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119-s-5256119th Congress

Abuse of the Pardon Prevention Act of 2026

Sponsored By: Senator Cortez Masto, Catherine [D-NV]

Introduced

Summary

Oversight of presidential pardons would be strengthened through mandatory inspector general reviews and required congressional access to prosecution and White House materials. It would also expand bribery laws tied to pardons, bar self-pardons, and require public financial disclosures from pardon recipients.

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  • Inspectors general must open investigations and receive the full prosecution, Justice Department, and Executive Office materials within 30 days of a pardon. Committees would get the same materials and could not use grand jury secrecy to block them, and the Attorney General or President must report noncompliance within 10 days.
  • Bribery rules would be rewritten to cover the President and Vice President and to treat pardons, commutations, reprieves, and offers of them as means or elements of bribery. Any presidential self-pardon would be void and would not confer immunity.
  • Individuals pardoned after enactment would be required to file detailed gift and financial reports with the Office of Government Ethics using an online portal the director must set up within 180 days. Reports would be posted publicly and annual disclosures would continue for five years.

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Bill Overview

Analyzed Economic Effects

3 provisions identified: 1 benefits, 1 costs, 1 mixed.

Stronger bribery rules and self‑pardon ban

If enacted, federal bribery law would be changed to expressly cover the President and Vice President and certain apparent successful candidates who have not yet taken office. The bill would treat a pardon, commutation, reprieve, or an offer of any of those as possible corrupt consideration under bribery rules. The bill would also declare any self‑pardon by a President void and not effective to block investigation or prosecution.

Tighter oversight and document sharing

If enacted, the Attorney General and the President would have to send prosecution, DOJ, investigative, and Executive Office materials to Inspectors General and to congressional committee leaders within 30 days after a pardon for a covered offense. The Justice Department Inspector General would have to open an investigation as soon as practicable and publish an unclassified report of findings (with a classified annex if needed). Grand jury secrecy rules could not be used to block the required disclosures. The IG would also have to tell Congress within 10 days if the Attorney General or the President refused to provide required materials and list what was missing.

Public financial reports for pardons

If enacted, people pardoned on or after the bill would have to file public financial disclosure reports with the Office of Government Ethics. The Director must build an online portal within 180 days and post each report to a searchable website within 15 days after submission. An initial report is due within 30 days if the person gave a gift to the pardoning President during the 365 days before the pardon. Annual reports would be due by May 15 each year for five years after the pardon. The law would broaden what counts as a "gift," including some Presidential library and White House construction donations.

Sponsors & CoSponsors

Sponsor

Cortez Masto, Catherine [D-NV]

NV • D

Cosponsors

  • Sen. Schiff, Adam B. [D-CA]

    CA • D

    Sponsored 8/5/2026

  • Sen. Blumenthal, Richard [D-CT]

    CT • D

    Sponsored 8/5/2026

  • Sen. Hirono, Mazie K. [D-HI]

    HI • D

    Sponsored 8/5/2026

Roll Call Votes

No roll call votes available for this bill.

View on Congress.gov
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