TALKS ABOUT THE PROCESS OF STARTING THE IMPEACHMENT PROCESS
IMMEDIATELY.
IMMEDIATELY. HOW TO CONDUCT AN INVESTIGATION
AS TO WHETHER OR NOT HE IS FIT
FOR OFFICE.
FOR OFFICE. OUR PANEL IS STICKING WITH US.
I AM A CONTRIBUTING EDITOR TO
"THE ATLANTIC."
"THE ATLANTIC." I WILL PUT THAT OUT THERE AND
LET FOLKS DECIDE FOR THEMSELVES
IF THAT MATTERS TO THEM.
YOUR CASE HERE IS FOR THE
PROCESS, NOT NECESSARILY FOR
IMPEACHMENT AND THEN EXPULSION.
WHY DOES THIS PROCESS HAVE TO
BEGIN THIS WAY.
>> I THINK WE OFF AGAIN
IMPEACHMENT WRONG.
IMPEACHMENT WRONG. IT IS A GUARANTEE OF CHAOS.
IT IS THE REMEDY FOR THE NATION.
WE’RE HAVING THIS DEBATE OVER
DONALD TRUMP’S FITNESS FOR
OFFICE.
OFFICE. COURTS ARE TRUKING DOWN HIS
ACTIONS.
ACTIONS. WE ARE ALL OF THE TIME AS A
NATION DEBATING THIS BUT NOT
USING THE MECHANISM THAT PLAYS
OUT.
OUT. >>.
>>. >> IT WAS INTERESTING TO READ
JEFFREY GOLDBERG THE EDITOR FOR
THE ATLANTIC, YOU ARE WORRIED
TOO MANY PEOPLE ARE GOING TO
JUST REACT TO THE HEADLINE.
>> WE WANT TO MOVE READERS
BEYOND THINKING ABOUT IT AS A
OUTCOME.
OUTCOME. THE DISCOVERY FOR MOVING THE
DEBATE OUT OF THE STREETS, FOR
DIFFUSING THE POLITICAL
VIOLENCE, AND ULTIMATELY FOR
ADJUDICATING THE CLAIMS AGAINST
THE PRESIDENT.
THE PRESIDENT. >> SO, EDDIE, YOU’RE THE
ACADEMIC AT THE TABLE.
YOU TRY TO WIDEN THE TELESCOPE
HERE, WHAT DOES HISTORY TELL US
ABOUT WHETHER OR NOT THIS IS A
GOOD PROCESS OR NOT.
WE HAD TWO TRIALS IN THIS
COUNTRY.
COUNTRY. WE HAD, BELIEVE IT OR NOT, NIXON
WAS NEVER PART OF THAT.
WHAT DO YOU MAKE OF THAT?
>> THERE IS A SENSE IN WHICH I’M
PEACH
PEACH -- IMPEACHMENT CAN BE USED OR
DEPLOYED.
DEPLOYED. THERE IS AN ASSUMPTION THAT IT
CAN BE DEPLOYED AS A POLITICAL
POLITICAL GESTURE, PLAY BELIEVE
THAT OPENING UP THE PROCESS IS
JUST A WAY FOR DEMOCRATS TO
UNDERMINE THE WILL OF THE
VOTERS.
VOTERS. WE KNOW WITH CLINTON HE CAME OUT
OF IMPEACHMENT ABSOLUTELY
SOARING.
SOARING. ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I THINK
IS VERY IMPORTANT ABOUT THAT
ARTICLE IS THE CLAIM THAT IS
BEING MADE THAT WHAT NEEDS TO
HAPPEN IS THE AMERICAN PEOPLE
NEED TO SEE IT ALL, SEE DONALD
TRUMP BEING SPECIAL.
YOU ONLY RESPOND TO THAT.
THE IMPEACHMENT, NOT YET, WHAT
WOULD YOU SAY TO THAT?
>> I WOULD SAY THERE IS A
VARIETY OF INVESTIGATIONS INTO
THE PRESIDENT, BOB MUELLER IS
LOOKING AT THE PRESIDENT, THE
DISTRICT OF NEW YORK IS LOOKING
AT HIS ACTS.
I DON’T THINK THIS IS A
RESPONSIBILITY THAT CONGRESS CAN
OUTSOURCE.
OUTSOURCE. THE OVERSIGHT HEARINGS WILL NOT
DO IT EITHER.
WHAT NONE OF THEM IS EMPOWERED
TO DO IS CONSIDER THE THIS.
