Comey: Biden should consider pardoning Trump
Source: The Hill
Former FBI Director James Comey suggested President-elect Biden should consider pardoning President Trump if he faces criminal prosecution after leaving office.
"I don't know, he should at least consider it," Comey said during an interview with BBC Newsnight. "Donald Trump, he's not a genius, but he might figure out that if he accepts a pardon, that's an omission of guilt, the United States Supreme Court has said, so I don't know that he would accept a pardon."
Comey said that a potential pardon from Biden would help "as part of healing the country and getting us to a place where we can focus on things that are going to matter over the next four years."
"I think Joe Biden is going to have to at least consider it," he added.
Read more: https://thehill.com/homenews/administration/534195-comey-biden-should-consider-pardoning-trump
Fiendish Thingy
(15,369 posts)TomCADem
(17,378 posts)...otherwise the power of Congress to impeach would be largely meaningless.
Fiendish Thingy
(15,369 posts)TomCADem
(17,378 posts)After the House impeached him and the Senate threatened to convict him, are you saying that Nixon could have then pardoned away the underlying crimes?
Fiendish Thingy
(15,369 posts)samnsara
(17,570 posts)lastlib
(22,981 posts)Weird. It was just "gurglegurgleblurblurbgurgaaghgurggurg"........ Souded like Sarah Palin drowning.
LisaL
(44,962 posts)So as far as I am concerned, Comey should shut up.
Cozmo
(1,402 posts)StevieM
(10,499 posts)Comey turned that election upside down--repeatedly. He dominated the 2016 election, from start to finish. If you take Comey's illegitimate antics out of the equation Clinton would have easily defeated Trump.
Warpy
(110,913 posts)No, Comey, he is not going to go away. We're not going to make nice and "heal" by knuckling under to a traitor. He should never be out from under any charges.
He, like you, did the crime. Now you'll both have to live with the consequences.
DENVERPOPS
(8,679 posts)He should be prosecuted for throwing the election with HIS out right lies..............
The Polack MSgt
(13,159 posts)So of course Comey want to protect the man he put in office.
Eat a sack of rats' ass Comey. You fucking disgrace
Lonestarblue
(9,880 posts)Comey needs to accept that his time on the stage has ended and he needs to stay in the wings.
PatSeg
(46,804 posts)that it would help in the healing of the country? That is absolutely insane. People are never going to forget all that Trump has done and pardoning him will only give other dishonest corrupt politicians license to defy norms and break the law. If we don't hold a criminal like Trump accountable, then what does a president have to do?
I really can't believe that Comey said that. Yeah, I think he needs to stay in the wings.
aggiesal
(8,864 posts)Last edited Thu Jan 14, 2021, 01:10 PM - Edit history (1)
to skirt around prosecution of crimes, like he has done his whole life.
This will cement his legacy to the world that his criminal actions have no consequences.
Either we are a nation of laws or we are a Banana Republic. We can't be both.
PatSeg
(46,804 posts)Once again affirming that bad behavior is not only tolerated, it is rewarded. That certainly would sum up his entire life. Meanwhile, there are plenty of ambitious people out there, who would take that as confirmation that corruption in the pursuit of power is not only okay, but perhaps even preferred. I'm sure there are plenty of young Roger Stones and Steve Bannons out there waiting their turn.
aggiesal
(8,864 posts)but is charismatic and smart.
We would be in a world of hurt.
I thought that GW McIdiot was the village idiot,
but Pendejo45 makes McIdiot look like a statesman.
Sanity Claws
(21,822 posts)Dorn
(520 posts)Why does anyone listen to Comey anymore
Paper Roses
(7,468 posts)Eyeball_Kid
(7,410 posts)This moment is illustrative of his lapses.
Comey needs to just shut up and go home. Enough of his equivocating already.
GeorgeGist
(25,294 posts)FailureToCommunicate
(13,989 posts)should read this nutty musing by him.
Owl
(3,629 posts)HubertHeaver
(2,520 posts)Then laugh about it.
and, most importantly, forget about it.
Captain Zero
(6,714 posts)does that work?
niyad
(112,435 posts)HubertHeaver
(2,520 posts)Biden would have to stop laughing long enough to sign it.
PatSeg
(46,804 posts)For the first time in his miserable life, Trump needs to be held accountable. No more sweeping corruption and crimes under the rug and moving on.
