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To help defray the stress of counting down the hours until he’s out of power, I like to consider the dilemma he faces re avoiding criminal liability via the pardon power. [A short thread]
The way I see it, he has two primary choices re using the Presidential pardon power to shield himself from liability: a) Self-Pardon, and b) have Pence do it. Neither are particularly good options for him. 2/
Option a), the self-pardon is a high risk venture, since the power may not exist at all. It a theory at best right now, and the only way to find out is to try it and then see what the courts say. But, if the courts say 
, he’s totally exposed. 3/
, he’s totally exposed. 3/
If it turns out self-pardon isn’t a thing, then he could face judgment for all federal crimes. A bad gamble.
Which leaves him option b) the Pence pardon. Here, the challenge is psychological more than legal. 4/
Which leaves him option b) the Pence pardon. Here, the challenge is psychological more than legal. 4/
In order for option b) to work, he would need to resign the presidency in the next 4 days, then have Mike Pence pardon him once Pence becomes POTUS. Two very big problems here, though. 5/
The first is his ego. Resign?! Accept the disgrace of stepping down?! And admit his crimes?! True, he loves to slyly allude to his crimes as a way to assert power—hell, he often tells us in advance. But this is different, and not in a good way. 6/
His whole projected self-image of strength takes an absolute beating with option b). I’m not sure he can stomach it. If he does, it will be a good measure of his desperation. But that’s not the only challenge on this path. There’s also Pence. 7/
To choose option b) is to put his entire fate in the hands of Mike Pence, his pathetic toady that he has no respect for. It’s also the same Mike Pence that he sent an angry mob to execute by hanging on the gallows on the Capitol steps. 8/
Under the circs, Pence my not be too charitably inclined to give him a pardon. He could try to get some guarantee, make sure the pardon is written in advance, etc., but even then, Pence has the final decision to pardon or no. 9/
So, suffer the humiliation of resigning in front of all his MAGA fans, then groveling to that toady Pence w/ no guarantee—it may prove to be all too much. It would destroy him and everything he’s gained since deciding to run for president. 10/
Thus, two suck-y choices with the risk of dying in prison hanging in the balance, with only 4 days left to decide. The true horns of a dilemma, and no one deserves it more. Delicious. 11/11 <fin>
