Trump talks pardons amid probes of Russia role in U.S. election

Move along folks, nothing to see here. Its completely normal to bring up pardons amidst an investigation;)

"But her emails," is getting a bit old there, Donny.

Talking pardons before a verdict is the closest we'll ever get to an admission of guilt from The Donald. He knows his team is guilty as sin.

The Donald has not a shred of respect for the law or the integrity of his office.

Ironic how on the same day as these tweets he visits the USS Gerald R. Ford, named after the man who pardoned Nixon.

Trump retreated to his golf course

Fake president.

If Trump could use presidential pardons to keep himself and his family out of jail, he would see it as a victory, no matter the political cost. He should bear in mind, however, that the pardons would not protect any of them from criminal prosecutions in New York State for fraud and money laundering. Those investigations are under way right now.

Trump Inc.'s near-certain collusion with the Russians, combined with his near-certain financial dependence on Russian oligarchs/mobsters, makes Watergate seem quaint.

Looks like the Trumps are getting a bit twitchy, and if those reports are true (or the leaks are true) then you'd have to suspect where there is smoke there is fire.

I'm not American, so my knowledge of Donald Trump before he decided to run for office was pretty basic I suppose. He was well outside any of my spheres of interest.

Watching him run for office was initially highly amusing because of the spectacle he turned it into, and the completely comedic idea that anyone, including himself thought he was a serious Presidential prospect. Amusing in the sense that he was outrageous, brash, madly egotistical and most of what he said was completely absurd. It became very much less amusing after he won.

But, look at what they are doing to the reputation of the United States here. Most people I know think that it is an unbelievable joke that Donald Trump is the President of the United States. It debases the US in the eyes of International community, of that there is not question.

Train wreck in slow motion.

As the allegations of money laundering, conflict of interest, nepotism, obstruction of justice, colluding with ‘foreign’ kleptocrats (and various racketeers and ‘financiers’ throughout the world), among other accusations circle the White House, the don of the Trump crime family has his legal teams, both private and public (i.e. paid for by the US taxpayer), manipulate the system to protect his family’s and his family’s accomplice’s investments in the US and abroad. What’s the story on Kushner and his dealings with the Qatari prince? Could his deal gone bad really have contributed to even more instability in the Arab Gulf?

I think Trump has highlighted many of the flaws which exist in the US Constitution. The end of the Trump presidency should be an inflection point where a constitutional convention is called and wholesale reform of the entire system is implemented to give America a better system.

Just ask yourself, why should someone who loses the popular vote be the President? Or be allowed to appoint his family to senior positions? Or be given the power to pardon anyone he wishes, including himself potentially? Or be able to veto laws without a supermajority and govern the country by executive order? Or be able to unilaterally launch cruise missile strikes against other countries without ever seeking congressional approval? America can do better.

Can't wait till I no longer have to see his face everywhere all the time.

Reuters.....shocking.

Reuters.....shocking.

And? Which part of the article do you have a problem with? They precisely what Donny said.

Plasticmonkey, a president may offer a pardon; it is up to the offeree whether to accept because doing so is an implicit admission of guilt. It is in no way an acquittal; it's precisely the opposite: Accepting a pardon is pleading guilty while avoiding jail time.

Some consequences would remain, though. Fore example, that implicit admission of guilt would make continued government service politically impossible. Whoever Trump pardons, he'll have to fire, and that includes himself.

Trump sends the Leftist media over the edge again.

"Accepting a pardon is pleading guilty while avoiding jail time."

Exactly!

Trump's fired Comey. He wants to fire Mueller. Now he openly tweets about pardoning himself and others on charges which, if proven true, would be equivalent to treason.  

The man has no shame. Imagine the reaction if Hillary Clinton had the Russians in her corner, had won the presidency and was doing and tweeting this. 

Don't fire Mueller and don't pardon yourself. Let Mueller conduct his investigation. Also, there's a fine line between a self-pardon and a confession. If there's really nothing there (as you claim), then the truth shall set you free. If Trump does fire Mueller and pardon himself, then a nationally televised apology to the American people is the proper thing to do and in order.

Accepting a pardon is pleading guilty while avoiding jail time.

Technically, yes. But for Trump's supporters it will seem a vindication of their man and their hatred of "the media", "libs", "elites", "facts", "government", "activist judges", "the deep state", etc. These people are now so far down the Trump rabbit hole that there is really nothing that will turn them against their avatar.

Don't get ahead of yourselves folks!

Donald is gonna pardon Hillary!

Happy now?

OssanAmericaToday  07:52 am JST

Can't wait till I no longer have to see his face everywhere all the time.

OMG! You hang

them in your toilet too?

Trump has not been accused of any wrongdoing by federal investigators who are probing alleged Russian meddling in the 2016 U.S. presidential election.

Funny how that little fact seems to be missed so often by the "resistance".

But for Trump's supporters it will seem a vindication of their man and their hatred of "the media", "libs", "elites", "facts", "government", "activist judges", "the deep state", etc.

