Trump exploring options to pardon his family and himself.

[Matchles]

http://thehill.com/homenews/administ...ssible-mueller

President Trump's lawyers are looking into the president's authority to grant pardons in connection with the special counsel investigation into Russia's role in the 2016 election, The Washington Post reported Thursday.

Trump himself has talked to advisers about his ability to pardon his aides, family members and himself in the investigations, according to the Post, though one adviser cautioned that the president's inquiries were made in curiosity, rather than in connection to the Russia probes.

“This is not in the context of, ‘I can’t wait to pardon myself,” the adviser said.

Democrats have raised concerns in the past that Trump would pardon anyone who is convicted in the ongoing Russia investigations.

Trump's lawyers have reportedly been discussing presidential pardons among themselves, and are also looking at ways to undercut or limit the special counsel investigation into possible collusion between the Trump campaign and Moscow.

That includes putting together a list of special counsel Robert Mueller's potential conflicts of interest, which could potentially be cited by an attorney general to do away with Mueller.

Trump has voiced much frustration over the ongoing special counsel investigation into Russian efforts to meddle in the 2016 election, calling it a "witch hunt" and a "cloud" hanging over his presidency.

The Washington Post report comes a week after reports that Trump's son Donald Trump Jr. met in June of 2016 with a Russian lawyer who promised damaging information on Democratic opponent Hillary Clinton.

Trump Jr., the president and other administration members have come under fire following the reports of the meeting, which has added to speculation that the Trump campaign colluded with Russia during the 2016 presidential election.

I wish I could say that Trump no longer surprises me, but this is unbelievably disturbing.

[Wyrt]

The president being allowed to pardon himself is insane. How did the law get passed that way? What morons thought that was a good idea?

[Breccia]

This is being discussed in another thread, but short story, apparently this is a viable option to keep him out of jail.

Of course, if he is threatened with impeachement, it's not so much a good option as all he'll have left.
1) It will not stop anything announced after he leaves office. Say, a RICO case. Or anything else illegal found now that Mueller is looking into his holdings.
2) Politically PR wise, it's admission of guilt. It will kill 2018 for the GOP and he'll be an even lamer duck. It will cost his entire cabient too.
3) Pardoning yourself could be considered an act non-presidential enough to launch its own impeachment.

[Matchles]

This is being discussed in another thread, but short story, apparently this is a viable option to keep him out of jail.

Of course, if he is threatened with impeachement, it's not so much a good option as all he'll have left.
1) It will not stop anything announced after he leaves office. Say, a RICO case. Or anything else illegal found now that Mueller is looking into his holdings.
2) Politically PR wise, it's admission of guilt. It will kill 2018 for the GOP and he'll be an even lamer duck. It will cost his entire cabient too.
3) Pardoning yourself could be considered an act non-presidential enough to launch its own impeachment.

Sorry didn't see it.

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The president being allowed to pardon himself is insane. How did the law get passed that way? What morons thought that was a good idea?

I really doubt any court would find that he has the ability to pardon himself. But it is an unexplored question because not even Nixon was corrupt enough to entertain the idea. The president's pardon powers are granted by the Constitution, not a law.

The President shall ... have Power to grant Reprieves and Pardons for Offenses against the United States, except in Cases of Impeachment.

So it doesn't specifically say he can't pardon himself, which is why it is even being debated.

Honestly, I hope he is dumb enough to pardon Trump Jr. or Kushner because they would immediately lose the ability to plead the 5th. If you can't face charges because of a pardon then you can't claim that your testimony may be self-incriminating.

[Breccia]

Sorry didn't see it.

Not to worry, the thread title was not this so there was no reason to. If anything, that debate should end up here.

[Paranoid Android]

Yeah. This will happen.

End of discussion.

[Wyrt]

Sorry didn't see it.

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I really doubt any court would find that he has the ability to pardon himself. But it is an unexplored question because not even Nixon was corrupt enough to entertain the idea. The president's pardon powers are granted by the Constitution, not a law.



So it doesn't specifically say he can't pardon himself, which is why it is even being debated.

Honestly, I hope he is dumb enough to pardon Trump Jr. or Kushner because they would immediately lose the ability to plead the 5th. If you can't face charges because of a pardon then you can't claim that your testimony may be self-incriminating.

So, he basically has until impeachment begins?

If he thought the protests before were bad, he should just try pardoning himself.

[Matchles]

So, he basically has until impeachment begins?

If he thought the protests before were bad, he should just try pardoning himself.

Not really. It would be related to any legal charges he is facing. Any pardons wouldn't really affect impeachment proceedings.

[Adam Jensen]

How is it possible that every time this idiot gets as stupid as I think is humanly possible, he finds a way to be even stupider?

