The Wall St Journal says "pardon everyone, including yourself!"
by digby
This op-ed in the Wall Street Journal is just adorable. Trump should pardon himself and pardon Crooked Hillary and basically let Devin Nunes decide who's really guilty:
Mr Trump can end this madness by immediately issuing a blanket presidential pardon to anyone involved in supposed collusion with Russians during the 2016 presidential campaign, to anyone involved with Russian acquisition of an American uranium company during the Obama administration, and to anyone for any offense that has been investigated by Mr. Mueller's office. Political weaponization of criminal law should give way to a politically accountable democratic process.
Nefarious Russian activities in including possible interference in US elections can and should be investigated by congress. Partisan bitterness will not evaporate if lawmakers take up the investigation. But at least those conducting he inquiry will be legitimate and politically accountable. And the question of whether Russia intervened in the 2016 election and of whether it made efforts to influence US policy makers in previous administration, is first and foremost one of policy and national security not criminal law.
The president himself would be covered by the blanket pardon we recommend but the pardon power does not extend to impeachment. If Congress find evidence that he was somehow involved in collusion with Russia, the House can determine whether to begin impeachment proceedings.Congress is also better equipped, as part of its oversight role, to determine whether and how the FBI, Justice Department and the intelligence agencies might have been involved in the whole affair, including possible misuse of surveillance and mishandling of criminal investigations.