Former Mueller deputy predicts Trump will pardon himself if he doesn't win reelection
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Source: The Hill
Andrew Weissmann, a deputy to former special counsel Robert Mueller, predicted that President Trump will pardon himself and several family members if he does not win reelection this November.
"I suspect strongly that if the president does not win reelection, that he is going to pardon a lot more people related to the Trump Organization, his family, people who work there, and even himself," Weissmann told NPR in an interview on his book tour. "That's obviously never been done. A president has never pardoned himself and that could be challenged by the Department of Justice if it decided it was going to go ahead with a criminal prosecution."
Weissmann did not specify for which specific actions he believed Trump would pardon himself.
Mueller's team investigated ties between the Trump campaign and Russian officials and whether the president worked to obstruct the probe. It ultimately did not recommend any charges.
Read more: https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/former-mueller-deputy-predicts-trump-will-pardon-himself-if-he-doesnt-win-reelection/ar-BB1al6Qi?li=BBnb7Kz
bullimiami
(13,074 posts)cstanleytech
(26,223 posts)no pressure from the feds to either agree not to prosecute him at all or to give him a far lighter sentence for his cooperation.
Captain Zero
(6,780 posts)It meant he had to admit HE did something wrong??
Clearly fogged in
(1,896 posts)But the mental gymnastics would drive him stark raving mad.
KS Toronado
(17,138 posts)cstanleytech
(26,223 posts)would flip.
George II
(67,782 posts)pnwmom
(108,955 posts)Fiendish Thingy
(15,544 posts)MFM008
(19,803 posts)Is going to spend from November 4th until January 20th pardoning and screwing as much stuff up as he can including probably stealing all the B's off the typewriters.
ashredux
(2,598 posts)alwaysinasnit
(5,059 posts)Sherman A1
(38,958 posts)but we are in a world with Trumpy Bear and that makes thing radically different.
roamer65
(36,744 posts)They will get a head start.
Rename Trump Tower to Excelsior Tower.
yaesu
(8,020 posts)Xipe Totec
(43,888 posts)And you also lose your 5th amendment right not to testify.
Rebl2
(13,447 posts)Wouldnt he have to be found guilty of something to be pardoned?
murielm99
(30,712 posts)Xipe Totec
(43,888 posts)After Ford left the White House in 1977, he privately justified his pardon of Nixon by carrying in his wallet a portion of the text of Burdick v. United States, a 1915 U.S. Supreme Court decision that suggested that a pardon carries an imputation of guilt and that its acceptance carries a confession of guilt.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pardon_of_Richard_Nixon#:~:text=His%20former%20press%20secretary%2C%20Ron,many%20to%20see%20him%20punished.&text=Ford%20eventually%20agreed%2C%20and%20on,any%20possibility%20of%20an%20indictment.
tavernier
(12,368 posts)in2herbs
(2,944 posts)he'll give up the presidency, Pence will pardon him and off he goes. IMO that's an even better scenario than prosecuting him. With him in a country with no extradition we can try him for crimes in abstentia and confiscate all the assets of his companies. Same goes for the kids.
DENVERPOPS
(8,787 posts)of 747's to transport his entire administration, and all the RepubliCON House Members and Members of the Senate to a country with no extradition..........And don't forget all the uber wealthy who conspired with him to Grift government money during his administration.
You gotta know that for the last twenty years, this whole group of people have covertly "off-shored" their money to protect it from the U.S. Treasury........
in2herbs
(2,944 posts)protect only himself and leave the other swamp creatures to fend for themselves. Even if some in his administration leave the country they, too, can be tried in abstentia and their assets seized as well.
NonPC
(281 posts)I agree -- there is going to be the largest airlift this country has ever seen happening between November 3rd and January 20th.
All the grifters (Trump crime family, De Joy, McConnell, et al) will be packing up their treasures and heading off to a non-extraditing country before January 19th. Their money is already safely tucked away in the Caymens, Bermuda, Switzerland, Cyprus, and China. They will be laughing at us unless a US Attorney in some district decides to indite them and try to take their passports to prevent flight.
If these criminal acts occur, we will then find how long these slugs will ferment in their chosen sh$$y countries before they decide to take a vacation to a nice place. Then Interpol and the new DOJ will promptly apprehend them. The film should be priceless.
