Can President Bush Pardon himself in anticipation of criminal charges after he leaves office? (Clinton, crime)

[political genius]

In the last few months of the Bush Administration, is it possible for the President to pardon himself in advance of any attempted criminal prosecution of him for his decisons or acts as President?

If the President can pardon himself, why didn't Nixon do some before he resigned.

Do you expect any Prosecutor will attempt to indict Bush for his actions as President?

[TnHilltopper]

To my knowledge there has never been a court ruling on whether a President can pardon themselves. It has been a point of contention since the foundation of our nation when James Madison and George Mason argued that a day may arrive in which a President would attempt to pardon himself or others for a crime he was himself involved in.

The closest we have to come to a President pardoning a subordinate convicted of a crime that they were involved in is Scooter Libby, whose sentence was commuted and is expected that Bush will pardon him.

What I have read thus far has been more concerned with preemptive pardons for those which may be indicted in torture and rendition cases as well as the various wire tapping cases that are currently being investigated.

I have no idea what Bush will attempt to do but I know one thing for certain, he will more likely leave in a bang more than a whimper.

[jtur88]

Not in the World Court in The Hague for war crimes and crimes gainst humanity. He can be chargeed for crimes in the District of Columbia, and then it will be up to the governor of Texas to extradite him.

[texdav]

I thnim he has no problem in that area as they did nothing to JFK or Johnson.Even Clinton had no problems when caught on tape lying to a grand jury ;so subjective judgements should be no problems at all to presdients as they haven't the past. The next likely parson buzz will come when Hillary is at confirmationed.