CONSTITUTIONAL CRISIS?
Preet Bharara: If Trump Pardons Himself It Will Be ‘Almost Self-Executing Impeachment’
Former U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara on Sunday warned President Donald Trump that he would effectively ensure impeachment if he tried to pardon himself.
During an interview on CNN’s State of the Union program, host Dana Bash noted that Trump’s attorneys had asserted in a letter to special counsel Robert Mueller that the president has the power to pardon himself. On Sunday, Trump attorney Rudy Giuliani agreed that the president “probably” has self-pardoning power.
“I think it would be outrageous,” Bharara told Bash. “I think if the president decided he was going to pardon himself, I think that’s almost self-executing impeachment. Whether or not there’s a minor legal argument that some law professor somewhere in a legal journal can make, that’s not what the framers could have intended.”
RELATED: GIULIANI: TRUMP ‘PROBABLY’ CAN PARDON HIMSELF
“The second thing is, when Rudy Giuliani says… the president is not contemplating [pardoning himself],” the former U.S. Attorney continued, “I have no faith in that whatsoever.”
Watch the video below from CNN.
Enjoy this piece?
… then let us make a small request. The New Civil Rights Movement depends on readers like you to meet our ongoing expenses and continue producing quality progressive journalism. Three Silicon Valley giants consume 70 percent of all online advertising dollars, so we need your help to continue doing what we do.
NCRM is independent. You won’t find mainstream media bias here. From unflinching coverage of religious extremism, to spotlighting efforts to roll back our rights, NCRM continues to speak truth to power. America needs independent voices like NCRM to be sure no one is forgotten.
Every reader contribution, whatever the amount, makes a tremendous difference. Help ensure NCRM remains independent long into the future. Support progressive journalism with a one-time contribution to NCRM, or click here to become a subscriber. Thank you. Click here to donate by check.
 |
CONSTITUTIONAL CRISIS?
House Republicans Introduce Articles of Impeachment Against Rod Rosenstein – For Not Doing What He Was Not Asked to Do
U.S. Reps. Mark Meadows (R-NC) and Jim Jordan (R-OH) have just introduced Articles of Impeachment against Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein. It is a dramatic and stunning move, one many see as another attempt by Trump-supporting Republicans to end the Mueller probe.
“House Republicans have been ramping up their attacks on the deputy attorney general in recent weeks, accusing him of withholding documents and being insufficiently transparent in his handling of the probe led by special counsel Robert S. Mueller III,” The Washington Post reports.
Meadows and Jordan are the leaders of the extremist House Freedom Caucus.
I just filed a resolution with @Jim_Jordan and several colleagues to impeach Rod Rosenstein. The DOJ has continued to hide information from Congress and repeatedly obstructed oversight–even defying multiple Congressional subpoenas.
We have had enough.
— Mark Meadows (@RepMarkMeadows) July 25, 2018
A University of Texas law professor notes Trump has not directed the DOJ to order Rosenstein to hand over any documents, which supposedly is at the center of the controversy:
2018 keeps trying to out-2018 itself…
A Republican Congress attempting to impeach a Republican DAG for refusing to turn over documents that the Republican President hasn’t actually ordered his subordinate officer to turn over is, well, rich. https://t.co/G7XFSZdV4v
— Steve Vladeck (@steve_vladeck) July 25, 2018
The managing editor of the highly-respected Lawfare blog has been mocking the move:
I eagerly await the explanation of how these constitute high crimes and misdemeanors https://t.co/SJatnZh8K3
— Quinta Jurecic (@qjurecic) July 25, 2018
Mr. MEADOWS and MR. JORDAN, whom multiple people have credibly accused of ignoring the prolonged sexual abuse of children, submitted the following resolution,
— Quinta Jurecic (@qjurecic) July 25, 2018
More responses from legal experts (UPDATING):
The “reasons” for doing this make no sense, unless you’re looking for a way to end a righteous criminal investigation that has gotten a little bit too close for comfort. https://t.co/CQzlPbasKl
— Joyce Alene (@JoyceWhiteVance) July 25, 2018
(It’s almost like that’s not the real reason why House Republicans want to get rid of Rosenstein…)
— Steve Vladeck (@steve_vladeck) July 25, 2018
Sometimes the cover up is right out in the open. https://t.co/z9J5gLYKgl
— Matthew Miller (@matthewamiller) July 25, 2018
Sometimes the cover up is right out in the open. https://t.co/z9J5gLYKgl
— Matthew Miller (@matthewamiller) July 25, 2018
A writer at The Atlantic notes just how extraordinary this move is:
Impeachment has not been carried out against an executive branch employee in 122 years, and the constitution defines it as punishment for “treason, bribery or other high crimes and misdemeanors."