Paper Roses
(7,468 posts)2naSalit
(86,061 posts)No fucking way. He should not be having interviews right now.
Canoe52
(2,944 posts)OhZone
(3,212 posts)Comey might still be in jail now.
JohnnyRingo
(18,581 posts)"No"
eShirl
(18,466 posts)Voltaire2
(12,626 posts)mjvpi
(1,384 posts)BlueMTexpat
(15,349 posts)And no, until the RW starts recognizing accountability for its actions for the past several years, no pardons for anyone!
Grokenstein
(5,707 posts)This should confirm them.
exboyfil
(17,857 posts)Ford pardoning Nixon and setting up a bad precedent because it was the "compassionate" thing to do was one thing. He was defeated and wasn't coming back. Ford should have had him plead out the charges and go with some sort of home confinement.
Trump represents a continuing danger to the country. He is leading a right wing fascist movement, and there is only one way to stop a fascist. That is to punch them in the nose (metaphorically). They will not stop otherwise until they die.
True Blue American
(17,972 posts)Is far from over.
As the General said to Jordan! Shut up!
Raster
(20,996 posts)Send any letter to Congress lately?
tRump* encouraged a VIOLENT MOB to overthrow the United States government, and you're thinking PARDON for tRump*?
Go away!!!
bucolic_frolic
(42,676 posts)I can't imagine 10 people in the entire US originating that idea, so it must mean somebody has an agenda
C_U_L8R
(44,897 posts)Treason? Money laundering? Caging children?
Jarqui
(10,110 posts)Anthony Weiner's laptop
Maybe there, he'll find someone who cares about what he thinks.
Comey proves once again that his judgement is not the greatest.
Gore1FL
(21,034 posts)treestar
(82,383 posts)No way!
wishstar
(5,267 posts)and we all know Biden and Harris would never consider pardoning someone who is a traitor and a terrorist and a seditionist and tried to take away our votes by violence.
niyad
(112,435 posts)flibbitygiblets
(7,220 posts)I think we've seen enough results of Mr. Comey's "considerations".
Vogon_Glory
(9,086 posts)for the good of the country. Donald Trump, assuming that Mitch McConnell and his Republican playmates decide to put the good of the country over that of the Republican Party, should remain in public disgrace and ineligible for elected office for the rest of his life.
Firestorm49
(4,004 posts)I bought his book, read it and believed much of it, but hes still a Republican.
Forgiveness, f____k NO! Very strong examples need to be made of the insurrectionists and those elected leaders who were complicit. They need to fully understand that a free and democratic democracy has no place for them or their actions.
Forgiveness? Never.
George II
(67,782 posts)Has he forgotten about Gerald Ford?
blueinredohio
(6,797 posts)IronLionZion
(45,261 posts)He can think about and then ask his VP what she thinks and see how hard she laughs.
Pardoning Trump encourages more of this type of behavior from Republicans.
Texin
(2,585 posts)That is, unless they could talk Pence into doing it.
Paladin
(28,204 posts)BlueIdaho
(13,582 posts)Comey managed to betray Democrats and piss off Republicans. For the life of me - I dont know why anyone would listen to him.
Joinfortmill
(14,247 posts)FreepFryer
(7,077 posts)Marthe48
(16,692 posts)No matter what prominent voices say.
Let the legal and justice professionals and governmental at all levels investigate and let them decide how to close this sad chapter.
FreepFryer
(7,077 posts)FreepFryer
(7,077 posts)Experts, if u wanna advise feel free, otherwise Ill figure it out
amb123
(1,576 posts)Faith in American Democracy will never be fully restored until Trump is behind bars and those Senators and Congress members who STILL support that traitor are either recalled or voted out of office.
We don't coddle Fascists, we defeat them.
malthaussen
(17,066 posts)... who never was thinks about anything? Why should the media give space to his deluded ramblings? Why should a publisher issue a book of his pontifications?
And why should DU perpetuate it by posting his bullshit as if it mattered one damn?
-- Mal
Aristus
(66,096 posts)Fuck you, Comey
marble falls
(56,359 posts)niyad
(112,435 posts)marble falls
(56,359 posts)a Speedo is clearly off the table.
niyad
(112,435 posts)cstanleytech
(26,080 posts)challenger for the 2024 nomination.
C Moon
(12,188 posts)hes nuts! We need to be a different party now.
No more give aways to the GOP.
Escurumbele
(3,340 posts)"re-opened" Clinton's email case? What are you afraid of Comey?
