Commentary: First on Trump to-do list is pardon for Clinton

Philly.com ^ | 11/16/2016 | Jeremy Rabkin and John Yoo

[dirtboy]

Donald Trump's election has raised deep concerns, even among his supporters, that he may misuse the vast powers of the presidency. We believe that he can take early steps now, even before he takes office, to signal that he will use executive power to unify the country, despite a campaign that emphasized differences within the Republican Party and among American voters generally.

Trump should look for policy initiatives where he can appeal to both Republicans and Democrats. He will need Congress' support for tax cuts, regulatory reform, and a rejuvenated military. We believe he can make three commitments, well within the president's constitutional authorities, to show that he will use the office in the public interest and to respect democracy, rather than lean toward authoritarianism.

First: The president-elect should promise a pardon, on day one, for Hillary Clinton. Article II of the Constitution places no limit on the president's power to "grant reprieves and Pardons for Offences against the United States," except for impeachment. Many Americans believe Clinton was guilty of conduct that would trigger prosecution of a lesser figure. But an actual prosecution would create the terrible appearance of pursuing his political opponents with criminal law. A prosecution would divert attention from all other Trump initiatives and discourage any compromise and cooperation from Democrats.

Saving the country from bitter turmoil is one of the reasons why the president has a pardon power. [snip] It would signal that Clinton violated the law with her private email server and mishandling of classified information. Nor would a pardon bar the Justice Department from fully investigating any corruption involving the Clinton Foundation. A pardon would show that a President-elect Trump can win with grace, put the nastiness of the campaign behind us all, and focus our energies on the future.

[equaviator]

If Obama doesn’t do it, Trump should bring her to within an inch of her worst case scenario and it should be very public. Then MAYBE he could pardon her.

[Former Proud Canadian]

I do not disagree.

[Rashputin]

Those Congressional hearings were equivalent to an indictment because it was going to go from the hearing to charges. I remember watching them and there was only one question at the heart of everything; was Nixon guilty of crimes. he should be charged for.

The answer was a resounding YES.

Hillary hasn't been indicted, big difference.

[HangUpNow]

It still amazes me how the losers think that they dictate the terms of the victory.

The propagandist Mainstream Media paradigm is dead. President-Elect Trump has already discredited them to a substantial degree. We are about to embark into a new Cyber Era of "News."

The usual MSM protocols and suspects are in for a rude awaking if they believe THEY will continue to commandeer the news cycle as THE Arbiter of Truth in America.

[GOPJ]

Donald Trump's election has raised deep concerns, even among his supporters, that he may misuse the vast powers of the presidency.

Jeremy Rabkin and John Yoo are liars. I'll bet they don't KNOW ONE TRUMP SUPPORTER. We know thousands among us here - and they're lying. That's NOT anyone's 'concern'... Jeremy and John you two democrats are lying. If these two KNOW Trump supporters with this 'concern' let the little sh*ts name names.

Here's MY CONCERN - the concern of a REAL Trump supporter: that maybe Trump won't appoint the head of Judicial Watch OR Ann Coulter to be the next AG... maybe he'll go slightly less than pitbull...

I trust that President Trump will find someone tough, honest and with the integrity and strength to stand up to the liars, thugs and pedophiles in the Democrat Party. I trust him... but that's my little concern... we need a pit bull in the DOJ... Someone like the head of Judicial Watch or Ann Coulter... someone who can take on the criminals and liars in the democrat party. But again, we trust Donald Trump.

[freefdny]

Can she give me a gold mine like she did for her brother Tony first? Then they can pardon her.

[hal ogen]

I would consider a pardon for hilLIARy clintoon only after she serves 5 years in a Fed SuperMax solitary cell, seizing of all her family's assets (including those of the criminal "foundation) and exile from the USA. Only then would I consider it.

[RedEyeJack]

1. Do not show your hand until you have the power.
2. Strike swiftly and vigorously and go for a “kill” with no mercy...

For the violations of national security laws:

- Appoint a special counsel to investigate and bring
charges
- do everything in a non-partisan but legally strict
manner
- if convicted... make her spend one day in prison then
parole her with a restriction on never having access to
classified information again

[Shethink13]

Donald Trump's election has raised deep concerns, even among his supporters, that he may misuse the vast powers of the presidency.

Stopped reading right there...

[DaxtonBrown]

problem is the Clintons aren’t retiring from the Grifter business.

[agere_contra]

I think President Trump is going to have to fight night and day to reduce government, reduce the burden on wealth production and to remediate the national debt. And maybe, like Kennedy or Salinas-Price, advocate a parallel precious metal payment system.

America’s debt is colossal. And even if it were repudiated (!) the deficit is still a trillion a year.

Pension plans and Insurers are being wiped out by zero interest rates. Without insurers there is no modern economy. And we don’t want Trump blamed for a pension collapse.

But if/when the bond market crashes and real-world interest rates take over - America’s debt will instantly become unpayable.

This could be a hellish four years, simply because of the accumulated errors of the last few decades. May God grant wisdom to the Trump White House.

[Jaded]

If a pardon is granted to Hillary one should be granted to:

Julian Assange
Edward Snowden
Chelsea Manning
The guy who took 2 pictures
Gen David Petraeus

[blackdog]

That’s a long list of offenses to pardon. How many trees will fall to put that pardon to paper?

[Jaded]

How so?

[MortMan]

If she was aiding in illegally getting weapons to terrorists, that's treason.

If she did this as SoS, and ONLY if Obama can prove she did it without his permission/direction, then she would be the highest level individual that should be prosecuted.

[Loyalist]

The person being pardoned doesn’t have to accept or consent to the pardon for it to issue and take effect. Hillary could scream all day that she won’t accept a pardon because she did nothing wrong but once it’s signed, it can’t be revoked.

[exit82]

No.

Grand jury and trial, yes.

[GOPJ]

If Obama wants to pardon her that’s his right. Trump should NEVER even consider this ‘neverTrump’ crap.

[semantic]

the deficit is still a trillion a year.

I think it's more in the range of $600B+-, but your point that we're running a large annual deficit still stands. The way Trump is going to approach this situation is really pretty obvious if we just step back and look at the big picture.

Let us recall that the US hasn't even had a budget since 2009. So, first things first, Trump will force Congress to produce an actual budget. Once the magnitude of spending is known, then areas can be targeted for cuts. Any reductions will obviously be aimed at maximizing the most damage in the cities which are opposing the national illegal immigration mandate.

That's where the infrastructure program comes in. He/we need a point of focus for the millions of people to potentially be employed. While the MSM will attack him for the resulting disruption in the cities, the truth that opportunities exist outside the urban zones will further serve to undercut their narrative.

And this is just the start. Trump is a battler; he gets bored and likes projects. What better way to spend ones time than to destroy American's chief internal enemies?

[Anima Mundi]

Or, what? They will cry, complain, censor, march, protest, set fires, beat people up, threaten, name-call, undermine, break windows, call for assassination? Oh, wait, they are already doing all of that and more, so where is THEIR effort to bring anybody together or make peace in the country? No, we need justice, equal justice no matter how famous you are. You should live up to a higher standard when the public puts their trust in you. Remember Scooter Libby?