"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 an impeachment."
Republicans are setting a dangerous precedent they may come to regret the next time a Democrat occupies the White House.
"You must do what the Constitution compels you to do: reject these articles of impeachment, for the Constitution and for the American people," said White House counsel Pat Cipollone.
"Purely non-criminal conduct, including 'abuse of power' and 'obstruction of justice,' are outside the range of impeachable offenses," Dershowitz said.
Plus: China takes campus free speech issues to a new level, Bloomberg wants to take away your vape, and more...
Senators who take their constitutional responsibilities seriously would seek more evidence about Trump's motive for the aid freeze.
Four Republicans cross the aisle to support a new resolution limited the president's power to wage war. But could they get enough to overrule a veto?
The big question is whether Majority Leader Mitch McConnell will allow any witnesses at all.
The CIA and its defenders insisted that torture would help keep America safe. They were wrong.
The majority leader addressed the Senate the morning after President Donald Trump was officially impeached by the House of Representatives.
Biden's reputation as a bipartisan dealmaker might be appealing in these polarized times, but his record as a policy maker is atrocious.
On their own, some of those tax breaks might be defensible. Dumping them into a must-pass budget bill is not.
In the middle of a scandal over FISA surveillance, leaders want still more power to snoop on your secret stuff.
Will Republicans back a North American trade deal that prioritizes the interests of Democrats, labor unions, and protectionists?
But at least they had enough tax dollars left over to buy a Bob Dylan-made sculpture for the U.S. embassy in Mozambique, and to get zebrafish addicted to nicotine in London.
The legislation would require warrants for extended surveillance, but look at what it explicitly OKs.
After senators sent threatening letters to Visa, Mastercard, and Stripe, the companies "decided" not to sign on to the online payment system.
No single spending item is going to solve America's $22 trillion national debt, but every little bit of wasteful spending makes the tough problems more difficult to solve.
Sen. Chuck Grassley and the Senate Finance Committee will debate two bills this fall aimed at restricting presidential authority to impose tariffs without congressional approval.
The fight over the 9/11 Victim Compensation Fund is pure political theater.
The Senate majority leader says he will not allow a vote on it, despite widespread support for the measure.
Paul's proposal to cut 2 percent from the federal budget for the next five years was predictably opposed by both Democrats and most Republicans
Senator proposes telling publishers what virtual products they can and cannot sell to children.
The Colorado Democrat opposes Medicare for All and universal free college.
A key senator issues the sort of binary, transactional choice that Trump seems to prefer. Will the POTUS listen?
They say the social media companies display a bias against conservatives.
A clear rebuke of Trump, though mainly a symbolic one
"What a betrayal of conservative principles this is," Sen. Michael Bennet says.
Plus: a Rand Paul add-on makes sure measure doesn't inadvertently authorize new wars, Dick's stores are dropping guns, campus art controversy, and good 8A news
It's a problematic sentiment on several levels.
Cramer tells Reason he's not sure which way he'll vote on a resolution to block it.
Democrats approached the issue carefully in 2016. Now six presidential candidates are all-in for complete reform.
Trump won't rely on Congress to fund his 200 miles of border wall.
Paul cited Barr's past support for warrantless surveillance. He's right to be worried.
The senator has a history of grandstanding during judicial hearings.
But she provided very little evidence to back up her claims.
Sen. Richard Burr raises an interesting point about onerous regulation, but his argument is baffling.
The New Jersey senator is a friend of criminal justice reform, but his best friend might steal the spotlight.
The estate tax is a form of double taxation.
The shutdown rolls on, with no obvious solution in sight.
The legislative branch is failing its basic constitutional duties, out of cowardly fear of a blustery president.
Five years ago, McConnell declared the need to restore the Senate. Instead, he's broken it further.
It all comes down to one man.
No but really, the shutdown is probably going to happen.
It sounds like Trump is folding, which is probably for the best.
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