Is Trump's wire tapping claim an impeachable offense?

[yellowcanine]

I think it is. He is calling for Congress to investigate and waste taxpayer money on a false claim - which he knows is false.
He is also libeling President Obama and his Justice Dept. Because it would be difficult to sue a sitting President for libel, the only remedy is impeachment and removal from office.

[Shrike47]

1. No. Libel is not a crime. Neither is lying, if not under oath.

[yellowcanine]

3. An impeachable offense is anything Congress says it is.

Impeachment is fundamentally a political process. Make no mistake. If Congress decides to impeach Trump and the 2/3 or the Senate agree, Trump is gone. There are other crimes beyond what is actually written into statute. Presidents are expected to behave as Presidents. Libeling your predecessor is not part of the deal.

[DemocratSinceBirth]

6. Impeachment is a political act .

Libel and lying could theoretically provide a basis for Articles Of Impeachment.

[onenote]

2. An impeachable offense is whatever Congress wants it to be

And a Republican majority Congress isn't going to treat his tweet, standing alone, as an impeachable offense.

[truebluegreen]

4. Bingo, on both counts.

[yellowcanine]

7. Except his tweet does not stand alone. He is now calling for Congressional investigations.

And he is obstructing justice by trying to cover up his campaign ties to the Russians. The tweets are part of that obstruction of justice.

[onenote]

8. I think it would be impossible at this point to make out a case of obstruction of justice

Simply tweeting his crazy claims about being wiretapped and calling for an investigation doesn't cut it as obstructing any ongoing investigation. As was the case with Scooter Libby, obstruction of justice typically requires destruction of evidence, perjury, or soliciting others to commit perjury or destroy evidence. Unless you know something I don't, no investigative agency has to date demanded that Trump or his campaign minions present testimony or the produce documentary evidence.

[randome]

5. Probably not a crime but could it be a 'high misdemeanor'? That leaves plenty of wriggle room.

Not that the GOP will understand such things, of course.
[hr][font color="blue"][center]All things in moderation, including moderation.[/center][/font][hr]