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Many of us would agree that Donald Trump has committed many unpardonable sins. Ah, but here is where the literal and figurative go in different directions.
Article 2 of the US Constitution clearly gives him the right to commit several more unpardonable sins, such as, for instance pardoning his whole family. Even though we all know that Don Jr is as honest as the day is long and, of course, has no need for a pardon, why not toss out a preemptive pardon for Son #1. Although Don Jr stands second only to Mother Teresa in modesty and ethics, why not give him a Get-Out-of-Jail-Free card on the odd chance that he’s done, as they say, a bad, bad thing (or two or three).
He can also pardon Rudy Giuliani—and likely will. And perhaps, just perhaps, he can even pardon himself.
The power of a President to pardon himself, like so many other things as we have learned over the past four years, is not mentioned in the Constitution. There’s no specific case law, federal or otherwise, that is definitive.
Why, you might ask. Because no one could have envisioned a leader who was so clearly compromised legally and who also had the outrageous chutzpah to imagine, like an authoritarian ruler, a monarch, a dictator, an autocrat, that he could unilaterally declare himself exonerated.
Ah, but here, with a slightly active imagination, might we foresee the depths that this man is capable of. Since a President can pardon as many people as he pleases (did you know that FDR pardoned over 3,500 people during his four terms), and can pardon them for any reason, can you not imagine that Donald John Trump, never a man to pass up a money-making scheme, might auction off pardons to the highest bidders.
I know, you say, doing that would be preposterous. Disgusting. Inappropriate. Unethical. Shameless. Sort of like mocking stutterers. Deriding POWs because they had been captured. Separating refugee mothers and their children.
So given the man’s MO, why should we be surprised if his Trump-ness chose to monetize the Presidency and make a few bucks before he leaves office.
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At a meeting of Trump‘s big money backers, a fellow real estate mogul accidentally steps on President’s toe. Embarrassed, he quickly turns around and says, “Mr. President, pardon me.”
The President smiles and quickly responds, “Sure, but it will cost you fifty thousand.”
fun read, Ed!