"Can the President pardon himself" is a current hot topic of debate. The U.S. Constitution, Article II Section 2 provides the President "shall have Power to grant Reprieves and Pardons for Offenses against the United States, except in Cases of Impeachment." Of course, pardoning comes only after a conviction. If there is no conviction, there is n need to pardon.
You would think that the impeachment exception in Article II section 2 would be enough to end the debate. But it seems to be ignored. Fortunately there is another reason why the President can't pardon himself - - one that no one is mentioning yet.
Since a pardon can be granted only after a conviction, if the President is impeached by the House and convicted by the Senate, he is removed as President. So if he is no longer President he can't pardon anyone. Why is there any debate?
