Trump says he can pardon himself

You don’t need to be a lawyer to understand why courts would never uphold a president’s power to commit crimes and then pardon himself for them. https://t.co/muxS9HasBs

— Renato Mariotti (@renato_mariotti) June 4, 2018

President Nixon asked the Department of Justice if he could pardon himself. They said no, as no one may be the judge in their own case. He resigned three days later.

In case you want to follow the Nixon model, that would be Thursday. https://t.co/5ntHaySTBJ

— Adam Schiff (@RepAdamSchiff) June 4, 2018

Who are these numerous so-called “scholars”? Did they all graduate from Trump University Law School? Why are you and Rudy even floating this hot air balloon? https://t.co/jyXLSWfskT

— Laurence Tribe (@tribelaw) June 4, 2018

Additions to the Trump Wannabe Despot Checklist (which is already long and getting longer by the day):
✓Assert that rule of law does not apply to himself
✓Insist that he has the power to pardon himself
✓Call a lawfully appointed Special Counsel investigation “unconstitutional” https://t.co/smCXCxBjlb

— Brian Klaas (@brianklaas) June 4, 2018

Senate Judiciary Chairman Chuck Grassley just told me this: “If I were president of the United States and I had a lawyer that said I could pardon myself, I think I would hire a new lawyer.”

— Manu Raju (@mkraju) June 4, 2018

Today, President Trump has made a claim of immunity from criminal wrongdoing – in office and out – more sweeping than anything dared by Richard Nixon. He's not just a Twitter troll, even if he acts like it. Time for hearings on this radical new claim of POTUS power to break law

— David Frum (@davidfrum) June 4, 2018

I ask Ted Cruz if he agrees with Trump that the president can pardon himself. Cruz is silent for eighteen (18!) seconds before telling reporters it’s not a constitutional area he’s studied.

— Haley Byrd (@byrdinator) June 4, 2018

Schumer on floor: "If a president can pardon himself, it's virtually a monarchy … If presidents had the power to pardon themselves, we'd no longer be a democracy." If presidents were beyond reach of probes, one could "engage in rife corruption, self-dealing without consequence"

— Manu Raju (@mkraju) June 4, 2018

The President of the United States is threatening to pardon himself in order to undermine an independent investigation. His lawyers are arguing that obstruction of justice doesn't apply to him. And the governing party watches silently from Congress. This is a recipe for tyranny.

— Robert Reich (@RBReich) June 4, 2018

Corker on Trump's claim he could pardon himself:
"I can't imagine a president even bringing that up. I don't know where that comes from and I can't imagine even referencing that."

— Erica Werner (@ericawerner) June 4, 2018

The President’s assertion that he can pardon himself comes in the context of a number of stunning assertions by his lawyers… https://t.co/1kEFKu26zm pic.twitter.com/8lXOAWyTPe

— The Lead CNN (@TheLeadCNN) June 4, 2018

The constitutionality of a self-pardon remains largely undiscussed/unreviewed because it's never occurred to any President to **publicly** suggest something so obviously corrupt.

— Josh Marshall (@joshtpm) June 4, 2018

Schumer: "As the DOJ Legal Counsel wrote 4 days before Nixon resigned, 'Under the fundamental rule that no one may be a judge in his own case, the president cannot pardon himself.' This is virtually indisputable … The president does not have the right to pardon himself."

— Kyle Griffin (@kylegriffin1) June 4, 2018

Nice refresher here from @seanilling with my and other legal scholars' hot takes on a presidential self-pardon https://t.co/9xTtp0BC7B

— Asha Rangappa (@AshaRangappa_) June 4, 2018

The Supreme Court long ago ruled that accepting a pardon is an admission of guilt. If Trump tries to pardon himself, not only will it be struck down, it can be used as evidence of his guilt once he’s put on trial. So by all means, Donald, please proceed.

— Palmer Report (@PalmerReport) June 4, 2018

By saying he has an absolute right to pardon himself, @realdonaldtrump continues to act like a dictator or an absolute monarch. In a democracy, no one is above the law, including him.

— Senator Mazie Hirono (@maziehirono) June 4, 2018

Pardon me, Mr. President, but you really should shut up about pardoning yourself https://t.co/GzPpEdm4a4 (via @latimesopinion) pic.twitter.com/Iffq1nZd8M

— Los Angeles Times (@latimes) June 4, 2018

Sen. Collins says of Trump pardoning himself: "There's no doubt that if the president were ever to pardon himself it would have catastrophic implications for him and our country." She declines to say whether she thinks it would be an impeachable offense

— Jeremy Herb (@jeremyherb) June 4, 2018