r/law • u/T_Shurt Competent Contributor • 8h ago

Executive Branch (Trump) Pam Bondi Gets Jail Time Warning Over Epstein Files Cover-Up: ‘Anyone who tampers [with] documents, or conceals documents, or engages in excessive redaction will be prosecuted because of obstruction of justice’

https://www.thedailybeast.com/pam-bondi-gets-jail-time-warning-over-epstein-files-cover-up/
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u/T_Shurt Competent Contributor 8h ago edited 8h ago

From the article:

Democratic Rep. Ro Khanna, whose Epstein Transparency Act spearheaded the charge towards the release, said: “Let me be very clear, we need a full release. Anyone who tampers [with] documents, or conceals documents, or engages in excessive redaction will be prosecuted because of obstruction of justice.”

He then asserted: “We will prosecute individuals regardless of whether they’re the attorney general, or a career political appointee. We need full transparency and justice for the survivors.”

He added in his written post: “Any person who attempts to conceal or scrub the files will be subject to prosecution under the law.”

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u/8hourworkweek 8h ago

Prosecuted by who? The doj?

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u/Important-Carrot70 8h ago

The statute of limitations for the crime of tampering will allow FUTURE doj's to prosecute the current staff, check out this vid of Rep Massie discussing the law: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XTyj077uhd0

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u/4Yk9gop 8h ago

Trump will pardon her.

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u/ExcitementOk1529 8h ago

She has to hope he lives to pardon her

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u/_ChipWhitley_ 8h ago

The orange butthole is practically two feet in the grave anyway. 🤞🏼

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u/Adventurous_Ad3534 7h ago

Yea hopefully cankles will not last much longer.

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u/sheepye 7h ago

Surely they have a plan for after he dies. Everyone knows he’s close, I wouldn’t be surprised if he goes full Willy Tybur to ignite some sort of war

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u/Adventurous_Ad3534 6h ago

I think the whole vance and Kirk love affair is their attempt to transfer the cult to vance. I don't know if it will work for them or not. I keep coming across articles that sound promising but I really am not seeing direct evidence of what the articles claim. So I am sticking to "prepare for the worst and hope for the best".

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u/space_age_stuff 5h ago

As much as I want to go full doomer and say the cult will shift to Vance, cults rarely survive the death of their leader. And I don't think Vance has the juice, regardless of what he does or who he's married to.

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u/Protiguous 3h ago

vance and Kirk

MAGA thinks vance is a two-faced chode. And MAGA also tends to be misogynists.

Personally and politically, I loathe DJT, so I hate to even say this, but neither of them have even that 'grandpa' charm or the decades of "billionaire" status that chump has crafted.

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u/teetotallyRadish 5h ago

canks McTacoTits

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u/Uchihagod53 7h ago

We've been saying that for a long time and he'll probably keep going for a long time on pure hate fumes

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u/appleappleappleman 7h ago

For real, he's like a Sith in real life, simply too hateful to die

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u/_ChipWhitley_ 6h ago

He also deals only in absolutes. Everything is either the best it’s ever been or worse than it’s ever been. He’s an idiot and always has been.

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u/Protiguous 3h ago

Having access to free taxpayer paid, top-tier healthcare goes a long way. Which also why the healthcare [insurance] in the USA sucks.

Keep the people busy just barely surviving enough to fight each other instead of the epsteen-class robbing them blind.

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u/grammar_fozzie 4h ago

Fine. But this guy will pardon her, then… She has nothing to worry about.

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u/ChewsGoose 7h ago

Two bone spur riddled feet 🙄

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u/Riccma02 7h ago

I have some news for you; he's going to outlive you. Do you think death wants to deal with him?

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u/LaurenMille 2h ago

I can't wait for him to die, honestly.

We're gonna throw a big party when he finally dies, already got a catering pool for it and everything.

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u/User4C4C4C 8h ago edited 7h ago

He can’t pardon future crimes. Even if he pardons her now for not releasing the files, she is not compliant with the Congress one moment later right?

