More than 500 professors say Trump "engaged in impeachable conduct"

More than 500 legal scholars and law professors signed a letter saying President Trump has "engaged in impeachable conduct," and that lawmakers would be well within their rights to pursue impeachment.

Why it matters: The academics said the evidence surrounding the impeachment inquiry shows that Trump betrayed the oath "to help him distort an American election, for his personal and political benefit" at the expense of American national security interests.

• Nonprofit advocacy group Protect Democracy published the letter, and previously released a similar item during the Mueller-Russia investigations.

What they're saying:

"But if the House of Representatives impeached the President for the conduct described here and the Senate voted to remove him, they would be acting well within their constitutional powers.

"Whether President Trump’s conduct is classified as bribery, as a high crime or misdemeanor, or as both, it is clearly impeachable under our Constitution."

Go deeper:

• Legal scholars called by Democrats say Trump has committed impeachable offenses
• Pelosi asks House to proceed with articles of impeachment