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U.S. NEWS Monday 24 July 2017
Trump asserts all agree he has ‘complete power’ to pardon

By DARLENE SUPERVILLE to prosecute leakers.
Associated Press Trump maintains that no
WASHINGTON (AP) — crimes have been commit-
President Donald Trump ted.
said Saturday that he has One of Trump’s attorneys,
“complete power” to issue Jay Sekulow, said the presi-
pardons, an assertion that dent has not discussed the
comes amid investigations issue of pardons with his
into Russian interference in outside legal team.
last year’s presidential elec- Sekulow reiterated that
tion. It was one of many point Saturday evening.
topics that appeared to Speaking to reporters at
occupy the president’s the site of the Western Con-
mind as the day broke. servative Summit in Denver,
On a day when most he said that Trump’s private
people are ready to for- legal team is “not research-
get about the issues that ing it because it’s not an is-
nagged them during the sue.”
week, Trump revved up. In “I don’t know where this
an early morning flurry of came from. There is nothing
10 tweets, he commented to pardon,” said Sekulow,
about pardons, former who added that “what’s
presidential rival Hillary going on in Washington
Clinton, son Don Jr., health President Donald Trump, right, and Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe, left, applaud during commissioning is an attack on the presi-
care, the USS Gerald Ford, ceremonies aboard the nuclear aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford at Naval Station Norfolk in dent.”
Norfolk, Va., Saturday, July 22, 2017.
the attorney general and (AP Photo/Steve Helber) Congressional lawmakers
other issues. say eldest son and his for-
Trump said in one of his 10 against us. FAKE NEWS.” or even himself in connec- sociates were involved. mer campaign chairman
messages: “While all agree The Washington Post re- tion with the widening in- The president has long criti- won’t be forced to testify
the U. S. President has the cently reported that Trump vestigation into Russian in- cized leaks of information publicly next week as part
complete power to par- has inquired about the au- terference in the election about the investigation, of the Russia election med-
don, why think of that when thority he has as president and whether any Trump as- and has urged authorities dling investigation. q
only crime so far is LEAKS to pardon aides, relatives

White House indicates Trump
would sign new sanctions bill

Continued from Front
The sanctions targeting view if Trump attempts to
Russia, however, have terminate the sanctions
drawn the most attention against Moscow. Top ad-
due to Trump’s persistent ministration officials said
push for warmer relations the provisions infringed
with President Vladimir on the president’s execu-
Putin and ongoing investi- tive authority and tied his
gations into Russia’s inter- hands as he explores av-
ference in the 2016 cam- enues of cooperation be-
paign. tween the two former Cold
“North Korea, Iran and Rus- War foes. But Sanders said
sia have in different ways the White House was able
all threatened their neigh- to work with the House
bors and actively sought and Senate to “make
to undermine American those changes that were
interests,” according to a necessary.” Lawmakers
joint statement by Califor- included the review be-
nia Republicans Kevin Mc- cause of wariness in both
Carthy, the House major- parties over Trump’s affinity
ity leader, and Ed Royce for Putin. Rep. Eliot Engel of
of California, the Foreign New York, the top ranking
Affairs Committee chair- Democrat on the Foreign
man. The bill the House will Affairs Committee, said
vote, they said, “will now Trump has been unwilling
exclusively focus on these to respond seriously to Rus-
nations and hold them ac- sia’s belligerence, “leaving
countable for their dan- Congress with the urgent
gerous actions.” responsibility to hold Vladi-
The White House had ob- mir Putin accountable.”
jected to a key section of McCarthy had pushed to
the bill that would man- add the North Korea sanc-
date a congressional re- tions to the package. q