House Dem seeks to prevent Trump from being able to pardon himself

Rep. Al Green (D-Texas) said he plans to introduce a bill that would prevent presidents from being able to pardon themselves, according to a statement from his office.

Green said he believes that giving the president the power to self-pardon would make the leader “above the law,” making the United States, he believes, “a country of laws for all but the president.”

“To allow such would not only place the President above the law, it would make the President his own final judge, jury, and prosecutor,” Green said in a statement. “The President would in fact become the law.”

{mosads}Green said he plans to introduce the bill because of “love for my country,” adding that the phrase “no one is above the law” is “the heart of American Jurisprudence,” according to his statement.

The statement comes among increasing reports that Trump is considering using his power to pardon on himself or other members of his administration for any offenses related to the Russia probe, though Trump attorney Jay Sekulow has insisted that officials are not even discussing Trump’s ability to issue pardons.

“We’re not researching the issue because the issue of pardons is not on the table. There’s nothing to pardon from,” Sekulow said Sunday.