Republicans warn Trump against Manafort pardon

[DonViejo]

Source: The Hill



BY ALEXANDER BOLTON AND JORDAIN CARNEY - 08/22/18 02:09 PM EDT

Senate Republicans are warning President Trump that it would be a serious mistake to pardon his former campaign chairman Paul Manafort, who was convicted late Tuesday on an array of fraud charges.

“It would be an enormous mistake and misuse of his power to pardon,” Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine), a prominent moderate, told reporters. Senate Republican Whip John Cornyn (Texas), the second-ranking Senate GOP leader, said that pardoning Manafort “would be a mistake.”

Senate Republican Conference Chairman John Thune (S.D.), the third-ranking member of the GOP leadership, said he is not aware of any mitigating circumstances related to Manafort’s case that would warrant a pardon.

“Pardons should be used sparingly and you have to have some awfully compelling circumstances I would think and I certainly don’t know what those are in this case,” he said. “Pardons need to be earned.”

Read more: http://thehill.com/homenews/senate/403062-republicans-warn-trump-against-manafort-pardon

[Bayard]

1. Please, please, please!

Pardon him!

[demsocialist]

8. He will....

on his way out.

[LandOfHopeAndDreams]

2. So What?

And what are they going to do if he does? Make some off the record comments?

They'll rant for a few hours, then fall right in line behind him.

Susan Collins is ALL TALK. When the chips are down she's useless.

[Chemisse]

4. They might come out and call it (*gasp!*) 'somewhat inappropriate'

[rurallib]

9. strongly worded letter!

[LoveMyCali]

13. I think you mean

strongly worded tweets.

[rurallib]

14. I must learn to keep up with the times!

[LoveMyCali]

15. They just can't be so bothered

to write more than 140 characters

[msongs]

3. cowards will do nothing. nt

[JohnnyRingo]

5. Let's ask them again after the pardon.

I've seen this movie before. They'll have a sudden change of heart about how Paul Manafort is just a good old boy who got caught up in some complicated bank transactions.

Look at all the republicans who trashed Trump before he took the oath for an example of such political spinelessness.

[Le Gaucher]

17. They will issue a statement that they are "seriously concerned"

And they will skip town as fast as they can

[cstanleytech]

6. Allow me to translate.

"Please hold off until after the elections so we can pretend to have grown a spine and stood up to you for principles which we actually do not have"

[lordsummerisle]

7. "Pardons need to be earned"?

What did Sheriff Joe Arpaio do to deserve one??

[bluestarone]

11. EXACTLY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[MurrayDelph]

10. Oh, Dearie Me

Susan Collins thinks it will be a "mistake and misuse of power."

And if it happens, then what? Based on experience, nothing.

[cstanleytech]

12. To be honest Trump would be a fool to provide any pardons ever.

Why? Because once someone is pardoned they can then be compelled to provide testimony in court and they cannot hide behind the 5th amendment to protect themselves and if they lie then they are guilty of perjury.
Plus, if say they lied about a meeting they were involved in with the Russians with Donald for example and got caught doing it they then could be charged with that as it would essentially wipe away the pardon for that as they are an ongoing co-conspirator to a crime.

[rpannier]

16. Ha Ha Ha Ha

The republikkans warn trump. That group of spineless trogs will do NOTHING, other than express "Disappointment"