Josh Blackman is an Associate Professor at the South Texas College of Law Houston, and the author of An Introduction to Constitutional Law: 100 Supreme Court Cases Everyone Should Know.
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If adopted by the House of Representatives, the theory that President Trump engaged in bribery by pushing Ukraine for an investigation into Burisma could have consequences for the separation of powers.
Shortly after the special counsel’s report was released, I wrote three posts on Lawfare criticizing Robert Mueller’s constitutional analysis.
Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s report found that the federal obstruction of justice statutes can apply to the president, even though the statute did not expressly state that it applies to the president. Robert Mueller chose not to apply the avoidance canon known as the “clear statement” rule. Previously, I have argued that his decision was inconsistent with precedent from the Office of Legal Counsel (OLC).
Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s report found that the federal obstruction of justice statutes can apply to the president, even though the statutes do not state this expressly. Robert Mueller chose not to apply the avoidance canon known as the “clear statement” rule. In a recent Lawfare post, I argued that this decision was inconsistent with precedent from the Office of Legal Counsel (OLC).
Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s report spans more than 400 pages. In a 12-page section near the end of the thick volume, Mueller tackles a critical question: Can the federal obstruction of justice statute apply to the president? The first element of the report’s analysis focuses on the so-called clear statement rule.
President Trump claims that the law allows him to spend billions of dollars on a wall that Congress refused to fund. House Democrats, along with Republican Rep. Justin Amash, have introduced a joint resolution that would rescind the emergency proclamation. That proposal is an important start, but Congress should do more.
As part of its effort to construct a border wall, the Trump administration has invoked a statutory delegation of authority signed into law by President Obama after the 2016 election.