Chemisse
(30,802 posts)That would be extremely amusing.
lettucebe
(2,336 posts)No way no how. No one, ever will be able to pardon themselves. Most ridiculous thing I've ever heard. Guess it makes him feel better to think he can though.
SharonClark
(10,014 posts)MrsMatt
(1,660 posts)and has gotten away with it.
Seems logical that he'd get away with pardoning himself as well.
DonaldsRump
(7,715 posts)In 1974, shortly before Nixon's resignation, his Chief of Staff Al Haig had the Justice Department look at the question of whether a President could pardon himself. Justice came back and said the Presidential pardoning power under the Constitution was total, and that included a self-pardon.
I'm not saying it's right, but that is what the US DoJ said 46 years ago.
LiberalLovinLug
(14,164 posts)That they would have written in a clause about self-pardoning.
Lithos
(26,403 posts)To accept the pardon, he would have to admit to being guilty of various crimes. There is a very good chance this will also land him in trouble with one or more State laws effectively defeating any defense he might be able to generate. Ie, any Federal crimes surrounding Money Laundering and Financial things also involve crimes against states which also tax income.
bucolic_frolic
(43,027 posts)So I doubt it would hold up as legal.
LiberalFighter
(50,767 posts)TeamPooka
(24,204 posts)certainot
(9,090 posts)him it would work deserves a medal, although it could just be one of his dumbass advisers
Galraedia
(5,020 posts)and he won't be charged with anything until he is out of office.
roamer65
(36,744 posts)leftieNanner
(15,058 posts)And Ford gave him the Get Out Of Jail Free card on his way to Marine One.
Galraedia
(5,020 posts)A president cant be prosecuted for crimes while in office, so a pardon would only be of legal significance after he left office. Nixon resign before he could be impeached and was pardoned by Ford. The only chance that Trump has of receiving a pardon would be if he resigned and was given a pardon by Mike Pence. However, doing so would do more damage to Mike Pence than it ever did to Ford.
leftieNanner
(15,058 posts)Absolutely true.
NYC Liberal
(20,135 posts)the pardon. He'd be president for 24 hours. And I highly doubt that Pence will run for president in the future.
JI7
(89,239 posts)BainsBane
(53,012 posts)It can damn well be ignored. Besides, it will have no effect in NY state.
niyad
(113,029 posts)leftieNanner
(15,058 posts)reggaehead
(269 posts)He could remember all the crimes he has committed. But, those at DOJ will.
orleans
(34,039 posts)but he can't pardon himself
world wide wally
(21,734 posts)My guess is that he will resign the first week of January so Pence can pardon him.
Boogiemack
(1,406 posts)and disgraced and disgraceful human being. His brand is in the swamp and he will never be able to overcome the facts of his failures (and neither will his supporters). I predict that if he loses he will not survive more than a year.
Ohio Dem
(4,357 posts)Can a President pardon people for crimes they haven't even been indicted for, let alone convicted of? I'm not a lawyer, but I think he can pardon his ass off to little avail. It's a large ass, but still. I don't think that's how things work. Plus, don't you have to admit to the crime to accept a pardon? That's not going to do them ANY favors in State Court.
Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin
(107,711 posts)So yes one can.
Pardoning oneself however has never been done before.
Ohio Dem
(4,357 posts)Impeachment is essentially an indictment. My question is, "Can a President pardon a person for a crime that he or she hasn't been formally charged with?" Can a President pardon a person for crimes that have yet to be uncovered? With this bunch, I'm sure there are plenty of those.
Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin
(107,711 posts)The House began impeachment hearings but Nixon resigned before it came to a vote.
Ohio Dem
(4,357 posts)ashredux
(2,598 posts)He has planned to possibly leave the country...most likely to Saudi Arabia or The United Arab Emirates
Sherman A1
(38,958 posts)The scenario isnt all that important in my opinion.
honest.abe
(8,610 posts)Cant imagine even the hardest core RW judge would back Trump on this. Its completely outrageous and absurd.
LiberalLovinLug
(14,164 posts)And in so doing, be able to run again in 2024?
Brainfodder
(6,423 posts)I can hear: What about me? What about me?
Melanie, is that you?
I don't care, do you?
applegrove
(118,462 posts)Alert:
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