Reply #69: Actually, no there isn't. [View All]

[longship]

Hi Nadin,

There is a difference.

There is no precedent for a president pardoning his own men for illegal actions taken in his own administration.

Cap Weinberger was pardoned by George HW Bush for crimes committed during the previous administration. Although it raised some eyebrows, it was let pass for two reasons.

1. The case had already been crippled by immunity agreements.

2. The president's pardon pushed the envelope of abuse of power, but nobody was willing to test that legally. Most important was the fact that the putative crimes occured in a previous administration. Regardless, nobody liked it, not even many Republicans.

Chimp pardoning his own men for crimes done on *his* watch is an entirely different matter. It is a *clear* abuse of power and an obstruction of justice for which there is no precedent.

Regardless, let's hope he doesn't try that. It would set a very dangerous precedent.

Headlines: "President Murders Opponent; Pardons self"