# How can Biden use the recent SCOTUS Immunity ruling to his benefit? **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [July 1, 2024, 6:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-biden-use-the-recent-scotus-immunity-ruling-to-his-benefit/1003589 "2024-07-01T18:29:27Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 6
**Author:** ![DeadTreasSecretaries](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/deadtreassecretaries/32/4817_2.png) [@DeadTreasSecretaries](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DeadTreasSecretaries)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2024, 11:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-biden-use-the-recent-scotus-immunity-ruling-to-his-benefit/1003589/102 "2024-07-04T11:54:21Z")
That’s basically correct. Basically the only way to test it would be to do something that would be considered obviously something that should be prosecuted, then after leaving office somehow get someone to prosecute him. I don’t think there is something he could do to set this in motion. Additionally, trying to make an obviously illegal order will likely mean tge courts don’t allow the order and no prosecution after the fact is necessary “proving” that the system works fine. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_other_waldo_pepper/32/12370_2.png) [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Other_Waldo_Pepper)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2024, 12:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-biden-use-the-recent-scotus-immunity-ruling-to-his-benefit/1003589/103 "2024-07-04T12:03:26Z")
> [@Buck\_Godot](#): > > The main place that I see this ruling doing damage is to effectively legalize graft and bribery, since making official acts for any reason including a big pile of money is not prosecutable, although I suppose the person who makes the bribe could be prosecuted Can the person who makes the bribe get a pardon for said bribe as part of a package deal? ---
**Author:** ![Stratocaster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/stratocaster/32/16393_2.png) [@Stratocaster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stratocaster)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2024, 1:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-biden-use-the-recent-scotus-immunity-ruling-to-his-benefit/1003589/104 "2024-07-04T13:31:00Z")
Per SCOTUS, yes. They were clear that the judiciary has zero review authority over the pardon process. ---
**Author:** ![anny\_m](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/96bed5/32.png) [@anny\_m](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/anny_m)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2024, 5:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-biden-use-the-recent-scotus-immunity-ruling-to-his-benefit/1003589/105 "2024-07-04T17:56:20Z")
Press conference, July 8, 2024. Biden speaks: My fellow Americans, part of my responsibility as your President is to help assure that all Americans have faith in our officials and candidates. To that end, I directed the IRS to make publicly available the last ten years of tax returns for: Myself My Vice President Members of my cabinet Donald Trump, candidate for President Cabinet members and high-ranking official of the preceding administration The Speaker of the House The Senate Majority Leader All Supreme Court Justices [Add to list as you see fit] As of 8:00 AM this morning, these tax returns have been made available at [www.informationwantstobefree.gov](http://www.informationwantstobefree.gov). I hope all citizens download and review these documents. Thank you. I will not be taking questions. (Thanks to Si\_Amigo for the idea.) ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2024, 5:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-biden-use-the-recent-scotus-immunity-ruling-to-his-benefit/1003589/106 "2024-07-04T17:59:26Z")
Fucking brilliant! ---
**Author:** ![Jihi](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jihi/32/17768_2.png) [@Jihi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jihi)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2024, 6:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-biden-use-the-recent-scotus-immunity-ruling-to-his-benefit/1003589/107 "2024-07-04T18:10:41Z")
Agreed. Normally I’m hesitant to throw my full support behind a new idea, due to the law of unintended consequences, but on first blush this sounds like a fantastic idea. ---
**Author:** ![Horatius](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/horatius/32/3572_2.png) [@Horatius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Horatius)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2024, 6:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-biden-use-the-recent-scotus-immunity-ruling-to-his-benefit/1003589/108 "2024-07-04T18:13:39Z")
> [@anny\_m](#): > > As of 8:00 AM this morning, these tax returns have been made available at [www.informationwantstobefree.gov](http://www.informationwantstobefree.gov). I hope all citizens download and review these documents. > > Thank you. I will not be taking questions. P.S. This website was leaked to every major news agency in the world 12 hours ago, so all the data has been downloaded multiple times by now. So there’s no putting the genie back in the bottle. ---
**Author:** ![Stratocaster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/stratocaster/32/16393_2.png) [@Stratocaster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stratocaster)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2024, 6:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-biden-use-the-recent-scotus-immunity-ruling-to-his-benefit/1003589/109 "2024-07-04T18:14:51Z")
The people who post that stuff in violation of the law are in for a world of shit. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2024, 6:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-biden-use-the-recent-scotus-immunity-ruling-to-his-benefit/1003589/110 "2024-07-04T18:17:35Z")
