Politics - News Analysis
Lindsey Graham Flees Senate Before Nadler Plays 1999 Clip Of Him Saying Impeachment Doesn’t Need A Crime
House Judiciary Chair Jerry Nadler is making his impeachment argument with a little blast from the past and the help of some excellent videos.
Nadler during Democrats’ impeachment arguments on Thursday made use of 1990s-era clips of allies of Donald Trump, the first being Alan Dershowitz, who’s serving on Trump’s defense team.
While arguing that abuse of power is an impeachable offense, Nadler pointed to Dershowitz — or “at least Dershowitz in 1998,” he said.
In an old clip Democrats then played, Dershowitz says “you don’t need a technical crime” to impeach a president if they are “somebody who completely corrupts the office of president, and who abuses trust, and who poses great danger to our liberty.”
Rep. Jerry Nadler says Alan Dershowitz believes abuse of power is an impeachable offense—"at least Alan Dershowitz in 1998." https://t.co/7CO9n4TTiG pic.twitter.com/7ZS1Sml4iq
— ABC News (@ABC) January 23, 2020
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Later, Nadler turned to the words of one of his colleagues.
Sen. Lindsey Graham, who during the impeachment of former President Bill Clinton argued a crime isn’t required to impeach a president.
In an old clip, Graham says that “when you start using your office and you’re acting in a way that hurts people, you committed a high crime.”
Nadler plays a clip of Sen. Lindsey Graham arguing during Bill Clinton's impeachment proceedings that impeachment does not require a crime https://t.co/Av2C7OBnt7 pic.twitter.com/cYheKvyvbU
— CBS News (@CBSNews) January 23, 2020
Although Graham is in attendance for the impeachment trial, The New York Times’ Catie Edmondson reports the Republican senator “left the Senate floor minutes before Nadler started playing the video of him.”
Graham left the Senate floor minutes before Nadler started playing the video of him. Barrasso, who sits next to Graham, patted his empty chair as the video began to play
— Catie Edmondson (@CatieEdmondson) January 23, 2020
But The Daily Beast’s Sam Brodey reports Nadler drew “some astonished looks” from Democrats when he played the Graham clip, including from Sen. Brian Schatz, who reportedly “shook his head and looked around at neighbors.”
Scene inside the Senate chamber as Dems played that clip of Graham from the Clinton impeachment…
– some astonished looks from Ds: Schatz shook his head and looked around at neighbors
– Graham wasn't even in the chamber. Barrasso, his neighbor, patted his empty chair
— Sam Brodey (@sambrodey) January 23, 2020
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