An interesting legal argument that Trump's evidence-free accusation of Obama's wiretapping is actually an...

Originally shared by Dan Thompson

An interesting legal argument that Trump's evidence-free accusation of Obama's wiretapping is actually an impeachable offense against Trump.

In a rule of law society, government allegations of criminal activity must be followed by proof and prosecution. If not, the government is ruling by innuendo.
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...you can’t sue the government for false and defamatory speech. If I accused Obama of wiretapping my phone, he could sue me for libel. If my statement was knowingly false, I’d have to pay up. On the other hand, if the president makes the same statement, he can’t be sued in his official capacity.
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For these reasons, it’s a mistake to say simply that Trump’s accusation against Obama is protected by the First Amendment. False and defamatory speech isn’t protected by the First Amendment. And an allegation of potentially criminal misconduct made without evidence is itself a form of serious misconduct by the government official who makes it.
https://www.bloomberg.com/view/articles/2017-03-06/trump-s-wiretap-tweets-raise-risk-of-impeachment