Posted on 06/04/2018 7:55:41 AM PDT by Cheerio
The editors of the Washington Post are upset that President Trump pardoned Dinesh D’Souza. They also express concern that Trump might pardon Martha Stewart and Rod Blagojevich.
I have no problem with the D’Souza pardon. The Obama administration threw the book at D’Souza for a relatively small campaign finance law offense that, as I understand it, normally results in a slap on the wrist. It did so, in all likelihood, for the same reason the Post is unhappy with the pardon — D’Souza was a strident and effective critic of the Obama administration and of liberalism in general. According to one report I heard, D’Souza’s anti-Obama film was mentioned in the prosecutor’s file.
The Post frets, as other Trump-haters have, that the D’Souza pardon signals he can overturn the results of the Mueller investigation. But the president is not obliged to refrain from using a power that all presidents have (and use) just because his enemies were able to gin up — out of virtually nothing, it now seems — the Russia collusion investigation.
In any event, everyone understands that Trump can (and might) use the pardon power in connection with Mueller’s investigation. D’Souza’s pardon changes nothing in this regard.
However, I agree with the Post that Trump should think long and hard before pardoning Stewart and/or Blagojevich. Unlike D’Souza, both were convicted by juries. Trump may think the verdicts were unjust — in Stewart’s case, many do. But has he read the trial transcripts to learn what the evidence showed? I doubt it.
(Excerpt) Read more at powerlineblog.com ...
Stewart was sent to prison solely because she was Stewart. If she were a liberal Democrat, she would have never been tried for that crime.
I thought Blagojevich was a commutation. He is serving more time than most violent criminals are. The good news; it is driving the CNN nits crazy. Love it!
I live in Illinois (native born) and have for years watched the democrats and republicans destroy what used to be a pretty great place to live. As for pardoning Rod Blagojevich, I’m actually in favor of it. He got a much harsher sentence than former governor and convicted criminal George Ryan, who was by far more adept and successful at pay to play tactics than Mr. Blagojevich. I’m no fan of Rod Blagojevich, but I honestly think he has done his time and ought to be pardoned. And, it might make some of his former democrat allies very upset, which is worth watching.
I’m of the mind when the President sees a miscarriage of Justice he’s entitled and given the irrefutable right to correct it.
Scooter Libby was convicted by a jury, and he was entirely innocent. So, a conviction of a non-crime by an out-of-control prosecutor should be overturned.
The prosecutor in Libby’s case and in Blagojevich’s case was the same guy, Fitzgerald, and Comey I believe was involved in all three cases. So good reason to be suspicious. Throw them all out.
Sometimes I get the feeling that the Washington Post is going to be critical of anything Trump does. /S
Stewart IS a liberal democrat, lol. But she’s notoriously cold and nasty (although a brilliant business woman and talented baker).
The mob loves a hanging. Film at eleven.
I’m of the mind when the President sees a miscarriage of Justice he’s entitled and given the irrefutable right to correct it. <
As I see it, the only problem with a presidential pardon is that it’s too king-like. There are no checks-and-balances involved. The Founders should have given Congress the power to override a presidential pardon, just as they can override a presidential veto.
That would take a 2/3 vote in both Houses. So it would be a rare event indeed.
The media doesn’t talk much about Trump pardoning the black boxer.
I disagree. You may find it a ‘king’s prerogative’, but king’s are not prone to impeachment.
Congress always had a remedy when it comes to presidential authority.
I support a blanket pardon for anyone prosecuted under the Obama DoJ.
Every single case is tainted by politics and selective prosecution. This is not the Rule of Law but its opposite. A blanket pardon would be a welcome corrective of Obama era injustice.
Upset liberals just means things are happening as they should.
They are having a fit this morning over the 7-2 Supreme Court decision over the gay wedding cake case. Tantrums are their policy argument mainstay.
> Congress always had a remedy when it comes to presidential authority. <
I’ve thought about that. But a president can issue pardons on his last day in office. At that point, he is essentially unimpeachable, and Congress has no remedy.
He can still be impeached and perhaps that’s why Presidents generally wait until their last few days in office.
Somebody needs to have the irrevocable and irrefutable right to pardon. Why not the President? Anybody else and it’s subject to the whims of politics.
D'Souza wasn't convicted by a jury because, even though he had one of the best defense attorney's there is, he still pleaded guilty because he had no defense. Some parts of his sentence, such as a day of community service every week for five years, seem kind of harsh.
D’Souza was a strident and effective critic of the Obama administration
Maybe, but his idea that Obama was inspired by anti-colonial motives through the father he only met once in his life did not make sense.
Blago is an idiot. But he deserves a pardon more than anyone. Blago was absolutely attacked and taken out by the democrat party. Nobody else was convicted even though democrats including Pritzker who is now running for governor and Jesse Jackson Jr. tried to buy the Senate seat but they were never arrested, at least not for this crime.
Blago did not play with Obama. And that is why they went after him. Blago had the black vote in Illinois, while the rest of the democrats could not get him out of power.
By the way, the Chicago fake news hid most of the democrats that called Blago while only reporting Blago’s side of the conversation. Jesse Jackson Jr. sold his office but only got a short jail term, while Blogo got 18 years.
Maybe Blago, when pardoned, will blow the whistle on Obummer. Looking forward to Obummer and crew having to depart to some hot little hell hole for life, that has “no extradition’’ policy. Maybe Hillary will have to go with him. Happy day.
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