Letters to the Editor: Adam Schiff’s admirable stance against preemptive pardons

To the editor: As a lifelong Republican, I may disagree with Adam Schiff on social and economic issues. However, I am thankful he is a U.S. senator. (“Schiff opposes a preemptive pardon from Biden as Trump again threatens sending him to jail,” Dec. 9)

His fealty to the Constitution and rule of law is newly demonstrated by his opposition to a preemptive pardon by President Biden because it would set a detrimental precedent.

Schiff’s vigilance in the Senate will serve us all as a deterrent to the perils of governing by impulse.

Mel Spitz, Beverly Hills

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To the editor: Creating a precedent for a preemptive pardon is absolutely justified to counter a president-elect’s threat to jail his political opponents.

Michelle Obama was right when she said, “When they go low, we go high.” But if Democrats want to win, it needs to be, “When they go low, we nip their shenanigans in the bud.”

Maybe the framers of our Constitution were smart enough to give the president broad pardoning power in anticipation of a wannabe dictator becoming president. The pardoning power is specifically outlined in the Constitution; jailing political opponents is not.

We still have our Constitution to guide us. We are not a banana republic. If it takes setting precedent to protect our Constitution, then let’s do it.

Marvin Gordon, Laguna Beach

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To the editor: Democrats, where did the admiration and empathy for Biden go?

Under these circumstances (having already tragically lost a wife, a daughter and a son, plus seeing threats against his last remaining son), could we not take an empathetic stance on Biden’s pardoning of his now-only son?

Hunter Biden’s crimes pale in comparison to President-elect Donald Trump’s alleged crimes and those of others Trump pardoned in his first term and plans to pardon when he becomes president again.

I’d really be pleased if office-holding Democrats would cheer Biden on. Given the circumstances, he has every reason and right to pardon his son. Wouldn’t you do the same thing?

Nancy Flesch Brundige, Los Angeles