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Political Science News and Events

Thompson discusses the possibility of Trump resigning with WPIX-11

President Donald Trump could resign shortly before his term ends on Jan. 20 at which point Vice President Mike Pence would assume office and could issue a pardon. "This would certainly be legal, if questionably ethical, especially if there were a prior agreement between Pence and Trump," says Margaret Susan Thompson, associate professor of history and political science. "You’ll recall that Ford pardoned Nixon under similar circumstances, though Ford denied throughout his life that there had been any agreement between him and Nixon." Read
December 2, 2020

See related: Federal, United States

Reeher weighs in on Biden healing the nation in The Hill

"The forces he is up against are much bigger than President Trump and are tectonic in nature. There are a set of forces that push us apart rather than bring us together," says Grant Reeher, professor of political science. But, he adds, "I do think having a period of time for the country to experience the absence of the daily melodrama of the Trump presidency will help."

November 30, 2020

White quoted in Patch article on police unions

Steven White, assistant professor of political science, says one reason it's so hard to fire a police officer, even one who appears to have broken the law, is because there are so many opportunities for the officers and their unions to appeal. "It's not surprising that police unions want it to be harder to punish officers," White added.

November 20, 2020

See related: Labor, United States

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