Who Will Bush Pardon Before He Leaves Office?

[QueenOfCalifornia]

The short list will probably include Jack Abramoff and Scooter Libby but who else will make the top 10?

I swear, if he pardons OperationMindCrime, someone will have to lock up the pistola cabinet.

[sarcasmo]

1. Himself.

[PetrusMonsFormicarum]

4. I think that's impossible

Akin to somebody climbing up into their own asshole--something I wish Bush would do!

[hokies4ever]

11. You also probably thought that Cheney was part of the Executive Branch

until he argued otherwise. The Bush administration has proven quite adept at creating political wars of attrition, so you can expect that Bush will have some sneaky pardons up his sleeve.

[QueenOfCalifornia]

15. Uh, no

http://usgovinfo.about.com/library/news/aa041200b.htm

scary.

<snip>
The "constitutional challenges" would come primarily from the power of U.S. presidents to grant pardons under Article II, Section 2 of the Constitution, which states in part, "and he shall have Power to grant Reprieves and Pardons for Offences against the United States, except in Cases of Impeachment."

In other words, under this Article, a sitting president can grant him or herself a pardon. The Founding Fathers intended this in order to prevent the Executive Branch (the president) from coming under the direct control and influence of the Judiciary Branch (the courts).

[AlCzervik]

2. can he pardon Duke Cunningham, is it too late? My money would be on him.

[QueenOfCalifornia]

5. Why would it

be too late?

[AlCzervik]

9. that's why i'm asking, i guess he can pardon him or commute his sentence.

Bob Ney would be another one to add to the list. The former gov. of Ct. as well.

[TomInTib]

3. I hope he pardons me.

I'd like to clean up my record.

Maybe I'll give him a call.

[Somawas]

6. And every other

corpsefucking douchehammer who has worked for him. Or ever voted Republican. Including Rummy, Rove, Feith, Mark Foley, and Tom Delay, all of them

[QueenOfCalifornia]

7. Can you pardon

people prior to a trial and conviction?

[Somawas]

10. Sure.

Gerald Ford did it.

[QueenOfCalifornia]

12. True

Thanks for the reminder.

[Bluzmann57]

8. George Ryan. Former Illinois Governor

And as dirty as they come. Ryan is in his 70's I believe and recently got convicted of fraud or something. He was giving away things he had no right to give away.

[AlCzervik]

13. Larry Sinclair!

[L. Coyote]

14. What is the legal impact of the Articles of Impeacment on pardons?

Isn't pardoning precluded in some form?

[Gothmog]

16. I am a lawyer but am not sure-can you pardon yourself?

I have not heard of this being done before. Nixon would have done it if it was legal. I would not be surprised if bush does not pardon (a) everyone who worked on the telecom wire tap program, (b) every one involved with the torture and rendtion programs and (c) everyone who worked at gitmo just as he leaves office including rummy, fieth, Addington, Cheney and their ilk.

If he can not pardon himself, then he will resign five minutes before his term is up and have cheney pardon him

[caffeinefwee]

17. Cheney, Rummy, Libby

And finally himself.