Does a Presidential pardon mean that the person pardoned has to acknowledge they committed a crime? ?

Answer 1

No, not always. The President can pardon an entire class of criminals who may not even know they qualify as pardoned, let alone charged with any crime.  One piece of paper could, in theory, pardon anyone involved in the riot on the Capitol, if they can prove they qualify for it.  "Two-edged sword", anyone?

Answer 2

Not necessarily but it does mean that most people will assume you were guilty or why would you need or want a pardon?

Answer 3

Individual pardons for specific cases, yes. Blanket pardons for general actions, no.

Jimmy Carter, the day after being sworn in, pardoned those who had evaded the Vietnam draft.  The pardon covered everybody, those who were prosecuted and convicted and those were never arrested or charged with a crime. To say that ALL must acknowledge a crime to receive a pardon for it is a falsehood.

https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/presid...

Answer 4

Not necessarily.  Carter gave a blanket pardon for all Vietnam War draft dodging, without requiring them all to acknowledge it.

Answer 5

Accepting a pardon is considered an admission of guilt.

Answer 6

A pardon doesn't even require the person granting it to acknowledge there was a crime. It is not unprecedented for someone to be granted a pardon for any crime that may or may not have been committed. by the person during a given period of time.

Answer 7

It normally means that the person pardoned was convicted of something specific, whether or not the person acknowledges it. They're pardoned for that specific conviction.

Trying to pardon somebody vaguely when they have not been convicted of anything specific implies the person pardoning thinks the person pardoned is likely to be found criminally guilty of something specific in the future. It's not normal to try to do that. And it likely would not be legally valid.

Answer 8

You can't plead the 5th either. 

Answer 9

They were found guilty of a federal crime. Everyone will say they’re not guilty to their dying breath. 

Answer 10

Can't be pardoned if you aren't guilty.