R’s are mad because he didn’t produce the documents they wanted quickly enough. https://t.co/lUdMLZQWqJ— Natasha Bertrand (@NatashaBertrand) July 25, 2018
This is a breaking news and developing story. Details may change. This story will be updated, and NCRM will likely publish follow-up stories on this news. Stay tuned and refresh for updates.
CONSTITUTIONAL CRISIS?
Fox News Anchor Shep Smith Fact Checks Trump – By Reading the Constitution On-Air
After a day of confusing statements by Donald Trump and the White House, Fox News’ Shep Smith unequivocally declared that his reporting on the current administration is “without fear or favor.”
“We want to report without fear or favor and hold truth to power,” the host said following the president’s outlandish claim that he can pardon himself in case of indictment. “No matter who it is that’s in power.”
He proceeded to read from the U.S. Constitution’s clause about presidential pardons.
“He shall have the power to grant reprieves and pardons for offenses against the United States,” Article II, section 2 reads. “Except in cases of impeachment.”
Nevertheless, Trump’s lawyers insist that he can self-pardon. Paired with White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders’ unwillingness to agree with the president’s legal team about the Trump Tower meeting, Smith outlined the difficulties of reporting on Trump’s version of the truth.
“When you get a competing set of facts, one of them completely untrue, and no way to get through it, from the highest elected authority in the land, from those who work for us — it’s very frustrating for journalists. It’s not partisan, this is about facts — and knowing that someone is telling the opposite of that.”
Watch below, via CNN:
CONSTITUTIONAL CRISIS?
Watch: Sarah Sanders Repeatedly Refuses to Answer When Asked if Trump Thinks He Can Pardon Himself
President Donald Trump Monday morning launched one of his most dictatorial tweets ever: “I have the absolute right to PARDON myself,” he claimed. Adding to the confusion, over the weekend Trump’s personal attorney Rudy Giuliani suggested that it would be unthinkable and an impeachable offense if the president tried to pardon himself.
Sarah Huckabee Sanders during a rare “daily” press briefing Monday at least four times rattled off a prepared remark, and repeated it word-for-word to reporters when pressed: “The President hasn’t done anything wrong and wouldn’t have any need for a pardon,” Huckabee Sanders continuously claimed.
She refused to actually answer if President Trump would pardon himself.
In this clip she repeats that sentence twice, without answering the reporter’s questions:
White House press secretary Sarah Sanders: “The President hasn’t done anything wrong and wouldn’t have any need for a pardon” https://t.co/PKrh9ivZ9l pic.twitter.com/pDycd0vpH1
— CNN (@CNN) June 4, 2018
NBC’s Peter Alexander asked if President Trump believes he is above the law. Huckabee Sanders finally answered that “certainly no one is above the law,” while again repeating the claim that “The President hasn’t done anything wrong and wouldn’t have any need for a pardon.”
WATCH: @PeterAlexander challenges the White House on whether President Trump believes he is above the law. pic.twitter.com/0i2SfMOJJ6
— MSNBC (@MSNBC) June 4, 2018
Notice how Sanders refused to allow Alexander a follow-up question. No reason, just no.
Huckabee Sanders increasingly refuses to hold White House “daily” press briefings. In the month of May, there were just nine.
Sunday night Rudy Giuliani said President Trump could shoot former FBI Director Jim Comey and still not be prosecuted.
‘Lied Through His Teeth’: Senator Warns RFK Jr. Undermining Vaccine Will ‘Kill’ Kids
‘It Meant Assassination’: Trump Blasts ‘Dirty Cop’ Comey for ‘8647’
‘Mad King’: Trump Teases ‘Fourth’ Term to U.S. Troops Overseas
‘Significant Damage’: Walmart’s ‘Magnitude’ Warning to Consumers Spurs Trump Tariff Critics
‘Deeply Fascist’: Massive Banner of Trump on Government Building Sparks ‘North Korea’ Vibes
News3 days ago‘Deeply Fascist’: Massive Banner of Trump on Government Building Sparks ‘North Korea’ Vibes
News3 days ago‘Mad King’: Trump Teases ‘Fourth’ Term to U.S. Troops Overseas
News3 days ago‘Significant Damage’: Walmart’s ‘Magnitude’ Warning to Consumers Spurs Trump Tariff Critics
News2 days ago‘It Meant Assassination’: Trump Blasts ‘Dirty Cop’ Comey for ‘8647’
News2 days ago‘Lied Through His Teeth’: Senator Warns RFK Jr. Undermining Vaccine Will ‘Kill’ Kids