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Is there such a thing as "pre-emptive" pardons? (Original Post) Jit423 Monday OP
Sure, Ford did it to Nixon. JohnSJ Monday #1
Kind of untested though Diraven Monday #5
Have you heard of a couple guys named Nixon and Ford? RockRaven Monday #2
It Was A Little Narrower Than That ProfessorGAC Monday #4
All crimes are committed against the public, even murders. RockRaven Monday #6
Depends on what you mean by "pre-emptive" unblock Monday #3

Diraven

(1,064 posts)
5. Kind of untested though
Mon Dec 2, 2024, 03:30 PM
Monday

Last edited Mon Dec 2, 2024, 04:35 PM - Edit history (1)

I think Ford just told everyone to let things drop and move on.

ProfessorGAC

(70,136 posts)
4. It Was A Little Narrower Than That
Mon Dec 2, 2024, 03:27 PM
Monday

It was fir any potential crimes committed "against the people of the United States".
It didn't cover everything, and was pointed toward all things related to Watergate, but broader than that.
I don't think that uf Nixon personally killed someone while he was president, I don't the pardon covered it. That crime would against one individual.
But, any actions taken as president against the nation, was preemptively pardoned.
With the protection against retribution pardons, I'm not sure it could be written broad enough to do anything, unless it was for "anything they ever did". Not sure Joe would do that.

RockRaven

(16,371 posts)
6. All crimes are committed against the public, even murders.
Mon Dec 2, 2024, 05:19 PM
Monday

That is the philosophy and semantics of the justice system.

unblock

(54,172 posts)
3. Depends on what you mean by "pre-emptive"
Mon Dec 2, 2024, 03:09 PM
Monday

A pardon can stop legal proceedings before any such proceedings have even started, so yes in that sense.

A pardon cannot cover future actions, so Biden cannot protect anyone for trumped-up accusations concerning events taking place after Donnie takes office, so no in that sense.

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