Listen: Twenty Fifth, Four Hundred Million Dollars And Twenty One Years discussed on PBS NewsHour

"Credit principles and protects against those who would seek to undermine the constitution explicitly lays out that a president may be impeached for treason bribery high crimes and misdemeanors we've heard a lot of words today fart interference bribery obstruction of justice professors I'd like to go through the president's conduct in the public harms we have discussed today and ask if they would fit into what the forefathers contemplated when crafting those words of the impeachment clause professor Karlan I'd like to ask you about the foreign interference in elections as Americans we can agree foreign interference foreign influence roads the integrity of our elections and as you said so plainly it makes us less free yes on July twenty fifth two thousand nineteen the president coerced your Ukrainian presidents Lynskey to announce an investigation into his political rival trump's political rival which was corroborated by multiple witnesses throughout the intelligence committee hearings professor Karlan can you explain to the American people in your opinion whether the framers considered solicitation of foreign interference and did what they have considered it a high crime or misdemeanor and does the president's conduct rise to that level the framers of our constitution would have considered abhorrent would have considered it the essence of a high crime or misdemeanor for a president to invite in foreign influence either in deciding whether he will be reelected or deciding who his successor would be thank you professor Feldman I'd like to talk to you about bribery during the course of the intelligence committee hearings multiple witness gave sworn on rebutted testimony that the president withheld nearly four hundred million dollars in congressionally approved aid on the condition that Russia excuse me that Ukraine announced investigations into his chief political adversary professor in your opinion given those flat tax and the framers specific concerns would you describe the president's behavior here and the use of his public office for a private benefit as rising to those levels the framers considered as you said bribery to consist on bribery under the constitution to consist of the president abusing his office corruptly for personal gain if this house determines and if this committee determines that the president was in fact seeking personal gain in seeking the investigations that he asked for then that would constitute bribery under the constitution thank you professor Gerhard I'd like to ask you about obstruction of justice the president has categorically refuse to produce any documents responsive to congressional subpoenas attacked and intimidated perspective and actual witnesses including career and civil military excuse me military and civil servants as discussed here like ambassador Ivanovic lieutenant colonel than men ambassador Taylor Jennifer Williams and others any director all current and former administration witnesses to defy congressional subpoenas professor based on that set of facts does this conduct meet the threshold for obstruction of justice as envisioned in the constitution yes ma'am I believe it does I remember when I was here twenty one years ago along with professor Turley testifying before differently constituted committee a very serious question regarding impeachment I remember a number of law professors very eloquently talking about president Clinton president Klinsmann act as an attack on the judicial system and that's what you just described to me thank you and thank you professor all of you all four of you what you did today is you brought part of our constitution to life and I thank you for that you've shown what the framers were mindful of when they wrote the impeachment clause of our constitution they chose their words and their words matter you know it was my father Bob dean a terrific dad and a talented writer who instilled in me and my brothers and sister a love of language he taught us our words matter the truth matters it's through that lens which I see all of the serious and somber things were speaking about today foreign interference bribery obstruction the framers likely could not have imagined all three concerns body in a single leader but they were concerned enough to craft a random impeachment the times of found the times have found us I am prayerful for our president for our country for ourselves may we the people always hold high the decency and promise and ambition of our founding and of the words that matter and of the truth with that I yield back Mister chairman gentlelady yields back this new car so Powell thank you and thank you professors for your time today it's been a long day I want to tell you I did not have the privilege of being born is Democrat Debbie all of Florida became a citizen to this great nation I took an oath to protect and defend the constitution from all foreign and domestic enemies and I had the fortune of taking that oath once again when I became a member of Congress and that includes the responsibility to protect our nation from continuing threats from a president any president you testified that the president's actions are a continuing risk to our nation and democracy meaning that this is not a one time problem there is a pattern of behavior by the president that is putting out risk fair and free elections and I think that we are here today because the American people deserve to know whether we need to remove the president because of it during the Nixon impeachment the Judiciary Committee said quote the purpose of impeachment is not personal punishment its function is primarily to maintain constitutional government professor Karlan to me that means that impeachment should be use when we must protect our American democracy it is reserved for offenses that present a continuing risk to our democracy is that correct yes it is thank you and I want to show you an example of what the president said just one week after the transcript of the July twenty fifth call was released when a reporter asked the president what he wanted from presidents Lansky and he responded with this well I would think that if they were honest about it did start a major investigation into the fight double at very fear the present day to buy because that is a company but only for that if you look at a by the way likewise China just started investigating the divide because what happens inside a just about what happened with where you break."

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Twenty Fifth, Four Hundred Million Dollars And Twenty One Years discussed on PBS NewsHour

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