If Donald Trump is convicted, President Joe Biden should pardon him

The first time I suggested this in a column some months back a reader wondered if I was “a glutton for punishment or just a wisea**, or both?”

I took that to be rhetorical.

Particularly since the response I received may have set a record in terms of vitriol, contempt, disdain and downright nastiness, often from readers who claimed to otherwise “like” me.

But now that former President Donald Trump has been formally indicted, I’ll suggest it again.

There may come a time in this process when President Joe Biden should pardon Trump.

'That is a ridiculous idea'

A few of the printable responses I received to this suggestion some months back included this from Danielle D., “What the….. Wow! Pardoning Trump that is a ridiculous idea! It would never help mend fences, he’ll use it as a tool, as a weakness because in his head, he is never going to lose.”

And this from Terry W., “President Joe Biden should pardon Donald Trump??? NO. FRIGGEN. WAY. Sure didn't expect something like this out of you, Montini. Donald HAS TO PAY FOR HIS CRIMES.”

I get that.

But here’s what we know for sure.

The general public’s reaction to Trump’s indictment falls into two categories. People either believe it is proof that no one is above the law, or proof of a politically motivated witch hunt.

There would be endless appeals and no opinions changed

Should the federal charges against Trump proceed to trial, and a verdict be reached, guilty or not guilty, not a single person’s opinion will change.

Not one.

Should Trump be found guilty, there would be an appeal, perhaps many appeals.

Given all that, President Joe Biden should pull a Gerald Ford and pardon Donald Trump.

Readers weren’t buying that comparison, either.

Gerald Ford was vilified but never wavered

Charles F. wrote, “After Nixon was pardoned and left the political arena he basically disappeared into the ex-presidents void. I don't see Trump doing the same. He would turn it around as a victory and keep spewing lies and hate.”

Sean E. added, “No. Pardoning Nixon gave us Reagan and the Iran-Contra scam. Ignoring Reagan got us Trump.”I get all that as well.

Ford was vilified for what he did, but he never wavered.

He appeared before a congressional committee and told them, “I was absolutely convinced then as I am now that if we had had an indictment, a trial, a conviction, and anything else that transpired after this that the attention of the President, the Congress and the American people would have been diverted from the problems that we have to solve.”

Trump would never go quietly, of course. No matter what.

Proof in the end of who is the better man

And even if Biden pardons him there are still possible state charges in New York and Georgia, for which a president cannot grant pardons. And there is the matter of Trump himself, his bluster, his bravado.

Stanley D. put it this way, “EJ is/was a Catholic and knows pretty well that there is no forgiveness without contrition. How can you forgive someone who says he has done nothing wrong?”

True. But a pardon is still the right thing to do.

Ford told the House committee, “Our nation is under the severest of challenges now to employ its full energies and efforts in the pursuit of a sound and growing economy at home and a stable and peaceful world around us. We would needlessly be diverted from meeting those challenges if we as a people were to remain sharply divided over whether to indict, bring to trial, and punish a former President … .”

A number of people pointed out that if the situation was reversed Trump would never pardon Biden.

No doubt.

But Biden is a better man. A pardon would prove it.

Reach Montini at ed.montini@arizonarepublic.com.

For more opinions content, please subscribe.

This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: If Trump is convicted, Joe Biden should pardon him