Assuming he leaves office, can Trump be jailed

[Kingofalldems]

for crimes committed before he took office? I realize he can't go to prison now.

[emulatorloo]

1. Pence will pardon him

[bathroommonkey76]

2. How many sitting presidents have been jailed? n/t

[Kingofalldems]

3. Okay,please read again.

[bathroommonkey76]

4. I did read your comment...

And right now Trump is a sitting president. America will never throw a sitting president into a jail cell-- Pence and the GOP will make sure that never happens.

[Locutusofborg]

5. The Constitution doesn't permit that

The only penalty for "high crimes and misdemeanors" committed while in office is impeachment and if convicted by a 2/3rds majority of the Senate, the penalty is removal from office.
Two sitting presidents were arrested but neither was jailed: Franklin Pierce was arrested for running over an elderly lady with his horse. The case was dropped for lack of evidence and Ulysses S. Grant was arrested for speeding on his horse. He had to pay a $20.00 fine.
It is conceivable that a president could be imprisoned for crimes committed BEFORE she or he was elected but often a five year Statute of Limitations will have run out by the time the president is out of office and available for prosecution.

[bathroommonkey76]

6. Nixon would have been the first if he had not resigned.

Presidents throughout our history have been protected-- in a way they are above the laws they govern. George W. Bush should have been jailed for war crimes. Did he ever see a jail cell? Heck, Dubya cant travel the world b/c there are countries out there that have threatened to arrest him, right?

I won't hold my breath for Trump to be thrown into prison- I will say anything is possible with his administration. I think a golden shower tape would increase his chances of seeing a jail cell. But what do I know. lol

[Locutusofborg]

7. Article 1, Section 3, Clauses 6 and 7

"The Senate shall have the sole Power to try all Impeachments. When sitting for that Purpose, they shall be on Oath or Affirmation. When the President of the United States is tried the Chief Justice shall preside; And no Person shall be convicted without the Concurrence of two thirds of the Members present.

Judgement in Cases of Impreachment shall not extend further than to removal from Office, and disqualification to hold and enjoy any Office of honor, Trust or Profit under the United States: but the Party convicted shall nevertheless be LIABLE and SUBJECT TO INDICTMENT, TRIAL, JUDGEMENT and PUNISHMENT, according to Law."

All that is needed to try a former president who was removed from office is to find a prosecuting attorney who is willing to indict the former president.

[bathroommonkey76]

14. Has Article 1, Section 3, Clauses 6 and 7 ever been used against a former POTUS?

Didn't think so.

They are untouchable.

[former9thward]

12. Bush does travel to other countries.

No country has threatened to arrest him.

[bathroommonkey76]

13. Hmmm...

Do you need any other links? lol


George W. Bush cancels visit to Swiss charity gala over fears he could be arrested on torture charges

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1354211/George-W-Bush-cancels-Switzerland-visit-fears-arrest-torture-charges.html#ixzz4aUlSnyZh

Bush's Shrinking World: George W. Bush Cancels Europe Trip as Human Rights Lawyers Threaten Legal Action over Torture

https://www.democracynow.org/2011/2/10/bushs_shrinking_world_george_w_bush

Bush Convicted of War Crimes in Absentia

http://www.foreignpolicyjournal.com/2012/05/12/bush-convicted-of-war-crimes-in-absentia/

[former9thward]

18. I don't need any links but you do. LOL

Those groups have no legal standing or power whatsoever. It would be like DU saying they were putting out an arrest warrant on Bush or anyone else. It is meaningless. Name me a country or legal authority which has said they are going to arrest Bush. You have not done it and you can't do it.

Some actual facts:

Bush attracted significant media attention in 2011 when he canceled a trip to Geneva, Switzerland, to address the United Israel Appeal. A lawyer for the group told a Swiss newspaper that the cancellation stemmed from concerns about protests, not fear of arrest.

Interpol, the international police organization, does not list any outstanding arrest warrants for Bush or Cheney in their searchable database. Meanwhile, experts in international law said they were not aware of pending warrants, particularly from the most obvious entity that might issue one -- the International Criminal Court in the Hague. However, the ICC "has not issued warrants for any American citizen, let alone for Bush, Cheney, or anyone else," said Anthony Clark Arend, Georgetown University professor of government and foreign service.

We couldn’t find any examples of Bush or Cheney visiting Europe, but they have traveled to other countries since they left office. Bush visited Haiti as part of an effort by the charitable foundation he co-founded with former President Bill Clinton after a devastating earthquake in the Caribbean nation. And Bush also joined Clinton at a regional economic summit held in the Canadian province of British Columbia. Cheney, meanwhile, has gone to British Columbia to promote his book, In My Time: A Personal and Political Memoir.

The meme on social media said that Bush and Cheney are "unable to visit Europe due to outstanding warrants." The claim that there are "outstanding warrants" is flat wrong. And while it’s theoretically possible for a national court to issue an arrest warrant against either man, as was done with Pinochet, there is no sign of that happening. We rate the claim False.

http://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/statements/2014/jul/17/facebook-posts/are-george-w-bush-dick-cheney-unable-visit-europe-/

[bathroommonkey76]

21. The Daily Mail link I posted is from 2016- Your Politifact link is from 2014 LOL

[former9thward]

23. It must be fun living in an alt universe with alt facts.

How is the weather there?

[bathroommonkey76]

16. When was the last time Bush left the country?

He's pretty much relegated to painting nude portraits of himself in Texas b/c of those arrest threats made against him- same goes for Birdshot Cheney.

[former9thward]

19. I am not his travel secretary so I don't know.

I know he has been to Haiti and Canada and Cheney has been to Canada. Bush traveled all over the world as president. Maybe he does not feel like doing it anymore. I have been to 41 countries and I have not left the country in nine years. I have no interest in it anymore. As far as Cheney goes given his heart condition I doubt travel is at the top of his priority list.

[bathroommonkey76]

20. Our allies arent going to touch them.

Kuala Lumpur is the only country to threaten them with charges, right?

Bush has said he's out of politics. And the main reason (I believe) he is out of politics and doesn't travel is the fear of being arrested. Plus, all of that guilt of killing thousands of people must get him down from time to time- painting veteran's portraits in his new book has to be therapeutic for his war criminal mind, dontcha think?

[former9thward]

22. No, Kuala Lumpur has not threatened him.

A non-government group has no legal standing. None at all. I am not a psychologist and won't play one on the internet so I have no idea why he paints.

[Kingofalldems]

8. 'before' is an important word.

[Locutusofborg]

9. Statute of Limitations

An alleged crime committed BEFORE Trump was elected would most likely need to have had a criminal proceeding initiated BEFORE Trump took office because prosecution will have to wait for the years that Trump is president and the vast majority of state and federal crimes have a five year Statute of Limitations that prosecution must begin criminal proceedings (or an arrest warrant must be issued) from the date the alleged crime took place. Homicide, art theft and some sexual assault crimes have no Statute of Limitations.
A judge can also rule to suspend the Statute of Limitations but that decision would be appealed and would probably take years to resolve.

[Stinky The Clown]

10. Technically, yes, but highly unlikely.

[dembotoz]

11. Don't think we have a taste for that

Tho I must admit a few months of solitary with no trump Twitter would b good for us all

[Warren DeMontague]

15. Prediction: pence becones a potus pardonin' machine

[fescuerescue]

17. We had all these same discussions with W

Almost an exact replay, with just some of the details updated.

It will never happen. Assuming any charges are applied, they will be pardoned by the next President.