Pardon Me

Listening to the many chatterers on cable news this evening.

They are speculating on the New York Times report about the Trump tax returns (Oh, says this one time wire and newspaper reporter, to live in the world of the New York Times where the Pentagon Papers and now Trump’s tax returns — and so much else that is revelatory — comes in over the transom or just walks in the door. Be that as it may, aren’t we glad it does? Yes, we are).

We can reduce all they are saying to these most pertinent facts as reported by the Times. Trump owes more than $300 million coming due over the next four years. But,to whom? Actually the story indicates it is over $400 million but no need to quibble as it is probably much more.

Those debts must compromise him as president but how and who can make demands on him and expect favors and forebearance becuse he owes them lots of money (which he may not have).

He paid his daughter, an employee of his company, over $700,000 as a consultant to and through her company, claiming it as an expense of the company she works for and then deducted it. Pretty neat. We don’t know how she expensed it out of Ivanka Inc. but we can guess she did and that no one named Trump or Kushner paid taxes on it.

In both 2016 and 2017 he paid $750 in total personal federal income taxes. That’s really stupid, because if you want to get away with cheating in the long run make it look more real and less preposterous (maybe like that should have been a row of red flags for the IRS? Oh, but the IRS works for him these days right? Right.)

But if there is one number — one number — most people will take away from this it is? It is $750. ‘Nough said, everyone knows what they paid last year in federal income tax – and for very much the vast majority of Americans it was way more than $750.

And they are not the president, not a one of them. Trump is. So if the only take away is that number, $750, it’s politially devastating outside Trumpzombie land.

Then, as to all of it, the nodding heads and wagging tongues of MSNBC and CNN speculate that if he loses, returns to the life of an ordinary citizen, there is a case of federal tax fraud in all this – punishable by 5 years in prison on each count.

They observe too too he is presently being investigated by the office of the Manhattan District Attorney, which has suggested tax fraud is one of the avenues the investigation is exploring.

Well, here is what the Constitution says about the presidential pardon power:

Article II, Section 2 (in pertinent part as the lawers say) – “The President … and he shall have Power to grant Reprieves and Pardons for Offences against the United States, except in cases of impeachment.”

That’s clear, isn’t it? It doesn’t say when he can grant pardons, just that he can. That means any time he wants as long as he holds the office of president.

It doesn’t limit who he can pardon. It does not say that a president cannot pardon himself,which means – which means Trump can pardon Trump.

Then what do you thnk Trump will do if he loses this election, after all the inevtiable sturm und drang, gnashing of teeth, threats, howls, lies that will come from him and his followers before finally, finally he concedes?

He will in one of his last acts in office or maybe for Christmas, pardon himself, Ivanka, Jared Kushner, his sons the wife of the one, the girlfriend of the other, and even his wife. No one named Trump will be left in harm’s way of federal prosecution.

Ah but what about the Manhattan D.A. and the attorney general of New York State, because he cannot pardon anyone from state crimes only federal?

That’s true, but then they can’t prosecute federal crimes, only crimes against the State of New York. Then as to federal tax fraud and evasion?

Well pardon me for saying so, but do you have any doubt whatsoever that Trump will pardon himself and his entire family before Jan 20, 2021?

I don’t.