Last updated on December 6, 2020
“Imputation of Guilt”, Flynn’s loss of a 5th Amendment exception could figure in the subsequent, yet unfulfilled prosecution of justice obstruction by the Mueller investigation. Abuse of power continues, as his pardoning spree further hardens his de facto concession.
It’s admission of guilt. If called to testify at a future time, the pardoned cannot plead the 5th. Flynn can be compelled to testify in criminal courts against Trump.
Trump Corruptly Pardons Mike Flynn. Does Judge Sullivan Have Any Options to Address this Corrupt Pardon? He Just Might . . . Because #JusticeMatters https://t.co/0WqPKJ5tkW via @YouTube
— Glenn Kirschner (@glennkirschner2) November 25, 2020
“The Flynn pardon is best understood as one final act of venal, malevolent, retributive warfare waged by Trump on the country that just rejected him, and even on the rule of law itself, which he could not ultimately subvert to quite the degree he’d hoped.”
Nadler on Flynn:
"This pardon is undeserved, unprincipled, and one more stain on President Trump’s rapidly diminishing legacy." pic.twitter.com/gfXlJNRiJr
— Andrew Solender (@AndrewSolender) November 25, 2020
Trump Is Racing to Bring Back Firing-Squad Executions Before He Leaves Office, Says Report https://t.co/v2b8WUPrwX via @thedailybeast
— bythesea (@bythesea66) November 25, 2020
There have been many predictions—from instigating nuclear war to pardoning Joe Exotic—about what President Donald Trump might do during his final months in office, but it’s fair to say few people guessed this. According to a report from ProPublica, Trump is trying to rush through a proposed regulation that could see federal executions being carried out by firing squads again. The proposed rule cleared White House review on Nov. 6, according to the report, so it could be finalized any day,
One proposal has raced through the process with little notice but unusual speed — and deadly consequences. This rule could reintroduce firing squads and electrocutions for federal executions, giving the government more options for administering capital punishment as drugs used in lethal injections become unavailable. The Justice Department surfaced the proposal in August and accepted public comments for only 30 days, instead of the usual 60. The rule cleared White House review on Nov. 6, meaning it could be finalized any day. The Justice Department didn’t respond to a request for comment.
Once finalized, this rule might never be put into practice. The Trump administration executed a federal prisoner in Indiana on Nov. 19 and plans five more executions before Jan. 20, all with lethal injections. After that, Biden has signaled he won’t allow any federal executions and will push to eliminate capital punishment for federal crimes.
Other less dramatic-sounding rules could prove harder to unravel and have broader consequences. In particular, the Environmental Protection Agency is on the cusp of finalizing several rules that would make it harder to justify pollution restrictions or lock in soot levels for at least five years. The agency wants to keep the soot standard unchanged over the objections of independent scientific advisers and despite emerging evidence that links particulate pollution to additional coronavirus deaths.
The first execution of the modern era, Gary Gilmore, was conducted by firing squad in 1977 in Utah. The most recent, Ronnie Gardner, was in 2010, also in Utah. Gilmore’s last words, “just do it,” are literally the inspiration for Nike’s slogan.
Was worth a shot! (Also this isn’t a denial!) pic.twitter.com/yNi5ts7ZYd
— Ryan J. Reilly (@ryanjreilly) November 21, 2020
President Trump's pardoning of Michael Flynn is a part of his "effort to try to discredit the Mueller investigation," @Yamiche reports. pic.twitter.com/PMg09HBrxy
— PBS NewsHour (@NewsHour) November 25, 2020
Harvard or Hoover, but I'm sure we'll find out when he writes his NYT op-ed.
— Tamsin Shaw (@ProfessorShaw) November 25, 2020
Watching John Kasich on CNN trying to be all casual and tell us all that we need to move on and get over it that Trump is now pardoning the people who helped him in his four year crime spree. 🤷♂️
— Tom Nichols (@RadioFreeTom) November 25, 2020
We’ll be doing these updates on the transition, and the last embers of Trump’s crashed legal gambit, thrice weekly through Jan. 21. Read here & subscribe: https://t.co/QFj9bpC9r2
— Greg Greene (@ggreeneva) November 25, 2020
I’ve got a busy week coming up with early thanksgiving deadlines, so here’s tomorrow’s syndicate cartoon. Thanks for sharing. #pandemic #trumpandemic #COVID19 #coronavirus #trumpisawol #golfing #ConcedeNowTrump @AprilDRyan @MaggieJordanACN @laloalcaraz @co_rapunzel4 pic.twitter.com/laEQ5cq3Ve
— Ed Hall (@halltoons) November 22, 2020
New: Progressives don’t love Joe Biden’s first round of cabinet picks. But they can live with them.
“He’s not picking any lefties. He’s just picking people who haven’t alienated the left.” w/ @lbarronlopez https://t.co/m4KnvLYWQC
— Holly Otterbein (@hollyotterbein) November 25, 2020
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