Dershowitz: Media ‘Willfully Distorted’ Comments – Challenges Haters To Debate

Alan Dershowitz slammed the media on Thursday for ‘willfully distorting’ his arguments in defense of President Trump during Wednesday’s impeachment trial in the Senate.

In particular, Democrats and the MSM took issue with Dershowitz’s description of the legal boundaries governing a presidential quid pro quo.

“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 impeachment,” Dershowitz argued on Wednesday – which many media outlets construed as suggesting that the President has virtually limitless power.

“They characterized my argument as if I had said that if a president believes that his reelection was in the national interest, he can do anything,” said Dershowitz, who accused CNN, MSNBC and other news outlets of mischaracterizing his comments.

“I said nothing like that, as anyone who actually heard what I said can attest.“

Stephen Colbert was particularly critical:

TONIGHT: Does the law apply to Donald Trump? Not according to his lawyer, Alan Dershowitz. #LSSC pic.twitter.com/YeVmfkvPkd

— The Late Show (@colbertlateshow) January 30, 2020

Dershowitz responded via Twitter:

They characterized my argument as if I had said that if a president believes that his re-election was in the national interest, he can do anything. I said nothing like that, as anyone who actually heard what I said can attest.

— Alan Dershowitz (@AlanDersh) January 30, 2020

He goes on to explain that he was arguing that a president who acts in both self-interest and the national interest cannot “by itself – necessarily be deemed corrupt.”

I said that the 3rd was often the reality of politics and that helping one’s own re-election efforts cannot — by itself— necessarily be deemed corrupt.

— Alan Dershowitz (@AlanDersh) January 30, 2020

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I did not say or imply that a candidate could do anything to reassure his reelection, only that seeking help in an election is not necessarily corrupt, citing the Lincoln and Obama examples. Critics have an obligation to respond to what I said, not to create straw men to attack.

— Alan Dershowitz (@AlanDersh) January 30, 2020

https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.jshttps://platform.twitter.com/widgets.jshttps://platform.twitter.com/widgets.jsKellyanne Conway had Dersh’s back:

Kellyanne Conway: “Our crack group of attorneys… are doing an amazing job of not preening for the cameras and not being partisans politicians, frankly, but lawyers.” pic.twitter.com/kcaKZOLnD9

— The Hill (@thehill) January 30, 2020

https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.jsMeanwhile, Dershowitz has challenged his critics to a “Lincoln/Douglas-type town hall debate.“

Let’s elevate the quality of the dialogue and avoid ad hominems.The issues are too important to trivialize. The debate could be live or on TV. (MTC)

— Alan Dershowitz (@AlanDersh) January 30, 2020

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The American public would be informed better by a debate than by childish epithets such as those that are being hurled at me by partisan pundits, academics and politicians. Please respond if you accept.

— Alan Dershowitz (@AlanDersh) January 30, 2020

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