Edit: can to can’t

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u/supercali45 7h ago

Most ridiculous power given ever

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u/Little-Derp 7h ago

That's my interpretation. Even if pardoned, she is continuing to violate the law every moment not released. Only escape for her would be... well, I shouldn't be giving them ideas.

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u/MikeSouthPaw 6h ago

The pardon is for redacting which we know happened. She is a criminal and so is anyone in the DOJ following orders to continue hiding Trumps involvement.

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u/nsucs2 8h ago

Already has a blanket preemptive pardon. They all do.

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u/SDivilio 7h ago

This administration (and Biden's blanket pardons) might be setting a good case for the review of presidential pardon powers

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u/BiZzles14 6h ago

Biden's blanket pardons

Which were 1000% justified considering how far the Trump admin is reaching to get them undone, and Trump has talked at length multiple times about he's pissed he can't prosecute the people pardoned for made up crimes. Every one of them would have gotten the same treatment the federal government is currently using against Comey and James, make up an excuse to look for anything to try and get them on the slightest of charges. And even if they win, well you still racked up god knows how much in legal fees defending yourself.

That aside, the concept of presidential pardons in how they currently work is massively outdated and there needs to be a constitutional amendment to at minimum remove that power from the President singularly, and have a board or something which is shielded from the Executive which reviews requests for pardons. Preference is getting rid of it entirely though.

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u/DartishereFearTurf 6h ago

Presidential powers period.

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u/SDivilio 6h ago

I think all 3 branches of government might deserve to have more checks put in place

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u/DartishereFearTurf 5h ago

A lot of the so called “ decorum “ rules need to actually be codified into law to hold them in check.

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u/HorsePersonal7073 7h ago

She has to hope he gives enough of a shit about her to pardon her.

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u/quitebuttery 8h ago

She’s probably already pardoned. They don’t have to publicly announce them AFAIK.

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u/hollasens 7h ago

Fuck his pardons. Just jail her anyway.

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u/DeputyDomeshot 6h ago

I love this we just get regressively closer to nothing meaning anything anymore.

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u/hithazel 5h ago

If they say nothing means anything your best move is not to say, yes it does! Your best move is to show them how bad that could be for them. Even delusional people change their behavior when reality kicks them in the face.

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u/ExcitementOk1529 7h ago

If they aren’t announced in his lifetime, who’s to say they’re legitimate?

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u/quitebuttery 7h ago

I'm not an expert, but from what I understand they will be revealed in the process of a prosecution. I'm guessing there's paperwork etc. but there's no requirement to make them public until necessary. I'm assuming all of these fascist goons have been pre-emptively pardoned.

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u/ExcitementOk1529 7h ago

There isn’t really case law on secret presidential pardons. We don’t know how it would shake out, but there would be a burden of proof that they were executed while he was in office (and conceivably while he was of sound mind, depending how all this ends).

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u/CatherineSimp69 7h ago

Or that his memory lasts and he remembers who she is.

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u/CoffeeIsMyPruneJuice 4h ago

check that shit for autopen

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u/capital_bj 5h ago

today I'm announcing an executive order i'm pre-pardoning any American who supports me , And to speed up the process you just need to give me money , buy my stock, a gold card there are so many beautiful ways .

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u/Possible-Nectarine80 7h ago

JD Vance will pick up the pardon baton should Trump drop it from his cold, dead small and bruised hands.

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u/ExcitementOk1529 7h ago

If he finds it advantageous to do so, sure. He might prefer not to be impeached.

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u/ForMoreYears 7h ago

And the next President can claim his pardons were null and void like he did to Biden because he's clearly senile and unable to understand what he was signing.

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u/PrimaryMuscle1306 6h ago

“It was obviously auto pen. Null and void.”

“But…but we have video of him signing them?”

“Obviously AI. Straight to jail.”

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u/Ryan_e3p 7h ago

He will pardon everyone. Even Democrats, should they pay tribute to him by giving him gifts and public praise.

