Prof. Dr. Kimberly Wehle,
University of Baltimore (USA)
Pardon Power: How the Pardon System Works—and Why
Date: 30.4.2025, 6:00 p.m.
Venue: Room L619, 6th floor | Faculty of Law | Sigmund Freud University | Lassallestraße 3, 1020 Vienna
Please join Kim Wehle, legal scholar, media commentator and best-selling author of How to Read the Constitution—and Why, for a discussion of her latest book, Pardon Power: How the Pardon System Works—and Why. In this timely work, Wehle explores one of the more contentious tools of executive power in the United States: the presidential pardon. Kim will examine the historical origins, potential political and ethical dilemmas, and the role the executive pardon plays in the American system of checks and balances. She will offer na range insights on this often underestimated tool of federal power, examining its place within the American political system..
Please register until 29.4.2025: konrad.lachmayer@jus.sfu.ac.at
Biography
Kim Wehle is a legal scholar, author, and commentator known for making complex legal and constitutional issues accessible to the public. A former Assistant U.S. Attorney and Associate Independent Counsel in the Whitewater Investigation, Wehle is a leading voice on democracy, the rule of law, and the separation of powers. She has authored four books, including How to Read The Constitution—and Why, and How to Think Like a Lawyer—and Why and Pardon Power: How the Pardon System Works—and Why, and serves as a legal contributor for ABC News, offering expert analysis on major legal and political developments.
Currently a tenured Professor of Law at the University of Baltimore School of Law, Wehle began her career clerking for the Hon. Charles R. Richey of the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia before joining the Federal Trade Commission and later working on the Whitewater Investigation alongside Independent Counsel Kenneth Starr. She went on to serve as an Assistant U.S. Attorney in Washington, D.C., arguing cases before the U.S. Court of Appeals. She has taught at several prestigious law schools, and in 2025, she was selected as a Fulbright Scholar at Leiden University in the Netherlands, where she is researching global constitutional norms.
Wehle is a prominent legal analyst, appearing on major news networks including CNN, MSNBC, NPR, and PBS NewsHour. Her expert commentary on constitutional issues, impeachment, and the rule of law has been featured in publications like The Atlantic, Politico, and The Guardian. She also authors the Simple Politics newsletter, where she breaks down complex legal topics for a general audience. Through her work, Wehle continues to bridge the gap between legal scholarship and public understanding of democracy and governance.
Book
Publisher: Woodhall Press
Publication Date: September 2, 2024
Trade Paper: 200 pages
ISBN: 978-1954907508.