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Dershowitz: Supreme Court could overrule an unconstitutional impeachment
The Hill ^ | 05/31/19 04:08 PM EDT | Alan Dershowitz

Posted on 06/01/2019 1:57:41 PM PDT by E. Pluribus Unum

Donald John TrumpOcasio-Cortez returns to bartending in support of tipped workers: 'Still got it!' Trade wars have cost stock market trillion: Deutsche Bank analysis Dollar stores warn they will have to raise prices over tariffs MORE has said that if the House were to impeach him despite his not having committed “high crimes and misdemeanors,” he might seek review of such an unconstitutional action in the Supreme Court. On April 24, he tweeted that if “the partisan Dems ever tried to Impeach, I would first head to the U.S. Supreme Court. Not only are there no 'High Crimes and Misdemeanors,' there are no Crimes by me at all.”

Yesterday, when asked by a reporter if he thinks Congress will impeach him, the president responded, “I don’t see how. They can because they’re possibly allowed, although I can’t imagine the courts allowing it.”

Commentators have accused Trump of not understanding the way impeachment works and have stated quite categorically that the courts have no constitutional role to play in what is solely a congressional and political process. Time magazine declared in a headline “That’s Not How It Works,” and Vox called the president’s argument “profoundly confused.”

Scholars also echoed the derision. The influential legal blog Lawfare wrote confidently that “The Supreme Court Has No Role in Impeachment,” and my friend and colleague Larry Tribe, an eminent constitutional law scholar, called Trump’s argument simply “idiocy,” explaining that “the court is very good at slapping down attempts to drag things out by bringing it into a...”


(Excerpt) Read more at thehill.com ...


TOPICS: Breaking News; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: alandershowitz; braking; dershowitz; donaldtrump; impeachment; impeachtrump; scotus; supremecourt; thedersh; trump
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To: Repeal 16-17

Impeachment and removal are two different steps.

Clinton was impeached but not removed.


61 posted on 06/01/2019 7:25:31 PM PDT by Liz ( Our side has 8 trillion bullets; the other side doesn't know which bathroom to use.)
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To: murron
It does carry with it a certain stigma. Donald Trump, impeached President would be in history books forever.

Andrew Johnson was the first President to be impeached, but his impeachment and resulting trial are viewed as unjustified. President Trump's impeachment and resulting trial would be viewed the same way by history.

62 posted on 06/01/2019 7:50:10 PM PDT by Repeal 16-17 (Let me know when the Shooting starts.)
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To: E. Pluribus Unum

SCOTUS could, in fact, do that.

But the odds are about the same that it would overturn the long-standing “political question” principle that it’s used for more than 2 centuries to avoid making rulings on such matters. Very, very close to zero.


63 posted on 06/01/2019 8:06:55 PM PDT by sourcery (Non Aquiesco: "I do not consent" (Latin))
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To: E. Pluribus Unum

Nonsense.

It’s up to Congress to decide what merits impeachment.

To see the obvious problem with suggesting otherwise, just consider the case of impeachment of a federal judge or justice.


64 posted on 06/01/2019 11:32:45 PM PDT by Stravinsky
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To: All

Disagree, the courts nor SCOTUS are the final arbiter in disagreements between the branches of government. That would put them above the other branches.


65 posted on 06/01/2019 11:42:57 PM PDT by veracious (UN=OIC=Islam ; USAgov may be radically changed, just amend USConstitution)
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To: Repeal 16-17

Not really. Even though your facts are correct, when Andrew Johnson’s name is listed in history books, it states that he was the first impeached President and unless it’s an extended biography, doesn’t give the reasons why. And when history books list impeached presidents, they’ll say Johnson, Clinton, and Trump, which means that Trump would be lumped in with that piece of garbage Clinton. People won’t care why. Just that he must have done something wrong.


66 posted on 06/02/2019 12:07:11 AM PDT by murron
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To: frank ballenger

I didn’t say he would get justice. Just pointing out who would have jurisdiction.


