NY Attorney General Leticia James Makes Stunning Prediction on The View: Trump Will ‘Step Down’ So Pence Can Pardon Him
Joe DePaolo
New York state’s attorney general made a stunning prediction on The View Tuesday.
While discussing the post-Jan. 20 legal prospects of President Donald Trump, New York AG Letitia James — who is currently pursuing a civil investigation against the president, while Manhattan’s district attorney has a criminal investigation ongoing — said she believes the commander in chief will take a stunning preemptive measure to try to cut future criminal charges off at the pass.
“The vast majority of legal scholars have indicated that he cannot pardon himself,” James said. “What he could do is step down and allow … Vice President [Mike] Pence, to pardon him. I suspect that he will pardon his family members, his children, his son-in-law, and individuals in his administration as well as some of his close associates. And then I suspect, at some point in time, he will step down and allow the vice president to pardon him.”
James went on to note, though, that even if Trump takes that shocking step, and Pence goes on to pardon him, such an action cannot shield him from potential legal consequences in the Empire State.
“It’s important to understand he is pardoned from federal crimes. But he is not pardoned from state crimes,” James said. “Last year, I introduced a bill in the state legislature which would close the pardon loophole, so that individuals such as the President of the United States would not evade justice. It’s important we have this check on presidential powers. … the state legislature, I’m so happy they passed that bill and it is now the law in the state of New York. President Trump cannot avoid justice in the great state of New York.”
Joe DePaolo
New York state’s attorney general made a stunning prediction on The View Tuesday.
While discussing the post-Jan. 20 legal prospects of President Donald Trump, New York AG Letitia James — who is currently pursuing a civil investigation against the president, while Manhattan’s district attorney has a criminal investigation ongoing — said she believes the commander in chief will take a stunning preemptive measure to try to cut future criminal charges off at the pass.
“The vast majority of legal scholars have indicated that he cannot pardon himself,” James said. “What he could do is step down and allow … Vice President [Mike] Pence, to pardon him. I suspect that he will pardon his family members, his children, his son-in-law, and individuals in his administration as well as some of his close associates. And then I suspect, at some point in time, he will step down and allow the vice president to pardon him.”
James went on to note, though, that even if Trump takes that shocking step, and Pence goes on to pardon him, such an action cannot shield him from potential legal consequences in the Empire State.
“It’s important to understand he is pardoned from federal crimes. But he is not pardoned from state crimes,” James said. “Last year, I introduced a bill in the state legislature which would close the pardon loophole, so that individuals such as the President of the United States would not evade justice. It’s important we have this check on presidential powers. … the state legislature, I’m so happy they passed that bill and it is now the law in the state of New York. President Trump cannot avoid justice in the great state of New York.”
