And Nixon was pardoned by Ford and the proceedings stopped dead cold. Same thing, if Obama pardons Clinton after the election there is nothing anybody can do to either of them. They can’t impeach Obama for exercising his constitutional right to pardon anyone he pleases (except like Nixon he can;t pardon himself). And Clinton would be protected by a fully legal Presidential pardon, end of investigation and political witch hunting. Oh they would complain, but they complain anyway. meh.
It would be ugly, and pretty much poison Clinton’s first term. It would make a second term much less likely. And it would lead to unending Congressional hearings, with Supreme Court cases involving evidence vs. privilege. The real business of the country would grind to a halt. Disastrous.
Fortunately, it appears nothing is going to come of it. (This might just possibly be the FBI showing a little self-restraint: “Let’s not come in like a bull in a china shop.”)
Unending hearings, you say? 
Well, probably lasting till after her term or terms of office, and possibly after her death, but, aye, the end of the cosmos will probably bring about an end to the hearings.
What would be the point of court hearings after a pardon, that would be quickly settled by the Supreme Court who would just point to the Constitution and state that the previous President clearly has that authority. Political fallout yes, they would cluck like mad hens and refuse to pass any of her legislation. How is that different from now? In short they need to get over it and start doing there jobs someday and quite trying to take political disagreements to the courts.
That’s actually a fascinating point. Regardless of what is found, Clinton can receive a pardon when Obama leaves office. At that point, we will have already decided the election, so it will have either proved that America has moved past this or it has lost its collective mind, but either way the issue will be moot on the day the next President takes office.
Obama can guarantee that.
Yes, thanks. I noticed that afterwards, but did include that information in the thread I started in ATMB.
It is possible congress could try to impeach and convict her (that is not covered by a pardon). If Trump became president and if republicans controlled both houses I wouldn’t be too surprised if they tried. They tried for less reason with her husband.
I am willing to bet this will factor into her choice for Vice President. She will want someone even less palatable to republicans than she is.
If Trump becomes president, there’s no office that she holds from which to impeach her.
Yeah, impeachment of a private citizen would be quite the novel concept. They probably could take away her pension though. But I know how politics works. Once she’s neutralized, no one’s going to care about Hillary Clinton anymore. Not Republicans, not Democrats, nobody. That’s just how the system works. Everything is important when you’re a candidate, and you don’t matter when you’re not.
Except that she’s liable to go to jail for willful negligence involving numerous statutes with criminal penalties regarding the handling and safeguarding of classified information.
One might even imagine this issue is now by far, the most driving motivation for her to win the election. Never-mind healthcare, the economy, social justice or other trivial matters. Staying out of prison is certainly a top priority for just about anyone.
We can certainly look forward to one hell of a campaign season coming into full swing. 
Not any more!!!
But I suppose now we will see Republicans investigating the FBI, because they found no reason to indict her.
This recent email diversion was just a clever ploy by Clinton to get The Republic Party off the real scandal. The Clinton White House Christmas Card scandal of 1994. The Republics in Congress were on it but got sidetracked. Actually did take 140 hours of testimony over 10 days. But they let it go. Ask anyone who has followed the corrupt Clinton’s carefully and they’ll all tell you, the Christmas Card Scandal sends both Bill and Hillary to Leavenworth for a long time. But the wienie, scandal weary Republics let them off.
And that has exactly what to do with this post?
Or not.
It’s not clear if the President can pardon himself. It was one of the options presented to Nixon in the dying days of his presidency, but he didn’t attempt it. That means it’s not a settled issue.
Heaven forfend, I have come to think that ‘four more years’ would be a great idea.
Investigating stupidity does seem to be an ongoing Washing pastime, now doesn’t it? FBI Director James Comey on Tuesday harshly criticized former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton for her
Yeah, that’s who we should put in the With House. Riiiiight. :rolleyes:
You mean it hasn’t already? They haven’t passed a budget in a decade, they won’t hold hearings for a Supreme Court Justice nominee (and numerous lower courts as well), hell the House was holding a sit in because the Republicans wouldn’t hold a vote on gun control bills. It can get worse?
As pointed out, Obama pardoning her would prevent her from going to jail, and the only power Congress holds is to either censure her or kick her out of office. Since she is no longer in office as Secretary of State, it is questionable whether Congress could impeach her as a sitting President for mishandling information as SoS. While they could file a censure, that has no real effects. It is simply a statement of disapproval. Ergo, she is not liable to go to jail. And the FBI’s findings and the announcement by the Department of Justice confirm that.
I believe it is a joke.
Well, when the alternative is Donald “Give Everybody Nukes” Trump, I think the decision is pretty easy.