CNN’s S.E. Cupp: We Should Reexamine Presidential Pardon Powers After ‘Abuses’ from Multiple Administrations

CNN’s S.E. Cupp argued on Thanksgiving afternoon that the pardon powers of the president should be reexamined, given how a number of administrations have wielded it over the years.

President Donald Trump pardoned Michael Flynn on Thanksgiving Eve, and there’s reports that he may pardon many more before he leaves office.

Cupp said, “I actually think it’s time to look at the power of the pardon, not because of what Donald Trump is doing, but because for decades if not centuries, and in fact over multiple, administrations the power of the pardon has been abused.”

“So where Donald Trump has taken pardons today and may take them over the next few weeks, months, is almost inevitable,” she said, recalling the infamous Bill Clinton “Pardongate” controversy. “Where trump is today is sort of the next logical conclusion of this power. We should start taking a look at whether it is being used and has been used over decades the way the Founders intended it.”

On the question of whether the president could pardon himself, Cupp pointed out it would be inadvisable since it would essentially be an admission he did something wrong.

“If the president has designs on running again for president, this would certainly imperil that, and I would think encourage other justice departments to really look at what he had done while in office,” she said. “If he is tacitly admitting he needed to be pardoned for stuff. I’m not sure this is constitutional or legal, but it seems pretty clear it would be unadvisable for him to do that.”

You can watch above, via CNN.