Today in History: September 8, Ford pardons Nixon

[Omaha Steve]

https://apnews.com/today-in-history/september-8

By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
Published 11:00 PM CDT, September 7, 2025
Today in history:

On Sept. 8, 1974, one month after taking office, President Gerald R. Ford granted a “full, free, and absolute pardon” to former President Richard Nixon for any crimes committed during Nixon’s presidency.

[rurallib]

1. I remember being almost sick when I heard that

and told my friends this was a really bad move.

[3catwoman3]

2. Big mistake, IMO.

[raccoon]

4. A day which will live in infamy.

[Ocelot II]

5. That was so infuriating.

It was an absurd decision which set the stage for Trump, and if Nixon had been prosecuted it's doubtful that he'd have been absolved on the ground of presidential immunity. In 1974 the Supreme Court consisted of Chief Justice Burger, Douglas, Brennan, Stewart, White, Marshall, Blackmun, Powell and Rehnquist. With the exception of Rehnquist, who recused himself because he'd worked for Nixon in the OLC, that court unanimously ordered Nixon to turn over the secret tapes. If Nixon had been prosecuted and found guilty I don't think they'd have let him off the hook the way the Roberts court has done for Trump, and we'd at least have had established precedent for prosecuting rogue presidents - not that the current court cares much for precedent, but at least they'd have had to try harder and look even stupider for protecting Trump for crimes even worse than Nixon's.