Pardoning Giuliani Would Put Trump in Legal Jeopardy

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Under federal law, it would be bribery to offer an official government act, like a pardon, in exchange for a debt, like the money Trump owes to Giuliani. An investigation would have to ensue. And as President Bill Clinton learned after pardoning financier Marc Rich, an investigation into a questionable pardon can be serious business.


https://www.bloomberg.com/opinion/articles/2020-12-01/pardoning-giuliani-would-put-trump-in-legal-jeopardy

[LisaM]

1. Darn.

What's a crook to do?

[Blue Owl]

2. Looks like Little Donny is stuck between a rock and a tiny desk

[TheRickles]

4. Or, as someone said after the Four Seasons Landscaping fiasco,

between a d*ck and a charred place.

[Jarqui]

3. Bribery is a misdemeanor compared to some of the stuff Trump has done

Giuliani has the 'insurance' on Trump. Both men operate similarly in that fashion.
If Trump did stuff illegally with Giuliani, there is no attorney client privilege on that.
If Giuliani wants and/or needs a pardon, Trump probably has little choice.

[Escurumbele]

5. That is exactly right, the quid pro quo is not so much about money as it is about silence

Giuliani knows of many dead bodies and trump knows Giuliani knows. This is about obstruction of justice, like he did with Flynn's pardon, which I hope it is revoked, the same would apply to Giuliani, he is buying his silence.

Giuliani voiced it out loud that he has "insurance". You are correct.

[Jarqui]

6. Can you imagine how you would feel if you'd done what Trump has done

(I agree, that's pretty hard to imagine ... might make you ill.. )

and law enforcement is going to talk with Giuliani about it?

At this point, even Trump has to realize the guy is not very smart and can easily be caught out in a lie.

Look at the Gong Show of Giuliani media appearances the last couple of years - easily caught in lies and embarrassment. Trump probably didn't have great choices because reputable lawyers would steer clear of him. But if we learned anything: a person does not want Rudy Giuliani speaking for them. That alone justifies a pardon (in Trump's situation) if it helps shut Giuliani up.

That and executive privilege to get around Giuliani being unable to plead the 5th probably or Giuliani taking the 5th for protection from state crimes is probably what Trump has to do.

In the interim, they'll continue to try to steal democracy from America.

[calimary]

7. Can a pardon be revoked?

[cstanleytech]

8. Problem is pardoning Giuliani or anyone might allow for forcing them to testify

as it could be argued that they cannot use the 5th amendment due to the pardon protecting them.
If however the pardons would be ruled invalid due to being part of a large criminal conspiracy by Trump to protect himself and those involved in it they could use the 5th.

[Jarqui]

9. What if Giuliani pleads the 5th fearing conviction of a state crime that

a Trump pardon does not protect him from?

[cstanleytech]

10. Problem is though that few federal laws that are broken would

also equate to a state law so he would have to explain how invoking the 5th amendment is relevant.

[crickets]

11. Very interesting. K&R for visibility.