The tension that has long loomed over such questions still applies, though — even if you accept that his conduct often ventured into extremely dicey legal territory. If the federal government declines to charge him, but Democratic elected officials in a deep-blue state do, how does that look? Vance is leaving political office, which diminishes claims that this may be a politically expedient effort, but James is an ambitious rising star in the Democratic ranks. She has every reason to look like she’s, at best, holding accountable the former Republican president, who is Public Enemy No. At worst, she may look as though she’s doing it to further her political career — a claim against which her past commentary isn’t exactly helpful.

Source: Washington Post May 26, 2021 15:38 UTC