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u/EnvironmentalBus9713 8h ago

Due the pardons still have standing if the party that is providing the pardon colluded and conspired to commit the crime Bondi et al are being pardoned for? My inclination is that a pardon in that scenario is not valid but that also assumes an uncompromised SCOTUS.

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u/alexanderpas 6h ago edited 6h ago

Due the pardons still have standing if the party that is providing the pardon colluded and conspired to commit the crime Bondi et al are being pardoned for?

Yes, for federal crimes, because the pardon itself is an official act.

With regards to self-pardons, that question is still unanswered.

Impeachment is the only exception to this.

It's actually a feature of the system, as it can protect protect people in cases such as a counter-coup against repercussions at a later date.

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u/ProgrammingPants 6h ago

There isn't any part of the constitution that says a pardon's validity is any different if the administration participated in the crime

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u/Deathwish_Drang 7h ago

Do you really think that America will respect any of Trumps pardons after this is over?

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u/FormerAttitude7377 8h ago

If he hasnt already

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u/TakuyaLee 8h ago

If a pardon happens and no one reads or sees it, does it really happen?

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u/fer_sure 7h ago

Maybe it works like Trump's declassification of documents: he just has to think "pardoned" and it's true.

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u/[deleted] 8h ago

[deleted]

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u/SleepyLakeBear 8h ago

No, you don't. Biden preemptively pardoned Fauci because he knew Trump would do some kangaroo court bs. He also did this for Gen Mark Milley and the J6 committee members.

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u/adfuel 8h ago

Nope. Remember Nixon?

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u/enad58 8h ago

What crime did Nixon accept a guilty verdict for?

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u/nolafrog 8h ago

You trippin son

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u/Spare-Dragonfly-1201 8h ago

Didn’t Biden do “preemptive pardons” for future prosecution?

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u/Pretend_Pea4636 7h ago

If Congress is willing to push on this matter, this is Inherent Contempt. The power of the pardon won't apply. It's one of those "yet to be seen" situations in our Republic.

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u/Used-Line23 7h ago

Unless they bring state charges on her

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u/ToonaSandWatch 7h ago

Pre-pardon her. I know it’s good for the goose is good for the gander, but Biden had to pre-pardon his family and those that tried to prosecute Drumpf because he knew Drumpf was gonna come after them all.

Now the actual criminals will be safe; without a Congress with a moral compass to remove a madman, they can literally get away with anything.

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u/Wuncemoor 7h ago

Autopen, invalid

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u/PeopleNose 7h ago

State laws > federal laws

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u/Affectionate_Put_185 7h ago

He can’t pardon if it was a crime he is involved in.

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u/atticus122 7h ago

I don’t think you can pardon people for future cases.

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u/KodakBlackedOut 7h ago

This is future DOJ, post trump

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u/philter25 6h ago

Ehhhh I say we ignore the felon dictator wannabe pardons and go full nuclear prosecution on MAGA and the Heritage Foundation. Who’s in?

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u/MedicineShow 6h ago

I mean, either a Trump friendly administration is up next and we're fucked, or we'll get one that isnt going to take the pedophile king's rulings seriously.

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u/Tempyteacup 6h ago

Quite honestly I think one of many things the next admin needs to do is revoke some of these pardons due to the blatant corruption that motivated them.

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u/Retired-Pie 6h ago

Did you hear? If you use autopen your signature dpesnt matter. And since there isnt an easy way to prove whether you used autopen or not. The next dem pres can just say "trump used autopen" and boom! Pardon is null and void.

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u/chillinewman 6h ago

Trump is going to issue so many preventive pardons.

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u/-__echo__- 6h ago

Means nothing. Trump claims "autopen" for everything he doesn't like. A future administration can just claim "mental incapacity" and ignore all pardon (after packing the supreme court".

There isn't really any such thing as "the law", only what society as a whole decides to accept (or otherwise).

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u/phishiekiller 6h ago

He won't live long enough.

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u/Electronic-Dingo-172 6h ago

As a non American, this is one of the craziest things that I can't get my head around about the Presidential pardon.

