The legal nuances of the President of the United States pardoning himself don't seem to rankle Republican Senator James Lankford as much as the fact that the administration is talking about it at all. "It's really an odd conversation, quite frankly, out of the White House, to be talking about presidential pardons when the whole time you're saying 'I didn't do anything,'" Lankford, Oklahoma's junior senator, told Cheddar's J.D. Durkin on Tuesday. In [a tweet](https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1003616210922147841) the day before, President Trump said, "I have the absolute right to pardon myself, but why would I do that when I have done nothing wrong?" The statement touched off a constitutional debate over presidential powers. "It seems weird to suddenly have this switch-up message coming from the White House," Lankford said, adding: "I think the White House should be focused on getting information out." As a member of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, Lankford said that information should be included in a bipartisan report on exactly what happened during the 2016 presidential campaign, and put an end to the speculation over Russian involvement in the election. That includes concluding the work of the special counsel, Robert Mueller. "At the end of the day, let's get the facts out there, because the nation has to move on," Lankford said. For more, [click here](https://cheddar.com/videos/republican-senators-frustrated-by-budget-appropriations-process).

Share:
More In Politics
Return To School Clouded By Mask Mandate Bans In GOP-Led States
Even amid the spread of the Delta variant, Republican governors in states like Florida and Texas have taken actions like banning mask mandates for school districts that will soon bring students back for the year. This argument happens amid a stark increase in pediatric COVID cases. Bianca Quilantan, education reporter at POLITICO, joins Cheddar Politics to discuss.
Next Week on the Street: August 16 to August 20
In stories sure to move markets next week, Robinhood and several retail giants report earnings, Jerome Powell takes the podium, New York City's mask mandate goes into effect, and Tesla hosts its 'AI Day.'
Trump-DeSantis Tensions Coming To Surface
Former President Trump remains the standard-bearer of the Republican Party in his first six months removed from office. But despite his position atop the party, others are moving to shore up their own bona fides. Chief among them is Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis who has signed a bevy of bills popular among conservatives this year. He's viewed as a potential successor to trump, and that's creating tension with the still-present Trump. Matt Dixon, POLITICO Florida bureau chief, joins Cheddar Politics to discuss.
Load More