Editorials & Other Articles

Judi Lynn

(160,633 posts) Thu Jan 18, 2018, 11:09 PM Jan 2018

Ex-Watergate prosecutor: No such thing as president-elect privilege

BY JOHN BOWDEN - 01/18/18 09:43 PM EST

Former Watergate prosecutor Nick Ackerman said Thursday that the White House would have no grounds to limit testimony from former chief strategist Stephen Bannon regarding events that took place during the presidential transition, stating that there's no such thing as "presidential-elect privilege."

Ackerman responded on MSNBC to reports that President Trump personally instructed Bannon to limit his testimony during an interview with the House Intelligence Committee this week after Bannon refused to answer questions about events that occurred after the Trump campaign concluded.

"First of all, executive privilege does not apply to Donald Trump until January 20, 2017, when he was sworn in as president," Ackerman said.

"There's no such thing as president-elect privilege," he added. "It's like saying there's attorney-client privilege when someone's in law school and they're not an attorney."

More:
http://thehill.com/homenews/administration/369671-ex-watergate-prosecutor-no-such-thing-as-president-elect-privilege

5 replies

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Highlight:

Ex-Watergate prosecutor: No such thing as president-elect privilege (Original Post) Judi Lynn Jan 2018 OP

When "executive privilege" begins isn't a settled legal matter and that is just an opinion. PoliticAverse Jan 2018 #1

Executive privilege is very, very limited. Almost nonexistent. Sophia4 Jan 2018 #2

Thanks. n/t MBS Jan 2018 #4

Correct, the privilege prevails only while President. L. Coyote Jan 2018 #3

That's one reason that the focus is on the campaign. Nitram Jan 2018 #5

PoliticAverse

(26,366 posts)

1. When "executive privilege" begins isn't a settled legal matter and that is just an opinion.

Reply to Judi Lynn (Original post)

Thu Jan 18, 2018, 11:21 PM

Jan 2018

The only opinion that would matter is that of the 9 justices on the Supreme Court.

Executive privilege isn't absolute, Richard Nixon was compelled to turn over the tapes of his conversations.

Sophia4

(3,515 posts)

2. Executive privilege is very, very limited. Almost nonexistent.

Reply to PoliticAverse (Reply #1)

Thu Jan 18, 2018, 11:24 PM

Jan 2018

The privilege that does exist certainly does not apply to covering up potentially criminal conduct.

They'll fight over every word, but in the end, the Supreme Court will be careful on this one because they will be aware they are setting precedent for future presidents some of whom will be Democrats.