[Wyrt]

Not really. It would be related to any legal charges he is facing. Any pardons wouldn't really affect impeachment proceedings.

So, at best he could get himself out of being tried for crimes, but could still get impeached? Impeachment seems likely if he pardons himself since that is admitting guilt.

Would also be fun to watch Sean Hannity and Cucker Carlson try to defend Trump pardoning himself. Fox is going to have a civil war, there's already fighting between Hannity and Shep Smith.

[Paranoid Android]

So, at best he could get himself out of being tried for crimes, but could still get impeached? Impeachment seems likely if he pardons himself since that is admitting guilt.

Would also be fun to watch Sean Hannity and Cucker Carlson try to defend Trump pardoning himself. Fox is going to have a civil war, there's already fighting between Hannity and Shep Smith.

Well that's what any reasonable, intelligent man would do. Pardon himself so he can save this Great Nation all the strife that would be put through by those dirty libbbbbberals and MSM/Fake News. They might have opening graphics of the Orange Turd himself falling on a sword.

[Breccia]

How is it possible that every time this idiot gets as stupid as I think is humanly possible, he finds a way to be even stupider?

I think you misread the situation. This is actually not stupid. If the allegations are true, this could be the only way out. Or, failing that, giving blanket immunity to his entire campaign could negate the ability to conduct the investigation into it. I mean, his agenda is stalled, his poll numbers remain abysmal, and "fake news" is flat-out not working. This is about survival.

If Trump or his team know they're about to be found out and exposed, why not print a Get Out Of Jail Free card first? If they are proven to have worked with Russia, they're over in politics and their fortunes will erode rapidly regardless on if they are imprisoned. I don't see a downside....if they are guilty.

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You know, if Trump had been an experienced lawyer or some form of elected official, he might already know all this, would not need to ask, and therefore, avoid leaks that lead to stories like this one. They teach "how not to give your enemies ammunition" at Trump Univ I could not get through that with a straight face.

[Allybeboba]

I thought he was supposed to be impeached on January 21st. Or was that January 20th? It really is hard to recall since so many people were calling for him to be impeached before he even went into office.

http://m.huffpost.com/us/entry/us_58...b014e7c72edc95

[Endus]

I think you misread the situation. This is actually not stupid. If the allegations are true, this could be the only way out. Or, failing that, giving blanket immunity to his entire campaign could negate the ability to conduct the investigation into it. I mean, his agenda is stalled, his poll numbers remain abysmal, and "fake news" is flat-out not working. This is about survival.

If Trump or his team know they're about to be found out and exposed, why not print a Get Out Of Jail Free card first? If they are proven to have worked with Russia, they're over in politics and their fortunes will erode rapidly regardless on if they are imprisoned. I don't see a downside....if they are guilty.

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You know, if Trump had been an experienced lawyer or some form of elected official, he might already know all this, would not need to ask, and therefore, avoid leaks that lead to stories like this one. They teach "how not to give your enemies ammunition" at Trump Univ I could not get through that with a straight face.

Yeah, I agree it's not stupid, but it's only not-stupid if Trump and/or his friends/family are guilty. If they did nothing wrong, he should've relied on the investigation to prove that.

That said, you have to be specific about what you're pardoning. So if the investigation is smart, they touch base with Congress, and let some members know where the investigation is leading, so that impeachment proceedings can be completed before the investigation's results come out. For Trump, that's not ideal, but if there's going to be enough to pin some stuff on some Trump family members, it's the best way out for the Republican Party, if they initiate the impeachment proceedings themselves, and make it clear they're shocked by all this. If they don't create that separation before pardons come down, they're going to get tarred by association, and any move to impeach will be seen as self-interest more than concern of Trump and co's behaviour.

Or they can let it ride, and when this all comes down, they'll wear it as much as Trump and co will.

[Breccia]

Yeah, I agree it's not stupid, but it's only not-stupid if Trump and/or his friends/family are guilty. If they did nothing wrong, he should've relied on the investigation to prove that.

Yeah. Unless Trump is so insane, he's doing this just to clear his good name. Insane isn't necessarily stupid, but both lack sense.

[PACOX]

I'm tired of watching this family incriminate itself every week. Either put them on trial or ignore it. I don't like all this teasing.

[Celista]

Basically seems like an admission of guilt.

[Glnger]

:nothingburger??!?!:

[Perkunas]

:nothingburger??!?!:

PARDON ME, do you have any Grey Poupon that I can put on it?

[Glnger]

PARDON ME, do you have any Grey Poupon that I can put on it?

No, how about something more AMERICAN like HEINZ or FRENCHZ??? (lol holy shit rofl)

A la the obama mustard "debacle" I think you're hinting at. ;p