Caprice

Duhbya will even spare an evil-doer the death penalty if it enhances his power. And you know it's painful to him when his two core principles collide: I-have-the-power vs. snuff-the-criminal. But for the sake of future Cheneys, he has to grasp every possible power.

If this were about mercy, well, the Presidential power to commute the sentence is just sitting there in the Constitution, feeling pretty lonely now that the veto power has been featured in so many threats.