Michael Cohen Will Not Accept Pardon From 'Criminal' Trump, Says Lawyer

[babylonsister]

https://www.thedailybeast.com/michael-cohen-will-not-accept-pardon-from-criminal-trump-says-lawyer?ref=home

34 minutes ago
Michael Cohen Will Not Accept Pardon From ‘Criminal’ Trump, Says Lawyer
Mike Segar / Reuters

Michael Cohen will “never accept” a pardon from President Trump, his lawyer has said. Lanny Davis, who attacked Trump as a “criminal” during an interview on NPR, said his client would “under no circumstances” accept a presidential pardon due to his low regard for his former employer. “I know that Mr. Cohen would never accept a pardon from a man who he considers to be both corrupt and a dangerous person in the Oval Office,” said Davis. “He has flatly authorized me to say under no circumstances would he accept a pardon from Mr. Trump, who used the pardon power in a way that no president in American history has ever used a pardon—to relieve people of guilt who committed crimes who are political cronies of his.” Cohen pleaded guilty to an array of criminal charges Tuesday, but also implicated Trump in a federal crime. Davis had strong words for the president, saying in no uncertain terms: “The president of the United States is a criminal. He has not pled guilty to a crime but his own lawyers have described him directing somebody to do something that is a criminal act.”

[Vinca]

1. Uh, huh. Two letter response: BS.

[Achilleaze]

2. OK. Whatever.

But ya gotta savor Cohen's righteous trashing of a "criminal," the ignoble & deceitful republican lowlife comrade, Dirty Donny*

* aka republican Draft-Dodger-in-Chief

[Mr. Ected]

3. But what about Pence?

I have this recurring fear that Trump resigns, Pence gets sworn in and promptly pardons Trump, his family, Manafort, Cohen, Flynn, et al., the GOP whistles nonchalantly and right wing media tells its audience that a major Democratic witch hunt was narrowly averted.

Talk me off the ledge.

[babylonsister]

5. Manafort hand picked Pence. I

have got to believe there are things we don't yet know about Pence, and also believe there are skeletons in his closet that will hopefully come out and entertain us!

[Mr. Ected]

6. You know that...and I know that...but most people do not

The issue may be timing. By the time Pence's culpability is revealed to the American people, the pardons I fear would have long ago been issued. Again, I don't want to be consumed by unwarranted fears, but the idea that Trump would quit via resignation is not that far-fetched, based on his track record, and the ensuing cover-up, headed by Pence and abetted by a lame duck Congress, would not be beyond the realm of possibility.

[nature-lover]

7. The media needs to focus on him. He has been under the radar for too long.

[MoonRiver]

15. Can't wait for the show!

[PJMcK]

14. Here's a thought

Assume that Trump resigns and Pence is sworn in as president. Wouldn't he and his advisors look to history and see what happened to Gerald Ford? President Ford lost the 1976 election for a number of reasons but one prominent one was the Nixon pardon. Many voters didn't like that. Coupled with Trump-fatigue, voters likely would vote out Pence.

Alternatively, if Pence pivoted and turned against Trump, voters might see Pence as "his own man" who wants to get America back on track. If Pence acted as a leader, voters might overlook any complicity Pence might have in Trump's crimes.

Who knows? We live in such a bizarre time!

[BigmanPigman]

20. I wouldn't be surprised a bit.

The GOP is crazy and so is their cult/base. We have to ALWAYS consider a Bizarre World outcome with current politics. We are in new territory with this shit show.

[Snellius]

24. More than plausible. Except Pence is the only man with less charisma than Ford.

Who Johnson famously said couldn't walk and chew gum at the same time.

[NCTraveler]

16. I don't want to talk you off that ledge.

It would be a thing of beauty.

[unblock]

4. go on, i dare ya! i dare ya to pardon me! chicken!

[hughee99]

8. Is this part right?

"used the pardon power in a way that no president in American history has ever used a pardon—to relieve people of guilt who committed crimes who are political cronies of his.”

I'm fairly sure other presidents have pardoned cronies before.

[Whiskeytide]

9. I think they used "cronie" ...

... imprecisely. Cronies - friends of the president - have been pardon. But people who actively committed crimes in agency with or conspiracy with the president really have not. I think previously it was viewed as something that would never be done because it would look so bad and would be evidence of a cover-up. trump has already taken us well past that threshold of decency.

