Derhsowitz: Trump Has a Point About Prosecutors Flipping Witnesses

‘So of course, there has to be concern’

CHUCK TODD: Should the president be concerned that Paul Manafort may be able to say that a pardon was promised, or a pardon was hinted at, or the pardon was dangled during the joint defense agreement?

ALAN DERSHOWITZ: I doubt that. I think the president was pretty careful in what he said and how he said it and what he said was said in public. So I don't think that's a real concern. I think the concern is putting together information that the prosecutor knows about but can't connect. We have to remember again that collusion is not a crime. Conspiracy is a crime, but conspiracy requires knowledge. And it's also possible that Manafort was always acting on his own to make more money. He was using the Trump campaign saying, "I'll make introductions. I'll help you," but that the Trump campaign didn't really know about this. That's a likely explanation beyond the series of quote "coincidences."

CHUCK TODD: Do you believe the president has the legal team he needs to take on Robert Mueller? It seems like Robert Mueller has yet to lose.

ALAN DERSHOWITZ: Well, prosecutors have a tremendous advantage, as Congress Schiff correctly points out, you don't mess with prosecutors. They'll come after you. They'll make you plead guilty. They'll threaten your family. President Trump had a point when he said, civil libertarians like me, have been concerned about flip witnesses for many, many, many years. Prosecutors have too much power to flip witnesses and to use their testimony. So of course, there has to be concern. Prosecutors have all that much power, and all defense attorneys realize that.

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