Question on Presidential pardons and Congressional investigations.

[leftupnorth]

If the House Judiciary Committee opened invetigations into potential crimes by the Bush Administration, would that preclude the President from issuing pardons to people involved a co-conspirators, witnesses, or accomplices?

Anyone have any information on this? Links?

Thanks DU, you rock!!!

Please keep kicked if you are curious about the same thing.

[MrCoffee]

1. Ford gave Nixon a "full, free and absolute pardon for all offenses against the US"

A presidential pardon would stop an investigation, because there would be no grounds for conviction.

On Edit: It wouldn't "stop" an investigation, but what would be the point of continuing one?

[seemslikeadream]

2. Philippe Sands says it is called reconciliation

[MrCoffee]

4. The investigation or the pardon?

Ford justified Nixon's pardon in terms of reconcilliation/healing/moving on...I still call bullshit on that.

[seemslikeadream]

7. He says that it has been done in Europe

No one is actually prosecuted but every thing is laid out on the table for the world to see

[leftupnorth]

5. I think you misunderstood me.Or maybe I you.

Johnathan Turley has said an investigation into potential crimes by the President would be a way around Executive privelege claims. Would that same kind of investigation prohibit the President from pardoning someone who could potentially expose wrongdoing by the President?

The goal here is to keep Bush from Gerald-Ford-blanket-style pardoning people who would be involved in any investigation into potential crime by him or his office, thereby thwarting any criminal prosecution of any of them after they leave office. I have read somewhere that this is a plausible scenario, I can't find it right now, but I would appreciate some help from those who know it better than I.

[JDPriestly]

8. That was a deal, I believe. Nixon simply resigned to avoid

the completion of the impeachment process.

[TheWraith]

3. No, nothing would preclude a presidential pardon.

Of course a pardon wouldn't preclude an investigation either, but it would prevent any consequences for the pardoned individual.

[eleny]

6. FYI - Caspar Weinberger was pardoned in advance by HGW Bush

For Iran-Contra. http://www.nytimes.com/books/97/06/29/reviews/iran-pardon.html

[JDPriestly]

10. Weinberger was not impeached or facing impeachment.

His case is therefore not relevant. Sorry if that sounds rude. Please read the Constitution.

http://www.usconstitution.net/const.html#A2Sec1

Article II, Section 2. I posted the relevant language on this thread.

[JDPriestly]

9. The Constitution states:

Article II, Section 2 - Civilian Power over Military, Cabinet, Pardon Power, Appointments

The President . . . shall have Power to Grant Reprieves and Pardons for Offenses against the United States, except in Cases of Impeachment.

http://www.usconstitution.net/const.html#A2Sec1

Please read the whole Constitution. We should all read the Constitution regularly.

I have posted this same section of the Constitution numerous times.

The courts interpret the Constitution. I have not researched how the courts have interpreted this limitation on the president's power to pardon.

I suspect that the Nixon pardon was the result of some kind of deal. I believe that Nixon may and I repeat may because I don't know but Nixon may have resigned in exchange for a pardon. I don't think Democrats will make that mistake again.

I am very concerned about the damage that a swaggering Bush could cause our country as a former president. That is why I so strongly favor impeachment. I believe that preventing Bush from playing big shot former president would be worth any political damage Democrats might suffer due to a grueling impeachment procedure.

[leftupnorth]

11. Thank You n/t .

[Wizard777]

12. One word. "Grant" That implies transfer. Bush can Pardon everyone but himself.

You cannot transfer something from yourself to yourself. So Bush will be left holding the bag. Cheney fot him good! Bwahahahahahahaha!