Harvard Law School Professor Emeritus Alan Dershowitz described Robert Mueller’s Wednesday statement — in which the former FBI director implied that President Donald Trump might have committed obstruction of justice — as a “political gift” for “radicals” among Democrats “seeking to institute impeachment proceedings” against the president.
Dershowitz wrote at the Hill:
[Robert Mueller] went beyond the conclusion of his report and gave a political gift to Democrats in Congress who are seeking to institute impeachment proceedings against President Trump. By implying that President Trump might have committed obstruction of justice, Mueller effectively invited Democrats to institute impeachment proceedings. Obstruction of justice is a “high crime and misdemeanor” which, under the Constitution, authorizes impeachment and removal of the president.
Dershowitz previously rejected descriptions of Mueller’s conduct as partisan. He also accepted assumptions of good faith on behalf of Mueller’s ostensible investigation of claims of “the Russian government’s efforts to interfere in the 2016 presidential election” but has now changed his mind about the former Obama official’s impartiality:
DNC vice chair attacks Democratic Sen. John Fetterman: ‘You’re a mess’
DOJ cites White House Correspondents’ Dinner shooting in push to drop lawsuit against ballroom
Fox News Reporter Describes Experiencing Chaos on Stage During Trump Assassination Attempt
Another Eight Nigerian Christians Killed in Coordinated Attacks
Mamdani’s racial equity plan a hidden ‘moving the goalposts’ ploy to justify massive gov expansion: expert
ACLU, NAACP accused of trying to ‘sabotage’ US tourism with ‘fearmongering’ campaign
US military conducts strike on another boat carrying alleged narco-traffickers, killing 3
New York woman convicted for throwing dynamite at boyfriend, blowing off his hand as he tried to get rid of it
Obama says motive unclear despite manifesto outlining alleged targets in WHCD shooting
White House Correspondents’ Dinner shooting: Timeline traces how suspect’s alleged cross-country plan unfolded
Wisconsin Dem’s bar laments ‘we almost got free beer day’ for Trump assassination
Full WHCD Shooter Manifesto: He Told Family He Was Willing to Kill ‘Most Everyone’ at Dinner to Get to Trump
The Reasons Why TDS Still Exists Despite Trump’s Historic Wins
Unearthed video reveals Cole Allen as quiet inventor years before alleged bid to assassinate Trump
At Least 4 Christian Farmers Gunned Down in Their Fields by Motorcycle Mounted Islamists in Nigeria
Until today, I have defended Mueller against the accusations that he is a partisan. I did not believe that he personally favored either the Democrats or the Republicans, or had a point of view on whether President Trump should be impeached. But I have now changed my mind. By putting his thumb, indeed his elbow, on the scale of justice in favor of impeachment based on obstruction of justice, Mueller has revealed his partisan bias. He also has distorted the critical role of a prosecutor in our justice system. [emphasis added]
Prosecutors are not in a position to determine anyone’s guilt or innocence, noted Dershowitz, recalling the presumption of innocence and reminding readers that determinations of guilt or innocence within America’s justice system require a “full adversarial trial with a zealous defense attorney, vigorous cross examination, exclusionary rules of evidence, and other due process safeguards.”
Dershowitz assessed:
No prosecutor should ever say or do anything for the purpose of helping one party or the other. I cannot imagine a plausible reason why Mueller went beyond his report and gratuitously suggested that President Trump might be guilty, except to help Democrats in Congress and to encourage impeachment talk and action. Shame on Mueller for abusing his position of trust and for allowing himself to be used for such partisan advantage.
Story cited here.
