Sunday, October 9, 2016

If elected Trump threatens to prosecute and "jail" Hillary Clinton

GOP presidential candidate Donald Trump threatened to prosecute and "jail" his opponent Hillary Clinton.  Not only does it mirror the dangerous rhetoric of dictators and despots, but by law it is impossible. 
As a result of Watergate, in 1977 Congress passed the Ethics in Government Act (EGA) which for the first time defined procedures for the appointment of a special prosecutors. Specifically, the Act provided that upon receiving allegations relating to certain "covered persons", the Attorney General was required to conduct a preliminary investigation.  If the preliminary investigation suggested that further investigation was warranted, the AG was required to petition three judge panel established by the statute and known as the "Special Division," to appoint an "independent counsel." Several aspects of the Act require further explanation.
Reminiscent of the most traumatic government upheaval of the Watergate crisis, according to the Washington Post, In 1973, President Nixon discharged Special Prosecutor Archibald Cox and accepted the resignations of Attorney General Elliot L. Richardson and Deputy Attorney General William D. Ruckelshaus, when thet refused to fire Cox. Finally, Robert Bork agreed to fire Cox.
The President also abolished the office of the special prosecutor and turned over to the Justice Department the entire responsibility for further investigation and prosecution of suspects and defendants in Watergate and related cases. 

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