Rachel Maddow Show: Jonathan Turley on Pardons 'Can Bush Pardon Himself?' - 11/21

[Hissyspit]

Run time: 06:28 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iPCKWrMud9M   Posted on YouTube: November 22, 2008 By YouTube Member: Views on YouTube: 0   Posted on DU: November 22, 2008 By DU Member: Hissyspit Views on DU: 1691

 
MSNBC The Rachel Maddow Show - Nov. 21, 2008: Maddow talks to Jonathan Turley about who Bush might be pardoning in the last days of his Presidency.

[tclambert]

1. The answer to the question: Yes

Article II, Section 2: The President "shall have power to Grant Reprieves and Pardons for Offenses against the United States, except in Cases of Impeachment." That is all it says. No oversight. No Congressional nor Judicial review. The only limit is for Impeachment. And impeachment looks unlikely at this point.

When Ford pardoned Nixon, he established a precedent that he didn't even have to specify exactly what crime he's pardoning someone for. Jimmy Carter issued a blanket pardon for draft dodgers. So you don't even have to exactly identify the individuals being pardoned. Bush may combine those two precedents and pardon everybody who ever worked for his administration for anything they may have done. And he can pardon himself. No legal argument can be made against that. Whether it is ethical, moral, or even politically practical? Why would Bush care?

[Hissyspit]

2. The framers did that because they assumed that

we would make use of impeachment like we were supposed to.

[Wizard777]

6. One word prevents him from pardoning himself. "Grant"

The word grant implies a transfer and you cannot transfer something from yourself to yourself. But SCOTUS also thinks you can sell pardons. "Grant" would also prohibit that. But if SCOTUS allows for presidential self pardons. Obama could summon Bush & Cheney to the Oval Office. Shoot them both and pardon himself for the double murder. They might want to take their chances in court and jail.

[baldguy]

3. "A President could effectivly have the most felonious administration..."

"... and then give a general pardon to everyone who helped him with his crimes."

Get ready for a blanket pardon.

[pokercat999]

5. On his first day in office I would like to see President Obama

pardon everyone in prison or any that have served their time for non-violent drug crimes.

[Stardust]

8. I'd like to see that, also. It makes me furious to think of all the people

imprisoned now for such a ridiculous "crime." Senseless waste of lives. If nothing else, maybe Obama can do something about the unconscionable ratio of AAs to non-AAs in prison today. We have way too many people in prison today, period.

[pokercat999]

9. It will be interesting to see how our new President handles the

public and private institutionalized inequality racial and otherwise. Especially since the rethugs and republican radio shows have declared racism gone from America now that we have elected our first AA President. I'm hoping the progressive push is so hard and furious that the RW bastards will never be able to keep up with their whining, complaining, crying and general bitching. I say overwhelm them, push the progressive agenda so hard we force them to leave the country or move to the left to survive or even better shrivel up like the wicked witch and crawl away.

[Alcibiades]

4. The Constitution says whatever the Supreme Court says it says

We wait until Obama makes enough appointments, then bring the charges. If the new Supreme Court sees the chance to bring these criminals to justice and to limit an executive branch that has concentrated too much power in the hands of the president, I think they will jump at the chance.

[cooolandrew]

7. I know this is controversial but I just feel if we don't make any sudden moves they will leave offic...

peacefully that is all that is concerning me right now that they just go without any fuss.