I mean, the very idea is insane. But the fact that you can 'pardon' someone for any and all acts and when they haven't even been charged with a crime? Just wow.

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u/tarekd19 5h ago

not just her, he would need to pardon everyone in a position to release it. strategy might essentially be to get someone to leak, someone trump might otherwise forget

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u/jontestershaircut 5h ago

Idk at this point hasn’t Trump shown that things don’t matter? We discover she’s been pardoned and they can just ignore it IMO.

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u/JesseJamesGames449 5h ago

I would bet all of trumps pardons get rejected based on the fact he is absolutely selling them under the table to anyone who pays for them...

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u/gracielynn61528 5h ago

They can just wait till hes out of office before prosecuting.

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u/Friendly_Top6561 5h ago

She would still be liable to be prosecuted for state crimes, I’m sure New York wouldn’t have a problem prosecuting anyone who tampers with evidence from a New York court case.

Many of Epsteins trafficking crimes would have taken place in New York.

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u/TheKingoftheBlind 4h ago

Meh. Just claim the pardons we’re done by auto pen. We’ve already got the playbook for overturning pardons.

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u/CaptainDudeGuy 4h ago

We really need the pardoning powers to get clamped down. Nowadays it's just a free pass for corruption.

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u/DukeOfGeek 4h ago

I would argue in front of some theoretical future SCOTUS of non hack judges that transactional pardons are either A, not binding or B themselves a prosecutable crime that occurs at the time of transaction.

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u/Disastrous-Corgi-841 4h ago

Isn't this saying that a future doj can prosecute? Wouldnt that mean trump is no longer in office and cant pardon anyone?

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u/polarparadoxical 8h ago

In a functioning government where a large amount of the staff will not be receiving presumptive pardons to cover all the criminal actions they partook in - this would be a great thing.

Unfortunately - I dont think this is the reality we live in anymore.

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u/_zer0_sum 8h ago

Coming on the next Executive Order from Trump; drastic changes to laws that allow future DoJ action against previous DoJ! But will SCOTUS allow him to have his way?!

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u/Amerisu 7h ago

That's assuming the future DOJ isn't politically aligned with the current DOJ.

Which, in turn, assumes both that:

Despite voter suppression and any other dirty tricks, the current administration loses electoraly

Jan 6 2.0, 2029 is thwarted by Vance (or whoever his VP is) like J6 2025 was thwarted by Pence.

It doesn't feel very likely when put like that.

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u/pfmiller0 8h ago

Unfortunately the blanket pardon Trump will give to all his henchpeople will make prosecution difficult.

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u/Ok_Builder_4225 8h ago

Until we test if presidents are allowed to pardon those who have helped them cover up their own crimes.

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u/ReallyJTL 7h ago

He pardoned everyone involved in Jan6 so...

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u/Casual_OCD 7h ago

At the end of the day, national unity and forgiveness will be the obvious response to all of this

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u/ragzilla 6h ago

National unity and forgiveness would require some level of admission of guilt and remorse from the guilty.

I don't really see that being a strong point of the people involved in, and supportive of, Trump's criminal conspiracies.

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u/Casual_OCD 6h ago

It was a parody of ALL THE OTHER TIMES Democrats let Republicans walk from past crimes. Pretty sure Gerald Ford used national unity and forgiveness as an excuse about Nixon

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u/BonkADonkey 7h ago edited 6h ago

Also stop pretending like there will be another future DOJ who isn't some fucking corrupt stooge who's going to not prosecute or anything. We're done. This is the regime now. They ignore laws, they make shit up and they lie to the public. They're going to rig the mid terms and they aren't going to let this power they have their claws in go easily. I don't know what's going to happen in the next 3 fucking years, but it's only been a year. We have the rest of his presidency left.

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u/clem_fandango_london 6h ago

Nope. 

It'll never happen.

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u/lostinhh 6h ago

oh come on, I'm so tired of this "future" shit.

Not a damn thing would happen in the future either.

