Senators weighing the articles of impeachment shouldn’t think that they offer an excuse for not performing their constitutional duty. The related suggestion that, even if some noncriminal offenses might be impeachable, “abuse of power” is not among them is particularly strange. The suggestion turns the impeachment power on its head. The logic of impeachment as applied to the presidency is that the president has unique authority conferred by Article II. But his lawyers should not be allowed to use bogus legal arguments to mislead the American public or the senators weighing his fate.

Source: Washington Post January 19, 2020 22:18 UTC