May 10, 2019 - Politics & Policy

House Judiciary introduces act to pause statute of limitations on presidential federal offenses

Orion Rummler

In this image, Nadler stands from his seat. — Jerry Nadler (D-NY). Photo: Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images

House Judiciary Chairman Jerry Nadler (D-N.Y.) and Reps. Ted Deutch (D-Fla.) and Eric Swalwell (D-Calif.) introduced an act on Friday that would "pause the statute of limitations for any federal offense committed by a sitting president."

Between the lines: The "No President Is Above the Law Act" is likely an attempt to circumvent the Justice Department's ruling that states a sitting president cannot be indicted or criminally prosecuted.

The big picture: Special counsel Robert Mueller laid out extensive evidence of possible obstruction by Trump in volume 2 of his report, though he ultimately opted not to make a "traditional prosecutorial judgment" in part because of the OLC opinion.

The backdrop: More than 650 former federal prosecutors have signed onto a statement asserting that if the DOJ's Office of Legal Counsel (OLC) did not prohibit a sitting president from being indicted, President Trump would be charged with obstruction of justice in the aftermath of Robert Mueller's report.

Go deeper: Schiff considers fining Trump officials held in contempt $25,000 a day

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House Judiciary introduces act to pause statute of limitations on presidential federal offenses

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