December 2, 2020
What is all this talk about “pre-emptive” pardons for the Pres, Giuliani, Ivanka and the boys?
They may be guilty of all sorts of things.
But don’t you have to be convicted of something – something specific, a crime – before you can be pardoned for it?
I see Putin has been trying to get Russian law changed so that he can’t be tried for any crime for life – a sort of permanent get out of jail free card. Is that what we are talking about here, but by trying to use an existing constitutional power to do it? Can this be done?
Article Two, Section 2 (Powers and Duties of the President): “…he shall have power to grant reprieves and pardons for offenses against the United States, except in cases of impeachment.” Doesn’t say he shall have power to grant immunity or to hold harmless in perpetuity, which is what is being discussed. And doesn’t the qualifier about impeachment strongly suggest that the intent of the framers was that the presidential pardon power was not intended for self use?
MOE
M.I.C.H. – Modernity, Intelligence, Complexity, Humanity