Posted on 10/29/2017 3:23:28 PM PDT by Mariner
With the first indictment looming from the federal Trump-Russia investigation, President Donald Trump is getting a reminder: His pardoning pardons cant fix everything.
I don't think the president's power is all that absolute, as people have been suggesting, California Representative Adam Schiff, the top Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee, told ABC News This Week Sunday.
The president cannot pardon people if it's an effort to obstruct justice, if it's an effort to prevent Bob Mueller and others from learning about the President's own conduct. So, there are limitations.
Special Counsel Robert Mueller, who has been investigating the Trump campaigns potential Russia ties, is expected to unseal his first criminal charges as early as Monday.
Schiff said he has not been told who will be hit by the indictments, but he believes based on press reports that it will either be former Trump campaign manager Paul Manafort or former national security adviser Michael Flynn. Both men resigned from their positions after controversy over their ties to foreign governments, which Mueller has been scrutinizing.
If Trump tries to pardon whoever faces charges, he could several major hurdles.
The Constitution allows the president broad powers to pardon people for Offenses against the United States." There is no precedent for a sitting president pardoning people tied to his campaign, as will likely be the case for Muellers debut indictment.
(Excerpt) Read more at yahoo.com ...
” Impeachment isnt a crime it is a political action.”
Duh.. Of course not. It is the prosecution of the president for “Treason, Bribery, or other high Crimes and Misdemeanors”.
Maybe they’ll arrest Jeff Sessions for saying “Hi, nice to meet you” to the Russian ambassador at that D.C. cocktail party.
“In the end, it will be the SC that will decide whether the presidential power to pardon is limited.”
That’s what the framers intended. The SC to be the final arbiter of what powers are delegated to the executive and legislative branches under the Constitution. /s
Fixed
I remember the pardon by Clinton of lowlife Mark Rich. He got away with it, even though everybody condemned him.
None of them would qualify to be a department store Santa, or even a mall cop.
The Senate had a hearing recently with a panel of 4 constitutional professors . They discussed the Presidents pardoning authority and authority to fire Mueller.
All said President cannot pardon himself but other than that can pardon anyone else for federal charges.
Said remedy for firing Mueller is impeachment.
See YouTube. Congress examines firing Robert Mueller as Special Counsel. October 2
Which fits Mueller to a T.
///Yes Virginia, they really do make people this stupid.///
What does the Constitution say about the limits of stupidity? There appears to be no limit!
The Senate holds the trial (prosecution) and votes like a jury on removal.
Yeah but the left doesn’t follow the constitution. They follow a fantasy constitution that the media portrays as legit. For example they keep demanding more and more gun laws even though ANY law infringing upon arms is completely unconstitutional. The 2nd amendment is blindingly clear: “ the right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed”. The RIGHT of the PEOPLE. Throwing ANYBODY in jail merely for having a gun is unconstitutional but the media portrays it as constitutional. Just like they portray people being denied their 1st amendment right in Berkeley California as constitutional. That’s why they are so dangerous, that’s why we dodged an absolute sh*t storm with Hillary losing. If she won, without question we would have been on a fast track to a totalitarian dictatorship, they along with their RINO cohorts would have completely redefined the constitution. Donald Trump literally saved the country thus my tagline.....
LOL!
If Nixon could be pardoned and if hundreds (or thousands) of cowards who deserted or went to Canada could be pardoned,then anyone in this case (other than Trump himself,perhaps) can be pardoned.
Yes, and sadly, that includes pardoning the Maobamas and Madoff Clintons, if he were to foolishly choose this route.
“It is the political equivalent of an indictment.
The Senate holds the trial (prosecution) and votes like a jury on removal.”
The indictment is part of the prosecution ....
Schiff makes this statement knowing it is wrong but is ginning up support among the uninformed for impeachment against Trump if he does pardon someone.
If you say so.
Schiff is a constitutional twit. The power of the POTUS in granting pardons for Federal crimes is pretty much unchecked. The only limit is that he cannot grant pardons in cases of impeachment, which in any case is not a criminal proceeding. Impeachment is a political act. My gut says Schiff is trying to wave a red flag in front of Trump to see if he will charge. Trump should not take the bait.
The only check on the President’s power of the pardon is impeachment in the House and a trial in the US Senate. Congress can remove him from office if they so choose.
Schiff is legally totally wrong.
The power is so absilute, to the extent that is it was proved, or even admitted that Def bribed the President to get the pardon, it would still be in effect.
BTW, there is little doubt in DC that some of Clinton’s late night pardons were bribe-driven.
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