Law professor Alan Dershowitz: Trump can’t be prosecuted for his motives — even if it’s ‘covering up a murder’

Appearing in ABC's This Week, law professor Alan Dershowitz offered an impassioned defense of President Donald Trump, saying he is immune from having investigators cite his motives in any crime he might commit -- including if Trump pardoned someone for murdering another person because it might be helpful to the president.

Speaking with host George Stephanopoulos, the controversial legal expert -- who is pushing his book saying Trump shouldn't be impeached -- pushed hard against the idea that the president was attempting to obstruct the investigation by special counsel Robert Mueller.

"You cannot question a president's motives when the president acts. If the president pardons, that's it," Dershowitz vehemently stated. "If a president fires, that's it. You can't go beyond an act and get into his motive or into his intent."

Pressed by host Stephanopoulos if a pardon was part of "covering up a murder," Dershowitz didn't bend.

"It doesn't matter," the layer shot back. "A pardon is a pardon. The covering up of the murder may be an independent crime. The pardon can't be the actus reus  [action or conduct that is a constituent element of a crime, as opposed to the mental state of the accused] of a crime, because you have a actus reus of a crime that is a constitutionally protected act."

Watch the video below via ABC: