# Should President Trump give a blanket pardon to Hillary **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [November 9, 2016, 7:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-president-trump-give-a-blanket-pardon-to-hillary/771151 "2016-11-09T07:20:13Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![CarnalK](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnalk/32/486_2.png) [@CarnalK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CarnalK)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2016, 7:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-president-trump-give-a-blanket-pardon-to-hillary/771151/1 "2016-11-09T07:20:13Z")
Might help heal the nation. What say you? ---
**Author:** ![Sage\_Rat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sage_rat/32/399_2.png) [@Sage\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sage_Rat)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2016, 7:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-president-trump-give-a-blanket-pardon-to-hillary/771151/2 "2016-11-09T07:31:34Z")
As best I am aware, Hillary Clinton is not currently being charged with any illegal act? ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2016, 7:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-president-trump-give-a-blanket-pardon-to-hillary/771151/3 "2016-11-09T07:33:52Z")
> [@CarnalK](#): > > Might help heal the nation. What say you? How would immediately pardoning the woman his supporters want locked up, who elected him because he said if he was elected he would lock her up, how would immediately absolving her of any and all blame for anything she may or may not have done… how is that going to heal the nation? Mr. Trump’s current supporters would tear this country apart, IMO, were he to do any such thing. ---
**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:** [November 9, 2016, 7:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-president-trump-give-a-blanket-pardon-to-hillary/771151/4 "2016-11-09T07:34:33Z")
> [@Sage\_Rat](#): > > As best I am aware, Hillary Clinton is not currently being charged with any illegal act? As best as I am aware, Trump promised he was going to put her in jail when he took office(although he neglected to mention anything about a fair trial beforehand). ---
**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:** [November 9, 2016, 7:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-president-trump-give-a-blanket-pardon-to-hillary/771151/5 "2016-11-09T07:38:17Z")
> [@Snowboarder\_Bo](#): > > How would immediately pardoning the woman his supporters want locked up, who elected him because he said if he was elected he would lock her up, how would immediately absolving her of any and all blame for anything she may or may not have done… how is that going to heal the nation? > > Mr. Trump’s current supporters would tear this country apart, IMO, were he to do any such thing. Hey, what’s a little more Danegeld, as long as we appease the Dane, right? Fuck all the fair(and unfair) investigations she has already been through-let’s just throw her to the lions. ---
**Author:** ![CarnalK](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnalk/32/486_2.png) [@CarnalK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CarnalK)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2016, 7:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-president-trump-give-a-blanket-pardon-to-hillary/771151/6 "2016-11-09T07:39:50Z")
> [@Sage\_Rat](#): > > As best I am aware, Hillary Clinton is not currently being charged with any illegal act? But a lot of his supporters want to “lock her up” and Presidents are allowed to make pre-emptive pardons. ---
**Author:** ![marshmallow](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/df705f/32.png) [@marshmallow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/marshmallow)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2016, 7:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-president-trump-give-a-blanket-pardon-to-hillary/771151/7 "2016-11-09T07:40:37Z")
No, but Obama might want to. ---
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2016, 7:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-president-trump-give-a-blanket-pardon-to-hillary/771151/8 "2016-11-09T07:42:18Z")
Should he? Probably not. Obama didn’t pardon Bush, but didn’t press to investigate or prosecute him; either option would have inflamed anger on one side or the other. Keeping the nation together is more important. More interestingly, why are you asking this question? Trying to understand or predict what Trump will do is something of a fool’s errand, but does anyone think it’s even remotely conceivable that he will pardon Clinton? ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2016, 7:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-president-trump-give-a-blanket-pardon-to-hillary/771151/9 "2016-11-09T07:44:14Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > Hey, what’s a little more Danegeld, as long as we appease the Dane, right? Fuck all the fair(and unfair) investigations she has already been through-let’s just throw her to the lions. I’m curious: in what way do you think this is a reply to my previous post? ---
**Author:** ![DerekMichaels00](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/f14d63/32.png) [@DerekMichaels00](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DerekMichaels00)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2016, 7:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-president-trump-give-a-blanket-pardon-to-hillary/771151/10 "2016-11-09T07:48:08Z")
he won’t; perhaps Obama might, just as a precaution in case Trump actually tries to waste national money and energy on prosecuting someone, who, he’d probably have a piss poor case against. ---
