Posted on 03/19/2015 10:26:19 AM PDT by SeekAndFind
The Clinton camp is probably feeling like they need to do something to turn the corner on all of the bad press they’ve been getting. Sure, the fallout hasn’t been too bad yet. Even when pollsters say that her support is “softening” this month, that still translates into a fifty point lead over Biden. But the real race is going to be kicking into gear eventually and she doesn’t need to be spending her days testifying before some House committee when she could be out on the trail giving $200K speeches. So what to do?
Seth Lipsky at the New York Post has a suggestion, though I suspect it’s of the tongue in cheek variety. Her old boss, Barack Obama, could make all of this unpleasantness go away in a heartbeat. He could just issue her a pardon.
President Obama doesn’t need his phone for this job — just the pen. With but a stroke of it, he could pardon Hillary Clinton for any crimes she may have committed in E-mailgate and spare the rest of us the long drama.
At first blush that might seem ridiculous. Though the press is rattling on about how the former secretary of state has broken all sorts of federal laws in connection with her e-mail, Clinton hasn’t been formally accused of anything.
That doesn’t mean that she couldn’t get a presidential pardon. Richard Nixon hadn’t been indicted of any crime when President Gerald Ford gave him a pardon.
Nor had most of the Vietnam-era draft dodgers that President Jimmy Carter pardoned (on his first day in office).
Fact is that the pardon is the least-fettered presidential power. The president can pardon anyone for any offense against the United States, save for treason.
He doesn’t have to get the consent of the Senate. He doesn’t have to get it cleared by a federal judge.
Say… Lipsky may be on to something here. Sure, I know what you’re thinking… a pardon would look terrible and just make voters think that Hillary had done something illegal. But let’s face it, about half of the people already think that anyway. And the other half apparently either won’t believe it or won’t care no matter what turns up in her private server. (Assuming we ever see it, that is.) With a full and complete pardon, there is no point in asking her any more questions. She’s absolved of everything! Whitewater, TravelGate, Benghazi, the emails… it’s all gone. She’s untouchable.
Another argument against this might be that Obama wouldn’t want to do it. But why not? Do you think he’d worry about it staining his legacy? Hillary’s husband pardoned Marc Rich over screams of protest from both sides of the aisle and the guy has something like a 187% approval rating today. Besides, Obama doesn’t ever need to win another election so he has tons of flexibility, as he explained to the Russians. In fact, the only reason I can think of that the President might not do it is because I suspect that he still really doesn’t like her.
So maybe Hillary should just ask him. You might be thinking that somebody who just asked for a pardon wouldn’t have the nerve to still run for President, but remember… this is Hillary. When asked where the emails were, she calmly said she deleted them. When asked if we could have a look at the server she smiled and said, “No.” And with that she went along on her merry way. Why on Earth would a little thing like wanting a pardon stop her from running?
Go for it, Madam Secretary. You really have nothing to lose at this point.
Sort just trying to use common sense,did not think he would pardon her for being an upstanding citizen
I agree with you personally, but that's not what the document says.
His pardon powers are very wide-ranging according to the Constitution.
/johnny
What about Kerry? With all the problems that Hillary is having because she did not sign the exit form when she left the State Department, will this put pressure on Kerry to sign the form when he leaves office?
Rice and Powell: We now hear that Candeleza Rice and Powell did not sign the State Department form that Hillary did not sign.
So, why doesn't a reporter or tv host like Kelly and Hannity interview Rice and Powell to get their side of the story as to why they too did not sign the State Department exit form? Enquiring minds want to know.
Few people realize how wide-ranging the pardon power is.
It’s about the only power in the Constitution with no check or balance. Obama could, quite constitutionally, on his last day in office pardon all federal prisoners. Or just the black ones.
For those who say he can’t pardon himself, there’s a way around this. Resign on his last day, after pardoning Biden for any offenses. Biden becomes president, briefly, and pardons Obama. Thoroughly constitutional, though equally thoroughly corrupt.
One cannot refuse to accept a pardon. Or, more precisely, you can refuse to accept it, but your refusal doesn’t invalidate it.
I understand,hopefully he really does have it in for Hillary and will let her swing in the wind
I don’t think being pardoned absolves one from being subpoenaed to testify, or from having to produce evidence responsive to a subpoena or other discovery. A pardon might also prevent the recipient from taking the fifth. Thus Hillary might not be completely in the clear with a presidential pardon in her pocket, and could conceivably be subject to contempt of Congress or a court if she refused to comply with lawful discovery.
I’m not a lawyer, but I did stay at a Holiday Inn Express last night.
jOkeass better start now if he hopes to pardon everyone in the regime.
O.J.
Then Valerie Jarrett could use that as a method to torpedo Hillary.
I may be in error, but doesn’t a pardon imply the commission of a crime and the acknowledgment of same by the individual pardoned?
Does anyone believe a Clinton is about to do that?
Why would he pardon her when he’s orchestrating the attacks?
The President (and most governors) can pardon anyone they choose. They don’t need the agreement or even acquiescence of the person being pardoned.
As others have noted, I suspect a person with a full pardon loses the right to not incriminate himself. Since he can’t, he’s already been pardoned and cannot be prosecuted.
Don't see where it says that. The Constitution says "except in cases of impeachment," not treason.
If she gets the nomination next year it is unlikely that this will ever be followed up by legal action no matter who gets the WH,
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