John Dean Powerfully Argues That Trump Must Be Prosecuted

Former White House counsel John Dean made a powerful and compelling argument for why Donald Trump must be fully prosecuted.

John Dean Argues For Prosecuting Trump

Video of Dean:

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John Dean said to CNN’s Jim Acosta:

Well, the initial reaction to Trump — excuse me, of Gerald Ford pardoning Nixon has implications down to Trump. The initial reactions were this was a healthy thing, stopped the nightmare, stopped the issues that were then plaguing the Ford administration when he said I’m going to issue a pardon on Nixon. 

Second thought and later wave realized this was probably a mistake Nixon was not held to account. He clearly obstructed justice, was part of a conspiracy, also subborned perjury yet he got a pass, a get out of jail free card. And that has rippled through subsequent presidencies to this day they raise the issues should we hold the president of the United States to the same standard of everybody else. I think the consensus now, at least amongst thinking people is we should they should be held accountable. There will be a lot of debate, the partisans will stand their feet and bang their pots and pans, but it’s still, in the end we need to get to the bottom of this, a good trial. 

As many Republicans, some of my friends, Republican friends are now backing off. They initially thought this was over the top they’re trying to get him, it’s another effort to nail him. This wasn’t stimulated that by kind of thinking. This, they were confronted with boxes of classified documents that were this the — anybody else in the government, there wouldn’t be a question that they would be prosecuted for this kind of serious abuse. So I think this has to go the distance. I’ll be shocked if it doesn’t. I think it’ll really hurt the American presidency if it — if not.

For The Good Of The Country, Trump Must Be Fully Prosecuted

Dean makes a compelling argument that prosecuting Trump isn’t about partisan politics but about protecting democratic institutions and the rule of law.

Donald Trump’s defenders want to keep the discussion in the realm of partisan politics. Republicans don’t want to focus on the potential criminality and damage done to the nation’s national security by Trump’s actions.

The question of whether or not to prosecute Donald Trump has risen beyond politics and is now a question of if the United States is willing to do what is necessary to protect and preserve democratic institutions.

Jason Easley

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