Chicago Tribune goes there: "The constitutional remedy for presidential misconduct is impeachment."

[yellowcanine]

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/opinion/commentary/ct-trump-impeachment-wiretapping-20170306-story.html

But when President Trump accuses Obama of an act that would have been impeachable and possibly criminal, that's something much more serious than libel. If it isn't true or provable, it's misconduct by the highest official of the executive branch.

How is such misconduct by an official to be addressed? There's a common-law tort of malicious prosecution, but that probably doesn't apply when the government official has no intention to prosecute.

The answer is that the constitutional remedy for presidential misconduct is impeachment.

[still_one]

1. Unfortunately that won't happen

[Bernardo de La Paz]

8. Not yet. tRump is not toxic enough to Republicons, but he will be before long. . . . nt

[RedWedge]

2. Also, it's not the Chicago Tribune. It's a syndicated columnist.

[Initech]

3. It's way past time for Twitter to ban @realDonaldTrump.

He can use the official, monitored @POTUS account if he wants to get his fix.

[marybourg]

5. Disagree. He is OUR best weapon.

Tweet on, traitor.

[LiberalLovinLug]

17. Well he'd still tweet from the POTUS account, he wouldn't be able to resist

But what it would be would be a symbolic and powerful statement.

Doesn't Twitter have rules involving hate speech and sedition?

[Cha]

23. I agree.. he's his own worst enemy. I just can't even stand to

read his ugly lying shite

[red dog 1]

12. I agree, however, Twitter will never do that to Twitler..

(but it sure would be nice if they did, wouldn't it?)

[AgadorSparticus]

4. This needs to be repeated by every pundit.

[The Wizard]

6. Presidential Malpractice (NT)

[BSdetect]

7. The GOP will do SFA against scrotus

He could start a nuclear war and it ill be too late but anything short of that will incur nothing more than their inertia.

[malaise]

9. He should be impeached for the high crime of making up shit about the former

President

[red dog 1]

10. + 1

[DFW]

11. There is no offense grave enough to get the Republican House to impeach--except one:

The only offense Trump could commit that would cause the House Judiciary committee to start impeachment proceedings would be to offend so many Republican voters as to endanger the ability of the Republicans to maintain their House majority even with their gerrymandered districts.

If and when the House Republicans should perceive Trump to be a danger to them, they would impeach him for littering on the White House lawn, if that is all they could come up with. Otherwise, he could order a nuclear strike on Boston, and they'd find a way to rationalize it.

[red dog 1]

14. You make a good point..

It's too bad that no GOP House leader has the courage it would take to even suggest impeachment.

[tenorly]

13. True - but then, we'd be left with that medieval John Bircher, Pence.

I'd rather be stuck with Trump for the remainder of his term - his one term.

[ProfessorGAC]

20. A VP Taking Over For A President Gone In Disgrace Has NO Capital

They don't have a mandate now. They have zilch under a president Pence.

[tenorly]

22. You're right - but these are not normal times.

Pence would have GOP majorities in both houses, and while a few Republicans might object to the most extreme proposals, the fascist majority dominating the GOP in Congress would push very hard to pass Pence's far-right, fundamentalist agenda.

There'd be none of the contrition we saw with Jerry Ford, who was a gentleman and a moderate besides (which these people are anything but).

[ProfessorGAC]

25. Not Seeing It

Public opinion, aside from the 24% who actually voted for that buffoon, would swing heavily against radicalism in Congress. They would not be as emboldened and the dems could take their positions to a disgusted american public. I think the impact of such an event is more positive than you suggest.

[lillypaddle]

15. If only ...

<sigh>

[red dog 1]

16. Kick for exposure!

Last paragraph in the Tribune piece sums it up well:
"Given how great the executive's power is, accusations by the president can't be treated asymmetrically...If the alleged action would be impeachable if true, so must be the allegation if false...Anything else would give the president the power to distort democracy by calling his opponents criminals without ever having to prove it."

[malaise]

19. +1,000

He should be impeached for this.

[dalton99a]

18. Not anytime soon. Republicans need somebody (with small hands) to sign their bills.

Besides, they're terrified of death threats from his cult.

[ffr]

21. I'm glad someone's looking out for us.

Because the republicans sure as hell aren't.

Makes me wonder if they think life on Earth is in its last dying days? Hording all the wealth and natural resources to them and their kind. All the rest of you go die off in some other country or here under no health care we just stripped away from you.

[Exilednight]

24. I am actually surprised the Trib published this.

Good for them.

[doc03]

26. What a delema about 60% of us think he is crazy and should be

impeached and 40% think he walks on water. I don't think there is anything he can do that will change their minds.

[neeksgeek]

27. I don't honestly believe the KGOP will ever impeach 45

He's already gone waaaay off the rails of legitimate presidential behavior and most of them either stand mute or cheer him on.

[VOX]

28. Alas, one-party-rule subverts this logical consequence...

With the KGOP in charge of all branches of government (soon to add the judicial branch), any logical step towards fairness, justice, conscientiousness, equality and basic compassion is blocked by partisan ideology.