Mislabeling Trump's actions understates the magnitude of the misconduct-- “bribery” or “extortion” cheapens what occurred & doesn't capture what makes it wrongful. It’s not a crime—it’s a breach of the president’s duty to not use the powers of the presidency to benefit himself. The criminal system is not built to handle misconduct by a president who is acting corruptly through the use of his or her immense constitutional powers, & it suggests that if it is not really bribery or extortion, then it is not a huge problem, which is not true. This is already happening, as allies of the president assert that there was no explicit quid pro quo. It gives the public a false impression-- impeachment in many respects is a political act, and that means Congress needs public support to pursue it. Anything that confuses or fails to convince the public is therefore counterproductive."
At www.politico.com
