PREDICTION: Not Only Will Trump Attempt To Pardon Himself, It Will be

[Skraxx]

A ridiculous, over the top pardon, that will seek to pardon him from all crimes, past, present and future at any level of Government, Federal, state, city and local etc. Just watch. It will be ridiculous on every level and laughable, but I predict he will try something like that. Watch.

[tetedur]

1. So a president can place himself above the law.

[Skraxx]

2. No, But He Will Try

[Happy Hoosier]

11. Agreed. He will try. With this SCotUS?

He might get away with it... which would eliminate the concept of equal justice under law.

[NYC Liberal]

14. Then Biden could invite him to the WH and shoot him on TV

before pardoning himself. I don’t think even this Supreme Court would allow self pardons, if only because Democrats could do it too.

[doc03]

3. He better get one for all his f---d up family

while he is at it.

[Kablooie]

4. And SCOTUS will approve it.

5 to 4

[bullimiami]

10. i think they will not. this would put Biden above the law. And Kamala (if stars align) after.

I think this above the obvious reason that it is an insane notion antithetical to the fundamentals of the usa.

Oh and also it makes the court, a supposed co-equal branch, subservient to the president. power they will not want to relinquish.

[magicarpet]

15. One time only,... setting no/none/any precedent.

Some on the USSC gratefully thank trDumpie for the lifetime appointment.

[andym]

5. Will be interesting to see how the originalist, textualist Supreme Court rules

The only textual reference is that a President can pardon except in cases of impeachment. “The President … shall have power to grant reprieves and pardons for offenses against the United States, except in cases of impeachment.” Textually the argument can be made that the President can self-pardon. But have no doubt that the Founders would never have sanctioned allowing self-pardons for the President because the power of self-pardon would be one of the powers akin to kingship, a role that the founders rejected for the office of President. It will be originalism vs textualism for the SC conservative majority.

[PJMcK]

13. The text is interesting

The Constitution says that the president may "grant" pardons. In other parts of the Consitution, the word "grant" implies giving something to another person. In other words, one cannot grant something to one's self. So, originalism and textualism are the same thing in this instance.

I agree with you that SCOTUS will not cut themselves off at the knees by supporting a self-pardon. Actually, I really don't think SCOTUS will have to weigh in because I think Trump will make a deal with Pence and resign so Pence can pardon him. After all, a self-pardon is pretty sketchy legally and if it were deemed un-Constitutional, Trump would face all kinds of legal troubles and he wouldn't have the powers to protect himself. (And I don't think President Biden would grant Trump a pardon "for the good of the country." )

[stevil]

6. Only if....

He gets to spend other people's money to do it. If not all bets are off.

[AleksS]

7. If he does, you're absolutely right.

“I hereby proclaim myself pardoned from every FAKE CRIME the crazy democrat party ever accuses me of along with the FAKE NEWS that hates me and hates America bigly.”

I can see it.

[Skraxx]

17. "I Hereby Pardon Myself for Every Crime, Past, Present or Future that Anyone in the Universe has

Falsely accused me of. I hereby proclaim I am the most honest, innocent person ever. There's no one more honest than I am and I can never be accused of anything because there is no one more honest and innocent than me. I hereby proclaim this for now and forever and this can never be disputed by anyone, because they are all terrible, horrible people who hate this country. I mean they really hate it. I love this country. Have you seen me hug the flag? See? I love this country. I'm innocent. Forever. Hereby."

[50 Shades Of Blue]

8. ItA - Trump will pardon himself. And SC will rubberstamp it.

[safeinOhio]

9. He will pardon himself

and then refuse to accept it. There’s a loop hole in there.

[TDale313]

12. I suspect he will try. And yeah, it'll be a crazy blanket immunity pardon.

[KBlagburn]

16. Trump is so stupid...

that he doesn't know that to accept a pardon, one must admit guilt of a crime.