Could Trump pardon himself if convicted of Georgia charges
The short answer is no, Trump cannot pardon himself if convicted of Georgia charges. The Constitution of the United States specifically prohibits any federal official from pardoning themselves.
The relevant text is Article II, Section 2, Clause 1, which states that the president "shall have Power to grant Reprieves and Pardons for Offenses against the United States, except in Cases of Impeachment."
The Supreme Court has interpreted this clause to mean that the president cannot pardon himself. In the 1927 case of Burdick v. United States, the Court ruled that a pardon is an act of grace, not of punishment and that it cannot be forced on someone.
The Court also ruled that a pardon carries an imputation of guilt and that a person cannot pardon themselves without admitting guilt.
In the case of Trump, he would be admitting guilt to the Georgia charges if he pardoned himself. This would open him up to a number of legal challenges, including the possibility of being impeached and removed from office.
It is also worth noting that the Georgia charges are state charges, not federal charges. The president does not have the power to pardon state charges.
Therefore, even if Trump were to be re-elected president in 2024, he would not be able to pardon himself of the Georgia charges.
In addition to the legal challenges, there are also political challenges that Trump would face if he tried to pardon himself. Many people would view it as an abuse of power, and it could damage his reputation even further.
Ultimately, it is very unlikely that Trump will be able to pardon himself if convicted of Georgia charges.
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