The same happened with Nixon (I'm guessing that I'm a tad older than you). These emotions will emerge and blaze, but there will be to factors to mostly extinguish them: Facts from the committees, and the reality of a dysfunctional government. Those left behind will be beyond saving, anyway.

Talking about pardons 6 months into his term?

Can't be a good sign.

On a lighter note, at least the entertainment continues unabated. His new communications guy is purging his Twitter account of tweets including:

Calling Trump a 'hack'

Attacking climate change deniers.

Calling Hillary Clinton competent.

Gun control.

In other words, purge any proofs sanity before running naked across the whitehouse lawn and jumping into the swamp.

I wonder if their is any intrellgence here? 

What is intrellgence? I don't speak covfefe, you're gonna have to translate.

 Move on. You're staring to sound like lost puppies

Nah, Trumpies are getting upset. We should keep it up.

Tell me, do you think its normal to talk about a president's right to pardon himself in the midst of an FBI investigation? Too funny. ;)

M3M3M3: Just ask yourself, why should someone who loses the popular vote be the President? Or be allowed to appoint his family to senior positions? Or be given the power to pardon anyone he wishes, including himself potentially? Or be able to veto laws without a supermajority and govern the country by executive order? Or be able to unilaterally launch cruise missile strikes against other countries without ever seeking congressional approval? America can do better.

In the past the election process, as long as it was, could vet out people who would treat the office like a mom and pop shop. That's where the breakdown happened. The laws weren't written in mind for people who who scam Americans out of their money with fake universities. There was probably always an assumption that we wouldn't have to worry about that.

FizzBit: And the MSM clown show continues.

Want to make an MSM obsessed person go away? Try this: Hey Fizz, can you give me a list of sites that I should be getting my news from?

Fizz? You there?

Wolfpack: Trump sends the Leftist media over the edge again.

Trump is sending America over the edge. The only ones who laugh are the ones who have convinced themselves that America no longer works for them, so who cares if we burn it down? You should understand that you still have a stake in this country and driving with Trump off a cliff might be a fun to think about, in the end you don't want it. You have a lot more to lose than your wounded political pride, like your health coverage.

None of this is surprising after we found out that Trump somehow got elected. This guy is all talk and still can't work out why he can't do whatever he wants. I so hope he does try to pardon his team or family or himself or all three. The fact that he is supposedly even looking into this as an option is amazing. This idiot is getting bogged down deeper and deeper, day by day.

*As the allegations of money laundering, conflict of interest, nepotism, obstruction of justice, colluding with ‘foreign’ kleptocrats (and various racketeers and ‘financiers’ throughout the world), among other accusations circle the White House, the don of the Trump crime family has his legal teams, both private and public (i.e. paid for by the US taxpayer), manipulate the system to protect his family’s and his family’s accomplice’s investments in the US and abroad. What’s the story on Kushner and his dealings with the Qatari prince? Could his deal gone bad really have contributed to even more instability in the Arab Gulf?*

My question is, how'd we get from if Trump colluded allegedly with the Russians to everything else you've mentioned, it's like going to a doctor and just come in for a routine cold shot and the decides to amputate your entire arm. You have to be a complete fold to see this investigation is beyond a simple witch hunt.

Nah, Trumpies are getting upset. We should keep it up.

So it's not about finding the truth, it's about bringing down the president because the left can't get over their temper tantrums?

Tell me, do you think its normal to talk about a president's right to pardon himself in the midst of an FBI investigation? Too funny. ;)

Its not about right, he has the right to call off the investigation, personally, I don't mind it, but I can see since there's nothing Mueller is trying to expand this thing going into his finances of some 20 years ago, seriously?? This is gone way above and beyond the scope of the original intent. Also, when you have 6 of these investigators have deep ties to the Democratic Party...yeah, we know what exactly is going on here it's ridiculously apparent.

Just ask yourself, why should someone who loses the popular vote be the President?

In a federal system, one reason would be to ensure the president has broad support across the majority of states. I'm not saying this is necessarily the best way to do it, but it seems understandable. It's not so different from parliamentary systems where a government may have the majority of elected representatives but not the majority of votes. Among all the reasons to criticize Trump, this seem to me one of the weakest.

So it's not about finding the truth

No, it's about finding the truth.

Trumpies getting upset is just an added bonus.

No, it's about finding the truth.

Yeah, sure.

Trumpies getting upset is just an added bonus.

No, I think Trump should fire Mueller and not give a darn what the left thinks, they're already unhinged, so them getting their undies in a bunch shouldn't matter much to Trump, since the left doesn't care about the truth, only impeachment, good luck. Lol

No, I think Trump should fire Mueller

On what grounds?

Jimizo - Oh, say that Mueller get's a look at his tax returns. He's always guarded those like a mama bear.Not legitimate grounds, to be sure, but cornered animals have a tendency to lash out irrationally.

