In response to Trump urging government officials to break the law and seize private land to build his wall, House Intelligence Committee chairman Adam Schiff warned that the next DOJ could make Trump pay.
Schiff tweeted:
Trump allegedly encouraged federal officials to break the law by promising pardons.
But there are limits to the pardon power. This invitation to lawlessness exceeds them.
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They‘ll be held accountable, if not by this Justice Department, then by the next one.
And by history. https://t.co/9tkOX67Ycs
— Adam Schiff (@RepAdamSchiff) August 28, 2019
Rep. Schiff’s point was that even if Trump survives impeachment thanks to Mitch McConnell, he will not be able to escape justice if he loses the 2020 election. The only thing protecting Trump is the presidency. Once the presidency is gone, the floodgates will be opened.
Will the next Democratic administration go after Trump for prosecution? Kamala Harris has already stated that her administration would follow the evidence. She made it clear that Trump isn’t going to get a get out of jail free card by leaving office. The rest of the Democratic candidates haven’t been as clear as Harris, but there is going to be a great deal of public pressure on them to make sure that Trump’s behavior is never repeated by any future president.
Even if the House impeaches Trump, it will go nowhere. Mitch McConnell will do the constitutional minimum for an impeachment trial before Republicans vote not to convict Trump.
It might be up to the future Democratic administration to hold Trump accountable, and what Reo. Schiff is saying is true. IF lackey Bill Barr’s DOJ won’t hold Trump accountable, it will be up to the next one to get the job done.
Jason is the managing editor. He is also a White House Press Pool and a Congressional correspondent for PoliticusUSA. Jason has a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science. His graduate work focused on public policy, with a specialization in social reform movements.
Awards and Professional Memberships
Member of the Society of Professional Journalists and The American Political Science Association
