General Discussion
Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsIf Donald Trump were to resign the Presidency, could he receive a full pardon, even if...?
...even if he had not been charged with any crimes??
Does anyone in the media know what was discussed at Camp David? VP Pence flew back early to attend, they say?
Did they have to double-check that Steve Bannon was leaving?
What kind of deal are they working on?
Xipe Totec
(43,890 posts)And Pence has to think about re-election in 2020. If he pardons Trump, he'll become Gerald Ford II.
PJMcK
(22,052 posts)Of course, you're correct that a presidential pardon only applies to Federal crimes. For example, the New York's Attorney General brings RICO charges against Trump, the presidential pardon wouldn't apply and there wouldn't be a state pardon available. Trump would be legally vulnerable.
My disagreement with your idea, Xipe Totec, is this: What if Pence doesn't care to be president for very long? He pardons Trump and whoever else is in on the deal. Then he gets to be president for 2-plus years. He already has his pensions in place from his public service positions and like most Republicans, he's got his own private fortune tucked away. He gets to go down in history as a president with all of the accoutrements that former presidents receive. Given his cravenness, he would cash in every opportunity that came his way. Not a bad deal for an amoral jackass.
I hate these people.
Xipe Totec
(43,890 posts)Let's be honest. Mike Pence is there to satisfy his ego, not to serve the nation.
Girard442
(6,085 posts)Hard to imagine Pence turning down a pardon-in-exchange-for-resignation deal.
Of course, after the pardon, Trump could still be hammered if he refused to honor a subpoena to testify -- he couldn't take the 5th, after all.
defacto7
(13,485 posts)anymore. The state crimes will nail him. As far as federal, if he's president he has to be impeached before he can be charged. He or whomever can pardon him for anything.... but not state charges. And as others have stated there are a lot of pitfalls with pardons.
dixiegrrrrl
(60,010 posts)You cannot pardon your co-conspirators.
Nixon was actually charged as an "unindicted co-conspirator" but that was after he agreed to resign
to impeachment.
At the state level, as a public citizen now out of office, he will be charged for the money laundering, there is LOTS of proof and quite a few of his former pals are cooperating with the investigations.
Getting him on the money charges, esp. RICO will actually do him the most damage, since they can and will seize everything he owns.
Jared and Ivanka and Trump's 2 oldest sons are also part of the money laundering investigation.
same fate awaits them.
they only possible out they have is to flee to another country. I am wondering if Putin will even allow them into Russia.
stopbush
(24,396 posts)winning.
I give him until Thanksgiving.
oberliner
(58,724 posts)No chance.