No easy task for a president to 'abuse' his authority over the Justice Department

Despite America’s deep divisions, our political, intellectual, and media elites seem to agree on at least one thing: that the Department of Justice should be “independent” of the president.

Democrats accuse President Trump of wrongly “interfering” in the investigation of General Michael Flynn. Republicans broadcast their suspicions that President Obama was really calling the shots on the Clinton e-mail investigation, the Trump-Russia investigation, or both. Both sides concur, then, that there is something wrong with a president trying to direct or influence the activities of the Justice Department.

This consensus represents an understandable reaction to the trauma of Watergate. In that infamous scandal, President Nixon sought to impede a criminal investigation. Nixon clearly acted on self-serving political motives, and he ended up being driven from office.

More