“The pardons are a very positive thing for a president.

"赦免對一個總統來說是一件非常積極的事情。

I think you see the way I'm using them.

我想你看到了我使用它們的方式。

And yes, I do have an absolute right to pardon myself.

是的，我確實有絕對的權利赦免自己。

But I'll never have to do it because I didn't do anything wrong."

但我永遠不會有這樣做，因為我沒有做錯什麼。"

As bizarre as that may sound, Trump isn't entirely wrong.

雖然聽起來很詭異，但特朗普也不是完全錯了。

Since taking office, Donald Trump has pardoned five people.

自上任以來，唐納德-特朗普已經赦免了5人。

The act of pardoning criminals doesn't create many political allies.

赦免罪犯的行為，並沒有創造出多少政治盟友。

So presidents usually wait until later in their term to issue pardons.

所以總統通常要等到任期後期才會發佈赦免令。

The past two presidents only began granting pardons late in their second year.

過去兩任總統都是在第二年晚些時候才開始給予特赦。

Trump, on the other hand, has already begun to exercise his pardon power.

另一方面，特朗普已經開始行使赦免權。

And with several people close to the president being investigated by the special council, Trump's

而隨著多名總統身邊的人被特別委員會調查，特朗普的。

pardon power might come in handy.

赦免權可能會派上用場。

Some argue that by issuing pardons this early in his presidency, Trump is sending signal

有人認為，特朗普在總統任期內這麼早就發佈赦免令，是在發出信號。

that he is willing to bail out any of his political allies that might be targeted in the future

他願意救助任何可能成為他未來目標的政治盟友。

by the Russian investigation.

由俄羅斯調查。

So what does the US Constitution have to say about the president's power to pardon?

那麼美國憲法對總統的赦免權有什麼規定呢？

The Constitution provides specifically for the president's pardon power.

憲法專門規定了總統的赦免權。

It says that the president may pardon individual offenses —

它說，總統可以赦免個別罪行----------。

federal offenses, not necessarily state offenses

聯邦罪，不一定是州罪

and he cannot use the pardon power to avoid impeachment.

而他又不能用赦免權來避免彈劾。

But as with most powers bestowed by the US Constitution, the presidential pardon comes

但是，與美國憲法賦予的大多數權力一樣，總統赦免也是有的

with checks and balances.

有制衡機制。

One of the principles underlying a separation of powers is that no one should be a judge

三權分立的基本原則之一是，任何人都不應成為法官。

in his own cause.

在他自己的事業中。

So we have a system with a separation of powers and that separation of powers is one of checks

所以，我們有一個三權分立的制度，而三權分立是一個制衡的制度。

and balances.

和餘額。

The first possible check to Trump's pardoning power could come through the judicial branch.

對特朗普赦免權的第一個可能的制衡可能來自司法部門。

When presidents take office, they're bound by the Constitution to take

當總統上任後，根據憲法規定，他們有義務採取。

the “oath of office."

"就職宣誓"。

And in that oath, they make a promise to:

而在這個誓言中，他們做出了承諾：

“Faithfully execute the office of President of the United States."

"忠實地執行美國總統的職務。"

That language of faithful execution — the idea is that this language migrated from private

law documents that limited trustees,

法律文件，限制受託人。

limited corporate executives, that they couldn't embezzle

有限的企業高管，他們不能貪汙。

they couldn't self deal, they couldn't use their powers to benefit themselves to the

他們不能自我交易，不能利用自己的力量為自己謀取利益，以至於

detriment of others.

損人利己。

A future prosecutor could go into court,

未來的檢察官可能會進入法庭。

Trump would walk in and say look I signed the pardon, with the papers then say look, look at my

特朗普會走進來，說你看我簽了特赦令，拿著文件然後說你看，看我的。

signature, the way he always does. And the judge says sorry that piece of paper is not legally

簽名，他總是這樣做。法官說對不起，那張紙是不合法的。

valid, because it violated the part of the Constitution that requires faithful execution.

有效，因為它違反了憲法中要求忠實執行的部分。

The next check to Trump's pardoning power could come from the legislative branch

對特朗普赦免權的下一個制衡可能來自立法部門。

— from Congress.

- 國會的。

There's a clause in the Constitution that basically says Congress has the power

憲法中有一條規定國會有權力...

to make laws to ensure that the Constitution is followed by all branches of the government.

制定法律，確保政府各部門遵守憲法；

So the argument is that if Congress has the ability to regulate the means they cannot

所以論點是，如果國會有能力調節手段，他們就不能

take away the pardon power, but they may be able if it's necessary and proper to limit

剝奪赦免權，但如果有必要和適當的限制，他們可能會有能力。

for example, corrupt pardons or illegal pardons that would otherwise be unconstitutional, for example.

例如，貪汙赦免或非法赦免，否則將違憲，例如。

It's possible, let's say the president pardoned everyone,

有可能，比方說總統赦免了所有人。

who was white because for racist reasons. For example, that would clearly violate the Constitution.

誰是白人，因為出於種族主義的原因。例如，這顯然違反了憲法。

There's almost no way to get that into court.

幾乎沒有辦法將其告上法庭。

The only response here can actually come from Congress.

這裡唯一的迴應其實可以來自國會。

The most obvious check to Trump's pardoning power, though, is one that Trump's own legal

不過，對特朗普赦免權最明顯的制衡，就是特朗普自己的法律。

team has publicly recognized:

團隊已經公開承認。

"The president of the United States pardoning himself would just be unthinkable

"美國總統赦免自己是不可想象的事

and it would lead to probably, an immediate impeachment.

它將導致可能，立即彈劾。

Trump can pardon whoever he wants — even if that means shielding his political allies

特朗普可以赦免任何他想赦免的人--即使這意味著要保護他的政治盟友

from the Mueller investigation and even, plausibly, himself.

從穆勒的調查，甚至，可能是他自己。

But he would almost certainly face impeachment hearings in Congress for doing so.

但他這樣做幾乎肯定會面臨國會的彈劾聽證會。

And as the Constitution makes clear — that pardoning power cannot be used to shield from

而憲法也明確規定--赦免權不能用來抵擋。

impeachment.

彈劾；

So in some ways voters themselves serve as a powerful check against the president's pardoning power.

所以在某種程度上，選民本身就是對總統赦免權的有力制衡。

But of course this all depends on Congress's willingness to move forward with impeachment,

但當然這一切都取決於國會是否願意推進彈劾。

should the need arise.

如果需要的話。

Elections are a crucial check because all of the departments are the people's servants, ultimately.

選舉是一個重要的檢查，因為所有的部門都是人民的公僕，最終。

I think it's a tremendous political mistake myself for him to have urged that he has the

我認為這是一個巨大的政治錯誤，他自己已經敦促他有了

absolute power because no one in America thinks we have a monarch

絕對權力，因為在美國沒有人認為我們有一個君主。

whether you love Donald Trump or not.

無論你是否愛唐納德-特朗普。