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Can President Clinton Pardon Himself?
slate.com ^ | 12/30/1998

Posted on 06/04/2018 12:29:13 PM PDT by cotton1706

President Clinton promised this month not to pardon himself. It's surprising to see Clinton voluntarily relinquish a legal weapon, but even more surprising that he had his hands on it in the first place. Can the president really pardon himself?

No one knows the answer. The Constitution says that the president "shall have the power to grant reprieves and pardons for offenses against the United States, except in cases of impeachment." This sentence, like many in the Constitution, can reasonably be interpreted in several ways. And since no court has ruled on this issue--because no president has ever tried to pardon himself--it remains an open question.

The simplest interpretation is that the president can pardon any federal criminal offense, including his own, but cannot pardon an impeachment. In other words, Clinton is free to immunize himself from criminal prosecution, but has no power over Congress.

(Excerpt) Read more at slate.com ...


TOPICS: Constitution/Conservatism; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: elections

1 posted on 06/04/2018 12:29:13 PM PDT by cotton1706
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To: cotton1706

Do you mean FORMER president Clinton?

No.

He’s not President.


2 posted on 06/04/2018 12:31:04 PM PDT by Mr. K (No consequence of repealing Obamacare is worse than Obamacare itself.)
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To: cotton1706

OOPS! I just saw the date!

Great find


3 posted on 06/04/2018 12:31:27 PM PDT by Mr. K (No consequence of repealing Obamacare is worse than Obamacare itself.)
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To: cotton1706

Good find.


4 posted on 06/04/2018 12:34:47 PM PDT by Ken H (Best election ever!)
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To: cotton1706

Clinton was acquitted by the Senate in 1999.

A President it seems - can pardon himself for possible criminal acts but he has no power over impeachment.

Impeachment is a political - not a legal - process.


5 posted on 06/04/2018 12:36:18 PM PDT by goldstategop (In Memory Of A Dearly Beloved Friend Who Lives In My Heart Forever)
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To: cotton1706

Do Democrat voters even care if their candidates are criminals? Do they care about their nefarious past? It is a matter of fact that Obama cohorted with communists, terrorists, and even donated money to the PLO and later to Hamas through the U.N. Mention that to a liberal and they brush it off like it’s no big deal. To a Democrat, the only crime is not being one.


6 posted on 06/04/2018 12:37:22 PM PDT by Telepathic Intruder
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To: cotton1706; Mr. K

FR was around back then. There was likely a thread on this.

Hey, I’ll be first.

Already posted!


7 posted on 06/04/2018 12:41:16 PM PDT by Larry Lucido
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To: Telepathic Intruder

Rudy was an idiot to take the bait. He should have said there is nothing to pardon and shut it down. Now the BS is flying full speed again.


8 posted on 06/04/2018 12:42:12 PM PDT by gibsonguy
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To: gibsonguy

One thing I’ve noticed is that liberal-leaning Republicans tend to be idiots. They always fall for all the old tricks that Democrats throw at them.


9 posted on 06/04/2018 12:45:36 PM PDT by Telepathic Intruder
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To: cotton1706

btt


10 posted on 06/04/2018 12:45:52 PM PDT by KSCITYBOY (The media is corrupt)
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To: cotton1706

As is always these days, there are so many solutions out there in search of problems.
If this whole issue wasn’t given new life by President Trump for his personal amusement; we had better be looking for a new country. Lately, I think the President and Rudy sit up at night betting on who can make the press do the most outrageous thing the following day.


11 posted on 06/04/2018 12:50:51 PM PDT by Steamburg (Other people's money is the only language a politician respects; starve the bastards)
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To: Larry Lucido

[Hey, I’ll be first.

Already posted!]

Thank you! We respect your authority!

;)


12 posted on 06/04/2018 1:16:01 PM PDT by SaveFerris (Luke 17:28 ... as it was in the days of Lot; they did eat, they drank, they bought, they sold ......)
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To: Mr. K

“OOPS!”

Shouldn’t that be “Pardon me.”?


13 posted on 06/04/2018 1:44:41 PM PDT by fruser1
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To: SaveFerris

Search is your friend!

https://web.archive.org/web/19980419111032/http://freerepublic.com:80/


14 posted on 06/04/2018 2:01:56 PM PDT by Larry Lucido
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To: cotton1706; Mr. K; SaveFerris
Oh, and since this is a 1998 thread, don't forget to close your tags! Danged Italians!
15 posted on 06/04/2018 2:07:14 PM PDT by Larry Lucido
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To: Larry Lucido

LOLOL

Also one of my favorites....(not really)

Good job!


16 posted on 06/04/2018 2:24:45 PM PDT by SaveFerris (Luke 17:28 ... as it was in the days of Lot; they did eat, they drank, they bought, they sold ......)
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To: cotton1706

This is getting insane. Trump cannot pardon himself, because he has not been accused of a crime. He is just moving his laser pointer to screw with the press!


17 posted on 06/04/2018 5:06:36 PM PDT by Bommer ( F the NFl)
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To: Bommer
Trump cannot pardon himself, because he has not been accused of a crime.

Trump could preemptively pardon himself for any federal crimes he might have committed, in the same manner that Gerald Ford preemptively pardoned Nixon.

Trump won't do that, but he could.

18 posted on 06/04/2018 6:03:38 PM PDT by TChad
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To: gibsonguy

Rudy give the old smarmy political answers trying to thread the needle.

Trump just speaks clearly.

You’re 100% correct he should have just said “there is nothing to pardon, and i won’t answer such ridiculous questions”


19 posted on 06/04/2018 7:02:15 PM PDT by Mr. K (No consequence of repealing Obamacare is worse than Obamacare itself.)
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To: cotton1706

I can think of something else former President Bill Clinton can do to himself


20 posted on 06/04/2018 8:21:02 PM PDT by Fester Chugabrew (Lock. Her. Up.)
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