Trump says president has ‘complete power to pardon’
A combative President Donald Trump, reflecting growing pressure from the FBI’s investigation of possible Russian ties to the 2016 election campaign, asserted in a series of tweets Saturday that a president has the “complete power to pardon.”
In his first tweet storm since naming Anthony Scaramucci his new communications director, Trump also railed against “illegal” leaks from the “Amazon Washington Post,” — the newspaper is owned by Amazon founder Jeff Bezos — called for legal action against Hillary Clinton and former FBI Director James Comey and declared ObamaCare “dead.”
The 10 tweets over a twohour period began at 6:33 a.m. with a tweet complaining about an “intelligence leak” from the Washington Post about Attorney General Jeff Sessions regarding the purported contents of his meeting with the Russian ambassador, based on U.S. communication intercepts. Tweets Trump: “These illegal leaks, like Comey’s, must stop!”
He also blasted the “Failing New York Times,” the same newspaper to which he gave an expansive, exclusive interview earlier in the week, for what he called foiling an attempt to kill Abu Bakr Al-Baghdadi, the head of the Islamic State.
One tweet was on his visit to Norfolk, Virginia, to commission the aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford.
Most of the tweets, however, were tied to the investigation of possible collusion between the Trump campaign and Russia, particularly an investigation by Special Counsel Robert Mueller.
Front and center was a tweet following reports by the Times and the Post that his legal team is looking into what a president can legally do regarding pardons for his family, associates and even himself.
While legal experts say the ability of a president to pardon himself is not clear cut, Trump begs to differ: “While all agree the U.S. President has the complete power to pardon, why think of that when only crime so far is LEAKS against us. FAKE NEWS.”
U.S. Sen. Mark Warner, a Virginia Democrat and vice chair of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, said Thursday night it was “disturbing” that Trump is exploring the possibility of pardons.
“Russia’s interference in the 2016 elections was an attack on our democracy,” Warner said. “The possibility that the president is considering pardons at this early stage in these ongoing investigations is extremely disturbing. Pardoning any individuals who may have been involved would be crossing a fundamental line.”
Foreshadowing the week ahead, with Donald Trump Jr. invited to meet with congressional investigators regarding his meeting with a Russian lawyer, Trump said his son “openly gave his e-mails to the media & authorities whereas Crooked Hillary clinton deleted (& acid washed) her 33,000 e-mails.!”
On Saturday, members of the Senate Judiciary Committee provided information about negotiations with Trump Jr. and Paul Manafort, Trump’s former campaign chairman. The panel is investigating Russia’s meddling in the 2016 election.
Committee chairman Sen. Chuck Grassley, an Iowa Republican, said on Twitter that Trump Jr.’s interview with the panel will be private but “on the record.” Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., tweeted that Trump Jr. and Manafort will testify in public after private interviews but did not say when.