@rbreich Natural extension of Nixon's pardon and Iran-Contra getting whitewashed to name but two steps on the path here?
Surely this is realpolitik?
Concepts like the spirit of republicanism, or civic-mindedness, or even institutionalised culture such as rule-of-law fall away when confronted by the exercise of power - by those who hold it and have the will to exercise it.
Perhaps it's only abnormal in that it dispenses with the appearance of propriety and cloak of discretion.