SavannahMann
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- Nov 16, 2016
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Ok, let’s start with the link.
Senators challenge Trump on military pardons
Now, the rant. And it is going to be a rant. I am a constitutionalist. That means I believe in the Constitution. I swore an oath to support and defend it when I enlisted, and twice after that. To the best of my knowledge, I have yet to be released from that oath in my sense of honor. What that means is I will always side with the Constitution, over party, politics, or any other consideration.
The Constitution is pretty clear on what the President can do regarding Pardons. Allow me to quote Article two, Section Two, Clause One, of the Constitution regarding Pardons.
The President shall be Commander in Chief of the Army and Navy of the United States, and of the Militia of the several States, when called into the actual Service of the United States; he may require the Opinion, in writing, of the principal Officer in each of the executive Departments, upon any Subject relating to the Duties of their respective Offices, and he shall have Power to grant Reprieves and Pardons for Offenses against the United States, except in Cases of Impeachment.
The President has the power to grant reprieves and pardons for offenses against the United States, except in cases of impeachment. Pretty clear.
Yet the Senators want to know if the President cleared the Pardon’s with the Justice Department before issuing them. You see, that is not listed as a requirement. It is that the President has the power. The Senators wonder if he consulted the Department of Defense. Again, that is not a requirement. The President can require the various Secretaries of insert whatever department here to offer their opinions, but he does not have to take it. And he doesn’t have to ask for their opinions. The Department of Justice has no say over Pardons except Yes Sir when the President issues one. The Department of Defense has no say either. Not only does the President have the Power of the Pardon, but he has the job of Commander in Chief. Which means on two fronts the Military says Yes Sir so long as the order is not illegal.
Do I think he should have pardoned those guys? Let me repeat what I have written twice before. I think that those military people earned their convictions. I think they disgraced the uniform. I think they disgraced the service. I also believe that the President is the one with the say, and my sworn oath is to defend the Constitution and I will do so no matter who is the President, and no matter what party holds the White House. I can and do disagree with Trump on a number of issues. I would be saying this same thing if Obama had issued pardon’s that were controversial. I said the same thing when President Clinton issued controversial Pardons.
If you don’t like it, then here is what you do Senator. Again, it is in the Constitution. You start an Amendment. You pass it through Congress, and you ask the States to ratify the amendment. You don’t demand answers to stupid assed questions insisting that there needs to be a process that is followed.
Here is why there is a Pardons section in the Justice Department. If there wasn’t, the staff of the White House would be doing that job anyway. Researching the requests for Pardon’s from family and the convicted to see what the truth is. The “guidelines” are general and not binding. The President can pardon someone ten seconds after they are convicted, or before they are even charged with the crime.
The Avalon Project : Federalist No 69
Yeah, that is exactly what the Founders intended. So Fuck off Senator.
Senators challenge Trump on military pardons
Now, the rant. And it is going to be a rant. I am a constitutionalist. That means I believe in the Constitution. I swore an oath to support and defend it when I enlisted, and twice after that. To the best of my knowledge, I have yet to be released from that oath in my sense of honor. What that means is I will always side with the Constitution, over party, politics, or any other consideration.
The Constitution is pretty clear on what the President can do regarding Pardons. Allow me to quote Article two, Section Two, Clause One, of the Constitution regarding Pardons.
The President shall be Commander in Chief of the Army and Navy of the United States, and of the Militia of the several States, when called into the actual Service of the United States; he may require the Opinion, in writing, of the principal Officer in each of the executive Departments, upon any Subject relating to the Duties of their respective Offices, and he shall have Power to grant Reprieves and Pardons for Offenses against the United States, except in Cases of Impeachment.
The President has the power to grant reprieves and pardons for offenses against the United States, except in cases of impeachment. Pretty clear.
Yet the Senators want to know if the President cleared the Pardon’s with the Justice Department before issuing them. You see, that is not listed as a requirement. It is that the President has the power. The Senators wonder if he consulted the Department of Defense. Again, that is not a requirement. The President can require the various Secretaries of insert whatever department here to offer their opinions, but he does not have to take it. And he doesn’t have to ask for their opinions. The Department of Justice has no say over Pardons except Yes Sir when the President issues one. The Department of Defense has no say either. Not only does the President have the Power of the Pardon, but he has the job of Commander in Chief. Which means on two fronts the Military says Yes Sir so long as the order is not illegal.
Do I think he should have pardoned those guys? Let me repeat what I have written twice before. I think that those military people earned their convictions. I think they disgraced the uniform. I think they disgraced the service. I also believe that the President is the one with the say, and my sworn oath is to defend the Constitution and I will do so no matter who is the President, and no matter what party holds the White House. I can and do disagree with Trump on a number of issues. I would be saying this same thing if Obama had issued pardon’s that were controversial. I said the same thing when President Clinton issued controversial Pardons.
If you don’t like it, then here is what you do Senator. Again, it is in the Constitution. You start an Amendment. You pass it through Congress, and you ask the States to ratify the amendment. You don’t demand answers to stupid assed questions insisting that there needs to be a process that is followed.
Here is why there is a Pardons section in the Justice Department. If there wasn’t, the staff of the White House would be doing that job anyway. Researching the requests for Pardon’s from family and the convicted to see what the truth is. The “guidelines” are general and not binding. The President can pardon someone ten seconds after they are convicted, or before they are even charged with the crime.
The Avalon Project : Federalist No 69
Yeah, that is exactly what the Founders intended. So Fuck off Senator.