Trump pardon talk turns serious as his lawyers study blanket clemency: report

President Donald Trump's offhand talk of pardoning everyone around him has moved from punchline to legal homework inside the White House.White House attorneys are reviewing whether to hand out sweeping pardons to lower-ranking staffers, The Washington Sun reported Saturday, citing two people familiar with the discussion. One source said a pardon covering every junior official is unlikely, but Trump could instead issue blanket clemency for everyone involved in certain policy areas, such as deportations, military action or trade.The scope would dwarf anything previously reported. Trump has openly mused about clemency for his top aides, but the talks now underway could reach the thousands of rank-and-file employees who have carried out his agenda.Influential conservative groups, including the Heritage Foundation and American Moment, have urged the White House counsel's office to either draft pardons or set aside money to cover legal bills for junior staffers facing potential criminal cases, congressional investigations or...