Dershowitz: Even If Trump Extorted Ukraine, So What?

CBS News reports:

Alan Dershowitz argued that a quid pro quo involving a president’s political benefit was fine because all presidents believe their elections are in the public’s interest. Essentially, if Trump withheld nearly $400 million in aid to pressure Ukraine into announcing investigations of Democrats to help his campaign, that’s fine because Trump thinks his election is to the country’s benefit.

“If a president does something which he believes will help him get elected in the public interest, that cannot be the kind of quid pro quo that results in impeachment,” he said. Dershowitz said there were three possible motives for a quid pro quo in foreign policy: the first is the public interest; the second, personal political interest; and the third, personal financial interest.

Alan Dershowitz, one of President Trump’s defense lawyers, argued that anything a president does to get re-elected could be considered in the nation’s interest and is therefore not impeachable.https://t.co/ptlmibuTni

— The New York Times (@nytimes) January 29, 2020

The White House, through Dershowitz, has landed on the “So What?” defense. It’s like Nixon’s argument to David Frost: “If the president does it, it’s not illegal.” Dangerous. Dangerous. Dangerous.

— Jonathan Alter (@jonathanalter) January 29, 2020