Alan Dershowitz repeatedly asserted today that presidents cannot be impeached for abuse of power, equating it with "maladministration". Dershowitz also said that actions with "mixed motives" cannot be impeached -- if a president can assert a national interest motive then it is not impeachable, even if it also serves a personal motive. And because, Dershowitz argued, every politician sees their re-election as a national interest, even actions taken for the purpose of personal political benefit confer this "mixed motive" protection.
Deputy Counsel Pat Philbin later answered a question regarding Trump's professed willingness to receive information against a political opponent from a foreign government and use it for re-election, not altering the DOJ/FBI. He answered that receiving such information would not be a campaign violation or an impeachable act.
Between the two of them, the President's team has now argued that Trump could be offered and take information from foreign sources, such as stolen emails or false allegations, not alert the FBI, and use them to win re-election. Doing so, Philbin argues, would not be a criminal violation and, according to Dershowitz, would not be impeachable -- even if the President altered US policy in anticipation or receipt of that information in what we would traditionally call a bribe.
To Trump supporters and people advocating against impeachment, I ask: is this an appropriate standard you want? Is it even a plausible standard of presidential behavior? Do you not see the danger and the absurdity?
--Sam
Deputy Counsel Pat Philbin later answered a question regarding Trump's professed willingness to receive information against a political opponent from a foreign government and use it for re-election, not altering the DOJ/FBI. He answered that receiving such information would not be a campaign violation or an impeachable act.
Between the two of them, the President's team has now argued that Trump could be offered and take information from foreign sources, such as stolen emails or false allegations, not alert the FBI, and use them to win re-election. Doing so, Philbin argues, would not be a criminal violation and, according to Dershowitz, would not be impeachable -- even if the President altered US policy in anticipation or receipt of that information in what we would traditionally call a bribe.
To Trump supporters and people advocating against impeachment, I ask: is this an appropriate standard you want? Is it even a plausible standard of presidential behavior? Do you not see the danger and the absurdity?
--Sam
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