Yes, Comey should shut up, he sounds like he is guilty of something...or his pretending to have principles was just an act.
Jay25
(416 posts)samsingh
(17,571 posts)Jay25
(416 posts)Is he trying to sabotage Biden? An idiot would know that a pardon of Trump would piss off the majority of those that put Biden in office. Seems like hes pandering to the white nationalists.
debsy
(527 posts)He has done enough damage to our country. Biden should pardon COMEY for being such a douche!
Jon King
(1,910 posts)Biden should pursue his agenda but hope like every American patriot that everything Trump is utterly destroyed and he rots away in jail. You do not try to heal Trumpers, you grow more powerful and work like hell to crush them.
wiggs
(7,788 posts)the senate gop. and possibly to keep trump under control during the next week.
I doubt Comey has any sympathy for Trump, doubt he wants a pardon granted...just suggests a 'potential pardon' may provide some 'focus'. Just as a Biden AG and administration and dem subpoena power will provide some gop 'focus' pretty soon.
I hope Biden and his advisors have elbows sharp enough to gain the upper hand in negotiations.
I certainly don't want a pardon for Trump, especially for the most egregious misdeeds...but don't mind Biden using the potential as incentive...and don't mind pardons for minor transgressions in case of substantial benefit to the administration's objectives. Pardons for Russia/Ukraine conspiracies, pardons for coup attempts, pardons for election cheating including Georgia arm-bending? No way...but there could be pardons for a variety of more minor things such as Hatch violations. Only if it helps move legislation and nominees forward
Nasruddin
(741 posts)If he has a ton of spies, moles, & fellow travelers to give up, that we can verify, turn or neutralize, or use in some other leverage against whomever we need to.
Otherwise he's not worth a second's thought. Not even compassionate release commutation. Should it come to that of course.
DallasNE
(7,392 posts)Ford pardoning of Nixon opened the door for the next Nixon or worse. It turned out worse. And this coming from the guy that had an email backup file and announced to the world he was reopening the email investigation against Hillary Clinton just 8 days before the 2016 election. More Comey bad judgement.
robleb
(162 posts)is full of shit and should never had been leading the FBI
pecosbob
(7,511 posts)niyad
(112,435 posts)CentralMass
(15,265 posts)This was an act of sedition that tRump orchestrated. There is no sweeping this under the rug.
iluvtennis
(19,758 posts)DinahMoeHum
(21,737 posts)Get the fuck out of lives.
cab67
(2,963 posts)And in 1989. And 2009. Ford, Bush Sr., and Obama all decided it was best to just look forward and not focus on the past for the sake of healing.
Everyone learned their lessons, I suppose. Just not the lessons intended.
Besides - isn't holding people accountable for an assault on the Capitol something that's going to matter?
NEOBuckeye
(2,778 posts)Nitram
(22,671 posts)Comey likes Trump more than he hates Clinton.
Rebl2
(13,311 posts)Just go away. You are a nobody now and what you think does not matter.
TryLogic
(1,721 posts)infullview
(978 posts)hatrack
(59,442 posts)STFU, clown.
Lulu KC
(2,547 posts)ashredux
(2,593 posts)twodogsbarking
(9,308 posts)Arlington, Mr. Comey?
bucolic_frolic
(42,676 posts)It's you who want a pardon because you know the impact you had. Otherwise you wouldn't float nonsense like this.
Hiawatha Pete
(1,767 posts)MRDAWG
(501 posts)?
Oscarthegreat
(121 posts)Fuck you James Tomey, you two faced hypocrite.
Initech
(99,915 posts)He cannot be allowed to get away with what happened at the Capitol. He just simply cannot.
And it's also time the MAGA brand is made as toxic as the NAZI brand.
Upthevibe
(7,884 posts)NO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
mnhtnbb
(31,319 posts)Alpeduez21
(1,739 posts)El Mimbreno
(777 posts)Constitution, Art. II, Sec. 2, Cl. 1:
"The President ... shall have Power to grant Reprieves and Pardons for offences against the United States, except in Cases of Impeachment."
Nuf said.
scarletwoman
(31,893 posts)orleans
(33,987 posts)Ponietz
(2,905 posts)Baitball Blogger
(46,576 posts)I'm convinced that Comey thinks he still has power to influence the highest levels of power. He has learned nothing from his participation in the 2016 election mess. At a minimum, he should show some intelligence by remaining quiet.
