Clinton was disbarred and fined for the crimes he was found to have committed by the special prosecutor.
Although the crimes committed by Clinton were adjudged in the Senate to fall short of the constitutional standard for his removal, they were crimes nevertheless.
It’s clear that impeachment is a proceeding covering alleged crimes. And the Senate role in impeachment is to conduct a trial.
We thus have crimes and trial associated with impeachment but we know the Senate is limited in sentencing to removal only. But we expect the crimes to continue in criminal courts after removal.
It seems reasonable that SCOTUS would rule to apply principles and rights to an accused in a presidential impeachment proceeding.
One branch of the government holding another branch of the government hostage is unconstitutional. That’s what this amounts to. The rules which currently allow this to happen should be brought forth to the USSC for a proper judgement as to whether or not they fit within the framework of three co-equal branches of government as prescribed by the founders. This is what needs to happen. No one has to obey a law that is unconstitutional and that’s the position the Senate and the President should take. The impeachment process is there to deal with removing a threat to the nation, not to be used as a political weapon to be used as a threat to another branch of the government.