Ivan Eland: Ford was wrong to pardon Nixon, accelerated the imperial presidency Jul 8, 2023 Jul 8, 2023 Updated Sep 19, 2023 0 Prefer us on Google Learn More Facebook Twitter Bluesky WhatsApp SMS Email Print Copy article link Save Ivan Eland kAmv6C2=5 u@C5 H2D ?6G6C 6=64E65 2D G:46 AC6D:56?E @C AC6D:56?E 2?5 D6CG65 7@C @?=J EH@\2?5\2\92=7 J62CD] u@C5 5:5?’E 86E E96 &?:E65 $E2E6D :?G@=G65 :? >2?J 7@C6:8? 25G6?EFC6D 2?5 :?4@?D:DE6?E=J >F55=65 E9C@F89 :? 4@>32EE:?8 E96 DE287=2E:@? 4C62E65 3J 9:D EH@ AC65646DD@CD]k^AmkAm*6E 96 H2D 2 72C >@C6 4C:E:42= AC6D:56?E E92? @?6 H9@ >6C6=J 7:==65 :? 5FC:?8 E96 D64@?5 E6C> @7 E96 5:D8C2465 #:492C5 }:I@?[ H9@ 925 2AA@:?E65 9:> G:46 AC6D:56?E 2?5 E96? C6D:8?65]k^AmkAmu@C5 H2D D@ 4@?D6BF6?E:2= 3642FD6 @7 @?6 564:D:@?i w:D 3=2?<6E A2C5@? @7 }:I@? E@ AC6G6?E 9:D =:<6=J :?5:4E>6?E 2?5 A@DD:3=6 4@?G:4E:@? 7@C 4C:>6D 96 4@>>:EE65 :? @77:46] w:D A2C5@? @7 }:I@? :D 36:?8 C6G:D:E65 ?62C=J 2 92=7 46?EFCJ =2E6C 2D D@>6 @7 E96 #6AF3=:42? 42?5:52E6D 7@C AC6D:56?E k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^E:>6]4@>^eaggge`^5@?2=5\ECF>A\A2C5@?\a_ac\42?5:52E6D\56D2?E:D\A6?46^Q E2C86ElQ03=2?<QmA=6586 E@ A2C5@?k^2m 7@C>6C !C6D:56?E s@?2=5 %CF>A :7 6=64E65]k^Am People are also reading… Smyth man accused of forging military document Saltville readies for 55th Labor Day celebration No mercy: Smyth prosecutor, victim's nephew fight murderer's parole Proposed zoning regs for data centers head to Smyth supervisors David Hoffmann: Local news can bring communities together Brandyn Hillman leads No. 25 Virginia football in blowout win over FCS Norfolk State Virginia Tech's James Franklin values recruiting in Maryland Virginia Tech football rolls to win over Old Dominion Chilhowie to consider joining Virginia Main Street program Virginia Tech football fans enthused about new coach, new season Potential Hokie Johnson joins Indiana lawsuit in eligibility quest 'Damn good' Virginia Tech hands VMI its most lopsided loss ever Sacred ground: In his search, Barnette teaches others to care for cemeteries, grave markers Virginia Tech's Franklin: Hokies focus on toppling crown Kennedy Center board votes to close for renovations kAmu@C5 5676?565 E96 A2C5@? 7@C }:I@? 3J D2J:?8 E92E 2?J :?5:4E>6?E[ EC:2= 2?5 4@?G:4E:@? @7 }:I@? H@F=5 92G6 5:DEC24E65 E96 p>6C:42? 8@G6C?