Schumer Says Trump Pre-Emptively Pardoning Family, Allies Would Be ‘Gross Abuse of Presidential Pardon Authority’

Schumer: “Nonetheless, it’s silly season at the White House. The president seems intent on filling each of his remaining days in office with petulance, grievance, self-interest. The president’s reportedly asking his staff about whether he can pre-emptive — whether he can issue — president’s reportedly asking his staff whether he can issue pre-emptive pardons for himself, his family members, Rudy Giuliani. There’s a simple answer. No. No, Mr. President, that would be a gross abuse of the presidential pardon authority. But I have a more important question. Just how long are our Republican colleagues going to indulge the president in this nonsense? Many of our Republican colleagues gave the president space to contest the validity of our elections, poisoning Americans’ faith in our democracy. Now he’s threatening to veto a pay raise for our troops and considering preemptively pardoning the entire Trump family. When are our Republican colleagues in the Senate going to say enough already?”