Pre-Emptive Pardons?

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Submitted by Visitor on October 22, 2005 - 9:50am.

Impeachment

Americablog reports that Bush and his chief of staff are having a pow-wow at Camp David this weekend, no doubt to discuss various strategies on how to extricate themselves from the various messes in which the administration now finds itself.

Let’s hope they’re not planning to unleash a pre-emptive strike against Syria any time soon.

I’m also afraid they might be planning a pre-emptive strike against Patrick Fitzgerald, the special counsel in the Plame Leak case. Knowing how shameless Bush and his people are, and knowing how little regard they have for the law or the Constitution, I’m afraid Bush might try to PRE-EMPTIVELY PARDON EVERYONE IN HIS ADMINISTRATION before any indictments are even publicized.

The main precedent for this kind of pre-emptive pardon is Gerald Ford’s pardon of Richard Nixon after Nixon left office, but before he had been indicted for any crime.

Now, please don’t bring up the fact that Bush, as presumed president-elect, said he wouldn’t consider any such blanket pardon for Bill Clinton. He said, “Let's let him get indicted first, then I'll pardon him.” Of course, it remains to be seen whether Bush would really have pardoned Clinton. But hypocrisy is Bush’s middle name, and he wouldn’t insist on treating Republicans, especially those close to him, most especially if he himself is at risk, as harshly as he treats Democrats.

Bush senior pardoned his former Secretary of Defense, Caspar Weinberger, and others, before the special prosecutor could try them for crimes that could have led to charges against Bush himself. Clinton foolishly let that go, and didn’t pursue any further investigations in the matter. You’ll remember how much good that did him when the bloodhounds came after HIM.

But there’s a difference between those examples and the possibility I raise here: the U.S. Constitution says, in Article II, Section 2, Clause 1, “The President … shall have Power to grant Reprieves and Pardons for Offences against the United States, except in Cases of Impeachment.” (Emphasis added.)

I think we Internet strategists need to get to work right away pre-emptively thinking up how we will protest this event, should it occur. Most especially we need some lawyers to focus on the “except in Cases of Impeachment” phrase. Can Bush pardon the minions who, if they testified to Congress, could bring about Bush’s own impeachment? Would we let him get away with it? What can we do if he tries it? Ideas, please.

Carolyn Kay
MakeThemAccountable.com

Intelligent Questions !

Submitted by lyonnel on October 22, 2005 - 8:11pm.

Let's have someone file articles of Impeachment NOW ! Even if "tactically it's flawed" according to some (see previous posts ). Conyers, Waxman, Please help, let's do this to close the door on that option for the bushies...

It's the right thing to do AND the right Preemptive tactical move.

Lyonnel--I agree...

Submitted by grinch (not verified) on October 22, 2005 - 9:09pm.

All our leaders in the congress have done so far is to respond to this insane group's plans. Time to take the attack to the higher level and put pressure on them at a time when they cannot afford close scrutiny.

Time, past time actually, to go on the offensive.

Make the bastards pay

Submitted by thirlstane on October 23, 2005 - 2:07pm.

Certain Federal officials have to be approved by Congress. Those officials can be impeached and removed by Congress. I think this just forbids a president from pardoning someone who has beem impeached in order to retain them in office.

If Bu$h is contemplating mass pardons, he has a little problem in that elections are a year away. Ford's pardoning Nixon cost him the election. Bush I did it after he lost. If Bu$h pardons this gang, we have to wrap it around his neck every chance we get.

You betcha!

Submitted by cmkay (not verified) on October 23, 2005 - 2:25pm.

Carolyn Kay
MakeThemAccountable.com

We're being marched to the slaughterhouse...

Submitted by lyonnel on October 23, 2005 - 3:25pm.

Huh... I hate to tell you thirlstane (and please don't take this the wrong way: 1. I'm sure you know 2. we're on the same side)

but elections in US are rigged and don't mean a thing!

"yeah, but they can only rig it when it's borderline, they wouldn't rig it now when it's so obvious, when everyone is so upset!"

Really? watch them... I'm taking bets that they will "win" in 2006..

We liberals always tell others to wake up... hey let's look in the mirror... we liberals need to wake up! These cancers on America are illegitimate and will do ANYTHING to remain in power... AT ANY COST!

Wake up America and Liberals, what these scumbags are doing even the nazis in Germany did not do... (look Geneva convention, int'l law, etc..)

"Oh come on Lyonnel, you're exagerating, the nazis killed 6 millions in the camps"

Oh yeah? and how many are these new neoconazis gonna slaughter with their "bird flu"?

Or is it you thought all those billions for bio research warfare since the 50's were for naught?

You can call me conspiracy theorist all you want, anyone with half a brain can connect the dots; capitalism (no, I'm not a commie, actually an MBA who does believe in the market system), Capitalism is predicated upon constant growth, problem: the whole system is oil based and now is peak oil time... solution: reduce demand (since you can't do a thing about supply) translation: exteminate half of the planet.

This is not just politics anymore... We're being marched to the slaughterhouse... and you think your vote in 2006 is gonna save you?