Arpaio's pardon was the canary in the coal mine. It was the legal test missile.

[kairos12]

Rethugs barely noticed. Drumpt may not care if state charges can be preferred against Flynn.

Pardons are coming. Himself included.

[tparrett62]

1. Possibly, but still not good enough

Seth Abramson, on his excellent Twitter thread today, posited that Mueller may have charged Flynn with a small (?!) charge initially, and may be open to charging Flynn with subsequent offences in the event that Trump does indeed move to pardon Mueller.

[Pathwalker]

9. Uh, Trump pardon Mueller? Huh?

typo?

[Quemado]

2. Pardons may not be coming

See this post:

[link:https://upload.democraticunderground.com/10029873432|

[rock]

3. Trump cannot pardon himself

So who would do that? VP Mike Pence, after he takes over? Why would he? Sure, he might say he will, but will he?

[irisblue]

8. We do have an historical precedent, sadly enough.

[rock]

12. True, but it's not needed

The American system of law does NOT allow one to stand in judgement of oneself (it's an ironclad principle). Only Dictators have such powers and our Democracy won't allow it.

[struggle4progress]

4. It wouldn't be ideal if he issued pardons -- but we could hang it around the GOP's neck

like the carcass of a rotting badger, and a whole slew of folk would notice the stench

Trying to pardon himself would be even worse: a pardon must be accepted to have force, so his lawyers might be forced to plead in court that yes, he admitted violating the law but had placed himself beyond its reach with his self-pardon

That wouldn't smell like one dead badger: it would smell like a whole dead zoo -- and however the courts handle it, the political consequences would be like one of those gifts that keeps giving and giving and giving

[kairos12]

6. I agree with your analysis. However, with Drumpt having placed the Russian Judge on

SCOTUS (5-4) splits coming, and the fact that Rethugs would prefer a rotten badger to any type of win for a Democrat I'm not sure Drumpt wouldn't get away the pardon.

[Vinca]

5. I don't think he can pardon himself and state charges could be waiting in the wings for many

of them, including Don. Whether it's a federal felony or a state felony you still end up in the big house.

[Volaris]

7. Nope. I agree with the legal speculation that Mueller

Has a sealed indictment with Trump's name on it. IF that sealed indictment has a conspiracy charge inside it as well, trump won't be legally allowed to pardon so much as his wife's Christmas decorations.
If he tries, Mueller will unsealed that fucker to PROVE the conspiracy, and cut Trump's (and everyone elses) legs out from under him. EVERYONE will roll, and Donald Trump will go to prison.
Melania will take ALL his money, and he will die, broke, inside a federal penitentiary.

[kairos12]

10. I believe it is an open question

whether you can indict a sitting President. Impeachment exists because of this problem.

[Volaris]

11. He might not be able to be indicted or tried until he's out of office,

But the conspiracy charge (if it exists, and as far as I can recall being informed) nullifies presidential pardon power (this is what has been suggested, the SCourt has never had to actually rule on such a case, because Nixon was smart enough to resign).

Even if it doesn't, an accepting of such pardon invalidates any 5th amendment rights of the guilty (because admission of guilt is part and parcel to needing the Pardon in the first place) and so any State or other Federal charges would then REQUIRE testimony against the President for any crimes HE comitted.

Donald Trump is going to prison.