There will be other Dem presidents in the future.

If he allowed himself to be talked into or decided on his own to steal files from the NEW and deliver those files to other countries, I have no sympathy. He can give himself up to face trial and then accept the sentence.

You want to come home? Come home, and face the music. I'd support leniency if you owned up to those you did which were wrong.

when you just have to wonder about the stability of those who tend toward authoritarianism.

We had, for example, this one:

I, Gerald R. Ford, President of the United States, pursuant to the pardon power conferred upon me by Article II, Section 2, of the Constitution, have granted and by these presents do grant a full, free, and absolute pardon unto Richard Nixon for all offenses against the United States which he, Richard Nixon, has committed or may have committed or taken part in during the period from January 20, 1969 through August 9, 1974

Ford blocked prosecution of any crime whatsoever, that Nixon might have committed while President. It was vague and open-ended -- and it forestalled any further investigations

And we had this one:

I, George Bush, President of the United States of America, pursuant to my powers under Article II, Section 2, of the Constitution, do hereby grant a full, complete, and unconditional pardon to Elliott Abrams, Duane R. Clarridge, Alan Fiers, Clair George, Robert C. McFarlane, and Caspar W. Weinberger for all offenses charged or prosecuted by Independent Counsel Lawrence E. Walsh or other member of his office, or committed by these individuals and within the jurisdiction of that office

Bush blocked further prosecution of any crime whatsoever, that (say) Clarridge and/or Weinberger might have committed, subject only to the condition that the crime would have fallen within the scope of the office of Independent Counsel. It was vague and open-ended -- and it forestalled any further investigations

It is one thing to pardon a person for offenses where there is a conviction: it limits the pardon to specific proved acts. But pre-emptive pardons, which prevent prosecution -- and hence forestall all further investigation -- are an entirely different matter

What. The. Fuck. Has DU become? Because it sure isn't "Democratic", and the "Underground" has all vacated the building.

The authoritarianism is nauseating.