GOP Sen: Trump Should Keep a ‘Pardon Off the Table’ for Manafort, Flynn

Sunday on CBS’s “Face the Nation,” Sen. Tim Scott (R-SC) suggest President Donald Trump keep the pardon “off the table” for his former campaign chairman Paul Manafort and former national security adviser Michael Flynn.

Partial transcript as follows:

BRENNAN: Senator, the person tied to Russian intelligence that we’re talking about did work with Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort. You’ve been on record in the past saying that President Trump should not pardon Michael Flynn. Do you view Paul Manafort differently?

SCOTT: I do not. I think it’s important that the White House be clear on this position as it relates to not treating either person differently. The fact of the matter is keeping the pardon off the table is a necessary part of the process. I would be disappointed if President Trump were to pardon either one of these individuals. The good news is that the Mueller investigation continues. The better news is that the public will have as much information as necessary to draw clear conclusions. And today, it only reinforces why it’s important for us to make sure that the investigation continues until it gets to the end. I hope that we get there sooner than later. But the reality of it is that the more information we find out, the better, and the more confident the American people will be in who we are as a nation.

BRENNAN: Does that mean you would support legislation to protect Bob Mueller from being fired?

SCOTT: I don’t know that we need legislation to move forward. I don’t know that there’s a single senator that would come out in favor of stopping the investigation from going forward.

Follow Pam Key on Twitter @pamkeyNEN

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