Law professor Jonathan Turley warned that impeaching President Donald Trump with less than two weeks remaining in his term could spell disaster -- but other social media users said the alternative was clearly worse.
The George Washington University Law School professor said a "snap impeachment" would set a dangerous precedent by allowing Congress to impeach future presidents for the actions of their supporters -- which, in Trump's case, is the violent storming of the U.S. Capitol intended to subvert the election won by Joe Biden.
"My concern is that this impeachment will not only create precedent for an expedited pathway of 'snap impeachments' but allow future Congresses to impeach presidents for actions of their supporters," Turley tweeted, linking to his column laying out that argument in more detail.
My concern is that this impeachment will not only create precedent for an expedited pathway of “snap impeachments" but allow future Congresses to impeach presidents for actions of their supporters. https://t.co/Mwy29XIzyH
— Jonathan Turley (@JonathanTurley) January 11, 2021
But other Twitter users fired back, arguing that Trump's alleged incitement of a violent mob to maintain his grip on power was simply too destructive and dangerous to let pass without the strongest possible action by the Congress whose lives he endangered.
My concern is that doing nothing will create precedent for elected officials to organize and lead violent insurrection against our democracy and think there will never be any consequences. Good grief, man.
— Dr. Ward Q. Normal (@WardQNormal) January 11, 2021
My concern is that anyone might still listen to a pathetic throne sniffer who puts a legal sheen on Trump apologia
— Tim Miller (@Timodc) January 11, 2021
I'm going to go out on a limb here and say that a violent mob trying to overthrow a legitimate election is an appropriate scenario to trigger a 'snap impeachment '. Just as a heart attack is the appropriate scenario to trigger a 'snap call for an ambulance '.
— Jane Splurky (@JSplurky) January 11, 2021
I'm sorry, I must have missed the section of the US constitution that specifies a minimum length of time that must be spent on an impeachment
— EsonLinji (@esonlinji) January 11, 2021
My concern is that somehow you became a law professor who is poisoning the minds of countless law students.
— Eric Slater (@ericsslater) January 11, 2021
If inciting a violent insurrection against the Capitol is not impeachable maybe hampering the national guard response to it is.
— abbie (@abbieonthetweet) January 11, 2021
How many attempted insurrections are you expecting in the future?
Extraordinary situations call for extraordinary reactions. #TreasonHasConsequences
— Cyndi Borowski💙🇺🇲 (@BorowskiCyndi) January 11, 2021
If it's an unjustified case in the future, surely our hands won't be tied. We can just say, “hey, this isn't like that justified case where the president sent a mob to attack Congress."
— Elizabeth Picciuto 🤞🌨 (@epicciuto) January 11, 2021
This is your "concern" after the video we've seen? After the speeches from Trump and his enablers?
They WANTED TO HANG MIKE PENCE because of Trump.
They attacked police and the press because of Trump.
And Trump was delighted to watch the coverage. He is responsible.
— Carrie Moley (@carrie_moley) January 11, 2021
My concern is that this impeachment is not happening nearly fast enough — this is a horror movie where the calls are coming from inside the house and the protagonists are like "maybe the homicidal maniac will go away on his own."
— E.G. Phillips 🦆👖 (@DucksWithPants) January 11, 2021
The President then released a video saying he loved the mob and that they were very special. It was the most disgusting thing a President has ever done. Ever.
— Ares (@AresRound2) January 11, 2021
'Embarrassment' Jonathan Turley gets ripped to shreds for complaining Trump impeachment coming too fast