Joe Biden’s Administration Should Pursue Prosecution Of Donald Trump, Mental Health Experts Say
Forensic neuropsychiatrist James R. Merikangas and Yale University psychiatrist Bandy X. Lee penned a piece for Raw Story on Saturday in which they pressured Joe Biden’s incoming administration to pursue prosecution of President Donald Trump.
Although the pair noted that Biden’s campaign has emphasized the importance of working across the aisle to foster unity amid a divided America, they suggest that his administration must not let Trump escape the potential charges he could face for numerous federal and state crimes.
“As forensic psychiatrists, it is not difficult for us to say that an insanity defense for President Trump does not pass the smell test, and failure to prosecute crimes for which the evidence is clear would undermine the very foundation of our justice system. In fact, we are of the opinion that healing cannot — and should not — occur without prosecution.”
Lee and Merikangas argued that America’s collective mental health could benefit from the prosecution of a “high-profile criminal” like Trump. According to the pair, both the Democratic and Republican parties could benefit from “prosecution and clear boundaries” in the wake of four years of the Trump administration’s purported “barrage of lies and norm violations.”
“The remedy for psychosis is reality checks. In the case of a pathological and criminal president, recommending prosecution is an essential part of setting standards and doing our job as healers,” they concluded the piece.
As reported by Yahoo News, Biden recently told CNN’s Jake Tapper that he would not be directing the Department of Justice to prosecute specific individuals. He argued that as U.S. leader, it’s not his role to influence the DOJ and said he would let his appointed officials determine who they want the administration to pursue charges against. Biden’s running mate, Kamala Harris, has previously said that DOJ decisions should not be influenced by politics — only law.
As Trump’s time in the White House nears its end, some have speculated that he will attempt to offer himself a pardon. While speaking to Tapper, Biden expressed concern about this possibility and suggested it would set a bad precedent. The Democrat also claimed that a self-pardon could negatively impact the perception the rest of the world has of the United States’ system of laws.
As The Inquisitr reported, American attorney Jonathan Turley argued on Saturday that Trump could pardon himself. However, Turley claimed that this course of action would be an abuse of presidential power — worse than former President Bill Clinton’s purported violations of the process.
