In this thread Can Congress override a presidential pardon? - The Straight Dope regarding the question of Presidential pardons, it is mentioned how Ford pardoned Nixon: Yet, how could Ford pardon Nixon who was not yet found guilty of anything? And, for that matter, how is it that a President simply resigns and walks away Scot-free from all charges brought against him?
A pardon may be given before conviction. Many people did indeed complain that Nixon “walk[ed] away Scot-free” while some of his subordinates went to prison, and it was probably a factor in Ford losing the election two years later.
Some previous threads that may be of interest:
I recently saw a FB post in which the writer worried that at this late date, the America-hating fuckstick might be removed from office and be pardoned by his successor, President Pence. After a few people pointed out how unlikely the prospect of a putative President Pence would be, another person chimed in with “remember Watergate?”
Yes, I know that Pence’s ascendence to the Oval Office in a Watergate-like manner just ain’t gonna happen, but it did start me thinking. Let’s just suppose that Nix…
Let’s say there is someone who has allegedly committed numerous crimes but hasn’t been indicted yet for any of them.
Can the president issue a blanket pardon saying, “Person-X is hereby pardoned of any and all federal crimes committed in the past” or does the president need to list each crime being pardoned?
At the outset, let me say I post this because there is talk–as there has been for a long time–about The Future of Hillary. And now I’ve seen an end-game scenario, “Even if H is convicted of , President Obama will pardon her [because {y}].”
And then they mention Ford and Nixon.
So: this thread is not anything but: what is a pardon? Moral issues and the veridical “truth” of any adjudicated crime aside, I always thought, like first comes marriage and then babies, first comes legal guilt and then …
Nixon resigned before the House could take action against him. If that is the case, he walked away a free man, correct? If so, then why did Ford pardon Nixon…if we are presumed innocent until proved guilty? And, does Ford’s “pardoning” action imply a President could still be convicted in absentia? I mean, a crime IS a crime, right? So, finally, how exactly does a President just walk away scot free by simply resigning? (Looking for facts to better understand than opinions; hence, posting here.)
In other words if the vice president shot somebody in the face (hehe) and killed them, on puplic television and then stated it was premeditated and he did he purposely to kill the said person. Could Bush just say, well forget about it he isnt going to jail?