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Trump recently pardoned his former security adviser Flynn, his right as president of the United States. But do pardons always work smoothly? The United States judiciary is investigating the suspected bribery, without naming a name.
Bribery for a possible pardon from the president of the United States? Shortly before the end of Donald Trump’s term in office, the American judiciary is investigating a case involving this same suspicion. Who could be involved in the potential crime is unclear from the 20-page court document released by a federal court in the capital, Washington. The names and much of the document have been crossed out. Trump wrote on Twitter that the investigation was “fake news.” No charges have yet been filed in the case.
In the now partially released document from late August, Federal Judge Beryl A. Howell ruled, among other things, that more than 50 seized digital storage media are not covered by protected communication between an attorney and his client. Investigators suspect a crime based on the principle of “bribery for clemency”.
Did you offer money?
Two people reportedly approached White House executives and offered them money. The consideration must be a pardon or at least a mitigation of the sentence by the president. In the text of the file, the judge indicates that the requests for pardons refer to campaign donations that have already been made and at the same time promise more money. It’s unclear how top White House officials responded.
The Ministry of Justice, as the Attorney General’s Office, is investigating now, but no government representative is currently the target of the investigation. The White House has not yet issued an opinion.
Sorry, not just from Trump
Republican Trump could still pardon several people before his term ends on January 20. The president of the United States has almost unlimited powers under the constitution. Former presidents like Democrat Barack Obama used this until their last day in office.
The New York Times reported that Trump had spoken with advisers about “preventive pardons” for his three oldest children, Donald Trump Junior, Eric and Ivanka Trump, and his son-in-law and adviser Jared Kushner. Trump has expressed concern to his advisers that future US President Joe Biden’s Justice Department may “retaliate.”
Biden recently said that, unlike Trump, he would not use the Justice Department to investigate his political opponent. The US media also reported that Trump had spoken with his personal attorney Rudy Giuliani about his clemency.
Last week, Trump pardoned his former National Security adviser Michael Flynn, exposing himself to abuse of power.
Matter for Russian influence
Retired General Flynn became embroiled in the issue of Russian influence during the 2016 US presidential election. Flynn had only served as a National Security Advisor in the White House for just over three weeks in 2017. He later admitted to the White House. course of the investigation into the Russian affair that he had lied to the FBI. In July, Trump had already released his adviser Roger Stone from prison.
After being ousted from office, Trump is president with all rights until January 20, and there are still some convicts among his allies who can wait for his intervention. These include his 2016 election campaign advisers Rick Gates and George Papadopoulos, who, like Flynn, had been convicted in connection with the Russia investigations. In Washington, there is also speculation that Trump could also try to forgive himself for possible violations of the law at the federal level.
With information from Arthur Landwehr, ARD-Studio Washington
