This is an audio version of The Reason Live stream, which takes place every Thursday at 1 p.m. Eastern Rode‘s YouTube channel.
RodeZach Weissmueller and Liz Wolfe sat down for a live discussion about the political and social ramifications of the impeachment charges against Donald Trump with George Mason University law professor Ilya Somin.
Trump’s attempt to overturn the 2020 election deserves punishment from both a retaliatory and retributive standpoint And deterrence,” Somin wrote after the four charges filed by Special Counsel Jack Smith in early August. “For the head of state in a democracy, there are few crimes more serious than using fraud to stay in power after losing an election. .”
Somin also says that “some of the charges seem convincing” in the case against Trump in Fulton County, Georgia.
Critics of the charges have pointed to the striking timing of a scheduled trial date. accused Trump prosecutors sought to “criminalize ruling,” suggesting the former president is being held to a double standard. Others fear the prosecution will lead to “increasingly aggressive tit-for-tat investigations.”
Sources referenced in this conversation:
“Retaliation, Deterrence, and the Case of Prosecuting Trump for Conspiracy to Overturn the 2020 Election,” by Ilya Somin
“The Georgia Case Against Trump,” by Ilya Somin
William Baude and Michael Stokes Paulsen on Trump’s eligibility for president and the 14th Amendment
“The FBI has resisted opening an investigation into Trump’s role on January 6 for over a year,” by Carol Leonnig and Aaron Davis
John Eastman’s memo on how to question the 2020 election results
“Conservative legal luminaries release report titled ‘Lost, Not Stolen: The Conservative Case that Trump Lost and Biden won the 2020 Presidential Election,’” by Ilya Somin
“Section 3 Disqualifications for Preserving Democracy”, by Ilya Somin
Today’s sponsor:
- Why we can’t have nice things. A six-piece Rode podcast series about the frustrating and silly aspects of US trade policy that make everyday things more expensive. From last year’s sudden baby food shortages to the Jones Act and President Lyndon Johnson’s infamous “chicken war,” host Eric Boehm sits down with industry experts and libertarian policymakers to explore how these counterproductive rules came about — and explains why they can be like this. hard to undo.
- Better help. Are you at your best? Working with a therapist can help you get closer to the best version of yourself because when you feel empowered, you’re more prepared to take on whatever life throws at you. If you’re thinking about giving therapy a try, BetterHelp is a great option. It’s convenient, flexible, affordable and completely online. Just fill out a short questionnaire to get matched with a licensed therapist, and you can switch therapists at any time at no extra cost. If you want to live a more powerful life, therapy can get you there.
The post Ilya Somin: Should Libertarians Support Trump Prosecutions? appeared first on Reason.com.