Trump opening sluices gate of manure - Clemency City!

[Jimmy Higgins]

Trump's last-minute pardons include Bannon, Lil Wayne and scores of others - CNNPolitics

Trump pardons and commutations – the full list | Donald Trump | The Guardian - "US president has pardoned 70 people and commuted the sentences of a further 73 people"

Full list of Trump's last-minute pardons and commuted sentences

The most prominent of them is Steve Bannon. From NBC:

Stephen K. Bannon: Trump's former chief strategist in the White House was in charge of the final months of his 2016 presidential campaign and was indicted in August along with three others on wire fraud and money laundering conspiracy charges. Prosecutors alleged that Bannon’s crowdfunding “We Build the Wall” campaign raised more than $25 million from Trump supporters and used hundreds of thousands for personal expenses. He was taken into custody by U.S. Postal Inspection Service agents while on board the yacht of Chinese billionaire Guo Wengui. Bannon received a full pardon and now will not have to face a trial.

From The Guardian:

Steve Bannon

Bannon, 67, was a key adviser in Trump’s 2016 presidential run. He was charged last year with swindling Trump supporters over an effort to raise private funds to build the president’s wall on the US-Mexico border. He has pleaded not guilty.

White House officials had advised Trump against pardoning Bannon, who left the Trump administration in late 2017. The two men have lately rekindled their relationship as Trump sought support for his unproven claims of voter fraud, an official familiar with the situation said.

Notable absences are Capitol insurrectionists, his family, and himself.

Notable inclusion was guy that grifted Trump supporters!

 

[lpetrich]

Trump pardons 74 people, including Steve Bannon, and commutes sentences of 70 others - CBS News

Among others getting pardons were former top GOP fundraiser Elliott Broidy and rapper Lil Wayne.

Bannon was indicted in August for allegedly defrauding donors out of hundreds of thousands of dollars with a fundraising campaign to build a wall along the southern border, known as the "We build the wall" campaign. The scheme raised $25 million, and Bannon was accused of taking $1 million to cover personal expenses and pay another person accused in the scheme.

In announcing his pardon, the White House said Bannon "has been an important leader in the conservative movement and is known for his political acumen."

But Representative Adam Schiff, a California Democrat and chairman of the House Intelligence Committee, took to Twitter to swipe at the move, saying, "Steve Bannon is getting a pardon from Trump after defrauding Trump's own supporters into paying for a wall that Trump promised Mexico would pay for. And if that all sounds crazy, that's because it is. Thank God we have only 12 more hours of this den of thieves."

"Greed is good". Seems like he fits very well what Arthur Schlesingers I & II described of conservative eras, having an ethos of personal gain.

New York Attorney General Letitia James issued a statement blasting Mr. Trump's actions, saying in part, "The 143 pardons and commutations, issued in the twilight hours of the Trump Administration, perfectly sum up what this lame-duck president has always been about: favoritism towards those who show absolute loyalty to Donald Trump."

Prior to the late blitz, Mr. Trump had granted 70 pardons, the majority of them in December, according to Justice Department records.

Though he waited until after the election to issue his more controversial pardons, like of Paul Manafort, Charles Kushner, and Roger Stone.

Of his recent predecessors, Obama pardoned 212 people, Bush II 189, and Clinton 396.

 

[marc]

Interesting take that some of the Trump pardons might not keep some of his people out of prison. What the argument boils down to is some of the pardons might have been a little too narrow. In a criminal case the prosecution might have evidence for say 25 charges, but only actually make 5 charges to keep it clear for the jury. If the defendant is then pardoned for those 5 charges, then the prosecution could potentially bring up some of the other 20 charges that were not filed before.

[YOUTUBE]https://youtu.be/Mb8tNYinPX0[/YOUTUBE]

[YOUTUBE]https://youtu.be/PCWxknzIg0o[/YOUTUBE]

 

[Keith&Co.]

Interesting take that some of the Trump pardons might not keep some of his people out of prison. What the argument boils down to is some of the pardons might have been a little too narrow. In a criminal case the prosecution might have evidence for say 25 charges, but only actually make 5 charges to keep it clear for the jury. If the defendant is then pardoned for those 5 charges, then the prosecution could potentially bring up some of the other 20 charges that were not filed before.

[YOUTUBE]https://youtu.be/Mb8tNYinPX0[/YOUTUBE]

[YOUTUBE]https://youtu.be/PCWxknzIg0o[/YOUTUBE]

Or, since Someone plea bargained themselves to a lesser crime, accepting the pardon may void the agreement. And the grester crimes are back in play.

 

[ZiprHead]

Interesting take that some of the Trump pardons might not keep some of his people out of prison. What the argument boils down to is some of the pardons might have been a little too narrow. In a criminal case the prosecution might have evidence for say 25 charges, but only actually make 5 charges to keep it clear for the jury. If the defendant is then pardoned for those 5 charges, then the prosecution could potentially bring up some of the other 20 charges that were not filed before.

Cool! And I assume the evidence and determination of the pardoned cases could also be presented, or would that be excused?

No, I haven't watch the videos but I intend to later.

 

[ZiprHead]

Any truth to this?

 

[lpetrich]

Manhattan DA could prosecute Steve Bannon following pardon
noting
Manhattan district attorney considering state case against Stephen Bannon following his pardon by Trump - The Washington Post

Investigators working under District Attorney Cyrus Vance Jr. in his office’s Major Economic Crimes Bureau are in early-stage discussions to determine if there’s a state case to be brought against Bannon for his actions in the fundraising campaign, according to two people with knowledge of the matter who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss the office’s deliberations.

SB's lawyers could call this double jeopardy, being tried twice for the same offense, so the DA's office might be trying to be careful about that.

In any case, his boss is likely to get into a lot of legal troubles of his own, in NY and elsewhere.

 

[lpetrich]

Two GOP congressmen sought pardons for their connection to Capitol attack: report | Salon.com - from Jan 20
Paul Gosar and Andy Biggs, R-AZ

On Tuesday, CNN reported that the two Arizonans were among a number of GOP lawmakers who sought clemency in Trump's final days in connection to the rally in front of the White House that flowed into the deadly riot. The former president, who still faces an impeachment trial in the Senate for his own role in the insurrection, reportedly declined to grant the requests after a lengthy meeting with legal advisers over the weekend.

Trump talked out of pardoning kids and Republican lawmakers - CNNPolitics

Several Republican lawmakers who are alleged to have been involved in the rally that preceded the deadly riot on the US Capitol have sought clemency from Trump before he leaves office, but after meeting with his legal advisers for several hours on Saturday, the President decided he would not grant them, according to two people familiar with his plans.

The fear of legal exposure is not limited to Republicans who promoted or spoke at the rally, including Reps. Andy Biggs, Mo Brooks and Paul Gosar. Those who participated, organized and fundraised for it are also concerned, sources told CNN, including his eldest son Donald Trump Jr. and his girlfriend Kimberly Guilfoyle, who both spoke at the rally.

Because they are concerned that they seem like fifth columnists?

 

[TomC]

View attachment 31657

Any truth to this?

This is an interesting question.
Clinton was impeached. And he made some highly questionable pardons during his last hours of presidency, like Marc Rich. Those pardons stand, as far as I know.

Is this different? If so, in what Constitutional way? Because I'm not seeing it.

I realize that Trump has broken so much trust and protocols and constitutionality that the USA is in uncharted waters. But it is a serious question going forward. Does mere impeachment by the House of Representatives nullify pardons, or can the Senate simply refuse to act and make the pardons legal(if unethical)?
Tom