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Tags: alan dershowitz | robert mueller | investigation | interview | fbi | special counsel

Alan Dershowitz: Mueller Has 'Leverage' in Any Trump Interview

(CNN's "Anderson Cooper 360")

By    |   Monday, 08 January 2018 09:39 PM EST

Russia investigation special counsel Robert Mueller, now aiming to speak with President Donald Trump, has "the leverage advantage" in any interrogation, according to Harvard law professor Alan Dershowitz.

In remarks to CNN's Anderson Cooper, Dershowitz said the president's lawyers likely will "do anything to avoid" having Trump "in a grand jury room."

"[Mueller] has the authority to simply send out a subpoena with no limitations, no compromises, asking about anything . . ." Dershowitz said — if Trump's lawyers filed a lawsuit, the delay "flies in the face of the commitment by the lawyers that they want it done quickly."

"So, I think Mueller has the leverage advantage," he added. "But he doesn't want to seem like a bully. He doesn't want to seem like he's doing something that interferes with the operation of the president."

Dershowitz said he believes Trump's lawyers would likely prefer "to make all kinds of proposals, to not invoke the grand jury subpoena so they can say, 'well, we offered to cooperate, but Mueller didn't accept it.'"

He doubts that is what will happen, however.

"I think there will be a compromise, or it will be called in front of a grand jury," he told CNN.

Dershowitz also warned against 'pathologizing' political differences.  

"The first rule: You never diagnose someone that you haven't examined," he said. "We should not go down that line of giving psychiatrists the power to use their political opposition to try to create a diagnosis."

"Somebody on your network earlier [Monday] said [Trump] has Alzheimer's — 'You should check the statements he made now against what he said 10 years ago,'" he added.

"Well, check the statements I make now from 10 years ago. I was a little brighter then than I am today. That's what happens when you get old. The idea of trying to pathologize political issues is so dangerous to Democracy."

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FBI special counsel Robert Mueller would have "a leverage advantage" in any potential interview with President Donald Trump, Renown civil liberties attorney and Harvard law professor Alan Dershowitz says.
alan dershowitz, robert mueller, investigation, interview, fbi, special counsel
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2018-39-08
Monday, 08 January 2018 09:39 PM
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