Presidential Pardon

Balatarin
Share/Save/Bookmark

Presidential Pardon
by IRANdokht
14-Nov-2008
 

I've been receiving emails and notices that George W Bush is planning on pardoning all the crimes committed by him and his administration right before he leaves office. 

The last action of "Presidential Pardon" has been used and/or abused every time a US president leaves office. Will he be able to block all the classified material from being exposed to the public?

"...Bush's plans to block all investigations of his crimes and even to pardon everyone involved - including Cheney and himself.  Chris Matthews is even counting down the days ."

The first time I heard about this possibility, I was ready to dismiss it. I guess I was too overjoyed by the notion of not having the likes of Bush and Cheney in charge anymore and couldn't wait to leave them to the pages of history...But at this time, I am hoping that they are forced to take responsibility for their criminal actions, all of them!

The conservative (and active) branch of the Democratic Party had already taken impeachment off the table as a courtesy to their real buddies. I had actually sent a letter to Pelosi and asked her why she had done it, to which she responded that at this time of war and crisis in this country we should not be divisive. She presented some other soft exuses that I found unreasonable and disappointing enough to delete her email. I wish I had not!  

Here's a complete account of what is in the laws and what can be done, posted as an email you can sign that will be sent to your representatives based on your zip code.

Impeach Bush to Stop the Pardon

President George Bush and Vice President Dick Cheney stand accused of 39 grave and impeachable offenses, including war crimes, torture, warrantless wiretapping, and outing a covert CIA operative.

Most of these offenses are felonies for which Bush and Cheney can be criminally prosecuted after they leave office. But prosecutions will be impossible if Bush issues blanket pre-emptive pardons for Dick Cheney, Scooter Libby, other senior officials, and even himself.

Can Bush do this? Absolutely. Gerald Ford set the precedent in 1974 when he gave Richard Nixon a blanket pre-emptive pardon for any crime he "may have committed."

Presidential pardon power is nearly unlimited under the Constitution.
We support efforts in Congress to outlaw pre-emptive or self-pardons, but even if a bill passes Congress before Bush leave office, Bush will certainly veto it. So how can we stop Bush's pardons?

The Founding Fathers clearly anticipated a corrupt President might pardon his co-conspirators, and specified impeachment as the remedy.

George Mason, the father of the Bill of Rights, argued at the Constitutional Convention that the President might use his pardoning power to "pardon crimes which were advised by himself" or, before indictment or conviction, "to stop inquiry and prevent detection."

James Madison, the father of the U.S. Constitution, added that "if the President be connected, in any suspicious manner, with any person, and there be grounds to believe he will shelter [pardon] him, the House of Representatives can impeach him; they can remove him if found guilty."

As your constituent, I urge you to impeach George Bush and Dick Cheney before they issue pardons. But if that fails, I urge you to impeach George Bush and Dick Cheney afterwards for issuing pardons that constitute obstruction of justice and abuse of power.

A post-inaugural impeachment would prohibit those impeached from ever holding federal office, either elected or appointed. Arguably, impeachment would also nullify pre-impeachment pardons and permit prosecutions. Finally, impeachment would tell future Presidents they cannot abuse their pardon power to put themselves above the law.

In 1776, Thomas Paine famously wrote, "in America, the law is
King." Congress must not allow a President to commit crimes with impunity, or it makes the President a dictator - or a King.

 

Balatarin
Share/Save/Bookmark

Recently by IRANdokhtCommentsDate
Iran's Oscar Victory Over Israel?
9
Mar 02, 2012
Abadani Mouse
16
Feb 10, 2011
Ambassador of Death
9
Aug 24, 2010
more from IRANdokht
 
Kaveh Nouraee

Khar

by Kaveh Nouraee on Mon Nov 17, 2008 10:40 AM PST

The difference is that Clinton committed a crime, and he is looked upon as some kind of hero.

This has nothing to do with where Bill put his little commander-in chief.


  •  
ebi amirhosseini

Majid jaan,

by ebi amirhosseini on Sat Nov 15, 2008 08:56 AM PST

Millions of tiny sperms,wasted by Monica!!. A shameful mass murder!!. 


  •  
Majid

Numbers please.....anyone?

by Majid on Sat Nov 15, 2008 02:24 AM PST

How many died when Clinton lied?


  •  
I Have a Crush on Alex Trebek

I'm with Khar. If this battle isn't worth it, what is?

by I Have a Crush on Alex Trebek on Fri Nov 14, 2008 08:55 PM PST

What Bush did set a dangerous precedent. If McCain and Palin had won, I'm scared to think of what could have happened to Iran. Just when I think it can't be worse for Iranians, along came Sarah palin with the potential to be commander in chief.

