https://axios.com/trump-pardon-felony-president
Trump, who currently faces 91 felony counts across four criminal cases, has flirted with using one of the presidency's most powerful abilities to absolve himself of criminal liability in the past.
though the power of the pardon is immense, it is not absolute.
A president cannot pardon people convicted of state crimes and cannot commute sentences received for state crimes, which is a power generally reserved for governors, though it differs state by state.
The founders also ensured that pardons cannot apply to congressional impeachments against federal officials, as that would be a violation of the separation of powers.The pardon, too, is constrained only to "Offences against the United States," implying a president can only grant clemency for crimes committed and not future crimes.
Trump recently said it's "very unlikely" he would pardon himself if he is convicted of a crime and wins office.
A president would deeply damage his legitimacy and could plunge the country into a existential constitutional crisis, potentially igniting political chaos.
A president who gives himself a pardon also wouldn't completely escape accountability, as he could still be removed from office through the impeachment process.
@GrudgingRightW1ngDemocrat4mos4MO
An open question.. what are we doing here? How is this a question? No, if he were to be reelected the Supreme Court must enforce the penalty of commiting crimes. Do we want to be a third world country run by a dictator?
@DoveOliviaDemocrat4mos4MO
It's hard to imagine ANY scenario in which the founding fathers would have approved of a self-pardon. That would literally place the president entirely above the law.
If he’s not convicted before he’s sworn in he will tell his new AG to drop the cases. So a pardon wouldn’t be needed
There's only two limitations in the Constitution for a presidential pardon..
1- can't pardon a state conviction
2-- can't pardon a impeachment conviction
So yes the president can pardon themselves for any federal crime.. as long as it doesn't involve impeachment..
@GrudgingRightW1ngDemocrat4mos4MO
If president’s don’t have immunity, all they’re doing is making every president’s final act to pardon himself. Theatre of the absurd. And, what? Trump loses musical chairs because this theory was invented after/because of him?
@ISIDEWITH4mos4MO
@ISIDEWITH4mos4MO
