Whether or not Trump can pardon himself, he's sure gonna try it!

Sources say one reason he won't resign is he's convinced Pence won't pardon him. In other words, he definitely expects a pardon. Since Biden is HIGHLY unlikely to that, the conclusion is that Trump really will try it for himself.

One thing that gives me a sliver of hope in regards to the Supreme Court is that since a Democrat is going to be President, I have some doubt the Trump-appointed judges and their conservative team members will want to chance setting a precedent that can also be applied to Biden and other Democrats in the position.

Had Trump won a re-election, and his second term had been followed by another Republican (or Trump changing the laws to get a third term), then I could see the judges willing to gamble more and allowing it to happen.

If this is such a given, why are all the pundits, politicians, lawyers, and historians on television and in media debating this still? Murder in cold blood is agreed upon by everyone in their right mind to be illegal. If the fact that a President pardoning himself is unquestionably against the law, then there would be no real arguments going on. Obviously, this is not decided upon legally, as of yet. And, hey, Kevin, I WANT you to be right. Sadly, my cynicism has only grown more these days.

The clause indicates a single constraint on the presidential power to pardon: in cases of impeachment..."

I wish the founders of this country had stopped and considered how that could be misinterpreted and made it more clear where it didn't require the Supreme Court to decided on the matter. Of course, they likely didn't consider a President ever trying to self-pardon, but we did just escape tyrannical rule at the time it was drafted. That should have gave them some consideration of the possibility a mad tyrant might be placed in charge at some point.

that their god is still infallible..."

If the Constitution was plain about it, there would be no debate. I hope Kevin and you are correct, but there's a reason MAGAland is holding on as you mentioned: Because it hasn't been decided.

For what it's worth, I'll be HAPPY for you to be right, and rub it in my face if it is decided legally Trump can't self-pardon. I may not hear you when that happens, 'cause of the partying going on.

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Matt, I think it's unlikely it didn't occur to them. The absence of a specific prohibition on self-pardoning makes me lean towards thinking they intended it to be an option.

They bothered to expressly limit the pardoning powers to federal offences only and to constrain it totally in cases of impeachments. If they intended the power to be further constrained, wouldn't they have said so?

Virginia delegate Edmund Randolph argued that cases of treason should be excluded, saying: "The President may himself be guilty" and the "traitors may be his own instruments". The delegates rejected his concerns.

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With Trump, I can also see him refusing to pardon the guy over something petty like Trump being mad that horn head makes his followers look like clowns. Which he does. 

-C!