Rep. Eric Swalwell (D-CA) said that Trump would be investigated for and potentially charged with obstruction of justice if he pardons Paul Manafort.

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Rep. Swalwell said on MSNBC’s The Last Word with Lawrence O’Donnell, “I think it would be to understand whether there was any agreement between the president and manafort that amounts to obstruction of justice. Of course, the pardon power is pretty unlimited, you know, but if you’re using it to obstruct justice that doesn’t inoculate you from being brought up on charges for that. I think there are two things at play here, Lawrence. There’s the fact that Corsi and manafort are both going cold at about the same time frame, and also this is happening at about the same time that the president just turned in his answers to special counsel. And so I also wonder whether the president and his team have dangled a pardon fearful that Paul manafort may contradict some of the answers that the president has given.”

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Democrats Will Be Ready If Trump Pardons Paul Manafort

Democrats have been expecting that Trump would try to abuse the pardon power to obstruct justice since the Mueller investigation began. House Democrats are more than ready for Trump if he pardons Paul Manafort. It is clear that Trump is attempting to suffocate Robert Mueller’s investigation before Democrats have a chance to take power in January.

It doesn’t matter when Trump pardons Manafort, because House Democrats will respond as soon as they take over.

The White House should take Rep. Swalwell’s statements about charges of obstruction of justice seriously.

Trump is playing with fire, and Democrats are going to make sure that he gets burned.

Jason Easley

Jason is the managing editor. He is also a White House Press Pool and a Congressional correspondent for PoliticusUSA. Jason has a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science. His graduate work focused on public policy, with a specialization in social reform movements.

Awards and  Professional Memberships

Member of the Society of Professional Journalists and The American Political Science Association