Former Watergate investigative journalist Carl Bernstein joined CNN's Brooke Baldwin on Monday's CNN Newsroom to push the latest liberal talking point: Trump could be impeached for recent tweets. During the segment, Bernstein suggested that the Trump could be impeached for witness intimidation regarding the impeachment hearings.
Baldwin asked Bernstein about Trump's tweets directed towards Ambassador Marie Yavanovich and special advisor to Mike Pence, Jennifer Williams, "Is the President trying to send a clear message to witnesses, Carl?"
Bernstein replied that he did not want to try to get inside Trump's head, calling it a "dangerous place," but added "certainly he seems intent on intimidating future witnesses." He went on to speculate that if it were not for the Justice Department's legal opinion that states a sitting president cannot be indicted, he would be on the verge of criminal charges, "He's dangerously close to being looked at, in the way that criminal charges are often investigated about intimidation of witnesses."
However, Bernstein surmised, he could still be impeached for such a crime, "but this could be part of an article of impeachment, about intimidation of witnesses particularly what the President did with Ambassador Yovanovich, the other day, that was really chilling, as we can see from her reaction."
He went on to speculate even more that tweeting might be the allegation that pushes Republican senators to vote for a conviction, "I think very, very many senators who are going to look at the impeachment, in a trial, with the President of the United States, and we can talk about this later, are really deeply disturbed, Republican senators about what they have seen in this impeachment situation so far."
Perhaps the only thing more comical than thinking criticizing someone on Twitter constitutes a high crime or misdemeanor is thinking that Republicans will vote to convict on such an allegation.
Here is a transcript for the November 18 show:
CNN
CNN Newsroom with Brooke Baldwin
2:35 PM ET
BROOKE BALDWIN: And what about the president, because between his tweet in the middle of Marie Yavanovich’s testimony last week and now you have the president's tweet, obviously strayed at Jennifer Williams, ahead of her testifying tomorrow. Is the president trying to send a clear message to witnesses, Carl?
CARL BERNSTEIN: I don't want to be inside the president's head certainly, it’s a dangerous place, but certainly he seems intent on intimidating future witnesses, whether its directly aimed at this witness who is already due to go up there. He's making it clear, has made it clear throughout these hearings and even before. He's dangerously close to being looked at, in the way that criminal charges are often investigated about intimidation of witnesses. Now, we know about the Justice Department opinion, that a sitting president can’t be indicted, but this could be part of an article of impeachment, about intimidation of witnesses particularly what the president did with Ambassador Yovanovich, the other day, that was really chilling, as we can see from her reaction and as I think very, very many senators who are going to look at the impeachment, in a trial, with the President of the United States, and we can talk about this later, are really deeply disturbed, Republican senators about what they have seen in this impeachment situation so far.
