The Trial of Andrew Johnson - Setting the bar for Trump [View all]

[packman]

Andrew Johnson-profane, vulgar, populist, and almost a parallel to Trump, missed impeachment by 1 vote. A bit of history that reflects on what is happening today .


"... striking parallels between Trump and Johnson. Political bomb-throwers, wild and intemperate on the campaign trail, popular with white nationalists, governing in times of great social and demographic change, both men proved (or, in Trump’s case, have thus far proven) inept chief executives—far more skilled at acquiring enemies than governing. "

But for Democrats, and some Republicans, who quietly hope for Trump’s impeachment and removal, the case of Johnson offers only cold comfort. In 1868, Congress established a high bar for presidential removal. It’s not enough to be obnoxious or racist, nor to incite violence and mismanage affairs of state, nor even to collude spiritually with enemies of the American government. Precedent establishes that to be removed from office, a president must manifestly violate the law as was the case with Richard Nixon, whose far-reaching and well-documented efforts to obstruct justice, evade taxes and suborn criminal conspiracy would almost certainly have resulted in impeachment and conviction had he not resigned first.



http://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2017/05/20/andrew-johnson-impeachment-donald-trump-215166