So... can Trump pardon himself?

[Dill]

(07-21-2017, 03:59 AM)hollodero Wrote: Since he himself allegedly asked that, I feel free to do so as well, it seems the question is not as bizarre as one might believe. Could he? And if he would pardon himself (and Flynn Manafort and whoever), what would happen then? That's that, everyone's going home?

Is a pardon selfie the ultimate joker then? Could he, like he implied he could do without losing support, actually shoot someone in the streets, quickly pull the pardon and get away with it?

Can a president who pardoned himself still plead the fifth in an impeachment hearing, although there's maybe no one to "incriminate"? Can he lie under oath without any legal repercussions?

This is all so weird...!

Doubtful. But I think know one could no for sure until he did it. Then whatever he pardoned himself for, as soon as he was out of office, a prosecutor would have to bring charges. Then the legality would be sorted out in an actual trial.  At least that's how one of the talking heads on MSNBC explained it.

Also, if you accept a pardon, that is an admission of guilt.  Further, if you accept a pardon, or believe you have a pardon, then you cannot plead the 5th because you are not threatened with punishment.  All this was considered by Nixon, who apparently refused to do it. He thought it was "dishonorable."

If Trump is impeached, then that won't be like a regular courtroom trial. If it is the impression of enough Congressmen that he is guilty of high crimes and misdemeanors, then it won't matter if he refuses to speak or lies under oath.

Also, according to one reporter who had been speaking to Trump supporters, they didn't care if he is/was guilty of financial misdeeds with the Russians.  We do have Trump supporters in the forum who might give their views on this, but they haven't had much to say of late.

The bright side of Trump's recent shenanigans would be that Mueller appears to be delving into Trump's finances. Trump's desperate efforts to forestall that will more likely trigger impeachment than the actual high crimes, and sooner.

I know Trump knows nothing about government. But you'd think he'd know at least something about the law. Giving a Time interview in which he complains that his AG followed the law is another jaw dropper. I believe he also thought the FBI director reported directly to him.