Pardon me? 😁 ---
**Author:** ![Stratocaster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/stratocaster/32/16393_2.png) [@Stratocaster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stratocaster)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2024, 6:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-biden-use-the-recent-scotus-immunity-ruling-to-his-benefit/1003589/111 "2024-07-04T18:19:18Z")
Not us, not us! The guys who make the returns available. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2024, 6:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-biden-use-the-recent-scotus-immunity-ruling-to-his-benefit/1003589/112 "2024-07-04T18:21:48Z")
> [@Stratocaster](#): > > The people who post that stuff in violation of the law are in for a world of shit. The people that repost that stuff will number in the tens of thousands, at the very least. ---
**Author:** ![Horatius](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/horatius/32/3572_2.png) [@Horatius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Horatius)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2024, 6:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-biden-use-the-recent-scotus-immunity-ruling-to-his-benefit/1003589/113 "2024-07-04T18:26:17Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > The people that repost that stuff will number in the tens of thousands, at the very least And will have the credible defense that the President of the United States authorized the release and distribution of the information. ---
**Author:** ![Stratocaster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/stratocaster/32/16393_2.png) [@Stratocaster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stratocaster)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2024, 6:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-biden-use-the-recent-scotus-immunity-ruling-to-his-benefit/1003589/114 "2024-07-04T18:28:25Z")
Why would that be? I would think a handful of people would be needed, if that. I also think the higher the level, the deeper the shit. The grunt in IT who pulls the files is probably okay. ---
**Author:** ![Stratocaster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/stratocaster/32/16393_2.png) [@Stratocaster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stratocaster)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2024, 6:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-biden-use-the-recent-scotus-immunity-ruling-to-his-benefit/1003589/115 "2024-07-04T18:30:51Z")
I’m sure the defense would include that. But if you’re the Director of the IRS, you’re quite aware this is illegal. And you don’t have super-duper immunity. ---
**Author:** ![Horatius](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/horatius/32/3572_2.png) [@Horatius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Horatius)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2024, 6:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-biden-use-the-recent-scotus-immunity-ruling-to-his-benefit/1003589/116 "2024-07-04T18:31:26Z")
But you can be pardoned. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2024, 6:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-biden-use-the-recent-scotus-immunity-ruling-to-his-benefit/1003589/117 "2024-07-04T18:32:04Z")
> [@Stratocaster](#): > > I would think a handful of people would be needed, if that. This has nothing to do with need, and everything to do with want. ---
**Author:** ![Stratocaster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/stratocaster/32/16393_2.png) [@Stratocaster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stratocaster)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2024, 6:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-biden-use-the-recent-scotus-immunity-ruling-to-his-benefit/1003589/118 "2024-07-04T18:32:18Z")
That is very true. The scheme would need this. ---
**Author:** ![Stratocaster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/stratocaster/32/16393_2.png) [@Stratocaster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stratocaster)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2024, 6:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-biden-use-the-recent-scotus-immunity-ruling-to-his-benefit/1003589/119 "2024-07-04T18:32:57Z")
Huh?… ---
**Author:** ![Horatius](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/horatius/32/3572_2.png) [@Horatius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Horatius)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2024, 6:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-biden-use-the-recent-scotus-immunity-ruling-to-his-benefit/1003589/120 "2024-07-04T18:34:14Z")
> [@Stratocaster](#): > > That is very true. The scheme would need this Most of these schemes would require it for the government grunts who would do the actual work, but since that’s another Presidential power which is now effectively unlimited, it’s merely a formality. Find enough willing henchmen, and the sky is the limit. ---
**Author:** ![Stratocaster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/stratocaster/32/16393_2.png) [@Stratocaster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stratocaster)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2024, 6:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-biden-use-the-recent-scotus-immunity-ruling-to-his-benefit/1003589/121 "2024-07-04T18:35:34Z")
I agree with that. All the fantasies require an executive branch that falls in line. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-biden-use-the-recent-scotus-immunity-ruling-to-his-benefit/1003589.md?page=5) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-biden-use-the-recent-scotus-immunity-ruling-to-his-benefit/1003589.md?page=7)