State lawmakers in New York on Tuesday passed a bill aimed at preventing associates of Donald Trump from escaping justice through presidential pardons.
"New York legislators gave final passage Tuesday to a bill that would allow state prosecutors, including New York Attorney General Letitia James, to prosecute those who’ve been pardoned of federal crimes by President Donald Trump," the New York Law Journal reported. "That’s currently not allowed in New York because of what Democrats who back the measure have called the 'double jeopardy loophole,' a gap in state law that prevents state prosecutors from using the same set of facts to bring charges against a federally pardoned individual."
The bill passed the state Assembly 90 - 52 after passing the state Senate earlier in the week.
"Since there’s inaction in Washington to stop any of this power of the pardon being abused, or in any other way stopping the president from doing whatever he wants, it’s kind of ironic that the state has to step in and enforce the state’s rights to change the law so that we can check the power of the president,” Democratic Assemblyman Joseph Lentol said.
Governor Andrew Cuomo has indicated he will sign the bill into law.