In a column for the Washington Post, political observer Colbert King suggests that Donald Trump will exercise his presidential prerogatives and pardon former aides convicted of crimes associated with himself or his campaign because his base seems to not care what he does while in office.
According to the columnist: it’s not a matter of if, but of when.
“The future isn’t promised, but it is a good bet that three felons and close allies of President Trump — Roger Stone (found guilty of obstruction of a congressional investigation, witness tampering and lying to Congress), Paul Manafort (serving a prison sentence for tax evasion and bank fraud) and Michael Flynn (pleaded guilty to lying to the FBI) — will be granted executive clemency,” he writes.
Colbert suggests that it is unlikely that Trump will pull the trigger on pardons before the election — calling it a “risky” calculation — but the day after the 2020 election whether he wins or loses.
“Trump’s safest course of action would be to wait to do the dirty deed until after Election Day, Nov. 3, 2020. Trump’s impulsiveness, however, is a wild card,” he writes “Impeached or not, Trump can still grant pardons without fear of a citizens’ revolt — once the polls close. Even if the voters serve him with an eviction, Trump can still cut his boys loose, provided he acts before turning off the lights in the Oval Office.”
According to King, Trump simply doesn’t care about looking unethical, only the exercise of power.
“The Stone, Manafort and Flynn prediction is offered with confidence because of Trump’s demonstrated disregard for the integrity of the criminal-justice system,” he explained. “That disdain was on display in his recent chiseling of the military judicial process. Against the advice of experienced, respected leaders in the Pentagon, Trump intervened in three cases involving war-crimes accusations, overturning decisions of military juries and issuing full pardons to two soldiers convicted of war crimes, as well as reversing disciplinary action against a third service member, Chief Petty Officer Edward Gallagher, a Navy SEAL.”
“Trump doesn’t think rules apply to him,” King asserted. “With that presidential mind-set, Stone, Manafort and Flynn can rest easy this holiday season. Help is on the way; it’s only a matter of time.”
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