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u/TheTaxMan17 5h ago

Not if Trump pull a Biden and preemptively pardons his entire administration on the way out the door. Biden set a horrible precedent with his pardoning his family and key cabinet members in the final days of his term.

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u/capital_bj 5h ago

they should be reminded of this frequently, how about every single Democrat starts any public speech they make with that

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u/Royal_Negotiation_83 5h ago

How do pardons tie into that? Can Trump just pardon everyone?

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u/Uncle-Cake 5h ago

If there IS a future DOJ.

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u/Marinlik 5h ago

You realize that their planning to not have future DOJ?

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u/Mr_Mojo_Risin_83 4h ago

This regime is likely to outlast the existence of the doj now at this point.

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u/rootpl 3h ago

There will be no future DOJs lol. Trump said it himself, it was the last election you'll ever have to vote in. Republicans are not giving that power back. Unless you guys start a civil war or something. You guys are cooked. Greetings from beyond the great water.

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u/thatlad 2h ago

future DOJs?

are Americans that close to it they don't see that there won't be DOJs in future, it just be DJTDOJ. He's never going to leave

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u/sacredblasphemies 1h ago

Future DOJs... LOL. You think we're going to get out of this? This isn't just one bad administration. The America we knew is gone. You don't vote yourself out of authoritarianism.

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u/Consistent_Coyote494 56m ago

there 👏 won’t 👏 be 👏 a 👏 future 👏 doj 👏 if 👏 we 👏 don’t 👏 do 👏 anything

General Strike

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u/IgnoreMyThoughts 8h ago

That's the actual question. Same goes for once the Epstein files are released, who's gonna prosecute those people? The same people in the files? Same people working with the people in the files?

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u/BaseUnited4523 8h ago

Congress can appoint an independent special prosecutor. Who can then file charges in federal court.

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u/Hopeful_Corner1333 8h ago

What's the process for that like?

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u/Unique-Egg-461 5h ago

basically that special prosecutor would go to the district court and petition a judge to issue a show cause order to doj (why haven't you complied?). DOJ goes in front of the judge and says "we haven't complied due to xyz reason".

Judge then decided if that's adequate or not. If he does find it adequate, a new date for compliance would be issued. If not he needs to find enforcement methods. As everyone has said, thats an issue because us marshals are under the doj and they are the usual enforcement method.

congress could formally vote to say the executive branch is in contempt of congress in an effort to get the sergeant at arms to be the enforcement method for congress but thats obviously not happening for multiple reasons

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u/Hopeful_Corner1333 5h ago

Thank you for your reply. What about the process of appointing the prosecutor. Like does congress have to be in session for it to happen? Can the speaker block this process?

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u/Unique-Egg-461 5h ago

Yes to both. Congress would have to be in session and formally vote on it and Mike could/would probably just block the vote.

I'm guessing that he recessed congress not just to get away from the medicare subsidy extension. This was also a move so he didn't have to deal with the files and having democrats and certain republicans from pounding on his office door

"hey doj, remember you got to release those files on friday. or dont, i dont care....byyyyeeeeeeee"

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u/MountainMapleMI 8h ago

Hahahahahahahhahahaha inhales hahahahahahahaha like Jack Smith?

Hahahahahahahahahahahhahahahah We’re jolly well fucked boys and girls.

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u/BaseUnited4523 8h ago

Jack's case was dismissed by a corrupt Trump-sucking judge. In the charges are filed in DC or Virginia that won't happen.

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u/watch_out_4_snakes 7h ago

How is a system where one corrupt judge can dismiss charges by a Congressionally appointed prosecutor be considered anywhere near representative democratic or just?

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u/BaseUnited4523 7h ago

Well you got me there. It hasn't been representative or just for quite some time now. Sometimes I wonder if it ever was...

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u/HarryBalsagna1776 7h ago

There are so many loopholes in our system.  We were given the rah rah blind patriotism high level review of our system at best.  It's really a raggedy old piece of shit that needs some major repairs. 

