Can Palin Pardon Stevens?

[berni_mccoy]

Anyone from Alaska know?

[FSogol]

1. On a Federal charge? I doubt it. n/t

[Sen. Walter Sobchak]

2. Palin hates Stevens

but I do wonder if she has the balls to try appointing herself to the senate,

[Spider Jerusalem]

14. Seat is up ffor re-election, only way the governor gets to make an appointment is if Stevens wins...

and is expelled from the Senate for moral turpitude. (And his Democratic opponent is likely to win the seat, so I doubt that will happen.)

[onenote]

18. my understanding is that in Alaska the governor doesn't have the power to appoint

a replacement senator. He/she can only call a special election. THe law in Alaska was changed after Frank Murkowski was eletted governor and then appointed his daughter to his Congressional seat.

[bluestateguy]

3. It's a federal conviction. Only Bush can pardon him.

And I'm not sure if Bush and Stevens are really all that close anyway.

He may not make the list on January 20th.

[Dr. Death]

4. I'm not from Alaska, but I don't think that a state governor

can pardon a federal official who commits federal crimes.

[DrToast]

15. What if Alaska secedes, delcares war on the US and demands Stevens be set free?

No?

[kestrel91316]

16. Well, then, they can damned well have him, lol! He won't be a UNITED

STATES senator anymore if he hails from a foreign country.

[ellacott]

20. How do you nominate Duzys?

This should be the undisputed winner. :)

[Dr. Death]

23. Well then it will be like the last time

a state seceded and declared war on the U.S.

Only this time, we'll get king crab legs and salmon instead of tobacco and smoked hams once we beat them into the ground.

[Danger Mouse]

24. Then we will have to be prepared for their crack Armored Polar Bears...

and Machine Gun Moose divisions.

[HughMoran]

5. seems highly unlikely

[Jersey Devil]

6. These are federal crimes, not state convictions

A governor has no power over the federal courts

[...of J.Temperance]

7. Couldn't only W pardon him....he probably will on his last day in office

Mark Begich is still going to win that Senate seat though next Tuesday.

[WeDidIt]

8. Bush can pardon Stevens

But Palin cannot.

[...of J.Temperance]

11. Yes that's what I thought, only W could pardon Stevens n/t

[Democat]

12. Bush will probably pardon him on the way out

Stevens is the longest serving Republicans senator, right? He must be good buddies with Bush Sr. Jr. will probably pardon him in December.

[...of J.Temperance]

21. Yes Pardon Stevens on the last day, and then Poppy will give Stevens a seat on Carlyle Board

Isn't that how it tends to work with this crowd? I think it is.

[AlCzervik]

9. his charges were federal i believe.

[MNDemNY]

10. NOPE.

[merh]

13. No, but Bush can.

He was convicted of federal crimes.

Palin needs to worry about that house that Todd built with friends.

[onenote]

17. No.

[spanone]

19. i don't think a governor can pardon a senator

[H2O Man]

22. No.

He was convicted at the federal level. She lacks the authority to play any role.

[11 Bravo]

25. She probably thinks she can, but the answer is no.

Stevens was convicted of a federal crime. A state executive has no jurisdiction (even a really stupid one who thinks that she can do whatever she wants).

[4_Legs_Good]

28. But, if she becomes the Head of the Senate when she's VP

can she control the Senate enough to Pardon him?

I think she can. After all the Constitution gives all kinds of powers to the Vice President.

David

:)

[gmoney]

30. She probably thinks he was acquitted!

Remember when she was found to be guilty of abuse of power? "Oh, I'm so glad that I've been cleared of these abuse of power charges"

[hlthe2b]

26. No... these were Federal Charges... Bush * could

[progressiveforever]

27. Nope, but Bush can

[PBS Poll-435]

29. Her last attempt at a pardon didn't work out to well

:shrug: