Those who know Donald Trump predicted that, as his time in office came to an end, he would issue pardons "like Christmas cards." Yesterday, the Christmas rush began. Maggie Haberman and Mike Schmidt report in The New York Times that:
In an audacious pre-Christmas round of pardons, President Trump granted clemency on Tuesday to two people who pleaded guilty in the special counsel’s Russia inquiry, four Blackwater guards convicted in connection with the killing of Iraqi civilians and three corrupt former Republican members of Congress.
Mr. Trump nullified more of the legal consequences of an investigation into his 2016 campaign that he long labeled a hoax. He granted clemency to contractors whose actions in Iraq set off an international uproar and helped turn public opinion further against the war there. And he pardoned three members of his party who had become high-profile examples of public corruption.
The 15 pardons and five commutations were made public by the White House in a statement on Tuesday evening. They appeared in many cases to have bypassed the traditional Justice Department review process — more than half of the cases did not meet the department’s standards for consideration — and reflected Mr. Trump’s long-held grudges about the Russia investigation, his instinct to side with members of the military accused of wrongdoing and his willingness to reward political allies.
Trump has already given Michael Flynn and Roger Stone get out of jail free cards. And there will be more such passes issued -- perhaps even one to himself. Clearly, Trump plans to set fire to the place before he leaves.
Image: Smithsonian Magazine
12 comments:
Typical NY Times - why say "corrupt" or "insane" when you can call it "audacious"?
Audacious: bold, daring, fearless
Sorry, that's the wrong word here.
Cap
One person's audaciousness is another's idiocy, Cap.
Monstrous actions by a monstrous man, Owen. No surprises there.
Trump is consistent, Lorne -- consistently malicious.
.. It always comes back to..
The American people elected this posturing buffoon, President
Thus the hysterical pardons.. the spiteful cruelties, the inane jackassery
Who else would anoint a Stephen Miller as Senior Advisor ?
Be seen with a nutcase named Sidney Powell
Spend hours on the phone nightly with Sean Hannity
Or appoint a 'spirital advisor' who blabbers & rants in tongues
Its Animal Farm.. nourished to real life by Americans
Quite true, sal. Trump didn't get there by himself. He had millions of other buffoons who put him where he is -- and from where he refuses to leave.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/national/kyle-rittenhouse-website/2020/12/22/5d6fc122-445f-11eb-a277-49a6d1f9dff1_story.html
Maybe this little shit will be the next to have a pardon?
TB
This is absolutely vile, TB. Trump is the political equivalent of syphilis.
Owen.
As we approach Christmas eve and it's festivities I wish to thank you for providing talking points that keep the grey matter between our ears performing at a higher level than the status quo.
On this blog I hope the new year is much like this year in that we challenge what is put in front of us.
My wish for the new year is that we will have more websites that question our obedience to the norms of the twenty first century.
Take care , be well.
TB
And remember, that grand and audaciously brilliant Britisher and non-Canadian who lectures us on our sins in the National Post, Lord Conrad Black of Crossharbour, was also pardoned by Trump. Whereupon he grovelled at his master's feet and proclaimed him as good and true,
No doubt Trump's pardons are printed on EconoRoll single-ply toilet paper, signifying their true meaningful significance. Ephemeral.
BM
Thanks for the good wishes, TB. May we all enter the new year willing to question the conventional wisdom.
And -- like toilet paper -- may they stick to his feet, BM.
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