Romney, who voted to convict Trump in both impeachments, said Biden should pardon his opponent so the country doesn’t have to go through the prosecution of an ex-president.
That’s what I was going to say. Pretty sure it’s true. I read something a while ago about people who had been pardoned, not realizing that it’s an admission of guilt. I think a person can even turn down a pardon on that basis, but I’m not positive on that last part.
I guess Biden would have to say he WOULD pardon him, to head off any charges.
None of that is true. Nixon was never charged, let alone convicted of any crimes. And pardons can be completely general and not even specify an explicit crime at all. President Ford’s pardon of Nixon, for example, was for “all offenses against the United States which he, Richard Nixon, has committed or may have committed or taken part in during the period from January 20, 1969 through August 9, 1974” So, no. Neither charges or convictions are required, nor even a crime at all.
Doesn’t there have to be a conviction in order for there to be a pardon? Or is that a myth?
That’s what I was going to say. Pretty sure it’s true. I read something a while ago about people who had been pardoned, not realizing that it’s an admission of guilt. I think a person can even turn down a pardon on that basis, but I’m not positive on that last part.
I guess Biden would have to say he WOULD pardon him, to head off any charges.
None of that is true. Nixon was never charged, let alone convicted of any crimes. And pardons can be completely general and not even specify an explicit crime at all. President Ford’s pardon of Nixon, for example, was for “all offenses against the United States which he, Richard Nixon, has committed or may have committed or taken part in during the period from January 20, 1969 through August 9, 1974” So, no. Neither charges or convictions are required, nor even a crime at all.
I see, but the guilt IS still a thing.
What about the person declining the pardon part?
Interesting. Thanks for sharing.
Nixon got a full pardon and I don’t think he was ever charged.