--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I think President Trump could pardon…" description: "\"I think President Trump could pardon anyone he wanted and have it be an effective pardon. I think there would be a big price to pay if he started pardo..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b1e/richard-painter-14038_big_i-think-president-trump-could-pardon-any_591208.jpg" --- # I think President Trump could pardon anyone he wanted and… ![“I think President Trump could pardon anyone he wanted and have it be an effective pardon. I think there would be a big price to pay if he started pardoning people in connection with the Russian investigation.” quote by Richard Painter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b1e/richard-painter-14038_big_i-think-president-trump-could-pardon-any_591208.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b1e/richard-painter-14038_big_i-think-president-trump-could-pardon-any_591208.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b1e/richard-painter-14038_big_i-think-president-trump-could-pardon-any_591208.jpg) > “I think President Trump could pardon anyone he wanted and have it be an effective pardon. I think there would be a big price to pay if he started pardoning people in connection with the Russian investigation.” [Richard Painter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-painter/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The quote warns that unchecked pardon power could be misused, especially in politically sensitive investigations, leading to severe consequences. **In simple terms:** Unlimited pardon power risks abuse and political fallout. Key Takeaway Guard against political misuse of pardons. Themes politics law ethics accountability power abuse Mood cautious critical Type political legal When to use this quote - government oversight - legal reform - media scrutiny - public trust Key Concepts constitutional law executive authority political risk Questions to Reflect On - How should checks balance executive pardon power? - What safeguards can prevent political abuse? A Different Perspective Potential backlash could destabilize legal processes. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Connection](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/connection/) [Forgiveness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/forgiveness/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) ## Related quotes > [Trump's pardon of Arpaio may not get as much attention as Russian influence or Trump's apparent obstruction of justice in the Mueller investigation. But…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rashida-tlaib/trump-s-pardon-of-arpaio-may-not-get-as-much-attention-as-russian/) [Rashida Tlaib](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rashida-tlaib/) > [It is in pardoning that we are pardoned.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/it-is-in-pardoning-that-we-are-pardoned/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The wise man will not pardon any crime that ought to be punished, but he will accomplish, in a nobler way, all that is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seneca-the-younger/the-wise-man-will-not-pardon-any-crime-that-ought-to-be-punished-but/) [Seneca the Younger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seneca-the-younger/) > [The heart has always the pardoning power.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sophie-swetchine/the-heart-has-always-the-pardoning-power/) [Sophie Swetchine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sophie-swetchine/) > [Pardoning the Bad, is injuring the Good.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/pardoning-the-bad-is-injuring-the-good/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) > [Mercy but murders, pardoning those that kill.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/mercy-but-murders-pardoning-those-that-kill/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [I hate puns. And, I'm tired of pardoning them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-lowry/i-hate-puns-and-i-m-tired-of-pardoning-them/) [Mark Lowry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-lowry/) > [Clinton's pardoning of Marc Rich was off-the-wall.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/morley-safer/clinton-s-pardoning-of-marc-rich-was-off-the-wall/) [Morley Safer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/morley-safer/) > [Stated baldly, charity certainly means one of two things–pardoning unpardonable acts, or loving unlovable people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gilbert-k-chesterton/stated-baldly-charity-certainly-means-one-of-two-things-pardoning/) [Gilbert K. Chesterton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gilbert-k-chesterton/) > [Beautiful leaving , is to leave without harming, beautiful pardoning is to pardon without rebuking, and beautiful patience is tobe patient without complaining..](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ritu/beautiful-leaving-is-to-leave-without-harming-beautiful-pardoning-is/) [Ritu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ritu/) > [It may well be that Allah will pardon them. Allah is Ever-Pardoning, Ever-Forgiving. (Surat An-Nisa, 99)](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/it-may-well-be-that-allah-will-pardon-them-allah-is-ever-pardoning/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Pardoning Snowden would be a powerful way for the president to acknowledge that the government did wrong, kept us in the dark, acted unconstitutionally.