[hughee99]

10. I'm not sure, has Trump pardoned someone who has actively committed a crime with him?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_people_pardoned_or_granted_clemency_by_the_President_of_the_United_States

As of July 10, 2018, Republican President Donald Trump has issued seven pardons and four commutations:

Joe Arpaio, former Sheriff of Maricopa County, Arizona, was convicted of contempt of court and was awaiting sentencing. Pardoned on August 25, 2017.[40]
Sholom Rubashkin, a meatpacking magnate sentenced to 27 years in prison for bank fraud in 2010. Commuted on December 20, 2017.[41]
Kristian Saucier, a former U.S. Navy sailor convicted of unauthorized possession and retention of national defense information in 2016. Pardoned on March 9, 2018.[42]
Lewis "Scooter" Libby, convicted of perjury and obstruction of justice in connection with the CIA leak scandal. Pardoned on April 13, 2018, following an earlier commutation by President George W. Bush in July 2007, shortly after his conviction.[31][43][44]
Jack Johnson, a champion boxer who was convicted in 1913 for traveling with his white girlfriend by an all-white jury for violating the Mann Act, which made it illegal to transport women across state lines for "immoral" purposes. Posthumously pardoned on May 24, 2018.[45][46][47][48]
Dinesh D'Souza, author and documentary film maker, convicted of campaign finance violations in 2014. Pardoned on May 31, 2018.[49][50][51]
Alice Marie Johnson, first-time drug offender sentenced to life without parole in 1996 for conspiracy to possess cocaine, attempted possession of cocaine, and money laundering. Commuted on June 6, 2018.[52][53][54][55][56]
Dwight Hammond and Steven Hammond, ranchers convicted in 2012 of two counts of arson on federal land. Commuted and pardoned on July 10, 2018.

[Whiskeytide]

12. I assumed the topic ...

... was hypothetical - based on the potential trump might pardon Cohen and/or Manafort. I don’t think he has pardoned someone he was actively in league with ... yet.

[hughee99]

13. Although...

If I recall correctly, George W. Bush pardoned Scooter Libby. Bill Clinton pardoned Susan Mcdougal, George H.W. pardoned a bunch of people from Iran-Contra, and Ford pardoned Nixon.

This is why I was asking, because that statement didn't seem accurate at all.

[MaryMagdaline]

11. Wow. I really can't say how this helps his client at all

I am not sure why he would make this statement.

[NCTraveler]

17. There is a reason for it.

It’s an unnecessary statement.

I’m with you on the reason.

[Laura PourMeADrink]

18. Just thinking same thing. How short-sighted. Never say never. Keep all your

options open. Hell, what would happen if he gets indicted/convicted on further crimes?? like involvement deeply in Russian collusion? He did lie about not going to Prague, right? that was him, right?

[MaryMagdaline]

19. All of the above - agree

[hughee99]

21. There's been a lot of statements lately from lawyers (Avenatti, Guilani and now Davis)

that make it sound like they don't have their client's best interests as their top priority, but are more focused on winning some sort of PR battle.

[MaryMagdaline]

26. I've noticed this, too

[Red Oak]

23. The reason is the 5th amendment

Cohen's lawyer was telling Donny don't you dare offer a pardon and I'll give you cover by calling you a criminal. If orange Julius gave a pardon, then Cohen loses 5th amendment protection against self incrimination and must answer questions under penalty of perjury. If Cohen testified to all he knows, the Russian mob would have him killed.

A pardon would literally kill Cohen or, if he chooses perjury, send him to jail for longer than 4 years, his current probable sentence.

So fun to watch the kabuki theater in action!

[MaryMagdaline]

25. I'm glad there is some reasonable explanation

As much as I hate these bums, I hate to see an attorney not represent his client. I know Lanny Davis is smart, so I will give him the benefit of the doubt.

[Laura PourMeADrink]

30. Interesting. Thanks. So a pardon is a lose lose for Cohen and trump

[Pepsidog]

22. Well, well the plot thickens...

[Squinch]

27. He also said he'd "take a bullet" for trump. What he says doesn't mean much.

[Kablooie]

28. Easy for him to say since he knows Trump will never give him one.

Interesting how Cohen is playing this.
He's setting himself up as the symbol of the moral high ground even though his whole life up to now has been scrabbling in the mud with criminals.

It's probably smart because he may be able to overcome his image as a low life slime ball.

I have a suspicion he didn't have enough unique information to get on Mueller's plea deal list so now he's playing it on his own in the hopes that if he becomes an unofficial prosecution supporter he will get leniency.

He certainly sees which way the wind is blowing.

[honest.abe]

29. I think this part of a very well layed-out strategy.

And Cohen is playing a key role.