President Joe Biden's senior aides are reportedly having vigorous internal discussions on whether to preemptively pardon a number of current and former officials who could face the wrath of President-elect Donald Trump. Politico reported Wednesday that the discussions have become more pressing foll...

President Joe Biden’s senior aides are reportedly having vigorous internal discussions on whether to preemptively pardon a number of current and former officials who could face the wrath of President-elect Donald Trump.

  • BrikoX@lemmy.zipOPEnglish
    132·
    15 days ago

    Those who could be pardoned preemptively include Sen.-elect Adam Schiff (D-CA) and former Rep. Liz Cheney (R-WY

    These morons just can’t help themselves…

    • Clay_pidginEnglish
      3·
      15 days ago

      Ooh, that’s a fun idea. I assume a pardon requires a named specific person, though, no?

      • edgemaster72@lemmy.worldEnglish
        5·
        15 days ago

        Pull every expired visa, rubber stamp the pardons for all of them on the off chance the person overstayed. I think you can limit the pardon only to the “crime” of overstaying, so you’d avoid pardoning actual criminals. That would get you most of the way there.

  • njm1314@lemmy.world
    2·
    15 days ago

    People are being kind of blase with these comments here but shouldn’t we be a little worried? I mean if they’re taking it this seriously, then maybe all the blow hard Trump talking about going after his enemies isn’t the hot wind a lot of people think it is.

  • Belgdore@lemm.ee
    28·
    15 days ago

    Preemptive pardons aren’t enforceable. A pardon says “you are guilt of a crime, but we aren’t going to make you suffer any penalty for it.” This can only legally occur after you have been before court of law and plead guilty or were convicted by a jury. Double jeopardy means you can’t be retried for the same crime of which you were convicted and subsequently pardoned.

    A preemptive pardon says “you may be found guilty of something but we aren’t going to punish you for it if you are later found guilty.” The out going president can’t control what the incoming president does. So, it’s like changing the drapes for Trump to say that all the preemptive pardons aren’t enforceable null. There is no legal doctrine to protect these people if he goes after them.