NoRoadUntravelled
(2,626 posts)sakabatou
(42,083 posts)marlakay
(11,370 posts)To this guy or anyone like him. We need accountability!
Dyedinthewoolliberal
(15,485 posts)after the server incident. Stick to being a cop, James, leave the political strategy to others............
Miguelito Loveless
(4,438 posts)Biden cannot pardon Trump.
"[The President] shall have Power to Grant Reprieves and Pardons for Offences against the United States, except in Cases of Impeachment."
padah513
(2,483 posts)Thank you. I was sitting here getting more and more pissed.
Miguelito Loveless
(4,438 posts)abakan
(1,815 posts)Your time is up, you have no credibility or influence, so please keep what you think to yourself.
We all know you are a POS.
Marrah_Goodman
(1,586 posts)srose58089
(214 posts)Pardoning tRump and the Senate not convicting on impeachment would guarantee his return in 2024. America would be torn apart. And Comey next time you appear on a TV show consider wearing duct tape over your mouth
jmowreader
(50,453 posts)Somehow I dont think making the Proud Boys and Oath Keepers happy is on Bidens agenda.
Better idea: we air all Trumps crimes and force the people who voted for that prick come to terms with what they did to this nation. Most of Trumps voters have absolutely no idea what a thug he is. Its time they learned. After they do, Hang The Bastard from Cannibal The Musical will become the most popular song in America.
PatrickforO
(14,516 posts)I think it will be a cold day in hell before that happens.
PurgedVoter
(2,191 posts)Politically, that would not make even one Republican cooperate with anything a week later. It would piss off all of us that risked our health voting. Does Comey take his orders from the Kremlin? Comey is beyond loony. Someone investigate Comey's income. Someone else check Comey's meds.
Trump needs to prosecuted. Q needs to be rooted out. Everyone associated with Fox needs a serious investigation.
I am all for positive thoughts but at this point, without surgery the patient is going to die.
zentrum
(9,865 posts)
..with this man?
He has the analysis ability of a sack of socks.
keithbvadu2
(36,369 posts)heckles65
(544 posts)telling me "Didya hear? Comey reopened the investigation!" While not entirely true, it occurred to me at the time, how many other people in how many other's barber's chairs were hearing the same thing?
So now Comey's saying, "Yeah, I helped put him into the Oval Office with my strategically timed press release. But then he fired me, so I suffered too. All Biden has to do is pardon Trump and everyone will just forget the past four years like that bad season of 'Dallas' which was just in Pam's head. Sound good?"
lark
(23,003 posts)He is constantly putting Repug party over country and has never stopped.
Sucha NastyWoman
(2,725 posts)Ever.
hkp11
(275 posts)he let Drumpf win by publicly stating they were investigating Hillary's emails.
If he wants the nation to heal, then he should ask for Repukes & Buffoon to tell the truth about the Nov 2020 election and the truth about Coronavirus.
keithbvadu2
(36,369 posts)Shut up Comey. You betrayed both sides and burned your bridges in both directions. Your words are meaningless.
usaf-vet
(6,094 posts)Nothing IMHO is going to prevent Trump from being Trump. No act of mercy or kindness will be seen for what it is.
HE IS NARCISSTIC! He will see it as a "natural " entitlement.
Jail won't change who he is but it will LIMIT his public appearance which again IMHO is the most beneficial to the country's healing.
yaesu
(8,020 posts)helping tRump win in '16.
Swamp Country Po Boy
(73 posts)Like you should have stfu in October of 2016, you goddam imbecile!
AllaN01Bear
(17,383 posts)TygrBright
(20,733 posts)rdking647
(5,113 posts)samnsara
(17,570 posts)...biden should pardon trump and I replied loudly ARE YOU OUT OF YOUR FUCKING MIND? He said Well I read it on DU.
Javaman
(62,442 posts)cp
(6,543 posts)No one should ever book that sanctimonious schmuck on any media.
NO fucking pardon for treason and betrayal of our country to Russia or the multitudes of other crimes Dumpy has committed. Let him die in prison, if not sooner.
MontanaMama
(23,242 posts)Absolutely not. Who is listening to this sanctimonious POS? None of us should. Of course the source is "The Hill"...or as I like to call it, The Shill.
andym
(5,441 posts)as long as Trump agrees to admit his guilt and state that there was no election fraud to boot!!!
