Trump questions his aides and lawyers about the power of self-forgiveness

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Some of those conversations have taken place in recent weeks, according to one of the sources. It is not known whether this has happened since Wednesday’s chaos on Capitol Hill fomented by the president’s rhetoric or after his recent controversial call with Georgian Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger. Trump asked about the legal and political consequences of self-forgiveness, according to a source close to Trump.

The New York Times reported earlier Thursday that Trump had suggested in conversations since election day that he wanted to forgive himself, citing two people familiar with the talks.

He also sought legal opinions on whether he had the power to grant a self-pardon and was briefed on the potential political fallout. This person said it was not yet clear whether the president would follow up on a pardon for himself.

Another person said it is not underway in the White House council office at the moment, but that does not mean it will not happen or that the Justice Department’s legal counsel’s office was not currently considering the matter.

CNN previously reported that Trump had been asking his assistants since 2017 for his power of self-forgiveness and was “obsessed” with the idea. Recently, Trump allies such as Sean Hannity on Fox News publicly suggested he should. Trump also tweeted that he believed he had the power to do so.

“As many jurists have said, I have an absolute right to FORGIVE myself, but why would I do this when I haven’t done anything wrong?” the president said in 2018.

Yet a presidential self-pardon has not been tested and experts are divided over its constitutionality. A Justice Department legal note says the president cannot forgive himself but can step aside and ask his vice president to take over and forgive him. However, this note is not binding.

CNN legal analyst Elie Honig noted last year that a self-pardon would likely spark a series of legal challenges aimed at overturning the maneuver.

“A prosecutor should first indict Trump, self-pardon notwithstanding. Then the matter would be argued in the courts, possibly the Supreme Court. Given the weight of constitutional and historical authority (including the opinion Department of Justice and the authors’ stated intention), a self-pardon probably wouldn’t hold; but there’s almost no harm in Trump at least giving him a chance and seeing if it sticks, “he said. writes Honig in July.

“A thin shield is better than no shield at all,” he said.

Trump has used his broad powers of clemency extensively on loyalist, well-connected, or family-neighbor criminals. He also largely ignored the government’s established process to review and recommend clemency requests, relying instead on the word of friends, donors and Fox News hosts.

Last month he announced a wave of high-profile pardons, including for longtime ally Roger Stone, former campaign chairman Paul Manafort and the father of White House senior adviser Jared Kushner Charles.

While all presidents grant controversial pardons at the end of their tenure, Trump has progressed at a faster pace than his predecessors, showing little inhibition in rewarding his friends and allies using one of the most unlimited powers in the world. his office.

This story was updated with additional information on Thursday.

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