self-pardon
Forgiving your own crimes
Self-pardon is the act of a political leader granting themselves clemency for crimes they may have committed while in office.
The concept is largely theoretical in American law, where no president has successfully pardoned himself, though the possibility has been debated: Constitutional scholars disagree on whether a self-pardon would be valid.
The term carries connotations of corruption or abuse of power—an attempt to place oneself above the law.
American political surname
- Nixon37th U.S. president
- January 6thSixth day, first month
- lame duckOfficeholder serving final term
- accountabilityObligation for one's actions
impunity · scandal · corruption · resignation · political fallout · public trust · democratic norms · authoritarian
Pursuing legal charges
- indictmentFormal charge from jury
- criminal liabilityLegally answerable for offenses
- immunityProtected from harm
- DOJFederal legal enforcement agency
special counsel · statute of limitations · federal charges · legal jeopardy · conviction · sentencing · defendants · acceptance
Compromised impartiality from competing stakes
- moral hazardConsequence-free risk-taking incentive
- accountabilityObligation for one's actions
- corruptionDishonest abuse of power
- integrityMoral soundness and consistency
public office · fiduciary duty · above the law · double standard · ethical violation · trustworthiness · democratic principles · fairness
Government's enforcement capacity
- presidential authorityChief executive's legal powers
- impeachmentCharging officials with misconduct
- framersThose who construct frames
- founding fathersMale originators of institutions
constitutional crisis · separation of powers · judicial review · precedent · legal challenge · Supreme Court · federal crimes · abuse of power
Trump
American political surname
- Nixon37th U.S. president
- January 6thSixth day, first month
- lame duckOfficeholder serving final term
accountability · impunity · scandal · corruption · resignation · political fallout · public trust · democratic norms · authoritarian · rule of law
prosecution
Pursuing legal charges
- indictmentFormal charge from jury
- criminal liabilityLegally answerable for offenses
- immunityProtected from harm
DOJ · special counsel · statute of limitations · federal charges · legal jeopardy · conviction · sentencing · defendants · acceptance · untested
conflict of interest
Compromised impartiality from competing stakes
- moral hazardConsequence-free risk-taking incentive
- accountabilityObligation for one's actions
- corruptionDishonest abuse of power
integrity · public office · fiduciary duty · above the law · double standard · ethical violation · trustworthiness · democratic principles · fairness · justice
executive power
Government's enforcement capacity
- presidential authorityChief executive's legal powers
- impeachmentCharging officials with misconduct
- framersThose who construct frames
founding fathers · constitutional crisis · separation of powers · judicial review · precedent · legal challenge · Supreme Court · federal crimes · abuse of power · originalism
- clemencyamnesty, clemency, reprieve, commutation, amnesty law
- pardonsclemency, amnesty, commutation, reprieve
self-pardonamnesty
Group pardon from authorities
acquittal · presidential pardon · executive clemency · commutation
self-pardonconviction
Firmly held belief
self-incrimination · prosecution · imprisonment · criminal liability · punishment
self-pardonconfession
Admission of wrongdoing
admission of guilt · voluntary resignation · standing trial · atonement · making amends
self, pardon, selves, selfish, selfhood, selfless, selfishly, selfishness, pardons