Days after the US President Donald Trump touted his absolute pardon powers publicly on Twitter Paul Ryan now has some advise for him
WASHINGTON, U. S. – Days after the U. S. President Donald Trump touted his absolute pardon powers publicly on Twitter, claiming that he has the power to pardon himself in the collusion and obstruction of justice probe being led by the Special Counsel Robert Mueller, he has not received advice from the House Speaker.
On Monday, taking to Twitter, Trump made his assertion, claiming he has the “absolute” power to pardon himself.
He then asked rhetorically why he would ever need to use his power since he hasn’t done anything wrong.
Trump wrote on Twitter, “As has been stated by numerous legal scholars, I have the absolute right to PARDON myself, but why would I do that when I have done nothing wrong? In the meantime, the never ending Witch Hunt, led by 13 very Angry and Conflicted Democrats (& others) continues into the mid-terms!”
While Trump did not elaborate about the legal basis for his claim, he wrote in a second tweet, “The appointment of the Special Councel is totally UNCONSTITUTIONAL! Despite that, we play the game because I, unlike the Democrats, have done nothing wrong!”
Special Counsel Robert Mueller is investigating not just Russia’s role in the 2016 election, but also whether Trump obstructed justice.
However, on Wednesday, the House Speaker Paul Ryan responded to Trump’s tweet and said that “Trump shouldn’t pardon himself.”
In his weekly news conference on Wednesday, the Wisconsin Republican told reporters, “He shouldn’t and no one is above the law.”
So far, legal experts have mixed opinions about whether Trump indeed has the absolute pardon power since no court has ruled on whether a president can pardon himself.
However, days before the former President Richard Nixon resigned in disgrace, the Department of Justice wrote in a 1974 opinion that the president « cannot pardon himself.”
Meanwhile, following Trump’s tweet on Monday, which raked up a huge debate over his actual powers, Trump’s top attorney Rudy Giuliani said in a media interview that the president was « making it clear that he’s not going to » pardon himself.
Giuliani said, « He doesn’t have to do it, because he’s done nothing wrong. If you just look at the Constitution, it says the president can pardon, and there are not words of limitation. Somebody could probably argue that there is a limitation, but it hasn’t been decided by the court. »
He said over the weekend that it would be « unthinkable » for Trump to pardon himself – but that it was something the president could « probably » do – because it would almost certainly lead to impeachment proceedings in Congress.
Ryan wasn’t the only top Republican to comment on Trump’s declaration.
Previously, Senate Majority Whip John Cornyn, who also serves on the Judiciary Committee said in a statement that Trump’s opinion « may be right from a strictly legal standpoint, but I don’t think it’s helpful in terms of the conclusion of the investigation. »
Further, in a media interview, Republican Sen. Chuck Grassley of Iowa, who chairs the Judiciary Committee said, « 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. »
Responding to Trump’s assertion, Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina told reporters that he would « advise everybody from the president to the people operating the elevator: don’t obstruct justice. »
Adding, « Politically it would be a disaster. Legally, I don’t know. »
Meanwhile, on Wednesday, Ryan – who was also part of the classified briefing late last month at the Department of Justice – told reporters that he agrees with his fellow Republican, Rep. Trey Gowdy, in his assessment that it was fully proper for the FBI to deploy an informant to communicate with Trump campaign advisors.
Ryan however, cautioned that he wants to ensure every lead is investigated.
The House Speaker said, “Normally I don’t like to comment on classified briefings. Let me say it this way. I think Chairman Gowdy’s initial assessment is accurate. But we have some more digging to do. We’re waiting for some more document requests, we have some more documents to review. We still have someone to answer questions.”
Gowdy, who is the chairman of the House Oversight Committee, has said that the briefing persuaded him to believe that the FBI’s actions were appropriate.
After receiving the briefing, Gowdy said, “I am even more convinced that the FBI did exactly what my fellow citizens would want them to do when they got the information they got.”
He added that the briefing also suggested that the informant had “nothing to do with Donald Trump.”
