Power of the office to obtain an improper personal benefit while ignoring and injuring the national interest. Or acts in ways that are grossly inconsistent with and undermine the separation of powers that is the foundation of our democratic system. Now, these this question of whether president engaged in abuse of power came up before when this congress considered the impeachment of president nixon. And after action was taken, president nixon famously said if the president does it, it is not illegal. And this body rejected that because thats not so. That goes directly contrary to what the founders said. But President Trump has said the same thing in responding to the prior investigation by Department Of Justice and defending his conduct. Here is what he said then i have an article, too, where i have to write to do whatever i want as president. That he has the right to do
whatever he wants as president. That is as wrong as when president nixon said a similar thing. That is not what the c
Whatwe that means, its to use e power of the office to obtain an improper personal benefit while ignoring orfi injuring the national interest, or acts in ways that are grossly inconsistent with and undermine the separation of powers that is the foundation of our democratic system. Now, this question of whether the president engaged in abuse of power came up before when this congress considered the impeachment of president nixon. And president nixon famously said, if the president does it, it is notde illegal. And this body rejected that because thats not so. That goes directly contrary to what the founders said. But President Trump has said the same thing in responding to the prior investigation by the Department Of Justice and defending his conduct. Heres what he said. I have an article 2 where i have the right to do whatever i want as president. That he has the right to do whatever he wants as president. That is as wrong as when president nixon said a similar thing. That is not what
levers of government in his control to not only request it and invite it but to pressure that country to do it. and that s exactly what he did. and you ll hear more about that in the presentation from the house intelligence committee. and what s most striking as we come back to this issue that the framers were concerned about is there a continuing risk of wrong doing. the fact that president trump did this after he was caught shows the risk. shows the risk of what will happen if this body doesn t act. he really does believe he can act as though herp above the law. he really does believe as evidence by this conduct that he can put his personal and political interests over the nation s interest over the nation s national security interest, over the nation s integrity of its elections. so, of course, we do have an
levers of government in his control to not only request it and invite it but to pressure that country to do it. and that s exactly what he did. you will hear more about that in the presentation for the house intelligence committee. and what s most striking as we come back to this issue that the framers were concerned about. is there a continuing risk of wrongdoing? the fact that president trump did this after he was caught shows the risk. shows the risk of what will happen if this body doesn t act. he really does believe he can act as though he were above the law. he really does believe as evidenced by this conduct that he can put his personal and political interests over the nation s interest and national security interest, over the nation s integrity of its elections. so of course we do have an
a campaign platform to extend the invitation to the foreign power, now he has the levers of government in his control to not only request it and invite it, but toly pressure that country do it. and that s exactly what he did. and w you ll hear more about th in the presentation from the house intelligence committee: and what s most c striking as w come back to this issue that the framers were concerned about, is there a continuing risk of wrongdoing, the fact that president trump did this after he was caught shows the risk. shows the risk of what will happen if this body doesn t act. he really does believe he can act as though he were above the law. he really does believe as evidenced by this conduct, that he can puts his personal and political interests over the nation s interest, over the nation s national security interest, overe the nation s integrity of its elections.