US President Donald Trump is preparing an expansive list of more than 100 pardons, but at this point is opting not to issue a pardon for himself, Reuters reported a source close to the White House as saying.
White House advisers have revealed that the President has privately debated with advisers whether to issue a pardon for himself. Administrators have, however, advised against it as it would make him look guilty. According to several scholars, a self-pardon would be unconstitutional. They have said that it violates the basic principle that no one should be the judge in their own case. Besides, it has been clearly stated in historical texts that the nation’s founding fathers discussed self pardon, but did not add an explicit limitation on that power.
Trump, in December, issued 41 pardons, including to his son-in-law Jared Kushner’s father and former campaign ally Paul Manafort. The President in the past month has met with advisors to finalise a list of more than 100 pardons and commutations.
Among Trump’s clemency list, he is expected to include a prominent eye doctor from Palm Beach, Dr Salomon Melgen, who is serving time after being convicted on dozens of counts of health care fraud.
Trump, who has been rambling on about voter fraud since November, is at the end of his term. Trump plans to skip swearing-in of President-elect Joe Biden. After he leaves the White House on Wednesday, Trump will begin his post-presidency life at his Mar-a-Lago club in Palm Beach, Florida.
