Posted on 11/09/2016 2:42:59 PM PST by Red Steel
The White House refused to rule out Wednesday whether President Obama might grant a pardon to Hillary Clinton to spare her from President-elect Donald Trump prosecuting her after he takes office.
White House press secretary Josh Earnest said Mr. Obama is hopeful that Mr. Trump will follow long-standing tradition of not punishing political opponents through the criminal-justice system. He said all clemency actions go through a formal process...
(Excerpt) Read more at washingtontimes.com ...
No.
Simple google search will tell you what a pardon can do
I disagree.
Here’s a scenario:
Trump and Obama go for a long walk alone at Camp David. Obama, shaking from walking alone with a real man, blubbers out that he’s “thinking about pardoning Hillary”. Trump stops, turns, looks down at jug ears and says with that now famous Trump scowl........... “look Barry, if you pardon her there goes your pardon”.
Now, some will argue he can pardon himself. My reply to that is that it’s never been done before and half the attorneys alive in the US that know anything on the subject (2 or 3)don’t think he can plus the Supreme Court balance by that time won’t tend to favor Barry.
AND if she is pardoned, it at least confirms wrongdoing/she lied (again), serving to reinforcce any weary Trump voters and silencing those that rever her. Yes, an indictment, trial and conviction would be my first choice (and you know Rudy would be a dog with a bone with her), but a public pardon would be more telling than an incognito one where she gets to keep both her freedom and reputation (such that it is).
I agree. It looks vindictive and even banana-republic-ish to go after a defeated political opponent. (I'd still think the door would be open for civil proceedings against the Clinton Foundation.) It would arguably be a distraction and IMO the two Clintons are done for politically at this point. They are really both too old and too sick to run again. Chelsea could be pardoned -- which wouldn't help her political career outside of New York State, or, if not, prosecuted for her role in the Clinton Foundation.
But I don't know why Obama couldn't pardon all Clintons and all of their operatives for "any and all crimes, known and unknown".
Obama can’t pardon her for State Crimes. She has likely violated State RICO laws.
How would he be doing Trump a favor? How can you uproot corruption without dealing with the crimes and criminals? So, he would be saying she is too big to jail? That is not doing himself a favor. He would lose the respect of those who elected and would be just another ‘Boehner’.
So, please explain how is he doing himself a favor?
Yes but who will pardon Lynch and Obama when Trump finds out his involvement and obstruction?
I disagree. Open threats to prosecute are not camaign slogans. He said he would prosecute and he should.
What looks like a banana republic is when gov’t officials put our nation at risk to fatten their wallet. And then continue to look the other way. I don’t want to live in that kind of banana republic. I want law & order and personal responsibility. If you can’t do the time, don’t do the crime. She’s not too big to jail. She’s arrogant and went too far her entire life. It costs lives.
A pardon is as close to admission of guilt as one can get, so let that hang over her head for the rest of her days.
In the meantime, President Trump should make it a policy to not interfere with any ongoing investigation and let them proceed. More stuff will be found and made public.
And then there’s wikileaks...
Loose ends?
Uh...the keys to the Oval office come with the entire file cabinet, all the intel, all the records, investigations, backgrounds, financials, profiles, everything on everyone in D.C. Everything!☺
When Trump takes office, these people will be heading for the tall grass.
“How would he be doing Trump a favor?”
See post 124.
I said last night Bill and Hill will both be gone from this earth in 2 to 5 years.
Should try to heal the wounds, and not prosecute hillary.
How about taking her into the new administration?
She could be an Ambassador... to Libya.
Crimes while in office. Then there are Federal campaign laws, Federal laws pertaining to the charity - pay to play’. Trump supporters are expecting her to be indicted on charges for her crimes no different than any other criminal. That includes the whole group of those involved. DRAIN THE SWAMP!
The Clinton’s must be made an example of. Either Hillary herself or the foundation or both. Trump exposed all this and pursue it to hold Obama back in future years with his big mouth. It would also be to hold the newly formed Obama Foundation in check. Obama does not want to pardon Hill, but has to protect himself. He will pardon her and let the others blow in the wind.
The Clintons are a cancer, if you don’t get them they will keep coming back to finish you off.
Let the new AG and FBI handle them
The Justice system doesn’t skip over someone because they happen to have been the presidents opponent. We will get justice!
Can he pardon Lynch and Comey too?
Exactly. There is probably plenty to convict her on, even now, but who cares if Obama pardons her? Do you really want to spend the first few months or even years of the GOP presidency fighting over Hillary Clinton?
As for later, it’s very possible that more stuff will come out, either about her or her partner in crime, Bill, and there may be new grounds for charges. But in any case, let’s not obsess on her now.
She’s old news and I think everybody is tired of her, including most of the Dems. Also, she’d be 73-74 in 2020, and she’s not a “young 70s,” but actually looks older than that. So I don’t think we should fret about this. It’s a time-waster.
HOWEVER - a pardon for Hillary does NOT negate any investigation. A good investigation might ‘sweep up’ several aides (Huma Abaden, Cheryl Mills, Podesta, et al). I am sure that the pardon might stop prosecution, but it doesn’t stop the collection of evidence of her and other people’s crimes. AND - she probably can’t take the 5th and refuse to testify, and if she lies - she now comments a new offense that can’t be covered by the pardon.
ALSO - the pardon might not be adequate to cover Clinton Foundation crimes...and that might sweep up Bill...and maybe even Chelsea.
THEN - the investigation should cover the ‘cover-up’ - investigating Comey and Loretta Lynch...and seeing what they might be guilty of.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.