Also the power to have conflicts of interest-. Our first unabashed user of the presidency to enrich himself and his family to unprecedented degree.
3 Likes
Who knows the extent to which itās reflected already, but the business boob tube reminds me every day: the GOP Congress , knowing itās likely to be under siege for the next year-plus, has decided to save all the jobs building roads(and The Wall) for next (Election) year. So theyāre telling those desperate to find work that their(pay) check is in the mail. Meanwhile, the Freedumb caucus is singing āLetās call the whole thing offā.
Sad!
The ultimate obstruction of justice. Could he not be impeached on that basis, if his intent behind pardoning all is to obstruct prosecution of himself?
4 Likes
Congress can do whatever it pleases, and investigate anyone and anything. Just ask HRC, or the IRS Commissioner, or ā¦ well, this guy.
By United Press - Library of Congress, Public Domain, Link
A distinction that is not being made often enough, or clearly enough, is between an investigation for the purpose of (possible) prosecution versus an investigation to determine the facts. Special Counsel Mueller and the DOJ are apparently engaged in the former.
But the Congressional investigations, as well as anything along the lines of a Select Committee (looking at you, Sen. McCain) that they may choose to create in the future, would be more along the lines of learning what the Hell happened, documenting it for We the People, drawing lessons, taking steps to prevent future interference in our elections, etc.
Compare, for example, the 9/11 Commission. That was not about sending people to jail (and the argument over whether anyone should have been locked up over that should go in a thread of its own), it was about accounting for what happened.
A Presidential Pardon is neither here nor there for this second kind of investigation.
The citizens of this country certainly deserve both. But even if a hypothetical President Pence decides to go all Jerry Ford in the future, we can at least still get the truth out. Especially if we elect a Congress that has the political will and gumption to do it.
3 Likes
Indeed. Weāve definitely had that convo around the office. I canāt imagine it happening because it would create such insane political blowbackā¦but there really may be nothing that can be done about it other than going nuts all over the GOPās faces in 2018. And if we failed to do so, then, well, Nixon was proven right: the President IS the law.
3 Likes
Trump was ātryingā to be clever by positioning all the piecesā¦AG, NSA, etc. staffed by loyal Trumpiesā¦but some revolted. NOW if Trump issues a blanket pardon HE IS TO BLAME. He canāt shift and dance and spit around the issue.
1 Like
Just wait until is dawns on the few of them capable of understanding what Trumpās BUDGET will do to them personally.
This will drop from 21 to 10 quickly.
(10% of Trump supporters will happily ask you to "please kick me in the balls again as hard as you can as long as it will make a āLibāRulā upset.ā)
1 Like
I donāt know if I admire your courage or question your masochism.
7 Likes
43% of those polled have a bad case of the dumb ass.
2 Likes
Trump is a amoral narcissist and doesnāt care about anything except self enrichment and accumulating status & power.
The only thing this poll will do is make him act out angrily at the media and his hired help.
1 Like
Exactly!!!
1 Like
By the same token, though - if Trump preemptively pardons them, then thatās just one less thing he has to hold over them.
Considering it with his ātransactionalā lens, it would be like giving them something for nothing.
3 Likes
Just another day in Drumpfmurikaā¦
Pretty sure pardon is transitive. Iād guess heād have to specify whom, not just blanket-pardon without names.
1 Like
Heās also the most incompetent, unqualified, and unfit person who has managed to wreck the prestige of the Office of the President. Donāt forget that.
3 Likes
Or The Addams Family remake.
2 Likes
Thereās this.
7 Likes
This will be one of the rare times when āAmerican Greed: The T*ump Incidentā finally airs, Iāll feel exactly nothing for the ripped off and the scammed.
1 Like
Nobody could have predictedā¦
1 Like