Former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie said President Trump would get impeached if he were to pardon himself following the conclusion of special counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation.
“There’s no way that [Trump pardoning himself] will happen and the reason it won’t is because it’ll become a political problem,” Christie, a Trump ally, told ABC’s “This Week” on Sunday. “If the president were to pardon himself, he’ll get impeached.”
The remarks come after Trump issued a pardon this week to conservative author Dinesh D’Souza, and talked about issuing more pardons to former Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich and businesswoman Martha Stewart.
Trump’s top attorney, Rudy Giuliani, also said earlier on the show that Trump “probably” has the power to pardon himself, but “has no intention” of doing so.
[Update: Trump says he has the ‘absolute right’ to pardon himself]
The comments come after the publication of a letter from Trump’s legal team to Mueller, who is heading the federal Russia investigation. The 20-page letter, dated Jan. 29 and first published by the New York Times this weekend, argues that Trump cannot be indicted, cannot be subpoenaed and cannot be guilty of obstruction of justice because, as president, he is “chief law enforcement officer.”
Chris Christie says “there’s no way” Pres. Trump would pardon himself.
“If the president were to pardon himself, he’ll get impeached.” https://t.co/EbkCoFCwjd #ThisWeek pic.twitter.com/kKogBZg3jY
— This Week (@ThisWeekABC) June 3, 2018
Former U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara, who was fired by the Trump administration last year, said Trump pardoning himself would amount to “self-executing impeachment.”
