Nixons Justice Department warned that the president cant pardonhimself

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

Just days before President Richard Nixon resigned his office and left the White House in disgrace, a key office within the Justice Department determined that Nixon could not use his own pardon power in order to protect himself from prosecution.

“Under the fundamental rule that no one may be a judge in his own case,” acting Assistant Attorney General Mary Lawton wrote in a brief memo, “the President cannot pardon himself.”

Lawton’s memo is dated August 5, 1974. Nixon resigned four days later.

This decades-old memo is likely to take on new significance, as another president caught up in a criminal investigation reportedly is considering a self-pardon. The Washington Post reported Thursday evening that Donald Trump “has asked his advisers about his power to pardon aides, family members and even himself in connection” with special counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation into the Trump campaign’s Russian connections.

https://thinkprogress.org/nixons-justice-department-warned-that-the-president-can-t-pardon-himself-f70228c8b9ef

[lapfog_1]

1. there were many rumors and speculation

that Nixon wouldn't resign unless he got a pardon from Ford... and the GOP decided that rather than drag him through the impeachment and conviction in the Senate, that a resignation/pardon would be better for them.

So, while technically he didn't pardon himself....

[XRubicon]

2. I'm good with that, as long as he leaves.

[Volaris]

10. I'm not. I want this treasonous rat fucker broke, in prison and dead there.

I also want a Democratic-party Majority Congress to make that happen. I want the GOP to own this shit for 50 years at least. It's LESS than they deserve.

[XRubicon]

11. No contest

That would be the minimum I would be okay with. I want everything you have stated.

[Chasstev365]

3. Clearly stated in the Constitution!

[BigmanPigman]

4. I heard last night on MSNBC that things with Nixon were/are different this time around.

When Watergate happened a lot of questions were raised that didn't have answers since it had never happened before. After Watergate changes were also made. At the time Nixon could've pardoned Haldeman but chose not to since it wasn't honorable. The fake prez has even less honor than Nixon and in the 70s Nixon's family wasn't involved and foreign involvement in our government and treason weren't issues. There are many other differences that I am not able to list here but a lot of what is and will happen will create a whole new set of questions without answers regarding the law, the constitution and the government in general.

[onetexan]

5. The same thing will need to happen here after the fact

There will need to be amendments made to the constitution to prevent an idiot and madman like agent Orange from holding the highest office of the land.

[BigmanPigman]

7. I wonder if the could create some kind of mental stability test/requirement

for candidates (while they're at it).

[onetexan]

8. I think it should also be implemented at the state level

A competency test, background & financial vetting including requiring release of tax filings before a candidate is allowed to run.

[Jersey Devil]

6. It's just a memo, a personal opinion, has no standing as law

It means nothing. If the President pardoned himself the issue would undoubtedly be decided by SCOTUS

[PoliticAverse]

9. 9-0 that it is impermissible I'm guessing. n/t

[Volaris]

12. Not with Alito on that bench.

If he knew the vote was going to go the other way, he would use a standalone dissenting opinion to become 'the lone conservative voice of reason and originialism on the court' or whatever bullshit the deplorables would want to call it.
Alito would do this, just to be a dick.

[PoliticAverse]

13. Nah, I think Alito (and Thomas) would join the others because pretty much everyone...

realizes that to allow someone to pardon themself is a really, really stupid idea.

[Volaris]

14. I'd like to think that too, but Sammy the Bull has come up with some truly,

Breathtakingly, innane arguments since he's been put up there. And, when I get really bored, I'll listen to recorded arguments posted online. Trust me, Alito is a prick of the first order.