Trump’s Broad Claims of Executive Immunity Lead To Criticism He Is Acting Above the Law

This article originally appeared in The Washington Post.

“We have a president who simply doesn’t believe that Congress is a coequal branch of government,” said Elliot Williams, who helped run the Justice Department’s legislative affairs office during the Obama administration. “That’s a huge departure from anything we’ve seen in our lifetimes.”

Williams said Trump’s arguments amount to a claim of legal immunity that defies the intent of the Constitution and its authors. “It cannot be the case that getting elected president is an automatic shield from any scrutiny, for even personal misconduct, be it criminal or civil,” he said.