Rep. Adam Schiff (D-CA) argued that not prosecuting Trump could be precedent-setting and ship the message that presidents are above the regulation.
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Intelligence Committee Chairman Schiff mentioned on CBS’s Face The Nation, “For four years the Justice Department took the position that you can’t indict a sitting president. If the department were to take the position that you can’t investigate or indict a former president, then the president becomes above the law. That’s a very dangerous idea that the founders would never have subscribed to. Even more dangerous in the case of Donald Trump. Donald Trump is someone who has shown when he’s not held accountable, he goes on to commit worse and worse abuses of power. I agree with judge Carter in California. I think there’s evidence the former president engaged in multiple violations of the law and that should be investigated.”
When Schiff was requested concerning the risks of indicting a former a president in a deeply divided nation, he answered, “ You know, it’s certainly not a step to be taken lightly at all. At the same time, immunizing a former president who has engaged in wrongdoing I would agree with the vice chair is more dangerous than anything else. And the decision not to move forward with an investigation or not to move forward with the prosecution because of someone’s political status or political influence or because they have a following, to me that is a far more dangerous thing to our constitution than following the evidence wherever it leads, including when it leads to a former president.”
Chairman Schiff was right on each factors. Not investigating Trump will ship him the message that he can escalate his lawlessness with no penalties. After Trump acquired away with the Russia scandal, he tried to blackmail Ukraine into digging up grime on Joe Biden.
The message will probably be that present and former presidents are above the regulation if Trump just isn’t prosecuted. If a jury finds Trump not responsible, at the least he could be held accountable and put by way of the justice system. Not prosecuting him units up a rustic the place some individuals are formally above the regulation, and that concept creates a a lot bigger menace than any unrest that derives from prosecuting Trump.
Mr. Easley is the managing editor. He’s additionally a White Home Press Pool and a Congressional correspondent for PoliticusUSA. Jason has a Bachelor’s Diploma in Political Science. His graduate work targeted on public coverage, with a specialization in social reform actions.
Awards and Skilled Memberships
Member of the Society of Skilled Journalists and The American Political Science Affiliation
