I’ve been laughing all day at this silly-ass assertion that the President cannot be obstructing justice:
John Dowd, President Trump’s outside lawyer, outlined to me [Mike Allen]] a new and highly controversial defense/theory in the Russia probe: A president cannot be guilty of obstruction of justice.
The “President cannot obstruct justice because he is the chief law enforcement officer under [the Constitution’s Article II] and has every right to express his view of any case,” Dowd claims. [Axios]
Dowd is suggesting the President has no standards to live up to as chief law enforcement officer.
BUT THIS IS THE OPPOSITE OF THE FACT OF THE MATTER.
Law enforcement is ideally always held to a higher standard than the general citizenry. Because they’ve been permitted special powers as law enforcement personnel, they are also expected to adhere to standards that the rest of us need not.
In essence, no, Dowd, the President is not permitted to attempt to influence possible future cases. Not of Hillary Clinton. Not of himself.
And he most certainly may not use those powers to stop investigations into this own behaviors. That is inherent in being a law enforcement officer.
And it’s all in your own words, Dowd. If only you had given this matter deeper thought.
Sort of like your client.
