Forgotten Power: How Minnesota’s Governors Once Held Unchecked Pardon Authority

In the 19th century, Minnesota’s governors wielded an astonishing level of power—unrestricted authority to grant pardons. No legislature, no oversight, just a single signature that could overturn convictions and rewrite lives. This little-known chapter in state history reveals a system far removed from today’s strict clemency protocols.

The Rise (and Fall) of Absolute Pardon Power

When Minnesota became a state in 1858, the governor’s pardon power was virtually unlimited. Unlike modern systems requiring board reviews or legislative approval, early governors could issue pardons:

• Without hearings – No formal process required
• For any reason – Personal connections sometimes influenced decisions
• At any time – Even immediately after sentencing

This system led to controversial pardons, including cases where governors freed convicted murderers. Public outcry eventually forced change.

The Tipping Point: Scandals That Changed Everything

By the 1880s, rampant abuse of pardon power sparked outrage:

1. 1883 – Governor Lucius Hubbard pardoned 47 prisoners in a single day
2. 1887 – Governor Andrew McGill faced allegations of selling pardons
3. 1891 – Legislature finally imposed the state’s first clemency restrictions

Modern Minnesota: A Dramatic Shift

Today, Minnesota’s pardon process involves:

• A Board of Pardons (governor, attorney general, chief justice)
• Mandatory victim notifications
• Five-year waiting periods after sentencing

The era of unchecked executive clemency is gone—but its legacy remains in ongoing debates about justice reform.

What do you think?

• Should governors regain unilateral pardon power to correct unjust sentences?
• Was the old system more humane—or just corrupt?
• Could modern AI systems make fairer pardon decisions than politicians?
• Do strict clemency rules perpetuate mass incarceration?