i didn't dodge anything. To think we have to go through an elaborate impeachment process that needs 2/3rds of the Senate for conviction is inane in the presence of social media/highly polarized parties.. I see no problem with the unindicted co-conspirator label nor with a sealed indictment against a president.
So what? You've moved from an open indictment of a sitting president to a sealed indictment to be executed after he's out of office to naming him as a co-conspirator in an indictment against an alleged co-conspirator. Impeachment is an entirely separate issue.
It's about offending the Constitution. If one already thinks self-pardons aren't permissible, then it's easy to reason that pardoning co-conspirators is also absurd and aren't permissible. We could just play dumb as you suggest and act like he isn't doing the pardons to protect himself and his grifting crime family, but it makes a mockery out of the Constitution.
http://www.abajournal.com/news/arti...they_are_for_self_benefit_law_profs_say_in_o/
https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/the-presidential-pardon-power-is-not-absolute/2017/09/18/09d3497c-9ca5-11e7-9083-fbfddf6804c2_story.html?utm_term=.30d37e78f14e
https://www.washingtonpost.com/opin...bfddf6804c2_story.html?utm_term=.30d37e78f14e
So, your assertion that "they" (as in any judge) have "ruled" against a president pardoning co-conspirators was mistaken. Various legal experts' opinion isn't any kind of "ruling" & we both know it. The only Constitutional limit on Presidential pardons is in the document itself-
"The President shall be Commander in Chief of the Army and Navy of the United States, and of the Militia of the several States, when called into the actual Service of the United States; he may require the Opinion, in writing, of the principal Officer in each of the executive Departments, upon any Subject relating to the Duties of their respective Offices, and he shall have Power to grant Reprieves and Pardons for Offenses against the United States, except in Cases of Impeachment."
A self pardon would violate natural law on which the Constitution is based.
I don't think that's a given, since it would likely hurt Pence. The only reason they would do it is if they think they could recover by 2020 (assuming next year Donnie implodes). By the way, this is coming from someone that isn't optimistic about the Republicans losing for decades over this. They'll bring in new people and spend the necessary money to shore up their image. At max, I think Republicans go sour for a presidential term. The public is very stupid. VERY stupid.
The GOP will turn on Trump in a heartbeat if they see it as their best move, deal with the consequences down the road. They'd like to avoid that but I doubt they'll be able. If Dems take the HOR then Senatorial Repubs will be forced to deal with it. Those who have 4-6 years left on their terms can vote for conviction with relative impunity, anyway. HOR Republicans can all vote against in order to hold the base in 2020.
Of course Pence has to pardon Trump to hold the base & also to keep Trump from implicating him, as well. Of course it would hurt him with swing voters but it's still his best choice.