After all, Trump should already be in NY state prison by then, so it's not like he will be getting off scot-free.
It will be consistent with Joe's unity talk, and Trump will still be in jail if he hasn't fled the country.
Lock him up.
(6,874 posts)*it = oRange mob boss
strongermessage
(283 posts)Hekate
(90,202 posts)Traildogbob
(8,584 posts)Comey has as much clout with Democratic Leadership as Newt Gangrenewhitch.
LiberalLovinLug
(14,154 posts)The beginning of the trial balloon first.
Then the MSM will be "seriously" talking about how Democrats are "seriously" discussing it.
Then "moderate" Republicans will meet with Joe Manchin and the other "moderate" Democrats and come out of the meeting with a consensus that they've figured it all out and the best thing to heal the country is for a full pardon for the traitorous Baby King.
CaptainTruth
(6,546 posts)bdamomma
(63,658 posts)No. The Senate can easily remove from power if McConnell said yes. If they could push in Amy Phoney Barrett 3 days before an election to the SC they can do this.
BamaRefugee
(3,476 posts)That mortgage ain't gonna pay itself!
Music Man
(1,181 posts)SunSeeker
(51,378 posts)Comey, you sanctimonious asshole, are more responsible than any other single person for handing the presidency to Trump!
Cha
(295,926 posts)GFY.
Evolve Dammit
(16,632 posts)jb5150
(1,177 posts)we wouldn't be in this situation.
bluestateboomer
(505 posts)athenasatanjesus
(859 posts)Or Obama or Hillary ect...ect.
ashredux
(2,593 posts)Jarqui
(10,110 posts)I posted before.
We made this mistake with Nixon.
If you do not want this to happen again, you finish the job.
You make Trump pay big time to discourage those in the future.
This pardon garbage has helped Trump act with impunity.
It needs to stop.
lagomorph777
(30,613 posts)Skittles
(152,965 posts)GO FUCK YOURSELF
VladmireTrumpkins
(370 posts)twin_ghost
(435 posts)Sophiegirl
(2,338 posts)NO FUCKING WAY!!!!!!
karin_sj
(805 posts)He needs to keep his opinions to himself. He's done enough harm.
Cobalt Violet
(9,905 posts)Nothing personal at all but every time I refresh I see it and I can't take it anymore more.
AirmensMom
(14,600 posts)If not for him, we wouldn't have been in this fucking nightmare.
h2ebits
(632 posts)NO, NO, NO--Biden should not pardon Trump. He needs to be prosecuted by an International Tribunal, as well as, the United States Government, and any State that has the goods on him.
Don1
(1,652 posts)I don't have a problem with someone thinking of the sentiment that we need to try to pull the country together. And then for that person to try to think outside the box of ways that that could be done. In this case, such sentiment could lead one get an idea in their head to evaluate and consider such as a pardon.
But after that, they need to disqualify such idea because it is ultimately not a good thing for several reasons. One problem is that it would solidify a precedent of future Presidents pardoning past Presidents so if the President's VP takes office for whatever reason (like with Nixon and Ford), an ally or passive accomplice of a VP (like Pence) could pardon their boss. Then, in the specific case of Trump, he's got blood on his hands and has done tremendous damage to the country, not just for the insurrection, but for all the neglect of his office and propagandizing everything leading to people not wearing masks and getting others sick--he's just unworthy. President Trump is the poster boy for a President deserving of impeachment and consequences from trial.
Finally, I don't even think that complete unity is really a worthwhile goal. Do we really want unity with some of these types of people? I don't think so. The country would do well with trying to work with some Republicans...like say Kasich who do not condone violence. But there is a serious problem in the US right now of propaganda and a giant infrastructure that Trump helped to extend and magnify.
It needs to break. It cannot break if we sweep it all under the rug. Over time, the impeachment and trial need to propagate. People need to see the level of misinformation and how the Republican Party, OAN, QAnon, tabloid news, even conservative preachers like Ted Cruz's father all play a role in screwing over the country. Republicans need to go through their 4 stages of grief and come to acceptance of One Reality and that they've been bamboozled.
At the end of the day, it is okay to think about decisions and weigh consequences. A pardon is a very bad idea after thinking about it.
Karma13612
(4,527 posts)In fact,
H*LL NO!!
bringthePaine
(1,726 posts)jayfish
(10,035 posts)...for both sides.
FreepFryer
(7,077 posts)Are you fucking kidding me?