Dershowitz: Congress 'Obligated' to Act Against 'Bad' Iran Nuke Deal

As coequal branches of government, Congress and the president are entitled to invite whomever they like to Washington, Harvard law professor Alan Dershowitz said Monday on "America’s Forum" on Newsmax TV.

Dershowitz was discussing the controversial visit this week by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who is to address Congress on Tuesday about the dangers of a nuclear proliferation deal with Iran.

"Remember that when the president invites somebody to the White House, he doesn't have to check with Congress," Dershowitz said, adding that the presidency and Congress hold equal power.

"We tend to live in an age where we think the presidency is more important constitutionally than Congress," he said. "That's not what the framers said. The framers had them as coequal branches in the government — and just like the president doesn't have to check with Congress, Congress doesn't have to check with the president."

Congress, he added, is obligated to act as a check-and-balance on foreign policy.

"If this is a bad deal for America, for the world, for peace, and for Israel, Congress has an absolute obligation to say no to the president," Dershowitz said.

It’s the Obama White House that has blown the invitation, and Netanyahu’s acceptance, "way out of proportion" and turned it into a political football.

"The president's wrong on this one, the president — for whom I voted twice — is wrong on this one and Prime Minister Netanyahu is right on this one, and Congress ought to listen to him."

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