Posted on 04/18/2018 3:40:53 PM PDT by tcrlaf
For some stupid reason, the founders of our republic decided to design an immensely complicated constitutional system chock-full of checks and balances on the theory that it was important to prevent power from becoming concentrated in any one part of the government and then just gave the head of the Executive branch the absolute, unilateral power to nullify all federal laws by handing out get out of jail free cards to anyone he wants.
For most of American history, the insane scope of the pardon power has been kept in check by norms, and the understanding that flagrant abuse of the authority would come at a steep political price. But in the Trump era, those guardrails look rather flimsy. The current president has no reverence for governing norms, and has retained the loyal support of his partys congressional majorities and voting base while engaging in conspicuously corrupt and unhinged behavior on a near daily basis.
The reality that there is little to stop the president from promiscuously exercising his pardon powers to protect his friends and family has shadowed the investigation into his campaign from the beginning. But the concern has grown more prominent in recent weeks, as Special Counsel Robert Muellers probe has enveloped Trumps longtime fixer Michael Cohen, and reports revealed that the president had floated pardon promises to Michael Flynn and Paul Manafort.
(Excerpt) Read more at nymag.com ...
Meanwhile, Jerry Brown and other rogue state governors are pardoning illegal aliens in order to stop deportations (thus skirting federal law), but is the New York Times questioning that practice?
But it was 0kay for 0bama to pardon! POS! SOBs!
Puerto Rican terrorists, Marc Rich, Bradley Manning.
All A-Okay for the NYT
Scooter Libby? Hit the panic button!
Do these liberals have any idea how crazed they look to normal Americans?
Trump beat Hillary ,he must pay ,LOL
and return everything back to normal after Trump leaves ,LOL
And Clinton: Marc Rich, Susan McDogual, Roger Clinton,
Like Clinton's "norm" of selling pardons ?
Marc. Rich. Pardons for sale by BJ Clinton.
The current president has no reverence for governing norms, and has retained the loyal support of his partys congressional majorities and voting base while engaging in conspicuously corrupt and unhinged behavior on a daily basis.
Oh my God. How hilarious is this. Talk about unhinged and not dealing with reality. I get a big kick out of this NYT writer accusing this president of not having reverence for governing norms. Cronyism and total corruption are not part of the Trump agenda Mr. Brigham you moron! Hes not Bubba or The One!
The author does not care about pardon power. The author care about who wields the power.
They sure loved the Presidential pardon when Clinton and Obama pardoned COP MURDERERS and TERRORISTS.
And Cuomo just announced he’s giving jail birds the vote.
OK,then...in how many ways are we gonna amend the Constitution? Repeal the Second Amendment? Repeal the President’s power to pardon (at least when a Republican is in the White House)?
Meanwhile, NYS’s gov plans on issuing an EO allowing felons still on parole to vote.
Wouldn’t need to use it so much if the libs hadn’t weaponized DOJ.
FUBB. Can you say Marc Rich?
I dont remember this dipsh!t complaining about this when Bill Clinton was handing out pardons like beer at a keg party.
NOT the NYT. New York magazine. NOT BOb Brigham but Eric Levitz. How did you screw this up so badl?
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