09-14-2018, 09:44 AM
(09-14-2018, 09:31 AM)Duchess Wrote: Wooooo. It's being reported that Paul Manafort will plead guilty this morning in court. He's trying to avoid another trial and the full disclosure that comes with it. I think he's hoping for a pardon as well given his attorneys have been working with trump's attorneys.
If Trump pardons Manafort, it will send such a terrible message to white collar criminals who steal millions from U.S. tax payers for their own gain (and sometimes the gain of adversarial governments).
Manafort does not deserve to be pardoned for felony convictions and crimes to which he pleads guilty in the face of mounds of evidence. That's not fair and equal justice.
Pardoning Manafort would look as though Trump was rewarding him for not cooperating with law enforcement and would send a message that the law doesn't apply equally to those associated/favored by the President.
I don't doubt that Trump would pardon Manafort despite all that, but hope the potential political ramifications will prevent him from doing so.