Alan Dershowitz: If Trump Were Impeached for Pardons, ‘He Would Have Strong Constitutional Defense’

Sunday on  NBC’s “Meet the Press,” Harvard law professor Alan Dershowitz said if President Donald Trump were impeached for obstruction of justice after pardoning individuals involved in the Russia probe, he would have “a strong constitutional defense.”

Dershowitz said, “I think there are three categories of cases being investigated. The first and most important are constitutionally authorized acts by the president which include pardoning, offering pardons, firing, directing the prosecution. If he were to be charged or impeached for any of those acts, that would be a real constitutional conflict. we would have arguments on both sides, constitutionally.”

He continued, “The second category are private acts that preceded his presidency, allegations by women that may require him to testify, his business relations. He would have no defense for that except factual or argue it was beyond the scope of the investigation. The third category, a hybrid, including whether there was collusion. Those are the three categories. I do think that anything relating to pardon he would have a strong constitutional defense. I think he is most vulnerable when it comes to women, if he testifies under oath and gets into a she said he said which puts him in Clinton land and the basis Clinton was impeached.

He added, “I do not believe that engaging in a constitutional authorized act can be the basis of a charge.”

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