Despite the Mueller Report being spun as vindication for Orange Foolius (it isn’t, it’s pretty damning), a POTUS who is proving to be worse than Dubious (and should retain this moniker) can’t stop being the dumb asshole he’s been since birth. I think it will lead to impeachment as it should. Using Ukraine to find dirt on a possible political rival is a tin-pot dictator move from the Third World, this is unacceptable. He’s also surrounded by notorious shitbags who all deserve to be in prison.
Meanwhile, 45 years ago, a different shitbag escaped justice thanks to the clumsiest man to ever reside in the White House. On this day he defended his corrupt decision.
In short, Ford claimed that he wanted to spare America from the trial and all the negative things which would follow. Other experts say the POTUS nobody elected (soon to be one of many Republicans), didn’t want his presidency overshadowed by such an event. Ford wanted to be the center of attention. Some think this pardoning cost him the 1976 election. I have my doubts. St. Reagan wounded him in the primaries leading up to the convention, Ford wasn’t ‘conservative enough’ (code for racist, classist, sexist and cruel) and if this truly mattered to the electorate, Carter should’ve beaten him easily. Nope. The 1976 race would be the closest until the 2000 Restoration selection by SCOTUS.
Ford’s presidency was a short-lived mess too. He was his own worst enemy, namely his strategy for inflation. It went like this, “Everybody, stop spending! That will keep prices level!” Ummm. No. People have to spend to keep the economy moving or else you get a recession.
To circle back on the pardon. I’m with the theory involving Tricky Dick going through the GOP leadership position by position, working his way down until he got someone willing to risk their future; more prominent Republicans knew there’d be a quid pro quo. Think about it, before he was veep, Ford was the House Minority Whip, not a powerful gig given the Democratic majority would continue for another two decades. Name one member of the House who went straight to the White House in the Twentieth Century too? None. Orange Foolius may have to do the same as Cotton Pence will be going down with him.