Ernest William Cromartie
Pardon by Joseph R. Biden Jr.
The Case
Facts on file from the DOJ Office of the Pardon Attorney
- Offense
- Attempt to evade or defeat tax; structuring transactions to evade reporting requirements (two counts)
- District
- District of South Carolina
- Original Sentence
- 12 months and one day's imprisonment; three years' supervised release (October 15, 2010)
- Clemency Type
- Pardon — full forgiveness, restores civil rights
Case Overview & Context
Plain-English summary of the case and the legal context for this type of clemency
Case Overview
Ernest William Cromartie was convicted in the District of South Carolina of attempting to evade or defeat tax and two counts of structuring transactions to evade reporting requirements. He was sentenced on October 15, 2010, to 12 months and one day of imprisonment followed by three years of supervised release.
Pardon Context
A pardon is an act of presidential clemency that forgives a federal offense and restores civil rights such as voting, jury service, and firearm ownership, though the conviction remains part of the recipient's record. Unlike a commutation, which reduces a sentence while leaving the conviction intact, a pardon represents official forgiveness and removes most legal disabilities associated with the conviction. The pardon power is absolute under Article II of the Constitution and requires no judicial review or approval. The president's personal reasoning for this specific grant is not publicly documented.
AI-generated summary based on public clemency records. The president's specific personal reasoning for this grant is not publicly documented.
Constitutional authority: Article II, Section 2 of the Constitution grants the President “Power to grant Reprieves and Pardons for Offenses against the United States.” This power is absolute for federal crimes — Congress cannot override it, and no judicial review is required. The president is not required to publish reasons for individual grants.