Trump should fire Mueller and not give a darn what the left thinks, they're already unhinged, so them getting their undies in a bunch

Because he's investigating Russian interference in the 2016 election? Seems to me that you and your fellow travelers care a whole lot more about protecting your man than about the integrity of America's electoral system. This is not a partisan issue. I'm a dem/lib/socialist (!!!) and atheist (!!!) who would absolutely (IN CAPS) press for an investigation were my own dem/lib/socialist/atheist candidate in the same circumstances as the Trump presidency. I may in such a case wish it were not true, but I would put my trust in independent investigators, such as Comey and Mueller and intelligence agencies and congressional committees, to find out. One must have some faith in the institutions that structure society, mustn't one? In my mind, this kind of problem should be blind to party allegiance. What do you think?

the left doesn't care about the truth, only impeachment

Do you include as "the left" congressional Republicans who want to get to the bottom of this? Like the very conservative Charles Grassley, John McCain, and Lindsay Graham, and many others?

bass: I can see since there's nothing Mueller is trying to expand this thing going into his finances of some 20 years ago, seriously?? This is gone way above and beyond the scope of the original intent.

First of all, you have no idea what Mueller has. You're hoping he has nothing, but thinking that you can deduce the current status of the investigation is pretty crazy. And besides, you guys were completely wrong when you "knew" the FBI was about to indict Clinton. Learn from your mistakes.

Secondly, was Clinton's home server part of the original intent of the Benghazi investigation? Was Bill Clinton's sex life part of the original scope of the Whitewater investigation? If you're using that as justification for a pardon, which you guys are obviously working towards, then go ahead and pardon the Clintons while you're at it.

No, I think Trump should fire Mueller and not give a darn what the left thinks, they're already unhinged, so them getting their undies in a bunch shouldn't matter much to Trump, since the left doesn't care about the truth, only impeachment, good luck. Lol

The House and Senate investigations about being led by Republicans. The Special Council was chosen by a Republican. Not the media, the Left, Democrats, Hollywood, or anyone else. There are plenty of Republicans who aren't buying Trump's position on Russia which is why they are going to vote on veto-proof sanctions to sideline Trump. There is no trust there.

We all know that Trump is shady. From scamming people with his fake university to not paying his workers to using bankruptcy to enrich himself to his discrimination lawsuit to his fake news. If he's done something illegal, Mueller is going to find it, and he's going to make a case that can be prosecuted. We all know you didn't vote for Trump because of his honesty and integrity, more like you were willing to hitch your wagon to a crooked BS artist because he propped up your wounded political ego.

But the law still allies to him, no matter how much you worship the con artist.

@albaleo

In a federal system, one reason would be to ensure the president has broad support across the majority of states.

That's true, and if it were a truly federal system where you had 1 state one vote then I could see some logic to it. However, the electoral college system actually tries to mirror the popular vote, which is why California gets a whopping 55 electors. It's already a popuar vote system, just an imperfect one. It's currently possible to ignore less populated states, just as it would be in a popular vote system.

My preference would be something radical like proportional representation or an alternative vote to break the dominance of the two party system.

@SuperLib

The laws weren't written in mind for people who who scam Americans out of their money with fake universities. There was probably always an assumption that we wouldn't have to worry about that.

Agreed, but I think on both sides there is a sense that the system is OK as long as 'my guy' is in power, so nothing ever changes.

SuperLib: The only ones who laugh are the ones who have convinced themselves that America no longer works for them, so who cares if we burn it down? 

America has a ridiculously high national debt and a built-in annual deficit of half a trillion with no clear path to balance. Does that sound like government is working? The burn down is already in progress and no one is even talking about putting the fire out. America only works for those favored by the government - who are those at both ends of the economic scale who don't want to take responsibility for themselves.

Interest on the debt has become a major line item in the budget and in less than a decade will cost as much as defense - the core responsibility of the Federal government. America keeps spending with no clear plan for the future. It's all about the fight over the unsustainable welfare state. Republicans don't even want to shrink the welfare state- they only want to slow the rate of increase over what the increasingly Marxist Democrats want to spend. Only those miopically focused on the ideological battle are unable to see the untenable position America is already in.

While the capitol burns the Democrats and the mainstream media are going all in to impeach Trump. We all know that no one in power is going to get serious and make the difficult cuts in spending and spur the kind of growth that could at least alleviate the looming crisis. If they did the slight majority of the American public that only cares about what the government can give them from someone richer than themselves would likely vote them out of power.

Yes this is certainly a pessimistic view. But do you see anything going on in Washington DC that would give any reason to think otherwise? Would Sanders or Elizabeth Warrens election in 3 years make one bit of diffence?

Boy am I ever enjoying this! Isn't it great to see him squirm and wriggle and attempt to maneuver?! Just a matter of time now! Gone-ski!

"You have to be a complete fold to see this"

I'll "fold" this one and tuck it away in an ever expanding "fool"ish file

presidential powers to pardon Trump aides, family members and possibly even himself.

With him USA turned into an Oligarchy, in every oligarchy, country is ruled by the family, for the family and the family is above the law, untouchable.

Looking forward to Dodgy Donald's final tweet in the next few weeks or months which will read, 'I'M FIRED!'

I don't see how the president can pardon himself: he has to be found guilty of something first. But by that point he should no longer be president.