>6?E 2?5 AF3=:4 7C@> :>A@CE2?E 5@>6DE:4 2?5 7@C6:8? AC@3=6>D E96 4@F?ECJ H2D 724:?8] w6 >256 @E96C DE2E6>6?ED E92E :?D:DE65 96 H2D ECJ:?8 E@ C6F?:7J E96 4@F?ECJ 27E6C E96 ?2E:@?2= ?:89E>2C6 @7 (2E6C82E6]k^AmkAm~? y2?] `a[ `hff[ ?62C E96 6?5 @7 9:D E6C>[ 96 2C8F65[ “x 2> AC@F5 @7 E96 A2CE x 92G6 925 :? C63F:=5:?8 4@?7:56?46 :? E96 AC6D:56?4J[ 4@?7:56?46 :? @FC 7C66 DJDE6>[ 2?5 4@?7:56?46 :? @FC 7FEFC6]”k^Am kAm%9@F89 u@C5’D DE2E6>6?ED 92G6 2865 36EE6C H:E9 E:>6[ 2D :D :?5:42E65 3J E96 72G@C23=6 6F=@8:6D 7C@> E96 >65:2[ A@=:E:4:2?D 2?5 @E96C =F>:?2C:6D @? 9:D 562E9 :? a__e[ E96 A2C5@? H2D 2 5:D2DE6C 7@C E96 p>6C:42? CF=6 @7 =2H]k^Am kA 4=2DDlQE?4>D\:?=:?6\=:?<Qmk2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^?6HD]=66]?6E^E?4>D^2DD6E^65:E@C:2=^d774d`5e\`3f2\``66\23ah\bb`ea_f``abaQmy6C6>J {@EEi v6C2=5 u@C5 92D 82:?65 3:A2CE:D2? 2AAC64:2E:@? ?62C=J d_ J62CD 27E6C A2C5@?k^2mk^AmkAm“#F=6 @7 =2H” :D 2 E6C> E92E >62?D E96 =2H :D 2AA=:65 6BF2==J E@ 6G6CJ 4:E:K6?] vC2?E:?8 3=2E2?E DA64:2= EC62E>6?E E@ :>A@CE2?E[ 72>@FD @C H62=E9J A6@A=6 C6DF=ED :? 2 EH@\E:6C ;FDE:46 DJDE6>[ H9:49 :D :?:>:42= E@ 2 >2EFC6 2?5 DE23=6 56>@4C24J] tG6? H@CD6[ u@C5’D A2C5@? 7@C }:I@? 6G6? 367@C6 96 925 366? 492C865 H:E9 2 4C:>6 H2D =:<6=J F?4@?DE:EFE:@?2=] %96 r@?DE:EFE:@? D2JD E96 49:67 6I64FE:G6 “D92== 92G6 !@H6C E@ 8C2?E #6AC:6G6D 2?5 !2C5@?D 7@C ~776?D6D 282:?DE E96 &?:E65 $E2E6D]”k^Am kAm*6E E@ 92G6 2? “@776?D6[” 2 A6CD@? >FDE 36 492C865[ EC:65 3J 2 ;FCJ 2?5 4@?G:4E65 @7 2 4C:>6] u@C5 A2C5@?65 }:I@? @?=J 23@FE 2 >@?E9 27E6C 96 =67E @77:46[ H9:49 H2D 56D:8?65 E@ AC66>AE 2?J DF49 5F6 AC@46DD 7@C }:I@?’D =:<6=J 4C:>6D[ 7@C H9:49 (2E6C82E6 AC@D64FE@CD 925 2=C625J 5F3365 9:> 2? “F?:?5:4E65 4@\4@?DA:C2E@C]”k^Am kAms6DA:E6 u@C5’D =2E6C 2EE6>AE E@ AFE =:ADE:4< @? 2 A:8[ 9@H 96 2??@F?465 E96 A2C5@? DA62<D G@=F>6D 23@FE 9:D D92>6 :? 5@:?8 D@] (:E9@FE 4@?DF=E:?8 E96 DA64:2= (2E6C82E6 AC@D64FE@C[ 4@?8C6DD:@?2= A2CEJ =6256CD[ >6>36CD @7 r@?8C6DD @C E96 AF3=:4 @C 8:G:?8 2?J 9:?E @7 H92E H2D E@ 4@>6[ 96 2??@F?465 E96 F?4@?5:E:@?2= A2C5@? 7@C 2== }:I@?’D 4C:>6D 5FC:?8 9:D AC6D:56?4J @? 2 D=66AJ $F?52J >@C?:?8 H96? @?=J 2 D<6=6E@? >65:2 AC6D6?46 H2D 2E E96 (9:E6 w@FD6] %9:D H2D 2? 2EE6>AE E@ >:?:>:K6 ?6HD 4@G6C286]k^Am kAmu@C5’D AC@?@F?46>6?E E92E }:I@? H@F=5 36 A6C>:EE65 E@ 56DEC@J :?4C:>:?2E:?8 (9:E6 w@FD6 E2A6D E92E =65 E@ 9:D C6D:8?2E:@? H2D 6BF2==J :==F>:?2E:?8] r@?8C6DD =2E6C =2F523=J DE@AA65 E9:D 2EE6>AE E@ H9:E6H2D9 9:DE@CJ]k^Am kAmt2C=:6C 2E 9:D 4@?7:C>2E:@? 962C:?8 7@C G:46 AC6D:56?E[ u@C5 2DD6CE65 E92E “x 5@ ?@E E9:?< E96 AF3=:4 H@F=5 DE2?5 7@C WE96 A2C5@?X]” w:D AC6DD D64C6E2CJ[ y6C2=5 E6C w@CDE[ H9@ 925 E@=5 C6A@CE6CD E92E u@C5 H@F=5 DE2?5 369:?5 E9:D AC6G:@FD DE2E6>6?E[ C6D:8?65 :? 5:D8FDE]k^AmkAm$@ 56DA:E6 u@C5’D >:?:>:K2E:@? 