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-romero/pardoning-snowden-would-be-a-powerful-way-for-the-president-to/) [Anthony Romero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-romero/) > [“Mercy but murders pardoning those who kill.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/mercy-but-murders-pardoning-those-who-kill/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [Beautiful leaving (hajr), is to leave without harming, beautiful pardoning is to pardon without rebuking, and beautiful patience is to be patient without complaining.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ibn-taymiyyah/beautiful-leaving-hajr-is-to-leave-without-harming-beautiful/) [Ibn Taymiyyah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ibn-taymiyyah/) > [ They're mounting a campaign right now with the ACLU and a lot of different organizations advocating for \[Edward Snoden\] pardoning before \[Barack\] Obama leaves… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zachary-quinto/they-re-mounting-a-campaign-right-now-with-the-aclu-and-a-lot-of/) [Zachary Quinto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zachary-quinto/) ## More by Richard Painter > [Russia may very well be front and center again in 2020 as they were in 2016 regarding interference in America's presidential election. But the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-painter/russia-may-very-well-be-front-and-center-again-in-2020-as-they-were/) [Richard Painter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-painter/) > [People knew Trump had strange relationships with the Russians even before he was elected. Consequently, there is every reason to investigate whether Donald Trump…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-painter/people-knew-trump-had-strange-relationships-with-the-russians-even/) [Richard Painter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-painter/) > [I am not going to apologize for my service to the country.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-painter/i-am-not-going-to-apologize-for-my-service-to-the-country/) [Richard Painter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-painter/) > [Donald Trump wants to ignore the rule of law. He ignores the Constitution. He ignores the subpoenas. The Republicans in the House and Senate…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-painter/donald-trump-wants-to-ignore-the-rule-of-law-he-ignores-the/) [Richard Painter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-painter/) > [I go on all the channels, mostly CNN and MSNBC. I have gone on Fox every couple of months.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-painter/i-go-on-all-the-channels-mostly-cnn-and-msnbc-i-have-gone-on-fox/) [Richard Painter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-painter/) > [Here is where you get into the danger zone, when the government official starts talking about U.S. government business and then also talking about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-painter/here-is-where-you-get-into-the-danger-zone-when-the-government/) [Richard Painter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-painter/) > [I have to say that every white-collar criminal defense lawyer knows when the chief financial officer turns state's evidence, everyone in the executive suite…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-painter/i-have-to-say-that-every-white-collar-criminal-defense-lawyer-knows/) [Richard Painter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-painter/) > [We have two political parties in this country; we cannot have one of them be abandoned to complete nutcases. We've got to have two…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-painter/we-have-two-political-parties-in-this-country-we-cannot-have-one-of/) [Richard Painter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-painter/) > [And imagine where we'd be today if President Franklin Roosevelt had owned apartment buildings in Frankfurt and Berlin. You know, some of us might…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-painter/and-imagine-where-we-d-be-today-if-president-franklin-roosevelt-had/) [Richard Painter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-painter/) > [I think most Minnesotans are in a grey zone politically.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-painter/i-think-most-minnesotans-are-in-a-grey-zone-politically/) [Richard Painter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-painter/) > [The course I teach, Professional Responsibility, was brought into law-school curriculums and required by most states for admission to the bar beginning in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-painter/the-course-i-teach-professional-responsibility-was-brought-into-law/) [Richard Painter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-painter/) > [The real problem with the Republican Party is that for decades it has shifted constantly to the right politically. Consequently, the Republican Party is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-painter/the-real-problem-with-the-republican-party-is-that-for-decades-it-has/) [Richard Painter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-painter/) > [Do not overlook that Donald Trump is an inherently unstable person. He's never been able to have stable businesses or stable marriages. It is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-painter/do-not-overlook-that-donald-trump-is-an-inherently-unstable-person-he/) [Richard Painter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-painter/) > [Republicans insist that if you're going to run for political office, you have to be loyal to President