired as a reporter for 13WHAM-TV in 2003 before being promoted to anchor in 2007.
See stories by Evan Dawson
Megan Mack
Megan Mack is the executive producer of "Connections with Evan Dawson" and live/televised engagement programming.
See stories by Megan Mack
Julie Williams
Julie Williams is an associate producer for "Connections with Evan Dawson." She started at WXXI in 2019 and has been working on Connections since 2022.
See stories by Julie Williams