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‘King Louis XIV Argument’: Dershowitz Decimated for Claim It’s Not Quid Pro Quo if Presidents Believe Re-Election Is in Public Interest

Trump defender Alan Dershowitz is once again being mocked for his latest claim, that presidents can use the tools of the State to win re-election because they believe holding office is in the public interest.
The Harvard law professor made the claim during the question ands answer session of Wednesday afternoon’s Senate impeachment trial.
Trump attorney Alan Dershowitz: “If a president does something which he believes will help him get elected in the public interest, that cannot be the kind of quid pro quo that results in impeachment.” https://t.co/jKErQcS1Iy pic.twitter.com/zo4rL6Zbla
— ABC News (@ABC) January 29, 2020
Here’s how some are responding:
[Stage whisper] **Dershowitz doesn’t really believe it either.** https://t.co/OtQZBPAPll
— Susan Hennessey (@Susan_Hennessey) January 29, 2020
Am I wrong to interpret Dershowitz’s argument to be that if a president were to walk down the street and start executing people at random it’s still not impeachable if he claims he had a public interest motive?
— Bradley P. Moss (@BradMossEsq) January 29, 2020
This is absurd. Dershowitz is arguing that as long as you believe that you winning an election will be a good thing for the country, you can do pretty much whatever you want — including using public money for personal gain — to help you win. That’s not how democracy works. https://t.co/agfT01l9uy
— Brian Klaas (@brianklaas) January 29, 2020
Dershowitz — cheating in an election is ok as long as the candidate thinks he’s a better candidate.
— Joe Lockhart (@joelockhart) January 29, 2020
“You can rob a bank if you think you’d make better use of your neighbor’s savings account.” – shorter Dershowitz https://t.co/tmqxfWpJkL
— The Hoarse Whisperer (@HoarseWisperer) January 29, 2020
Wow, Dershowitz is actually making the King Louis XIV argument right now! Trump is good for the country, so anything he does to stay in power is the national interest, even if corrupt or illegal. That’s the language of every king & dictator: I am the end and the means justify me.
— Garry Kasparov (@Kasparov63) January 29, 2020
That was the craziest 5 minutes of this whole thing. Dershowitz looks like he’s trying throw the case.
— Joe Lockhart (@joelockhart) January 29, 2020
Donald Trump could shoot the Democratic nominee for president on fifth avenue and Alan Dershowitz would say it’s cool because Trump thought he was acting in the public interest.https://t.co/x3OvTKjNJ6
— Jamison Foser (@jamisonfoser) January 29, 2020
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