Cheney tried to build his office as a 4th branch of government. They suspended the constitution, yet they write books praising the founding fathers. I am sick of these people, but they deserve a series of hearings. We deserve it. Losing an election is NOT enough. That is just a healthy first step.


  •  
Khar

Kaveh

by Khar on Fri Nov 14, 2008 08:44 PM PST

I can sum up your last remarks in two short sentences:

 

"Clinton, committed perjury"

 

"Bush, allegedly committed crimes"

My dear sir, Bill Clinton had sex with one woman and lied about it, but the Bush and company raped America, the world and are boasting about it! The differences are mind boggling.....


  •  
Kaveh Nouraee

Would the republicans let go?

by Kaveh Nouraee on Fri Nov 14, 2008 04:45 PM PST

Under the cirumstances at present, yes. It's a matter of choosing your battles.

Bill Clinton committed perjury in a federal court proceeding during the middle of his administration.

If all of these allegations are indeed heinous enough to warrant it, suffice it to say that criminal charges could have been filed long ago, even as early as the current president's first term.

Indifference would be no one even raising the issue. Indifference would be a low voter turnout, and not the huge turnout that was just witnessed. Indifference would be the opposite of what is happening now.


  •  
IRANdokht

thank you all

by IRANdokht on Fri Nov 14, 2008 04:23 PM PST

It sure is a shame that the criminal acts went on for such a long time without anyone being held accountable.  It's true that people do abuse power but also "Aftaab poshteh abr nemimooneh"... 

Money talks and cash is king as Arash said. Now we don't need to spend our energy to punish the criminals.  Is that how resigned we are now? close our eyes and hope that someday history would not be kind to them?

Would the republicans had let go of such number of impeachable offenses if the shoe was on the other foot?  They spent over $30 millions trying to impeach Clinton for a lie about an affair and now we're told that it's ok, let the sleeping dogs lie and just move on? 

I still went ahead and signed that letter which was forwarded to the congressmen from my district and Barbara Boxer. What good does it do? I don't know. I just couldn't be indifferent.

Thanks for all your inputs.

IRANdokht


  •  
Arash Monzavi-Kia

In America, the $$ is king

by Arash Monzavi-Kia on Fri Nov 14, 2008 03:44 PM PST

Dear IranDokht - Your cause is noble, but most probably already lost. Much better to move forward and use the money to instead, build a giant statue of George W out of the city refuse. In case of Cheney, history will simply remember him as the second dick to run the US of A! 

Arash M-K


  •  
David ET

Yes, History is the best judge

by David ET on Fri Nov 14, 2008 02:43 PM PST

Let's focus on future and not the past. Let's spend the national money, time and Media on issues that make a positive difference in the lives of people.

Even if few people get slapped or imprsioned it will not make any difference on the present situation..

Let's Move on and focus on present and future and CHANGING THINGS FOR BETTER than being stuck in the past ..

 

 


  •  
bajenaghe naghi

irandokht jan

by bajenaghe naghi on Fri Nov 14, 2008 01:19 PM PST

politics=smokes and mirrors. also power corupts. if you were the head of the traffic dept would you not tear all your speeding and parking tickets and also the ones for your mom and dad and cousins and nefews and some nieghbors to? what do you have to loose?


  •  
Kaveh Nouraee

Very Unlikely

by Kaveh Nouraee on Fri Nov 14, 2008 01:09 PM PST

With so few days remaining in this final term, the desire to simply put the whole matter behind them far outweighs Capitol Hill's desire to enter into lengthy and costly proceedings.

History shall prove to be a far better judge and jury than the other criminals in Congress could ever aspire to be.


  •  
I Have a Crush on Alex Trebek

What a shame. What has happened to this great land?

by I Have a Crush on Alex Trebek on Fri Nov 14, 2008 01:02 PM PST

It's just sad. We're so much better than Bush and Cheney. What happened?


  •  
Hajminator

Oh, it’s so easy to pardon oneself ...

by Hajminator on Fri Nov 14, 2008 10:53 AM PST

W. knows that if he doesn’t pardon his administration crimes, all they committed these 8 last years will publicly be known one day. So his hurrying up to coupé-court on what history will discover. But as we say, aftab (haguighat) hich vaght poshteh abr nemimanad. And, I really hope that all his doing would be useless.


  •