Can Bush give a sweeping pardon to the Telcom Companies if

[The Backlash Cometh]

they aren't even indicted yet?

Go to Crooksandliars.com for this unhappy suggestion.

[L. Coyote]

1. Even if they are his co-conspirators, right?

[dragonlady]

2. Probably, but there's something else to consider

The Constitution says "...he shall have Power to grant Reprieves and Pardons for offenses against the United States, except in Cases of Impeachment."

He could NOT grant a pardon in a tort case. Just something to think about.

(And by the way, if Congress ever gets around to impeaching Cheney, Bush couldn't pardon him.)

[ThomWV]

3. So, if an impeachmet hearing was in progress could a witness be pardoned?

Let's say Conyers is having a hearing looking into potential inpeachable offenses. Lets say he invites or subpoenas the telecoms. Would that in itself be enough to bar bush from pardoning the telecoms for any offense they may have committed?

Actually I don't think it matters much anymore. I don't think that is what the immunity issue is all about.

[dragonlady]

4. Interesting question

Without doing extensive research on the issue, I think that phrase in the Constitution refers to the person being pardoned, that is, someone who is impeached couldn't be "unimpeached" with a pardon.

[The Backlash Cometh]

6. Hey, can he even pardon a corporation? Has that ever happened

before?

[dragonlady]

7. You really like to ask hard questions! You should write law school exams

I think pardons have always been considered a grant of mercy to an individual. With all novel legal questions, though, it is up to a court to decide how the language of the law fits a specific set of facts. Who knows what might happen if your question came before the Supreme Court? However, accepting a pardon is considered to involve an admission of guilt, so the corporation might not want to do that because of the civil cases that could be brought.

[The Backlash Cometh]

13. What a great answer!

I come up with hard questions because my inner voice ran away from home due to extreme boredom.

:-)

[The Backlash Cometh]

5. And if Congress doesn't pass immunity protection, it means that

nothing can stop Telcom culpability in a tort case. Good. That's something. I'm not so much interested in the financial damages much as I would like to know what turns up during discovery.

[TexasObserver]

8. Yes, he can and probably will.

I fully expect him to issue broad pardons to himself, everyone who works for him, and any private entity that might need it, like Haliburton or Blackwater.

Turd Blossum, Cheney, Scooter - all get free passes.

[The Backlash Cometh]

12. And the only thing that can stop this obvious abuse, is impeachment.

So, the Democrats in Congress, specifically, Pelosi, is a co-conspirator.

[AJ9000]

9. It seems there's nothing he thinks he CAN'T do as president. nm

[Eric J in MN]

10. The executives won't be prosecuted regardless. It's only a question...

...of whether the lawsuits against the companies will proceed or not.

successful prosecution=individuals go to prison
successful lawsuit=company pays money

[allalone]

11. of course, he;s the king isn't he?