President Trump had a discussion with his advisors about granting pre-emptive pardons to his children, his son-in-law, and to his personal attorney Rudy Giuliani. According to an insider source, the president even spoke with Giuliani about granting him a pardon as recently as last week.
Trump informed others about his concerns of a Biden Justice Department seeking retribution against the president by targeting his children as well as Ivanka’s husband who is a White House senior adviser.
Donald Trump Jr. had been under investigation for contacts that the younger Trump had with Russians offering damning information on Hillary Clinton during the 2016 campaign. Ivanka’s husband gave federal authorities false information about his contacts with foreigners for his security clearance but was later given one anyway by President Trump.
The nature of President Trump’s concern about any potential criminal exposure of his children is unclear, although an investigation by the Manhattan district attorney shows millions of dollars of consulting fees in tax write-offs that appear to have gone to his daughter.
Giuliani’s potential criminal involvement is also unclear. However, he was under investigation over the summer by federal prosecutors for his business dealing in Ukraine which became the key plot point in the impeachment of President Trump.
The speculation about these pardons is swirling, underscoring just how much of the Trump administration has been dominated by investigations of people in the president’s inner circle.
Unfortunately, presidential pardons do no give protection against state or local crimes.
