Will Lamar Alexander’s Warning Restrain Trump?
The veteran lawmaker is relying on the political system to check the president, even though he does not think it is right to apply the most powerful check Congress has.
“Hopefully he won’t do that again.”
That’s what Senator Lamar Alexander told me on Friday, discussing President Donald Trump’s push to have political rivals investigated by Ukraine. A lot of weight rests on those six words, especially the first. The veteran lawmaker would like the president not to abuse his power, and is relying on the political system to check him, even though Alexander does not think it is right to apply the most powerful check Congress has.
The Republican from Tennessee had been seen as an essential vote if the Senate was to call witnesses in the president’s trial.