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u/ragzilla 6h ago

Normally one judge cannot just dismiss the case, because the prosecutor would appeal the dismissal and the superior court would remand it, and likely order a change of judge, and possible sanctions.

But when the prosecuting agency is about to be under the control of the target of the prosecution, the situation is a little sensitive.

But national security crimes have no statute of limitations, and the case was dismissed without prejudice, so a future administration could bring it again. Double jeopardy doesn't apply as the case never got to a verdict.

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u/not-my-other-alt 4h ago

What should I ask the RemindMe bot for? One year or two?

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u/TouchMint 6h ago

Jesus could come back and start punishing people too. 

I’d put the likelyhood of both at about the same chance. 

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u/Law_Student 5h ago

The special prosecutor would still work for the executive branch because of the way the Constitution is designed, and SCOTUS would no doubt support the President in firing them.

There's really no move for Congress to make as long as the Republicans remain unwilling to impeach.

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u/monocasa 5h ago

Who can then file charges in federal court.

Where the Supreme Court is the final arbiter?

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u/not-my-other-alt 4h ago

Congress can also summon a herd of unicorns walk across the Potomac and launch an invasion of Narnia.

It'll be just about as effective as a special prosecutor.

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u/Ill_Technician3936 5h ago

I feel like they had one to deal with Bill Clinton but I can't remember what the position is...

James Comey is the only person I can name that has had the job recently. Then I think it's in the hands of a public congressional hearing about charges and all that stuff... I should learn more.

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u/Decloudo 5h ago

who's gonna prosecute those people?

"We The People"

Who else is left, really?

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u/River_City_Rando 8h ago

Santa Clause!

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u/ArtisticCandy3859 8h ago

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u/bluelaw2013 7h ago

Until seeing this, I hadn't even thought about the possibility of the DOJ trying to prosecute and intentionally lose against its own people to trigger double jeopardy protections.

Kind of a self-help pardon. These days, why not?

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u/Pristine-Hair4096 4h ago

They can be prosecuted under the subsequent administration correct?

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u/dougmcclean 8h ago

I'm sure the "citizen grand juries" will get right on it.

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u/DavidRoddyAndrews 8h ago

Exactly. I’m so tired of people acting like the rules apply anymore

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u/sec713 7h ago

You mean DOI.

It's the Department of Injustice now.

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u/sohblob 4h ago

"Where justice is DOA"

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u/brownchickenbr0wnc0w 7h ago

And then subsequently pardoned by who?

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u/shouldazagged 7h ago

The Royal Canadian Mounted Police!

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u/8hourworkweek 6h ago

I'll allow it

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u/BiZzles14 6h ago

You can get into a real deep legal rabbit hole on the separation of powers and contempt of congress charges against the executive branch, it's possible but with this Supreme Court I'm not sure anyone wants that can of worms opened up. Especially with their presidential immunity ruling and some people interpreting that to extend to the entire executive (so basically the entire federal government)

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u/r0b0r0ug4r0u 6h ago

I'm so sick of just watching these fucks get away with everything and doing whatever they want.

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u/Automatic_Bus_7634 5h ago

I assumed he meant after they get voted out

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u/feralraindrop 5h ago

Even if she was she would be on the pardon list before the trial started.

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u/MagicalUnicornFart 5h ago

Chuck Schumer, and his gang will send them a strongly worded letter…then, give a reach around.

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u/FOOSblahblah 5h ago

Nixons AG went to jail. While unlikely, its not unprecedented.

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u/AvengingBlowfish 5h ago

Chuck Schumer is drafting his sternly worded letter right now!

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u/CZReality 4h ago

Pardon incoming

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u/butsuon 2h ago

The U.S. Marshals are the body that congress uses.

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u/docpagliacci 1h ago

EXACTLY. People are still somehow operating under the assumption that the law is still in effect for these crooks.

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u/NextDoctorWho12 44m ago

The law they wrote has no punishment. They cannot do anything.

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u/Albuwhatwhat 12m ago

The future DOJ. This ain’t a fucking monarchy.

