Yes, but only for federal crimes, not state charges. It’s kind of a moot act for official acts, because the Supreme Court already stated presidents are immune to prosecution for official acts, so they’d have to pardon themselves for personal criminal acts. Most of those can be charged by a state or on a local level, non federal, so it would be risky. However, practically the US doesn’t have a great appetite for charging and prosecuting Presidents.
The most notorious criminal president before Trump was Nixon, and only about 57% of polled citizens wanted him prosecuted. That’s not a lot, considering how serious his crimes were for that time in politics and the nation.
The breakdown:
By Political Party (Sept 6–9, 1974 Gallup poll):
Democrats: 68% to 70% favored a trial (25%–27% opposed).
Independents: 55% to 60% favored a trial (34%–36% opposed).
Republicans: 33% to 38% favored a trial, while 56% to 59% opposed it
When was that poll taken? We’ve learned a whole lot more about Nixon’s shenanigans since then, and I know he still had overwhelming public support for a very long time even after the Watergate scandal broke. The information landscape in the early 70s was a lot different than it is now.
Yeah, at that date, I’m not surprised at those results. He’d already resigned, Ford pardoned him on Sep 8 1974 (right in the middle of that poll) with a “healing the nation” message.
To be an American President, is to be a criminal. Every last one of them.
Edit: Ok downvoters, lets play a game. You name the president and I will name their crimes. Anyone is free to join. By crime, I mean where the rule of law was bent and ignored, thus neither blind nor just, and only tolerated legally due to the corruption and double-standards of the powerful at the time.
Yes, but only for federal crimes, not state charges. It’s kind of a moot act for official acts, because the Supreme Court already stated presidents are immune to prosecution for official acts, so they’d have to pardon themselves for personal criminal acts. Most of those can be charged by a state or on a local level, non federal, so it would be risky. However, practically the US doesn’t have a great appetite for charging and prosecuting Presidents.
I don’t know about the US not having a great appetite for prosecuting Presidents. Just those who make the decisions don’t have that appetite.
I for one would love if every person in government were held to at least the same standards as their constituents, ideally higher standards.
The most notorious criminal president before Trump was Nixon, and only about 57% of polled citizens wanted him prosecuted. That’s not a lot, considering how serious his crimes were for that time in politics and the nation.
The breakdown:
By Political Party (Sept 6–9, 1974 Gallup poll):
When was that poll taken? We’ve learned a whole lot more about Nixon’s shenanigans since then, and I know he still had overwhelming public support for a very long time even after the Watergate scandal broke. The information landscape in the early 70s was a lot different than it is now.
It says when it was taken in the post I made, always was there from the moment I posted it
Whoops, sorry, I am bad at reading.
Yeah, at that date, I’m not surprised at those results. He’d already resigned, Ford pardoned him on Sep 8 1974 (right in the middle of that poll) with a “healing the nation” message.
To be an American President, is to be a criminal. Every last one of them.
Edit: Ok downvoters, lets play a game. You name the president and I will name their crimes. Anyone is free to join. By crime, I mean where the rule of law was bent and ignored, thus neither blind nor just, and only tolerated legally due to the corruption and double-standards of the powerful at the time.
William Henry Harrison
Funny.
Welp, you failed then.
Every human is a criminal. Every baby, a criminal. Even plants? You guessed it. Criminals.
I knew I got bad vibes from my succulents.
They’re the worst criminals of all!
They horde and monopolize water!
See, this is how Judge Death got his start.