**Author:** ![BlankSlate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blankslate/32/80_2.png) [@BlankSlate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BlankSlate)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2016, 7:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-president-trump-give-a-blanket-pardon-to-hillary/771151/11 "2016-11-09T07:48:42Z")
> [@marshmallow](#): > > No, but Obama might want to. And should. Trump already declared his intention to abuse the power of the presidency, so it would be perfectly reasonable. ---
**Author:** ![doorhinge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a5b964/32.png) [@doorhinge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/doorhinge)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2016, 8:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-president-trump-give-a-blanket-pardon-to-hillary/771151/12 "2016-11-09T08:05:47Z")
Why not? Ford pardoned Nixon. ---
**Author:** ![Quartz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quartz/32/267_2.png) [@Quartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quartz)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2016, 8:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-president-trump-give-a-blanket-pardon-to-hillary/771151/13 "2016-11-09T08:16:30Z")
If Clinton is suspected of a crime, she should be investigated just like any other American citizen, with due process of law and respect for the American Constitution. But Trump should not deliberately persecute her. And presumption of innocence must most definitely apply. I do expect that now Clinton is out of power and - just as importantly - out of favour, stuff will come out of the woodwork. ---
**Author:** ![Lord\_Feldon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lord_feldon/32/341_2.png) [@Lord\_Feldon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lord_Feldon)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2016, 9:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-president-trump-give-a-blanket-pardon-to-hillary/771151/14 "2016-11-09T09:11:25Z")
> [@Quartz](#): > > I do expect that now Clinton is out of power and - just as importantly - out of favour, stuff will come out of the woodwork. It’s the other way around. Nobody cares about what she did now. She’s the past. ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2016, 9:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-president-trump-give-a-blanket-pardon-to-hillary/771151/15 "2016-11-09T09:22:14Z")
Yeah, any interest in Hillary should be over. It’s pointless to waste valuable time investigating her. The House only has 2 years to get important legislation passed before the next election. No need to waste that time on Hillary. ---
**Author:** ![Jack\_Batty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jack_batty/32/3201_2.png) [@Jack\_Batty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jack_Batty)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2016, 9:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-president-trump-give-a-blanket-pardon-to-hillary/771151/16 "2016-11-09T09:33:35Z")
What difference would it make. You think Republicans are going to keep harping on Clinton’s emails or Benghazi or whatever now that she isn’t running for anything? ---
**Author:** ![Quartz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quartz/32/267_2.png) [@Quartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quartz)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2016, 9:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-president-trump-give-a-blanket-pardon-to-hillary/771151/17 "2016-11-09T09:45:56Z")
> [@aceplace57](#): > > The House only has 2 years to get important legislation passed before the next election. No need to waste that time on Hillary. Why would the House be involved? Surely it’s a matter for the police and FBI? ---
**Author:** ![Kamino\_Neko](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kamino_neko/32/34_2.png) [@Kamino\_Neko](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kamino_Neko)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2016, 9:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-president-trump-give-a-blanket-pardon-to-hillary/771151/18 "2016-11-09T09:52:58Z")
She couldn’t accept it, because that would be admitting to committing a crime which she didn’t do. Her supporters would be pissed off at him for continuing to claim she had committed a crime. His supporters would be pissed off at him for not trying to have her put away for it. It would unite the nation, I suppose, in criticizing him, but it wouldn’t do any good on actually uniting people about any actual issues… ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2016, 10:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-president-trump-give-a-blanket-pardon-to-hillary/771151/19 "2016-11-09T10:06:37Z")
> [@Quartz](#): > > Why would the House be involved? Surely it’s a matter for the police and FBI? The House loves it’s hearings. Hillary has testified a couple times. The House Select Committee on Benghazi was one. I don’t recall which committees handled the email server investigation. That’s all old history now. Time to move forward. ---
**Author:** ![E-DUB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/e-dub/32/403_2.png) [@E-DUB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/E-DUB)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2016, 6:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-president-trump-give-a-blanket-pardon-to-hillary/771151/20 "2016-11-09T18:12:29Z")
Is acceptance of a pardon required? Could she say, “F this. If you’ve got anything, bring it on.”? [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-president-trump-give-a-blanket-pardon-to-hillary/771151.md?page=2)