Trump and the Abuse of the Pardon Power
Plus: Unnecessary Solutions to Imaginary Problems.
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GABRIEL SCHOENFELD: Trump and the Abuse of the Pardon Power.
THE FRAMERS OF AMERICAāS CONSTITUTION got many things right; the structure they built has now endured well into its third century. But one provision in the sacred document that has lately proved profoundly problematic can be found in Article II, section 2, clause 1 which provides that āThe President . . . shall have Power to grant Reprieves and Pardons for Offences against the United States, except in Cases of impeachment.ā
The pardon power has deep roots in British law, with a precedent at least as far back as the statutory rolls of the Anglo-Saxon monarchs in the seventh and eighth centuries. The law provided that āIf any one fight in the kingās house, let him be liable in all his property, and be it in the kingās doom whether he shall or shall not have life.ā
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BRYNN TANNEHILL: What F-16s Will (and Wonāt) Do for Ukraine.
AFTER MONTHS OF PUBLICLY LOBBYING to acquire U.S.-made F-16 fighter jets, it appears that Ukraine may receive them later this year. Several NATO countries that operate F-16s, including Poland, have indicated that they are willing to train Ukrainian pilots, and on May 19, President Joe Biden told the G-7 meeting, at which Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky was a guest, that the United States would support training Ukrainian pilots to fly the aircraft. Reports based on leaked documents revealed that the U.S. Air Force estimated that such training would take only four months.
However, there remains a long road ahead before the F-16s would see service in Ukraineāand it is an open question how much they would affect the outcome of the war.
BILL LUEDERS: Unnecessary Solutions to Imaginary Problems.
Throughout the nation, states with Republican governors and GOP-led legislatures are tapping deep into the political zeitgeist and availing themselves of the opportunities of the moment to devise and execute creative solutions to imaginary problems. Here is a rundown of some of those efforts.
šØOVERTIMEšØ
Happy Tuesday! I know weāre back to the grind, but I hope you had a good Memorial Day. It was nice to read the stories readers shared via email and on social media of fallen friends worth remembering.
On our way back from Cleveland, I noticed the famous stairs of the āOur Lady of the Pikeā church, St. John the Baptist, appeared to be gone. Theyāve been on the block for a decade-plus, but now appear to be finally gone.
Right after his disastrous launchā¦ Gov. Ron DeSantis signed a law that could potentially provide a legal shield to Elon Musk from liability over death and destruction caused by his rockets.
Meanwhile, in Alexandria, Virginiaā¦ A local transit official is going to have some explaining to doā¦
It could be worseā¦ An official in India has been suspended after draining a dam to retrieve his cell phone. Not surprisingly, when it was found, it wasnāt functional.
Itās pretty simpleā¦ Heath Mayo writes: āIf the GOP keeps selling Trumpism, principled conservatives & independents will bolt again and the GOP will lose elections it should win. It canāt win without us. Weāll do this for however long it takes for the GOP to realize it has to change to ever win the presidency again.ā
And in Saint Louisā¦ A local TV legend passes away. RIP to Becky the āQueen of Carpet.ā
Your feel good story of the dayā¦ The return of Liam Hendricks, five months after being diagnosed with cancer, to Major League Baseball.
āļø Watch talkā¦ Itās here, and it lives up to the hype. A dumb smart watch from the 1980s, resurrected.
And now, your moment of zen: Woman wins UK cheese rolling raceā¦ despite being knocked unconscious.
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