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Carolyn's avatar

Beyond the Beltway was a refreshing alternative to Meet the Press and Face the Nation this morning. So pleasant to listen to civil discourse. Thanks for the link, Gary.

Jerzy Kennedy's avatar

What other reason could there be for asking for a pardon? You can't be pardoned without accepting guilt for the crime, per the reasoning in Gerald Ford's pardon of Nixon.

Gary Abernathy's avatar

“When one accepts a presidential pardon, he or she is not admitting guilt or waiving habeas rights.” https://courtmartiallaw.com/military-law/if-you-accept-a-pardon-does-it-admit-guilt/

Jerzy Kennedy's avatar

In Burdick v. United States, the Court ruled that a pardon carried an "imputation of guilt" and accepting a pardon was "an admission of guilt.”. Thus, this decision implied that Nixon accepted his guilt in the Watergate controversy by also accepting Ford’s pardon.

https://www.google.com/amp/s/constitutioncenter.org/amp/blog/the-nixon-pardon-in-retrospect

Gary Abernathy's avatar

An imputation is a charge or allegation. Implying something is not a finding, a plea or a verdict.

Jerzy Kennedy's avatar

Yeah the next sentence says "accepting a pardon is an admission of guilt".

Gary Abernathy's avatar

The next sentence of what?

Jerzy Kennedy's avatar

The comment.

In Burdick v. United States, the Court ruled that a pardon carried an "imputation of guilt" and accepting a pardon was "an admission of guilt.”. Thus, this decision implied that Nixon accepted his guilt in the Watergate controversy by also accepting Ford’s pardon.

Accepting a pardon implies an admission of guilt. Whether that matters in court who knows, and it would be irrelevant because the person who admits guilt by accepting the pardon is also freed from any potential legal consequences from the action they were pardoned for.

Sue Smith's avatar

Trump could get irate, nasty & not politically correct, but in my heart of hearts ❤️ I believe he had our country first! I didn’t watch the hearings!