Hunter Pardon?

[jon-nyc]

Just thinking out loud here. As much as I think it would be an unforgivable abuse of pardoning power, I suspect he’ll do it at some point. Certainly in his waning months if he loses.

But what about if he wins? Right after the election? Post inaugural? Would he wait for a verdict and a sentence and just commute the sentence?

All this assumes the DoJ has the goods on him, as has been reported.

[Copper]

He'll wait until after the insurrection.

[Jolly]

The Resident will pardon his son. And he may have to pardon his brother, too.

[taiwan_girl]

I think we may have dicussed this before, but can a President pardon himself?

[jon-nyc]

@taiwan_girl

There’s no explicit limit to the pardon power but there could in theory be a Supreme Court review. There could be originalist or “framer’s intent” arguments against something as brazen as pardoning oneself. My guess is it would stand however.

There is precedent of Presidential pardons of family members. Clinton pardoned his loser half brother from old cocaine trafficking charges.