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highplainsdem

(48,730 posts)
Mon Nov 23, 2020, 10:30 AM Nov 2020

The One Word That Bars Trump From Pardoning Himself

https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2020/11/one-word-bars-trump-pardoning-himself/617170/




Way too much to excerpt any of it, but it's an interesting analysis of why the Constituion saying the president has the power to GRANT pardons in effect bars him from pardoning himself, based on both other uses of the word "grant" in the Constitution and its meaning at the time, all of them transitive, from one entity to another.

Found this thanks to a tweet from George Conway, who was a law school classmate of the law professor who wrote this analysis.


FWIW, I still think it's very likely that Trump will announce he's pardoned himself, along with an army of thug cronies and criminal relatives.

I also think it's likely he'll pressure Pence to pardon him, and that he'll be more likely to fake an illness and have Pence temporarily become president just long enough to pardon him, and then Trump will miraculously recover, rather than resigning early and trusting Pence to pardon him.




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The One Word That Bars Trump From Pardoning Himself (Original Post) highplainsdem Nov 2020 OP
He's already tested the fake illness and miraculous recovery theory. lagomorph777 Nov 2020 #1
But if he accepts a pardon, he's admitting guilt... Trueblue Texan Nov 2020 #2
Exactly Trump is in grave danger in New York. gordianot Nov 2020 #3

lagomorph777

(30,613 posts)
1. He's already tested the fake illness and miraculous recovery theory.
Mon Nov 23, 2020, 10:33 AM
Nov 2020

So it does seem like a plausible gambit for a pardon swap (Pence will demand a pardon in exchange).

gordianot

(15,226 posts)
3. Exactly Trump is in grave danger in New York.
Mon Nov 23, 2020, 10:47 AM
Nov 2020

In addition a self pardon will be taken up by the Supreme Court. Just how suicidal is Pence?

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