Reply #4: It is a constitutional issue, not merely a statuatory one. [View All]

[ddeclue]

You would have to change Article II of the Constitution. It does say he can't pardon people who are subject to impeachment however already. So that keeps him from pardoning Cheney or the cabinet officers while still in office. If they resign then he can pardon. If they are impeached he can still pardon them to prevent the gov't from then prosecuting them in an ordinary court of law which they could do.

The public wouldn't sit still for such wholesale "pardoning" of Bush's inner circle. This would actually precipitate immediate impeachment proceedings on the part of even the GOP Congress. It would also make him and all the pardonees subject to intense scrutiny whenever the Democrats regained control of Congress and/or the White House and they would find some dirt on them later on to get them for.

Doug D.
Orlando, FL