Scooter Libby: What May Be Going on…:
Article II, §2, clause 1: “Section. 2. Clause 1: The President shall… have Power to grant Reprieves and Pardons for Offences against the United States, except in Cases of Impeachment.” The president’s power to pardon is unreviewable and uncontrollable. But there is a question I want to ask a real lawyer: What kinds of discussions among whom about the exercise of the presidential pardon power rise to the level of conspiracy to obstruct justice?
Yes, indeed. A quid pro quo pardon agreement — you commit perjury to protect me/my people and I’ll pardon you — is not what the founders had in mind, I suspect.