NPC Newsmaker: Presidential Jeopardy

Photo Credit: Former Club President Donna Leinwand Leger moderated a Thursday morning Headliners Newsmaker featuring a panel of experts who discussed the possibility of seeking impeachment proceedings against Donald Trump and the possible use of the 25th Amendment to remove him from office on the grounds that he is unfit to serve. Noel St. John

Photo Credit: Jonathan Turley, Professor of Law, George Washington University Law School stated that impeachment is a process based on a legal standard and that he would not be in favor of starting impeachment proceedings based on the available information. Noel St. John

Photo Credit: Jack Quinn, former White House Counsel to President Clinton noted that impeaching a sitting president under the provisions of the 25th Amendment is such a steep hill to climb that it is largely an academic question. Noel St. John

Photo Credit: Jennifer Daskal, an Associate Professor of Law at American University Washington College of Law noted that foreign interference would warrant impeachment of the President. Noel St. John

Photo Credit: Sparring occasionally with her fellow panelists, Susan Low Bloch, Professor of Law at Georgetown Law noted that prosecutors as well the the U.S. House of Representatives have discretion over their cases. Alluding to the Lewinsky affair, Bloch said that a president should not have to worry about having sex with an intern and that simply because an impeachable offense has occurred, impeachment itself is not necessary. Noel St. John

Photo Credit: "The Clinton impeachment cheapened the extraordinary step of impeachment." Richard Ben-Veniste, former prosecutor with the Watergate special prosecutors office. Noel St. John

Photo Credit: Panelists for the NPC Newsmaker, "Presidential Jeopardy: Impeachment, Indictment and the 25th Amendment” included Richard Ben-Veniste, Susan Low Bloch, Jennifer Daskal, Moderator Donna Leinwand Leger, Jack Quinn and Jonathan Turley." Noel St. John