I overheard some speculation today that sounded rather wild, but came from a person who is usually fairly savvy - and no conspiracy theorist.
It runs like this: Hillary wins the election: a substantial edge in early voting and Trump’s boundless buffoonery limit whatever damage she may suffer from whatever the FBI is now investigating on Weiner’s computer. After the election, Obama issues her and her team blanket pardons for anything they might have done relating to emails, private servers, improper handling of classified messages, etc. The reason given would be to “move on” and spare the country the trauma of a continuing investigation that could last many months more.
Hillary thanks the President for putting the country’s best interests ahead of other considerations and apologizes somewhat vaguely for what she now concedes was questionable judgment. The FBI packs its bags and goes off to look into other things.
There would no doubt be an outcry, but this would die down in a couple of months.
I was about to ask how she could be pardoned when he she has not yet been indicted for anything, let alone convicted; but to answer my own question - Ford preemptively pardoned Nixon.
Also of possible relevance, it seems that acceptance of a pardon entails an admission of guilt, see here:
I could be mistaken but I don’t think a pardon can stop an impeachment, so the Republicans will continue full speed ahead with their endless “investigations”.
Did Nixon ever accept the pardon? Would he have to do so if charges were never brought against him?
davidm: You are not mistaken. A president can’t stop Congress from impeaching a future president. Besides, there really would be no reason to pardon HRC if she wins.
Yeah, that’s the piece I’m thinking about. This would probably not have any binding effect on Congress, and would have a toxic political effect on Congress, convincing the worst of the crazies to amp up their lunacy.
That doesn’t make this less idiotic and embarrassingly out of touch with reality. So, a Libertarian. Right? I certainly hope this person is not a Clinton supporter. We’re supposed to be the rational ones.
Yes, we’d be hearing 24/7 (and not without some justification!) that accepting a pardon is an admission of guilt, therefore there must be even more investigations to find out just what she admitted she was guilty of.