No incoming president should be able to decide that his predecessor does not rate investigation. It should be mandatory and not something the president gets to decide. No declarations about looking forward, not back. EVERY president should make every decision knowing that, as the most powerful person in the world, he will be held accountable for every decision.
Once the president leaves office he will NOT be able to claim presidential privilege to protect his aides and appointees from testifying.
This is simple on its face, but not so simple in the details. For example, who will lead the investigation? Who will appoint who leads the investigation? What powers will the investigation have. The powers should be significant. An impotent investigation will be meaningless.
In the big picture, this should be a bi-partisan choice. In the near term, to get it passed, there may have to be a concession that the policy starts with the president after Trump. I hate that possibility, but it may be the only way to get the legislation passed. Hopefully there will be enough of a backlash against Trump so the president who replaces Trump will order a comparable investigation, and the congress that is elected will support that decision.
Who knows. Maybe that will set a precedent that is used to set similar policies for all very powerful people in government, including top generals and leaders in the house and senate and presidential appointees. This could play well with Libertarians who don't like big government. But it should play well with all who believe that there should be checks and balances.
This is legislation that should happen now. It would go into effect in 2025, or, 2029, if Trump is defeated in 2020 (if he makes it that far.
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