Posted on 10/28/2016 11:38:21 AM PDT by pgkdan
1974 President Ford pardons former President Nixon
On this day in 1974, President Gerald Ford, who assumed office on the heels of President Richard M. Nixon’s resignation, pardons his predecessor for his involvement in the Watergate scandal.
Congress had accused Nixon of obstruction of justice during the investigation of the Watergate scandal, which began in 1972. White House tape recordings revealed that Nixon knew about and possibly authorized the illegal break-in and wiretapping of the Democratic National Committee offices, located in the Watergate Hotel in Washington D.C. Rather than face impeachment and removal from office, Nixon chose to resign on August 8, 1974.
There were no historical or legal precedents to guide Ford in the matter of Nixon’s pending indictment. In the end, he decided to give Nixon a full pardon for all offenses against the United States in order to put the tragic and disruptive scandal behind all concerned. Ford justified this decision by claiming that a long, drawn-out trial would only have further polarized the public. Ford’s decision to pardon Nixon was condemned by many and is thought to have contributed to Ford’s failure to win the 1976 election.
From his home in California, Nixon responded to Ford’s pardon, saying he had gained a different perspective on the Watergate affair since his resignation. He admitted that he was “wrong in not acting more decisively and more forthrightly in dealing with Watergate, particularly when it reached the stage of judicial proceedings and grew from a political scandal into a national tragedy.”
I would consider it invalid as he is a co-conspirator in at least one of her crimes.
That was a pending indictment though. That is, a near certainty. She would have to be advised that they were preparing an indictment. If this occurs before the election it is still damaging.
Hillary's case is a little different.
What will Obama say:
"Look, I don't know what she may have done, or not done. As far as I know, it's all good, man. But -- if, if, if, if, if -- if she did do something she shouldn't have, well, I'm just gonna give her a blanket pardon, because, you know, Michelle likes her. Sort of. Not much. But, anyway ..."
He can also pardon himself.
An Obama blanket pardon of Hillary is very doable, and very legal, even if there is no indictment, or even a hint of one.
But Obama can only grant a pardon for federal crimes. Hopefully, some clever state attorney general can get her on a state charge. But I’m not holding my breath on that.
He would be a fool not to.
We should hand over Obama, Clinton, and for good measure Bush to some international war crimes tribunal.
I'd like to hear the press ask Hillary if she would accept a pardon.
Hillary and Co. have enough dirt on half the inside the Beltway crowd to bring them all down. And they all know it.
She will have absolutely nothing to lose now.
Therefore, a pardon is 100% certain.
Congress needs to initiate impeachment proceedings against her. Impeachment is explicitly excluded from pardon powers.
So... if one person does something stupid and illegal (Ford) all following persons can do it too.
This story will go no where with those who are responsible for enforcing the law.. We know that the law dos NOT apply to people like them, only us peasants
Agree. Also invalid because everything he has done, decreed, and signed as president is invalid because he is not, and never has been, a US citizen. At least I am fairly certain any real investigation would show such.
Our legal system is big on precedent.
The House would impeach. But the measure would certainly fail in the Senate, where a 2/3 vote is needed to convict. A President Hillary would survive. Then she'd play the poor victim card.
That's exactly how her hubby Bill's impeachment played out.
.
Obama was naturalized in the ‘70s.
Can Obama pardon himself?
basically yes...Ford provided the legal precedent.
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