What is one condition that limits the presidential pardon power?

The presidential pardon power is constitutionally grounded in Article II, Section 2 of the U.S. Constitution. One significant limitation is that pardons do not apply to cases of impeachment. This limitation means that if a federal official is impeached and subsequently convicted by the Senate, the president cannot grant a pardon that would undo that conviction. This restriction underscores the principle of accountability in government, ensuring that impeached officials cannot escape the consequences of their actions through presidential clemency.

The idea behind this limitation is to maintain the integrity of the impeachment process, which is designed to address serious abuses of power or misconduct. By excluding impeachment from the scope of presidential pardons, the framers of the Constitution aimed to ensure that the mechanisms for holding government officials accountable remain intact.

The other options do not correctly reflect the scope of presidential pardoning authority. For example, pardons can extend beyond civil rights violations and can encompass various criminal offenses, as well as state offenses, although the latter generally fall under state law rather than federal pardons. Thus, the limitation reflected in the correct choice is significant to understanding the boundaries of the executive clemency power.