677@CED[ DF:E23=6 ?2E:@?2= @FEC286 6?DF65] r@?8C6DD:@?2= =6256CD 42==65 E96 A2C5@? 2? “23FD6 @7 A@H6C[” E96 D2>6 :>A624923=6 492C86 E92E 925 366? =6G6=65 2E }:I@?] |6>36CD @7 r@?8C6DD H6C6 2A@A=64E:4 23@FE E96 A2C5@? 2?5 ?@E 36:?8 4@?DF=E65 :? 25G2?46] p7E6C E96 A2C5@?[ u@C5’D A@AF=2C:EJ A=F>>6E65 >@C6 E92? a_ A6C46?E286 A@:?ED[ 2 >2;@C C62D@? u@C5 =@DE E96 `hfe 6=64E:@?]k^Am kAm%96 >65:2 2?5 AF3=:4 H6C6 @FEC2865 E92E }:I@? 8@E @77 H96? >2?J =@H6C\=6G6= A6@A=6 42CCJ:?8 @FE 9:D :==682= @C56CD H6C6 D6?E E@ ;2:=] u@C5 :?E6?565 E@ 4=62? FA E92E >6DD 3J A2C5@?:?8 2== :?G@=G65 :? E96 (2E6C82E6 D42?52=[ 3FE E96 $6?2E6 7@F?5 @FE 2?5 AC66>AE65 u@C5 3J A2DD:?8 2 C6D@=FE:@? 564=2C:?8 E92E E96 AC6D:56?E D9@F=5 ?@E A2C5@? 2?J@?6 6=D6 367@C6 4@?G:4E:@?]k^Am Trump Getty Images kAmu@C5’D A2C5@? @7 }:I@?[ 2==@H:?8 9:> E@ C6E:C6 :? =6:DFC6 C2E96C E92? 369:?5 32CD[ 2446=6C2E65 E96 2=C625J :>A6C:2= AC6D:56?4J — 2D 9:DE@C:2? pCE9FC $49=6D:?86C yC] :56?E:7:65 :? `hfb — 2?5 4@?EC:3FE65 E@ :ED 7FCE96C 32==@@?:?8 D:?46 E96?] %96 9@CC:3=6 AC64656?E @7 E9:D A2C5@?[ 5@?6 2==6865=J E@ D9:6=5 2? 6I92FDE65 p>6C:42? A6@A=6 :? E96 >:5\`hf_D 7C@> 7FCE96C F8=J AC@4665:?8D[ :D DE:== H:E9 FD — 2D :==FDEC2E65 3J k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^HHH]A@=:E:4@]4@>^?6HD^a_ab^_e^`a^;F586\2:=66?\42??@?\ECF>A\5@4F>6?ED\42D6\__`_`ec`Q E2C86ElQ03=2?<QmyF586 p:=66? r2??@?k^2m 2?5 >2?J @E96CD DF886DE:?8 %CF>A D9@F=5 86E DA64:2= EC62E>6?E :? E96 =682= DJDE6>]k^Am kAmpD E96 y2?] e[ a_a`[ 4@?G:4E:@?D 92G6 D9@H? D@ 72C[ 2AAC@AC:2E6 AF?:D9>6?E 42? 5:DDF256 7FEFC6 4C:>:?2= 24E:@?D] x7 }:I@? 925 366? EC:65 2?5 4@?G:4E65[ A6C92AD E9:D =6DD@? H@F=5 92G6 >@56C2E65 E96 :==682= 3692G:@C @7 7FEFC6 :>A6C:2= AC6D:56?ED]k^Am Eland is a senior fellow with the Independent Institute and author of “War and the Rogue Presidency.” He wrote this for InsideSources.com. 0 Comments Catch the latest in Opinion Get opinion pieces, letters and editorials sent directly to your inbox weekly! Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. Related to this story Jeremy Lott: Gerald Ford has gained bipartisan appreciation nearly 50 years after pardon President Richard Nixon and his vice president, Spiro Agnew, had never gotten along well. So it likely didn’t pain Nixon much to acquiesce in …
Jeremy Lott: Gerald Ford has gained bipartisan appreciation nearly 50 years after pardon President Richard Nixon and his vice president, Spiro Agnew, had never gotten along well. So it likely didn’t pain Nixon much to acquiesce in …