Current Events > If Trump gets a second term can he just throw out the case against him?

(+) Yeah! (+)

UK here so no idea if the POTUS has that sort of power.

Technically he probably could for the federal stuff through sheer cronyism.

The Georgia stuff he cant

Theoretically, yes. The President has absolute pardon power when it comes to criminal federal cases. But I say theoretically because no President has ever tried to pardon themselves before.

are there no rules against running for president while under criminal investigation?

ROBANN_88 posted...

are there no rules against running for president while under criminal investigation?

IIRC there are no rules against running for president from actual prison

ROBANN_88 posted...

are there no rules against running for president while under criminal investigation?

No, because then all republicans would have to do is trump up some phony investigation to keep people from running against them.

MC_BatCommander posted...

IIRC there are no rules against running for president from actual prison

it's happened before.

Block_that_Kick posted...

Theoretically, yes. The President has absolute pardon power when it comes to criminal federal cases. But I say theoretically because no President has ever tried to pardon themselves before.

This is Trump lol

A president pardoning himself is something that hasn't been adjudicated before. Trump will surely try it, but there's some rule about not being able to be a judge in your own trial that I'm sure Trump's opponents will raise to oppose it.

Medussa posted...

it's happened before.

Yup, Eugene V. Debs. Got like a million votes too.

Some believe a president can pardon themself

Some believe they can't

It has not, to this point, been tried

If he wins I would bet the farm that he finds a sneaky/sleezy way to get out of every charge permanently

So let's just not let him win

Block_that_Kick posted...

Theoretically, yes. The President has absolute pardon power when it comes to criminal federal cases. But I say theoretically because no President has ever tried to pardon themselves before.

Trump is speed running a lot of firsts

BignutzisBack posted...

If he wins I would bet the farm that he finds a sneaky/sleezy way to get out of every charge permanently

Except it wouldn't have to be sneaky if his party (already) has the House and Supreme Court. Opposition would be outnumbered.

For federal offenses, an asshole could always pardon himself. I'm honestly surprised that the jackass didn't give himself a self-pardon for all past federal prosecution on his way out.

But potus has no power to pardon state offenses.

ROBANN_88 posted...

are there no rules against running for president while under criminal investigation?

No. Eugene V. Debs was the socialist candidate for president while unjustly incarcerated in 1920.

If Trump is elected he will absolutely play the self pardon card. This will be challenged in court. Anybodys guess to the final outcome.

It's theoretically possible for the federal stuff but it's very likely that he'd get impeached again for that.

Hes got state charges. Also, if his turnout of supporters today is any indication, I highly doubt he would win anyway.

He conned most of the people who voted for him in 2016 and 2020 and he already got four years in office which took the country from bad to worse, and set us on a course to non-recovery. The concept of hard work for FAIR PAY is gone, property ownership is now exclusively for the rich, and nobodys hiring. Huh. No rules preventing the shrinkage of the workforce, no revised wage laws, no laws limiting what CEOs can pay themselves, and now we are dumping every red cent we have into another fucking war that we didnt ask to be a part of.

But lets vote for the guy who started the Ukraine conflict. The same guy who promised good jobs, fair pay, affordable housing, and came through with none of it. But its our duty to tighten our belts another notch so that the grocery monopolies (many of which are strongly associated with the McConnell family) can report record profits during a recession that neither side will acknowledge.

45 isn't getting a second term. So no need to worry about this what if.

itachi15243 posted...

It's theoretically possible for the federal stuff but it's very likely that he'd get impeached again for that.

Not if the GOP has the House.

Payzmaykr posted...

Also, if his turnout of supporters today is any indication, I highly doubt he would win anyway.

Nah, his supporters are just playing possum. The fact that Trump won the first time should be a lesson that you can't take things on its face. I can't take poll numbers seriously anymore.