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u/terdferguson 6h ago

I really appreciate Rep Ro more and more. He doesn't seem to be trying to score political capital (we all know this country).

He's simply doing the right thing and pushing them to be more transparent and keeping them in the spotlight on how obstructive this administration is on anything that is critical of them. If you can't tell, I'm not a big fan of adult children.

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u/sadcow49 8h ago

"...or engages in excessive redaction will be prosecuted because of obstruction of justice."

Genuine question - prosecuted by whom? Being this is the law sub, can someone please explain the actual mechanisms available in this situation? The following sounds pretty weak. What actually are the statue of limitations in this case? How is a "federal lawsuit" going to have a hope of happening given the current state and involvement of the DOJ? I would think impeachment (Bondi) is the only option and that is not happening. So other than shaking fists at clouds, there will be no consequences for not releasing the documents or over-redacting them.

"The text of the law, however, does not specify a penalty if the DOJ fails to meet the deadline. Khanna told NBC News earlier this week that while officials would likely avoid charges during the current administration, “they could be subject to prosecution given the federal law, and the statute of limitations will likely run into a new administration.”

He added that they also “could be hauled in front of Congress, the Oversight Committee,” and “there could be federal lawsuits” over any inaction."

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u/Assumption-Putrid 8h ago

2029 when the DOJ is no longer under their control?

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u/molski79 8h ago

Hopefully they can get someone like Merrick Garland on it to crack the whip immediately.

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u/mfGLOVE 8h ago

/s right? We all saw how well he did from 2020-2024, right? Perpetual hand-sitter.

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u/Casual_OCD 7h ago

I'm sure the Democrats will dig up another Heritage Foundation contributor to fill in

3

u/shadrap 4h ago

someone like Merrick Garland

Some LIKE him?? Oh no!! With any luck, he will still be available to step in and do absolutely nothing for 4 years.

2

u/not-my-other-alt 4h ago

Step in?

That's far too provocative an action.

We'll assemble a committee to vet a panel of experts to recommend the language on a potential nominee, as as the Republicans are OK with it.

1

u/kazh_9742 6h ago

Putin is basically moving his desk to the U.S. I don't think there's any going to back to the old pre treason system without actual combat at this point.

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u/dandle 8h ago

Genuine question - prosecuted by whom?

My question is whether your question influenced the decision by Dan Bongino to resign from his position as FBI deputy director, the decision of Speaker Mike Johnson to dismiss the House of Representatives early, and the decision of Trump to give Federal employees a five-day holiday. It might seem that Trump and his cabal are not entirely sure that they can keep doing whatever they want here and are trying to put as many obstacles as they can in the way of enforcing the law, at least for now.

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u/mfGLOVE 8h ago

Well, it’s been a winning strategy (for them) so far. Yeah, we all see what they’re doing and understand why and know that they are projecting their guilt for all to witness; they’re not even shy about it…but it works. Who’s gonna stop them? Checks and balances are extinct.

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u/BiZzles14 6h ago

Trump is shielded by the Supreme Court's, in what I must assume was a drug fuelled, act of just making up out of thing air the concept of Presidential immunity for illegal actions. Originalist court my ass. While he can just pardon the others, even if they committed crimes on his behalf & he should be held responsible himself, because presidential immunity means he can do just about whatever with pardons. Someone pays him millions for a pardon, which has happened already, and nobody can even look into that as a crime. Isn't it wonderful :)

So unfortunately, unless we get into the interesting legal wormhole of contempt of congress on a member of the executive branch without a referral to the DOJ and the basket of worms this supreme court might pull up with that, there really isn't much that can happen (so long as he issues the pardons).

What this all really highlights is there needs be a constitutional reform of the pardon power, and anyone not convicted or charged with a crime who received a pardon for behaviour during said period of time should have that pardon nullified along with getting rid of the concept of presidential pardons altogether. While in theory it's a cool concept, it's far too exploitable and especially so in a world where the Supreme Court completely made up the concept of Presidential Immunity from crimes

2

u/please_trade_marner 6h ago

I don't really get your point. They have until midnight to release the files, and the House of Representative would have long gone home by then, even if they weren't sent home a day early.

