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b_b  ·  1197 days ago  ·  link  ·    ·  parent  ·  post: This Is a Coup

I usually don't care for your cynicism, but I'm afraid you're right this time around. It is hard to imagine a situation in which anything is done about this that has ramifications for the man or his family. They'll probably prosecute a few morons for trespassing and vandalism, etc, and that will be the last of it. Trump might even pardon everyone there, since they'd all be accused of federal crimes.

The pardon power, according to the Federalist papers, was contemplated for two distinct reasons. Reason 1 is mercy. Reason 2 is blanket clemency for things such as insurrections (as was used in the Whiskey Rebellion and after the Civil War). Ironically, it would be one of Trump's only "normal" uses of pardoning (with the small caveat that the Framers didn't comment on what happens when it's the President himself inciting the rebellion).