Chris Hayes had two of the conservative lawyers on his show who had signed a joint letter to fellow Republicans calling for the swift investigation and impeachment of Donald Trump. Harvard Law professor Charles Fried was Solicitor General under Ronald Reagan, and Jonathan Adler is a law professor at Case Western. They both had pretty strong words for and about Trump, but also about the Republicans who enable and participate in his crimes.
More than anything, though, they wanted to let other conservatives know that if they had qualms, or were horrified at what has become of their Republican party, that they were not alone. When Hayes asked Prof. Fried why he'd co-signed the letter calling for impeachment, Fried answered, "This man terrifies me." Hayes asked him why, and he responded:
Fried went on later to say he believed we are in a Constitutional crisis because of Trump's unlawful behavior, and the criminal and obstructive behavior upon which he's insisting from his staff.
He made sure to interject that the second part of the Mueller report gave Congress the charge of indicting Trump for obstruction of justice. Hayes finished by asking Fried what his fellow conservatives are feeling about what's happening with this administration with and to the rule of law. He said very simply, "They are horrified."
If only the Republicans in Congress were equally horrified, or at least horrified enough to take action. But then, that's what these gentlemen claimed the purpose of their letter was, wasn't it? To provide community and cover? Let's see if it actually helps the Congressional GOP take action, or if it ends up just being an eloquent exercise in venting for these 16 conservative lawyers.