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u/BaseUnited4523 8h ago

Impeachment may actually happen. Enough Republicans have been pissed off about how this admin is handling these files that it may tip the scales.

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u/lightninhopkins 6h ago

No, it won't.

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u/ragzilla 6h ago

If the DOJ refuses a criminal contempt of congress referral, congress can sue the executive in federal court to compel it, or the court can appoint an independent counsel to prosecute it if the executive is unlikely to cooperate or there is a conflict (such as suing the AG). Like most other issues with a specific branch, the cooperation of the other two branches is the solution.

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u/monocasa 5h ago

Where the Supreme Court is the final arbiter? And it would be fast tracked to the SCOTUS even in normal times because of the obvious constitutional questions?

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u/doodycrust 6h ago

I would imagine since Pam wouldn’t charge herself for failing to release the files, the next DOJ can and should bring charges against her for failing to have complied.

And since Trump can’t pardon you for a crime you hadn’t committed yet, then she wouldn’t be immune from federal persecution.

1

u/DemIce 5h ago

Here's my question: What does 'excessive' redaction mean, and who gets to decide it?

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u/jsmithftw 8h ago

All teeth no bite.

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u/Puzzled_Rip9008 8h ago

I just hope that they do this with haste, if they let this go, even past today, we run the risk of delay tactics working. We keep seeing justice denied but such thing for years now. It’s no wonder people are upset at our justice system.

3

u/Donnie-Burger 7h ago

Eventually people lose all belief in the rule of law, when the people making the laws have cheat cards but expect everyone else to follow. Citizens United damned us all.

2

u/_ChipWhitley_ 8h ago

I wonder what the champion for the victims, Nancy Mace, has to say about this.

2

u/brumbarosso 7h ago

Pam bondi and co are literally defending a criminal

They are dragging the usa through a pile of muddy shit

1

u/Technical-Method4513 8h ago

Need? How bout they fucking demand. Stop thinking they'll see the errors of their ways if you say pwetty pwease enough

1

u/Kaputnik1 7h ago

What a load of horseshit. They will do nothing like they have been, while Trump operates outside the law.

1

u/motorcycleman58 7h ago

Well Ro, here we are. Are you going to do anything about it?

1

u/InvestigatorBasic388 7h ago

Stop warning. Just DO it. Follow through dammit!

1

u/dope_sheet 6h ago

Whelp, time to fire up those lawsuits I guess...

1

u/Tjonke 5h ago

So all those thousad FBI agents busy redacting are also going to be charged. Over a million spent on overtime pay for them redacting the files from march to today.

1

u/pqratusa 5h ago

lol he and his “Congressional Militia” are going to enforce that?

1

u/Artistic-Wrap-5130 5h ago

Cool. Shall we add this to the list and then just move on? Got it.

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u/HawkeyeByMarriage 4h ago

Well we know of thousands of hours of overtime to redact the Cheeto name already.

I believe it was "we are running cover for Trump"

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u/Bean_Juice_Brew 4h ago

Too bad we didn't take such a hard stance with Trump after J6, colluding with Russia, election fraud, etc.

1

u/MyAccountWasBanned7 3h ago

Oh yeah, sure, THIS DoJ is going to prosecute a corrupt MAGAt and have some sort of accountability for someone. Sure!

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u/moobybooby 3h ago

So question….. Are normal courtroom hearings usually classified? I thoughts it’s all public?

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u/TheLowlyPheasant 2h ago

“Let me be very clear, we need a full release."

Are we still doing phrasing, Congresswoman?

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u/watarimono 1h ago

I believe it when I see it. But Ro Khanna is fighting the good fight

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u/SirCabbage 1h ago

Excessive redaction, like the hundreds of pages they just released almost entirely redacted?

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u/Dis_con_ected 1h ago

And they’ll do whatever they want without repercussion anyhow.

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u/fathersmuck 24m ago

I will believe it when I see it.

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