Can a President commit obstruction of justice?
Richard Nixon seemed to think so. (Well, he did eventually, although he first went full Trump with "When the president does it, that means that it is not illegal."). When Nixon was caught trying to get the CIA to obstruct an FBI investigation, he elected to resign rather than be kicked to the curb. His successor was worried enough about Nixon's potential criminal liability that he issued the Trickster one of those Presidential Get Out of Jail Free cards.
The articles of impeachment voted against Clinton also charged obstruction of justice, although impeachment is a civil action, not a criminal one, and it is extremely unlikely that he would ever have faced that charge in a criminal court.
Clinton would have gone down for perjury if he was a civilian, not obstruction. He did just presidential power to dodge civil proceedings that, if turns out, were 100% viable and credible. He perjured himself in that process. But his obstruction wasn't one of justice, but if a valid suit by a citizen. Presidents aren't immune from the law, and can't use their power to make inconvenient legal issues from before their presidency go away.
ReplyDeleteCheeto is guilty of good old fashioned obstruction and abuse of presidential power. His abuse is far worse than Clinton's, as it relates to actual national security and borders on treason. (it isn't, but it's close)
Orders of impeachment on him should be a slam dunk. Moreso than any other president in history. Throw in emoluments and give got a case anyone could win.
And there's little to justify censure like Slick Willy. He has to go, clearly. And more importantly, if the GOP wants to exist after the midterms, they'd better follow through, or the whole damn country is gonna look like NC.
Damn autocorrect. Wish I could edit.
DeleteI still think we need an emollients clause to keep the president from over-moisturizing. Why do you think they called him Slick Willy?
ReplyDeleteSeriously, that rotting ham in a wig is confusing obstruction of little-j justice with obstruction of Justice, the department that he nominally runs. It's a creative argument, though wrong. But until we have a congress willing to check him, he gets away with it.