Trump. This is wrong. This is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-painter/republicans-insist-that-if-you-re-going-to-run-for-political-office/) [Richard Painter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-painter/) > [I think we'll go through a period when there's a revival of concern about ethics. After Watergate, we got the Ethics in Government Act,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-painter/i-think-we-ll-go-through-a-period-when-there-s-a-revival-of-concern/) [Richard Painter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-painter/) [Explore all 48 Richard Painter quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-painter/) ## More Big quotes > [I'm a true believer in prayer, a big believer in prayer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janet-jackson/i-m-a-true-believer-in-prayer-a-big-believer-in-prayer/) [Janet Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janet-jackson/) > [Many early-stage entrepreneurs make one simple mistake: Describing this 'big picture' in vague concepts and words.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sunil-nagaraj/many-early-stage-entrepreneurs-make-one-simple-mistake-describing/) [Sunil Nagaraj](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sunil-nagaraj/) > [I always say if you put someone from a small town into a big city for ten years, then when they go back, they'll…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-colter/i-always-say-if-you-put-someone-from-a-small-town-into-a-big-city-for/) [Mike Colter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-colter/) > [My mom had very low expectations for me, and she really had a point. I was a big problem at seventeen. If I had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alejandro-gonzalez-inarritu/my-mom-had-very-low-expectations-for-me-and-she-really-had-a-point-i/) [Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alejandro-gonzalez-inarritu/) > [I have always been a big meta guy because I think the way journalism is practiced in Washington, and the way everyone sort of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-leibovich/i-have-always-been-a-big-meta-guy-because-i-think-the-way-journalism/) [Mark Leibovich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-leibovich/) > [It's going to be used in the last days to get people to come against Christ, and that's the issue: they come against the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-lahaye/it-s-going-to-be-used-in-the-last-days-to-get-people-to-come-against/) [Tim LaHaye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-lahaye/) > [My parents are divorced, and seeing that was really painful for me. Really painful for me. But that's also a big part of why…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/banks/my-parents-are-divorced-and-seeing-that-was-really-painful-for-me/) [Banks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/banks/) > [I always want to do a big finale.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-yuh-nelson/i-always-want-to-do-a-big-finale/) [Jennifer Yuh Nelson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-yuh-nelson/) > [I turn a lot of stuff down - big, big movies, the kind I wouldn't want to go to the cinema to see.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-fox/i-turn-a-lot-of-stuff-down-big-big-movies-the-kind-i-wouldn-t-want-to/) [Matthew Fox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-fox/) > [So I concentrated on the rhythmic side of things, and therefore left a lot of holes. I didn't want to use big pad chords…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/midge-ure/so-i-concentrated-on-the-rhythmic-side-of-things-and-therefore-left-a/) [Midge Ure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/midge-ure/) > [I think a big part of success in football is mental, not physical. How you are inside your head matters more.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/iker-casillas/i-think-a-big-part-of-success-in-football-is-mental-not-physical-how/) [Iker Casillas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/iker-casillas/) > [I was always attracted most to joining City, and I am pleased to be at such a good club with such a big ambition…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edin-dzeko/i-was-always-attracted-most-to-joining-city-and-i-am-pleased-to-be-at/) [Edin Dzeko](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edin-dzeko/) > [Making sure that people have access to preventive medicine for the first time ever as a nation? That's a big deal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brad-schneider/making-sure-that-people-have-access-to-preventive-medicine-for-the/) [Brad Schneider](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brad-schneider/) > [If you read 'Lord of the Rings' and dismiss it as a lie because it has orcs and elves, you're missing the whole point…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doug-tennapel/if-you-read-lord-of-the-rings-and-dismiss-it-as-a-lie-because-it-has/) [Doug TenNapel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doug-tennapel/) > [What I know about Ali Krieger is no moment is ever going to be too big for her.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-ellis/what-i-know-about-ali-krieger-is-no-moment-is-ever-going-to-be-too/) [Jill Ellis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-ellis/) Browse all 12,477 Big quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I think President Trump could pardon anyone he wanted and have it be an effective pardon. 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