General Discussion
Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsIf Trump pardons Stone the Democrats should impeach him again.
It is clearly abuse of power.
IADEMO2004
(5,559 posts)dem4decades
(11,304 posts)Imagine a second term of Trump with absolutely no oversight.
bluestarone
(17,030 posts)House subpoena!!!!
dumbcat
(2,120 posts)What does serving him a House subpoena acccomplish?
Buckeyeblue
(5,501 posts)No president has used the pardon like this but the constitution doesn't place limits.
MissMillie
(38,578 posts)This is the one area where the legislative branch has no oversight.
Happy Hoosier
(7,386 posts)The pardon power is basically absolute. While I agree that would be an abuse of power, I think the legal argument is not strong enough to prevail.
NCjack
(10,279 posts)witness. No 4th Admendment right. If caught in a lie, his pardon could be invalidated and he could be sent to prison to serve his sentence.
ooky
(8,929 posts)and nothing will be done about it. This, for as long as we have this president, this Senate, and this AG.
last year that the President's pardon can't reach through to save anyone arrested for Contempt of Congress. I also read that there actually is no jail to use.
I think that Nancy should make a jail and ARREST THOSE THAT DON'T COMPLY. Trump couldn't get them out *unless he sent troops.* We could subpoena all the rat weasels. If we don't insist on this respect to Congress, what then?
We have to vote Blue with all our might in November, even if Trump refuses to leave. If Impeachment isn't used, and Trump is gearing up to steal the election, what can we do? Better to fight at the ballot box than in the streets, but...
sarisataka
(18,770 posts)He would be using a power clearly granted in the Constitution.
Abuse of common decency would be a more apt charge but 5hat is readily available on multiple counts.
Mme. Defarge
(8,042 posts)be an abuse of power?
sarisataka
(18,770 posts)On the power to pardon so there is no clause to point at and say it was violated.
That said, there is no definition of high crimes in the Constitution either so they are whatever the House says they are. Claiming a pardon as abuse of power would be a more difficult charge to get the Senate to convict than the previous charges, IMO.
Mme. Defarge
(8,042 posts)(Sometimes spell-check is the enemy.)
sarisataka
(18,770 posts)nini
(16,672 posts)He doesn't respect that power but he has it. Not impeachable.
ibegurpard
(16,685 posts)Presidential pardon power should not exist.
democrattotheend
(11,607 posts)Putting aside how bad that would be for us politically, the president has the right to pardon whomever he wants. That is not an abuse of power. What arguably is an abuse of power was Trump interfering in the DOJ process, although I would argue that if all he did was tweet about it in public, and didn't have any behind-the-scenes conversations with Barr about it, he probably didn't do anything illegal or unethical. If he tried to influence the sentencing behind closed doors and promised or threatened anything in return, that's a different story.