Illegal vs. impeachable: What’s the difference?

In this impeachment edition of The Point, Chris Cillizza and Elie Honig, CNN legal analyst, discuss what the difference is between an impeachable offense and a criminal offense and how President Trump may still be in legal trouble even if he is acquitted by Congress. #CNN #News #Cillizza

SOURCES AND FURTHER READING:

Cross-exam with Elie Honig

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‘Impeachable’ and ‘illegal’ aren’t interchangeable

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Bribery Is Right There in the Constitution

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The Causes for Which a President Can Be Impeached

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Trump’s defenders need to stop pretending impeachment is a criminal trial

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About me:

I was named "best dressed" in 7th grade. That, along with being CNN's editor at large and author of the daily "Point" newsletter are my proudest achievements. Look for me here every Tuesday and Thursday to find out what’s really going down in politics.

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Writer: Chris Cillizza

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65 comments

    1. @Kevin Hoekman I asked about what their defense strategy was, not for conjecture about the state of the democratic party. And actually, Legal Eagle has done a really well researched video about their defense strategies and how they would hold up in court since I asked that question which outlines things pretty well, and I’d recommend checking it out.

    2. CNN —
      It’s really too bad that lying to the American people (on Twitter or through the media) and being stupid aren’t impeachable offenses. There’s more than ample proof of Trump’s guilt in both areas.

    3. The President can send anyone he wants to the Ukraine. So who in the Federal Government has the authority to tell the president to the Ukraine?

    1. @Uncle Ed So what’s wrong with being a racist? All they do is drive their racist cars around and around a racist track as fast as they can to entertain us on Sundays. Where is the harm in that? Oh wait . . . . I know. They only turn left, so they must be Never Trumpers.

    2. @Chris H think about all the video of democrats and media telling liberals trump is done. That was a few days ago!!!!! They have to blame the senate but can’t haha

  1. Trump saying he didnt directed Rudy for his Ukraine involvement. Rudy was involved in Ukraine things as testified by others in congress and Trump himself said on call to talk with Rudy. Rudy himself said he is behaving under Trump direction. Now the only logical question is WTF is going on?

  2. I think this is a very important video for people to watch and understand what’s going on with our government today. We need to make decisions based on facts and laws not on emotions and political loyalty.

    1. @1108 Studios Executive/Promotions Congressional materials have cautioned that the grounds for impeachment “do not all fit neatly and logically into categories” because the remedy of impeachment is intended to “reach a broad variety of conduct by officers that is both serious and incompatible with the duties of the office”. Congress has identified three general types of conduct that constitute grounds for impeachment, although these categories should not be understood as exhaustive:

      (1) improperly exceeding or abusing the powers of the office;
      (2) behavior incompatible with the function and purpose of the office; and
      (3) misusing the office for an improper purpose or for personal gain.
      Conversely, not all criminal conduct is impeachable: in 1974, the Judiciary Committee rejected an article of impeachment against President Nixon alleging that he committed tax fraud, primarily because that “related to the President’s private conduct, not to an abuse of his authority as President.”
      There you go sir

    2. @SentByHim But the Intelligence committee already said that Russia hacked our server not Ukraine. Fiona Hill testified that Ukraine having the server is a hoax created and spread by Russian security services to benefit Russia. I think I’ll take her word over Trump’s

    3. Right!!! Hes got so many people numb to the facts that they dont care anymore & just go with it!!! A bunch of sheep following the herder into there demise!!!

  3. The difference is he gets up every morning to grift. Yup. The grifter will shake your hand & your watch is gone. Every time. Even if it’s a Timex.

    1. @Red894336643
      That’s the law I was referring to; the mutual legal assistance treaty with Ukraine. And the correct path to use that treaty is through the DoJ, not sending his personal lawyer.

  4. 😡The difference is:
    👿he’s supposed to be the head of those whose job it is to enforce the laws of the land, not break them.

    1. Doesn’t Matter it’s unfortunately one of the possible outcomes. But even if worst case scenario, we have a chance to defeat the tRump clan at ballot box. Senate seems to be holding the (unethical) line, so it may come down to election. But congress still had to put this in public record

    2. @Starving Buddha I’m honestly thrilled you said it’s possible and only suggested the senate will vote by party

    3. @Starving Buddha I’m pointing out the fact that the main stream hasn’t given fair possibilities that oppose the impeachment

    4. @Starving Buddha I don’t simply say nothing the left says makes sense because you and many believe differently than me. Can we at least agree we both heard something different that makes sense?

  5. If I bribe someone over the phone, but don’t first say “I’m going to do a bribery now…”, I’m OK, right? I mean …. That seems to be the Republican argument.

    1. Spearhand actually he is accused of pressuring ukraine to announce a bogus investigation into tRumps political opponent, in exchange for military aid already apportioned by congress. Quid pro quo- this for that AKA Bribery!

    2. Spearhand sondland: yes there was a quid pro quo and everyone was in the loop… first hand testimony from a tRump appointee

  6. bet that Nunes & Sondland planned ahead of impeachment testimony on the “I want nothing” BS. Trump had his notepad ready to go before Sondland testified giving Reps leadway. Nunes should be investigated.

  7. It’s not a transcript. It’s a loose summary of what was said. Colonel Vindman wanted the document more accurate and tried at least twice to get it accurate. It was refused.

  8. Another excellent discussion and explanation of these impeachment questions! I have questions but I research them as they pop up, and I watch Rachel Maddow (& other nightly shows), so most of what is surfacing I have a good understanding of, as these issues play out. The biggest problem I have is reading comments here each week…

  9. someone needs to tell this guy that you only get 1 first of all…after that it becomes 2nd of all and 3rd and so on…..lol

    1. @MrStupidHead watch best Pizzagate documentary . Hillary and bill are 100% running Pedophile rings . Podesta brothers are involved as well , .. they’re all rapists too .

    2. @Starving Buddha I rather have Trump in the white house . He’s the least corrupt president we’ve had in a long time . He’s nonpart of the deep state , that’s why MSM hates him . Obama armed ISIS and Mexican cartels . Nobody ever bashed on Obama for that . He also had children in cages , nobody said anything …. He was a demon , war criminal

    3. Gerardo Argueta he is the deep state! It’s the swamp he promised to drain. I know that all of you brainwashed into the cult wait to be told what truth is, we who still have capability of critical thinking can see for ourselves what a jackass he is… you admit he is corrupt. I think that is a poor choice for president- vote for tRump because he is least corrupt. Sad

    4. @Starving Buddha Ha well youre mad because it’s true ! You voted for Hillary , you don’t think critically .

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