Americans give thumbs-down to presidential self-pardons

NEW YORK » Even in an era of deep political division, Democrats and Republicans agree presidents should not pardon themselves. And if the nation’s chief executive ever does so, majorities of Americans in both parties believe Congress should impeach that president. Those are the findings of a new poll from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research, which comes as federal authorities continue their monthslong criminal investigation into Russia’s intervention in the 2016 election and the actions of President Donald Trump’s campaign.

Already, prosecutors have charged four Trump campaign associates — including the onetime campaign chairman, Paul Manafort — with felonies as part of the probe, and special counsel Robert Mueller wants to question the Republican president directly.

Trump raised the possibility of a self-pardon on Twitter earlier in this month, writing: “As has been stated by numerous legal scholars, I have the absolute right to PARDON myself, but why would I do that when I have done nothing wrong?”

Americans believe Trump is wrong: 85 percent think it would be unacceptable for presidents to pardon themselves if charged with a crime, and 76 percent think Congress should take steps to remove a president from office if they did so.

“Pardon himself? You might as well cash in your chips and leave office,” said Bruce Novak, a retiree from Davie, Florida, who otherwise praised Trump’s job performance and vowed to vote for him again in 2020.