“As has been stated by numerous legal scholars, I have the absolute right to PARDON myself, but why would I do that when I have done nothing wrong?” So tweeted President (and noted constitutional law scholar) Donald Trump on Monday morning, before adding: “The appointment of the Special Counsel is totally UNCONSTITUTIONAL!”

+ Aside from the likely disastrous political fallout, does the president really have the power to pardon himself? (I’m probably too biased to answer that question. I can’t even pardon the all caps.) Vox asked 15 experts if it would be legal.

+ The Atlantic: “Where Richard Nixon insisted to David Frost that ‘when the president does it, that means it is not illegal,’ Trump is gesturing toward a different argument: When the president does it, it doesn’t really matter whether it’s legal or not because he can just pardon himself anyway.”

+ If nothing else, the Trump era is turning us all into armchair constitutional law experts. From Lawfare: Can the Presidency Trump a Special Counsel Subpoena?

+ And while were on the general topic, Slate wonders: Would a Former President Get Secret Service Protection in Prison?