According to Former US Attorney, a Trump Self-Pardon Would Likely be a "Self-Executing Impeachment"

[dlk]

According to Preet Bharara, a former US Attorney, if Trump were to give himself a pardon, it would probably be a "self-executing impeachment." However, Trump obviously thinks, as president, he above the law and his paid agents are busy planting that seed in the media. We are looking at a dangerous Constitutional crisis and we can't count on Republicans to put the Constitution before Party.


https://shareblue.com/preet-bharara-trump-pardon-self-executing-impeachment/

[Freethinker65]

1. Not with a GOP controlled House

[krawhitham]

9. GOP will not control the house come January

And that is with all the gerrymandering nationwide, imagine what it will be like after more states vote on gerrymandering rules

[Crash2Parties]

12. Even if they win by enough margin to overcome GOP cheating...

There's a really good chance based on previous incidents that the Dems will revert back to,
"off the table"
"time to move on"
"heal the country"

It's...what they do.

UNLESS we make it clear to them from now to November that prosecuting all involved GOP is why we are voting them into office.

[Cicada]

2. But the DOJ isn't going to indict him so no need for a pardon

DOJ policy is that the constitution forbids indicting a sitting president.

[Gothmog]

3. No, Trump can't pardon himself. The Constitution tells us so.

From Prof. Tribe and others https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/no-trump-cant-pardon-himself-the-constitution-tells-us-so/2017/07/21/f3445d74-6e49-11e7-b9e2-2056e768a7e5_story.html?utm_term=.a066d8b411f4

Can a president pardon himself? Four days before Richard Nixon resigned, his own Justice Department’s Office of Legal Counsel opined no, citing “the fundamental rule that no one may be a judge in his own case.” We agree.

The Justice Department was right that guidance could be found in the enduring principles that no one can be both the judge and the defendant in the same matter, and that no one is above the law.

The Constitution specifically bars the president from using the pardon power to prevent his own impeachment and removal. It adds that any official removed through impeachment remains fully subject to criminal prosecution. That provision would make no sense if the president could pardon himself.

The pardon provision of the Constitution is there to enable the president to act essentially in the role of a judge of another person’s criminal case, and to intervene on behalf of the defendant when the president determines that would be equitable. For example, the president might believe the courts made the wrong decision about someone’s guilt or about sentencing; President Barack Obama felt this way about excessive sentences for low-level drug offenses. Or the president might be impressed by the defendant’s subsequent conduct and, using powers far exceeding those of a parole board, might issue a pardon or commutation of sentence.....

President Trump thinks he can do a lot of things just because he is president. He says that the president can act as if he has no conflicts of interest. He says that he can fire the FBI director for any reason he wants (and he admitted to the most outrageous of reasons in interviews and in discussion with the Russian ambassador). In one sense, Trump is right — he can do all of these things, although there will be legal repercussions if he does. Using official powers for corrupt purposes — such as impeding or obstructing an investigation — can constitute a crime.

But there is one thing we know that Trump cannot do — without being a first in all of human history. He cannot pardon himself.

[smirkymonkey]

4. +1000

[PJMcK]

5. Trump don't need no stinking' rule of law (n/t)

[Tavarious Jackson]

7. I wonder if there are secret indictments?

Those could go on for years hidden. Could Rudy be anticipating a Trump loss in 2020 with potential secret indictments pending and waiting for a superseding indictment when Trump is out of office? Could Trump pardon himself before leaving office and with not enough time for impeachment proceedings? We already know republicans will let him try.

[FirstLight]

6. As much as he calls the WH a "dump"

I can see him doubling down and refusing to leave, even if indicted/convicted/impeached...

They will literally have to drag him from the place by his ankles as he screams like a toddler having a fit.

Either that or he will finally snap and instead of a frog-walk, there will be a straight-jacket and an ambulance as he screams profanities and foams at the mouth...

[Hortensis]

8. Bharara: "that's not what the framers could have intended.

That’s not what the American people, I think, would be able to stand for.”

Bharara is saying this is NOT a way out of the trap Trump has maneuvered himself into, not because a legal argument can't be made but because, even if it were eventually ruled technically legal, it wouldn't work.

The 15 legal experts discussed in Vox's article basically come to the same conclusion.

Vox: President Trump is considering pardoning himself. I asked 15 experts if that's legal.

All the experts agreed about one other fact: Even if Trump does pardon himself, that would not shield him from impeachment hearings. And most believe if he did make a move like this, it would be both an admission of guilt and a potential constitutional crisis.

https://www.vox.com/policy-and-politics/2017/7/21/16007934/donald-trump-mueller-russia-investigation-pardon-impeachment

[Srkdqltr]

10. Just a thought as we go off the deep end

He can't pardon himself until or unless he is convicted of.... something.
Come down out of the trees and extinguish all hair fires.
CONVICT him first the worry about pardons

[Shoonra]

11. This was essentially decided back in 1788

Back in 1788, in the Virginia state convention to decide whether to ratify the proposed Constitution, the question was raised on whether the President could get involved in some sort of crookedness and then pardon his accomplices. The answers, supplied by such authorities as Madison and Monroe, was that if the President dared to issued pardons to his own accomplices, those pardons might be valid for the accomplices, but the act would positively be sufficient to justify impeachment of the President.

It almost sounds as if they had someone in mind.

[JustABozoOnThisBus]

13. The Senate won't convict. Republicans won't vote for it.

And, I believe President Pence would be even worse.