Presidential Pardons Might Not End Russia Prosecutions
Presidential Pardons Might Not End Russia Prosecutions
President Donald Trump’s unusual pardon of former Arizona Sheriff Joe Arpaio, issued before his federal case was even finished, has sparked a debate over whether the president could end Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s Russia probe with a spate of pre-emptive pardons.
But even mass pardons of all suspects in the Russia case would not close the door to potential prosecutions.
While presidential pardons can halt the federal case, local prosecutors could then pursue any Americans suspected of aiding Russia’s election meddling. In fact, legal experts say presidential pardons could make that prospect more likely.
According to a new MSNBC legal analysis, federal pardons could open the door to local criminal investigations in several states.
Why So Many States Might Have a Case
https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/politics-news/presidential-pardons-might-not-end-russia-prosecutions-n797266
