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NEW: Legal Expert Obliterates Democrats Over Latest Trump Impeachment Threats

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George Washington Law professor and constitutional expert Jonathan Turley dismissed the latest Trump impeachment efforts ginned up by Democrats in the wake of President Trump’s decision to strike Iranian nuclear sites by pointing to long-standing legal precedence for such actions in an opinion piece published by Fox News.

A number of far-left lawmakers, including Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY), have called for President Trump’s impeachment in the aftermath of the strikes.“The President’s disastrous decision to bomb Iran without authorization is a grave violation of the Constitution and Congressional War Powers,” the progressive congresswoman posted on X Saturday. “He has impulsively risked launching a war that may ensnare us for generations. It is absolutely and clearly grounds for impeachment.”

Senator Adam Schiff (D-CA) has echoed the congresswoman’s sentiments by claiming that Trump’s decision was “unconstitutional.”

This is all nonsense, however, according to Turley, who pointed to numerous examples of unilateral military action that were not met with similar calls for impeachment. “Fourteen years ago this week, I was in court litigating that very issue when President Barack Obama attacked Libya. Most Democrats supported or were silent on the action,” Turley wrote.

“Nevertheless, Democratic members are now calling for impeachment, while others are declaring the attacks unconstitutional. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer is particularly shocked that Trump took the action and is calling for a vote under the War Powers Act,” the veteran legal analyst noted.

He then pointed out that Schumer was highly supportive of then-President Barack Obama’s decision to launch unilateral military action in Libya in 2011, when U.S. and coalition allies bombed Muammar Gaddafi’s government. The action was launched without clearly stated goals and resulted in Libya being divided up among warring factions, which persists to this day.

“I represented a bipartisan group of members of Congress challenging that action. We were unsuccessful, as were such prior challenges,” Turley said of his own experiences with the Libya strikes. He further noted that while he is not opposed to more clearly defined presidential war powers, he also pointed out that there have been 125 military campaigns authorized since World War II, none of which required an official declaration of war from Congress.

“Democrats were supportive when Clinton launched cruise missile attacks under Operation Infinite Reach on two continents on August 20, 1998. He ordered attacks in locations in Khartoum, Sudan, and Khost Province, Afghanistan,” the legal analyst continued.

In order for a president to declare unilateral military action under the War Powers Act, they must notify Congress within 48 hours in a written notice to the Speaker of the House of Representatives and the President pro tempore of the Senate. “The WPA further bars the use of armed forces in such a conflict for more than 60 days without congressional authorization for use of military force (AUMF) or a declaration of war by the United States. There is a further 30-day withdrawal period,” Turley noted.

In relation to the Iran strikes, Trump properly notified Congress under the terms laid out in the WPA.

Turley went on to point out that former President Bill Clinton ignored the 60-day deadline and continued to bomb Serbian forces in Kosovo. “His actions were also challenged, but the court in Campbell v. Clinton just shrugged off the violation and said it was a non-justiciable political question,” Turley wrote.

Then-Secretary of State Hillary Clinton also shrugged off the WPA requirements in 2011 by stating that congressional approval was not required for the Obama Administration’s Libya operation to continue.

“Trump was wise to notify Congress and is currently in compliance with the Act. However, what occurs after that is anyone’s guess. The WPA and the AUMF have been paper tigers for decades and most in Congress wanted it that way,” the legal analyst continued. “Politicians long ago abandoned their responsibilities to declare war. What remains has been little more than political theater.”