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Should Political Opponents Face Legal Prosecution?

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Political Scientists from ISU have different reactions to Donald Trump's debate comment that if he were President, Hillary Clinton would be in jail. Erik Rankin spoke during GLT's Sound Ideas.

"The Justice Department is not a political tool. The only real directing that the President does is appoint the Attorney General," said Rankin. "The President can't tell the Attorney General to go prosecute specific cases. And the ramifications of what that could be are really damaging to the office. It damages the credibility of the Justice Department." 

Rankin pointed out may former Justice Department prosecutors have come out and condemned Trump's comments. 

Another professor, Tom McClure, characterized Trump's comment about jailing Clinton as a flippant remark that got a laugh...

"He said two things. First he said there should be an investigation by a special prosecutor, which certainly isn't an inappropriate thing to say. I believe his position is that this one really wasn't done in an objective way and he made reference to the fact that Bill Clinton had met with the Attorney General before the findings had come out," said McClure. "And then the second comment he made came in response to her claim that we shouldn't have anyone in the White House that has his understanding of the law. His response was because if there was, you'd be in jail. Were his words well chosen? Absolutely not. I don't think it's as bad as it's being played out to be."

But, Rankin said words matter, and if Trump doesn't understand that, Clinton is right: he is not fit to be President.

"How am I to interpret when they're just words and the words carry weight and when it's just banter and we're not supposed to take that serious," said Rankin. "I don't know what's right and what's wrong." 

Both Rankin and McClure return to Sound Ideas Oct. 20 following the final Presidential debate the night before.