Rudy Giuliani Says President Trump 'Probably' Has The Power To Pardon Himself
- 6 years ago
Rudy Giuliani appears to have left open the possibility that his client President Trump could one day pardon himself.
Rudy Giuliani appears to have left open the possibility that his client President Trump could one day pardon himself.
During an appearance on ABC News' "This Week," the former New York City mayor was asked about the president's power to pardon himself, and Giuliani said, "He's not, but he probably does."
"He has no intention of pardoning himself," Giuliani added. "That doesn't say he can't. That's another really interesting constitutional argument: Can the president pardon himself? It would be an open question. I think it would probably get answered by, 'gosh that's what the Constitution says.' And if you want to change it, change it. But, yeah."
His comments came after the New York Times' release of a confidential memo Trump's attorneys reportedly sent to special counsel Robert Mueller.
"It remains our position that the President's actions here, by virtue of his position as the chief law enforcement officer, could neither constitutionally nor legally constitute obstruction because that would amount to him obstructing himself, and that he could, if he wished, terminate the inquiry, or even exercise his power to pardon if he so desired," the letter states.
In its annotation of the letter, the Times says this line is "an ambiguous one...But the sentence may also leave open the possibility that he could order the obstruction investigation into himself shut down or even pardon himself. No president has ever purported to pardon himself, and it is unclear whether he could."
Some legal experts have publicly argued that Trump cannot pardon himself, but the matter has not been tested in court.
For his part, Trump has not addressed the line about pardons, but he did blast the release of the memo.
"There was No Collusion with Russia (except by the Democrats). When will this very expensive Witch Hunt Hoax ever end? So bad for our Country," Trump tweeted Saturday. "Is the Special Counsel/Justice Department leaking my lawyers letters to the Fake News Media? Should be looking at Dems corruption instead?"
Rudy Giuliani appears to have left open the possibility that his client President Trump could one day pardon himself.
During an appearance on ABC News' "This Week," the former New York City mayor was asked about the president's power to pardon himself, and Giuliani said, "He's not, but he probably does."
"He has no intention of pardoning himself," Giuliani added. "That doesn't say he can't. That's another really interesting constitutional argument: Can the president pardon himself? It would be an open question. I think it would probably get answered by, 'gosh that's what the Constitution says.' And if you want to change it, change it. But, yeah."
His comments came after the New York Times' release of a confidential memo Trump's attorneys reportedly sent to special counsel Robert Mueller.
"It remains our position that the President's actions here, by virtue of his position as the chief law enforcement officer, could neither constitutionally nor legally constitute obstruction because that would amount to him obstructing himself, and that he could, if he wished, terminate the inquiry, or even exercise his power to pardon if he so desired," the letter states.
In its annotation of the letter, the Times says this line is "an ambiguous one...But the sentence may also leave open the possibility that he could order the obstruction investigation into himself shut down or even pardon himself. No president has ever purported to pardon himself, and it is unclear whether he could."
Some legal experts have publicly argued that Trump cannot pardon himself, but the matter has not been tested in court.
For his part, Trump has not addressed the line about pardons, but he did blast the release of the memo.
"There was No Collusion with Russia (except by the Democrats). When will this very expensive Witch Hunt Hoax ever end? So bad for our Country," Trump tweeted Saturday. "Is the Special Counsel/Justice Department leaking my lawyers letters to the Fake News Media? Should be looking at Dems corruption instead?"