President Trump Knows How to Pick Them
“An Amherst man who was previously pardoned by President Trump for his role in the Jan. 6 Capitol riot was sentenced to prison for possession of child pornography. Thirty-one-year-old Daneil Tocci pleaded guilty to one count of the charge after federal investigators discovered a massive collection of illicit images during a search of his home and electronic devices.”
“…searches resulted in the discovery of more than 110,000 child pornography images. Authorities stated the images were compiled across a variety of storage drives and digital devices. Following the discovery, Tocci was charged with possession of child pornography.” – WWLP.com, March 27, 2026 – Amherst man sentenced for child pornography after Jan. 6 pardon
“Judge Mark Mastroianni said Wednesday he tried to balance several factors while imposing the sentence of 48 months in the Bureau of Prisons followed by five years of supervised release, one being a punishment severe enough that would “affect individuals thinking about committing these offenses.”” – MassLive.com, Daniel Jackson, March 27, 2026 – Amherst man pardoned by Trump over Jan. 6 sentenced for child porn possession
Recommended Reading
The Presidential Pardon: The Short Clause with a Long, Troubled History
Astonishing, unconstrained, and often unsettling―the presidential pardon is one of the most powerful tools in American government, and this indispensable book is your guide to how it defines the presidency, justice, and politics.
The Constitution’s Pardon Clause grants the president a power unmatched in scope and consequence. In The Presidential Pardon, legal scholar Saikrishna Prakash explores how this brief clause has grown into the most expansive and controversial tool of the modern presidency.
Originally intended as a mechanism of mercy―to temper harsh laws and foster reconciliation―the pardon was once used with solemnity and circumspection. Today, it has evolved into a blunt and potent political instrument. Presidents use it to shield allies, reward supporters, fulfill campaign promises, and make political statements. In January 2025, for instance, the outgoing and incoming presidents issued major pardons―one to protect relatives and allies, the other to deliver on a pledge to his electoral coalition. These actions mark a turning point: the pardon power is no longer a curious exception to politics but increasingly a feature of it. Pardons have become a continuation of politics by other means.
Prakash, a preeminent expert on constitutional law and the executive branch of government, delivers an engaging and accessible analysis of this transformation. The Presidential Pardon brings together little-known history, sharp political insight, and learned constitutional interpretation in a timely examination of executive power. As the partisan exercise of pardon grows more routine, Prakash asks: Can our rule of law survive a presidential power that is checked by no one?
Recommended Reading
Donald Trump and Adolf Hitler: Making A Serious Comparison by Horace Bloom
How dare you compare Donald Trump to Adolf Hitler! Haven’t you heard of Godwin’s Law?
Let’s talk about this. There’s a cultural taboo against considering Nazi ideology in the context of present day politics. Donald Trump and Adolf Hitler by Horace Bloom confronts this taboo with responsibility, entering into a serious examination of the political histories of the Third Reich and our own time. Bloom’s work isn’t a diatribe, but carefully pays attention to both the similarities and differences between Donald Trump and Adolf Hitler, and the contexts in which they have risen to power.
With the spread of political violence in the United States, and growing extremism in the 2016 presidential election, the comparison between Trump and Hitler has become unavoidable. However, a presidential candidate as breathtakingly original as Donald Trump deserves more than just a snigger here and a snide remark there. Horace Bloom delivers a powerful review of the relevance of the darkest days the 20th century to the essential decisions we are faced with in our own time.
Don’t cast your vote in the 2016 presidential election without confronting the complex web of connections between Trump and Hitler.
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