Read Transcript EXPAND
CHRISTIANE AMANPOUR: Can you predict? And do you think even if it’s unlikely that the numbers are there to convict after an impeachment, if that happens, that as William Cohen, former defense secretary and Republican told me, it’s nonetheless valuable for the American people to be able to see this, hear it and see what’s happening.
NORMAN ORNSTEIN, CONGRESSIONAL SCHOLAR, AMERICAN ENTERPRISE INSTITUTE: Well, I agree with Bill Cohen on that front. And in particular, if the House had not moved forward to impeach, they would have said implicitly that the actions that President Trump has taken, and there are many other areas in including the kleptocracy, the corruption of benefiting you and your family from being in office that are explicitly prohibited in the emoluments clauses of the constitution. If you don’t take this action, you’re saying that these actions are legitimate. Now, looking at it from today’s perspective, the likelihood of a Senate where there are 53 Republicans convicting Donald Trump and removing him from office is slim. Now, I’d offer a couple of caveats here though. One is, as we see this evidence mounting and — in these public hearings, if Republicans start to get more uneasy with Trump, if his support there goes from 80 to 90 percent down to 50 to 60 percent, a lot of Republicans in the Senate may look at this in a slightly different way. A second caveat. It’s two-thirds of the Senate but it’s two-thirds of senators present. And that means there’s at least a small possibility that law professor, Laurence Tribe, has pointed this out, that maybe 20 Republicans in the Senate will say, this is bad behavior. We do not want to support an impeachment, but we will simply not show up to vote where you could get him removed from office.
AMANPOUR: All right.
ORNSTEIN: They have to add another point, which is Democrats may be a little bit unhappy if he is removed from office where Mike Pence becomes the acting president and very possible Republicans would nominate instead a Nikki Haley or somebody who could be a much more formidable candidate in 2020.
AMANPOUR: Really interesting. So much to watch out. Norman Ornstein, thank you so much indeed.
About This Episode EXPAND
Norman Ornstein joins Christiane Amanpour to give a glimpse into the inner workings of Congress as the impeachment inquiry unfolds. Robert Reich examines PG&E’s role in the California fires. Cynthia Erivo and Leslie Odom, Jr. discuss their roles in the new film “Harriet.” Ocean Vuong sits down with Michel Martin to discuss race, sexuality and his new novel “On Earth We’re Briefly Gorgeous.”
LEARN MORE