Could perjury charges be bought in DC so that Shrub can't pardon?

[BR_Parkway]

any DU lawyers know?

[Jersey Devil]

1. Why couldn't he pardon charges brought in DC?

You know something I don't?

[BR_Parkway]

10. The Prez can pardon Federal charges, only Governors can pardon

state level charges (that's why Shrub can't help poor ole' Tom Delay out).

Who has that same authority over DC?

Fitzgerald is sharp enough to know that Shrub can make it all go away with the stroke of the pardoning pen from Shrubbie - even if it meant loss of power for the RW for a few years (same as his daddy did).

If KKKarl and others committed perjury while in DC, could charges be bought under those laws also - moving them out from under the Fed reach - Fitz just needs to work with a DC prosecutor.

The new Fitz website - he's going to dump every single document that he can out there so that everyone has a chance to read it all before the Fed's try to shut it down. He's been tracking this corrupt cabal long enough to know what their MO's are. He needs the info out there to make sure enough people actually read it and the outcry is loud enough to force Lil George not to go the pardon route.

So is there some way he can work with DC or even Va or Md to bring state level charges?

[Jersey Devil]

12. Charges in DC would be in DC federal court

not local. Bush could still pardon them.

[Gunit_Sangh]

2. The pardon power of the president

is absolute. He (or she) can pardon anyone for any crime, state or federal, and that's it.

[rsdsharp]

3. Actually

His power "to grant Reprieves or Pardons" applies only to "Offenses against the United States, except in cases of Impeachment." Art. II Sec. 2.

Fitzgerald is a Federal Prosecutor. Any indictment will be on Federal charges, and Bush would have the power to pardon.

[Democrats_win]

5. Interesting. What about mass murder charges in NYC?

When he's convicted of the 911 mass murders, can he pardon himself?

[yurbud]

9. He will be fined TWICE as much as Grandpa Prescott for nazi money

laundering.

There are at least two standards of justice in American, one for the rich, one for the poor.

If you or I killed someone, we would be caught and executed.

If a rich guy like OJ kills someone, he gets a trial but get off even with mountains of evidence.

If someone as rich as Bush kills someone, at worst, he gets sent back to the country club a little early.

[Walt Starr]

4. Nope, just federal

Governors are the arbiters of state level offenses.

[Seansky]

6. the problem I see for * to actually pardon anyone is that he boxed himself

with the "anyone in the admin that did something illegal would no longer work in this admin sh*t, and his own base will continue to split if he does pardon indicted people...this will cost them so much that the ratings might go down to the single digits...Remember the report that came out this week about the biggest drop in his support came from the Southern Evangelical people. Well, the more educated RW will probably be next if he pardons the indicted (no offense to SE, necessarily)

[madrchsod]

7. wouldn`t someone have to be found guilty...

we are along way from convictions....

[maine_raptor]

8. Nope

Prez can pardon for crimes not convicted for, not indicted for, and even those not known at the time of the pardon.

[OldCurmudgeon]

11. sure enough

however, once pardoned, they lose their 5th amendment rights, so can be forced to testify...even in civil procedings (such as one brought by Amb.&Mrs. Wilson).

In addition, a pardon NOW doesn't protect against perjuries committed LATER, in compelled testimony.

That is, unless * hands Rove a stack of undated pardons for his own use...but the resulting firestorm would make Nagasaki look like a backyard BBQ.