Technically not treason I guess, but those pardoned as part of the Russia investigations are potential co-conspirators. This has to be challenged in court.
The presidential pardon is absolute - the only form of recourse is electoral and that's already done. If he really wanted to fudge things up, he could pardon the entire prison population on his last day but that would mean pardoning lots of black people so he won't do that.
How absolute is yet to be tested in court. Self pardon would mean that the president is above the law. That'll be challenged at a minimum. Wiser to resign and get Pence to do it.
Self pardon will.be challenged, I'm sure but the language is fairly clear. It's one of the simplest laws in the US legal system as there are no caveats.
It was something Nixon contemplated but did not try after advice. Back then the OLC opined that a presidential self-pardon wouldn't be constitutional under the fundamental rule that no one may be a judge in his own case. The supreme court, even with 3 Trump judges, would never be as bold as to side with Trump on this. The precedent that the president is above the law would scare even the right-wing zealots on the court. Taken to an extreme you could kill your political opponents and pardon yourself.
The case law lies with the ability to self pardon. Historically there have only been two or three occasions where this has happened and both were lawful.
Sickening. Manafort can be hooked on state charges I believe. He'll bolt to Russia.
