LEGAL/ROBERT MUELLER/RUDY GIULIANI/RUSSIA/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “U.S. President Donald Trump on Monday [6-4-18] said he had committed no wrongdoing but has the ‘absolute’ power to pardon himself, echoing sweeping arguments put forth by his lawyer Rudy Giuliani on Sunday [6-3-18]. The remarks come as U.S. Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation into alleged Russian meddling in the 2016 U.S. election and possible illegal obstruction of that probe by the president has entered its second year. Giuliani told Reuters on Sunday the president cannot be indicted or subpoenaed and has the power to pardon himself, leaving impeachment by the U.S. Congress likely the remedy for presidential misconduct…Trump said the same thing on Twitter on Monday, writing, ‘As has been stated by numerous legal scholars, I have the absolute right to PARDON myself, but why would I do that when I have done nothing wrong?’ In another tweet he called Mueller’s appointment ‘totally UNCONSTITUTIONAL.’ Trump has denied he colluded with Russians or obstructed justice and repeated in tweets on Monday his frequent claim that the Mueller investigation is a ‘witch hunt.’ Russia has denied U.S. intelligence agencies’ assessment that Moscow sought to interfere with the 2016 U.S. election to boost Trump’s prospects of becoming president.”
-Karen Freifeld, “Trump says has power to pardon himself; critics disagree,” Reuters, June 4, 2018 5:50 am