And others. They came up with a workaround that could protect Trump outside the duties of the presidency. Maybe. He’s playing fast and loose here, doing things to deflect the growing anger of the people of America. But why? That’s a good question now, isn’t it? My compliments to Raw Story:
Donald Trump just signaled he is trying to get away with something big, according to an ex-DOJ lawyer.
Former federal prosecutor Joyce Vance is raising alarms over what she calls a “pardon on steroids” — a one-page Justice Department settlement, signed Monday quietly by acting Attorney General Todd Blanche, that shields Trump, his family, and his businesses from any federal prosecution or civil action for crimes “presently known or unknown.”
And Vance says the most pressing question is what, exactly, Trump is trying to bury.
Good gods. How many different things could that be? A grift? Or a gift? Why is he playing fast and loose here? Because it has to be something big, and we just don’t know about it yet. The “pardon” includes his family. There are far more possibilities that we can guess about. We do know it’s something outside the “absolute immunity”. Just hope that E. Jean Carroll can get her money, and Trump still has to pay those fines. These can’t go backwards for immunity, we hope.
“The optics of this are so bad that it’s hard to believe Trump would expose himself to their consequences unless he really needed this deal,” Vance wrote in her Civil Discourse newsletter on Tuesday. “The protection it offers must be essential in some way we are as of yet unaware of.”
The Supreme Court’s 2024 immunity ruling already shields Trump from prosecution for official acts. But Vance noted that personal business dealings, tax matters, and private transactions fall outside that umbrella — and those are exactly the areas the new settlement wipes clean.
Oh, boy. He’s protected against anything. What about something for war crimes? Because it shouldn’t. We can see those coming, and Trump thinks he’ll be immune when it’s not nearly that simple. Those are global courts, and they’re not impressed by a piddly little US pardon. But, back on topic, what *is* going on here? Will he go into dangerous territory? Or does he think an impeachment is coming? Kinda hard to believe that would work for one of those. It’s all a guessing game until we find out.
A senior veteran FBI agent told Vance the sweep is staggering: “Fraud by Don Jr at Kalshi? Out. Fraud at Trump Media & Technology Group? Out. Fraud at whatever crypto/drone/AI/investment endeavor? Out — no DOJ, no SEC, no IRS, no CFTC — no federal entity.”
Legal scholars have long argued a president cannot pardon himself. Vance says Trump just found the workaround.
“There is no hint in the document of what consequence Trump may be trying to avoid. But many legal commentators believe that while a president’s pardon power is broad, it’s not so broad that he can pardon himself,” the ex-federal prosecutor wrote. “Here, Trump seems to have found a way around that limitation, obtaining a pardon equivalent and then some for himself and for his family.”
He did it. He actually effing did it! Whoa, this makes my heart drop onto the ground. He can now literally do anything he pleases, and that’s a HUGE red flag for us. When the reason for this finally comes out, it’s going to be a barnburner. And it will come out eventually. My gut feeling is sooner rather than later. Holy cow. What has he done?
See you soon!
Friends, I know everybody begs you for money. I promise you that, of all the outlets bugging you for spare change, we are the smallest and the hardest-working. We’re a bunch of old, disabled people, except one writer in his mid-50s. But the rest of us are in our sixties and seventies, and this is a labor of love. All we’re asking for is the ability to continue our quest to tell the truth about Trump and help ensure democracy survives. If you can help, please do. Thank you. Ursula






















I’m sorry that I have to say it, but that photo of Trump is the most repulsive I’ve ever seen. It should appear next to the dictionary definition of “gloating”…