Alan Dershowitz Defends Donald Trump: ‘Nobody Should Regard Him As Having Been Impeached’
On Friday, in a 51-49 vote, the GOP-controlled Senate voted against calling additional documents and witnesses in the impeachment trial of President Donald Trump. According to The Guardian, this has all but paved the way for Trump’s acquittal. The president is expected to be cleared of all wrongdoing next Wednesday.
Nonetheless, even if acquitted, Trump would have the stain of impeachment on his legacy, joining Presidents Andrew Johnson and Bill Clinton on the list of impeached and acquitted presidents. According to Trump’s lawyer, Alan Dershowitz, the president should not have the stain of impeachment on his legacy.
Per The Washington Examiner, Dershowitz appeared Fox News on Friday to explain why he believes Trump’s impeachment is different than Johnson and Clinton’s.
Speaking with host Sean Hannity, Dershowitz slammed Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi for suggesting that Trump has joined the infamous list of impeached presidents, arguing that the commander-in-chief has not been granted a fair trial.
“Nancy Pelosi has now pulled a real sharp one. She says even if he’s acquitted and vindicated, he’s still impeached. He’s going to have that label forever. That should not be how it is. Why? He didn’t have a fair trial,” Dershowitz said.
Pelosi has repeatedly suggested that the president cannot be properly acquitted without witnesses.
“He was indicted. And what happens after a person is acquitted after indictment? The indictment disappears,” the lawyer said, concluding that Trump should not be considered impeached if the Senate votes to acquit him, which is all but certain.
“If he wins this, I think nobody should regard him as having been impeached,” Dershowitz said.
As The Washington Examiner notes, reports have alleged that Trump is concerned about his legacy and that he is irked by the stigma of impeachment.
The impeachment trial appears to be coming to an end sooner than expected, and largely thanks to the GOP’s decision to block additional witnesses and documentation. According to reports, Trump personally met with Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, urging him to wrap up the trial.
McConnell has openly said that he plans on cooperating with the White House throughout the process, stating in an interview that the trial will be conducted “in total coordination with White House counsel’s office and the people who are representing the president in the well of the Senate.”
The top Republican has also publicly stated that Trump will be acquitted by the Senate, as have some of his colleagues, including South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham.