THEY HAVE NOT FULFILLED THEIR
CONSTITUTIONAL RESPONSIBILITIES.
CONSTITUTIONAL RESPONSIBILITIES. YOU HAVE TO ATTEMPTABLE INTO A
COHERENT PICTURE AT THE SAME
TIME YOU HAVE TO ASK THE
QUESTION ON THE MINDS OF MANY
AMERICANS.
AMERICANS. >> IT IS REALLY TEMPTING, I WANT
TO MAKE YOU THERE IS PART OF,
I’M PROBABLY GUESSING, YOU MAY
SHARE THIS VIEW.
OUR POLITICAL PROCESS IS NOT
MATURE ENOUGH TO DO THIS.
THAT YOU’RE CORRECT IN WHAT WE
SHOULD BE ABLE TO HANDLE IT.
MAYBE WE HAVE TO FORCE THE
PUBLIC TO COME TO GRIPS WITH
THIS.
THIS. >> THE LAST ONE IN 1998 WAS VERY
POLITICAL.
POLITICAL. THERE WAS VERY LITTLE
JUSTIFICATION FOR WHAT WENT
FORWARD.
FORWARD. AND THAT PROMPTING A HUGE
OUTPOOROUT
OUTPOOROUT OUTPOURING FOR PRESIDENT
CLINTON.
CLINTON. WHAT THEY LAID OUT AND MANY
OTHERS LAID OUT IS A VERY BROAD
SCOPE OF WRONG DOING BY
PRESIDENT TRUMP, POTENTIAL WRONG
DOING BY DEFYING THE
CONSTITUTIONAL PREROGATIVES HE
SWORE TO UPHOLD, THE CAUSE, THE
SENSE THAT HIS FAMILY IS MAKING
MONEY OFF OF HIS PRESIDENCY.
THERE IS A HUGE RANGE OF THINGS
THAT THE CONGRESS COULD INTO IT.
>> I THINK THERE IS A NATURAL
ORDER OF EVENTS HERE.
MOST MEMBERS OF CONGRESS WANT TO
SEE THE MUELLER REPORT BEFORE
EVEN CONSIDERING THIS OR EVEN
BEGINNING A PREIMPEACHMENT
PROCESS.
PROCESS. >> A LOT OF US IN THE LAST
CONGRESS DEMANDED THAT THIS
MUELLER INVESTIGATION BE
PROTECTED.
PROTECTED. REPUBLICANS AND DEMOCRATICS
FILED LEGISLATION TO GUARANTEE
IT’S PROTECTION.
IT’S PROTECTION. THE AMERICAN PUBLIC HAS BEEN
TOLD THAT THIS IS WHAT WE ALL
HAVE TO WAIT FOR.
I THINK NOW TO PROCEED WITH A
PREIMPEACHMENT PROCESS SOUMS
LIKE A MISTAKE.
AND FOR THOSE THAT ARE THE
PRESIDENT’S OPPONENTS, I THINK
IT MAY BENEFIT HIM.
>> LET ME GIVE YOU THE LAST WORD
HERE, CAN AN ARGUE BE MADE THAT
ULTIMATELY THE SOONER WE GET --
GO THROUGH PROCESS, THE BETTER
FOR EVERYBODY?
FOR EVERYBODY? IS THAT AN ARGUMENT, AND I’M
CURIOUS, CARLOS, IS THAT AN
ARGUMENT THAT COULD BE ACCEPTED
BY THE PRESIDENT AND SOME
CONGRESSIONAL REPUBLICANS?
CONGRESSIONAL REPUBLICANS? >> I THINK SO.
TWO SITTING VICE PRESIDENTS OF
THE UNITED STATES ASKED TO START
IMPEACHMENT PROCEEDINGS AGAINST
THEM BECAUSE THEY WANTED TO
CLEAR THEIR NAMES.
THIS IS A PROCESS THAT HAS A
CHANCE TO LAY THE FACTS OUT
BEFORE THE PUBLIC AND MAKE
THINGS CLEARER.
THINGS CLEARER. THERE IS NO REASON TO WAIT FOR
ROBERT MUELLER.
ROBERT MUELLER. IN THE NIXON PROSECUTION THEY
HAD A INCIDENTDEPENDENT INVESTIG
>> IT IS QUITE A PROVOCATIVE
COVER.
COVER. IMPEACH, IS THAT THE LARGEST
LETTER YOU HAVE BEEN ON "THE
ATLANTIC" EVER?
ATLANTIC" EVER? WE HAVE TO GET THE HISTORIANS ON