67 posted on 06/02/2019 12:08:33 AM PDT by murron
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To: E. Pluribus Unum

A few million armed patriots will stop any impeachment trial. They will be everywhere.


68 posted on 06/02/2019 12:12:21 AM PDT by WASCWatch
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To: poconopundit

Unfortunately, network tv such as Law & Order, Criminal Minds, etc seems to love using that quote - it’s always spouted off by a character playing a right wing extremist. Seems to be a favorite for them.


69 posted on 06/02/2019 12:45:40 AM PDT by HollyB
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To: E. Pluribus Unum
Despite never having been mistaken for a Constitutional scholar it's hard for me to imagine the courts getting involved in any impeachment scenario.

But then Mr Dershowitz *is* a Constitutional scholar so...

70 posted on 06/02/2019 4:47:10 AM PDT by Gay State Conservative (A Joke: Comey,Brennan and Lynch walk into a Barr...)
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To: Jeff Chandler

They raise their prices anyway. A $10 shirt would be 12.50 if it went all the way to 25%, but that assumes no one else in the entire world will keep their price at 10 bucks. And lots of them make shirts.


71 posted on 06/02/2019 6:43:58 AM PDT by xzins (Retired US Army chaplain. Support our troops by praying for their victory.)
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To: plain talk

The Scotus has no choice. The constitution says the chief justice is in charge. He presides.


72 posted on 06/02/2019 6:45:23 AM PDT by xzins (Retired US Army chaplain. Support our troops by praying for their victory.)
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To: DIRTYSECRET

All these high end lawyers expressing an opinion in uncharted waters reminds me that there are too many with too much time on their hands.

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73 posted on 06/02/2019 6:46:47 AM PDT by patriotspride
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To: xzins

I was referring to the SC overruling an impeachment.


74 posted on 06/02/2019 7:47:18 AM PDT by plain talk
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To: plain talk

You’re right. I figured that, because that’s where I started, too. Then I remembered the Chief Justice thing and figured the chief justice could get 4 other votes pretty easily if he asked scotus to take it up.


75 posted on 06/02/2019 7:52:18 AM PDT by xzins (Retired US Army chaplain. Support our troops by praying for their victory.)
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To: xzins

“the chief justice could get 4 other votes pretty easily if he asked scotus to take it up.”

There’s no way this Chief Justice would want to take up a case like this. Also I don’t see a Chief Justice easily getting four members to agree with him on anything. There is no “easy” when it comes to the SC.


76 posted on 06/02/2019 8:03:21 AM PDT by plain talk
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To: plain talk

Dershowitz says that under Marbury/Madison the Scotus is the arbiter of anything between Congress/President.

A falsified or inadequate impeachment charge would definitely get the attention of Alito, Thomas, Kavenaugh, and Gorsuch.

It is entirely possible Roberts is a never-Trumper republican, but even he should see that the precedent for a political impeachment would mean every time an opposite party House gets in power that they would move to impeach a president over political differences.


77 posted on 06/02/2019 8:12:05 AM PDT by xzins (Retired US Army chaplain. Support our troops by praying for their victory.)
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To: Gay State Conservative

It used to be hard to imagine federal courts overriding existing immigration law.


78 posted on 06/02/2019 8:13:08 AM PDT by E. Pluribus Unum (Capitalism produces EVERYTHING Socialists/Communists/Democratic-Socialists wish to "redistribute.")
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To: xzins

Roberts and the SC will stay out of it.


79 posted on 06/02/2019 8:14:15 AM PDT by plain talk
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To: murron
Donald Trump, impeached President would be in history books forever.

You will see many history books about the Trump impeachment bandwagon even if it is unsuccessful.

80 posted on 06/02/2019 8:14:37 AM PDT by ding_dong_daddy_from_dumas (Mozart tells you what it's like to be human. Bach tells you what it's like to be the universe)
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