Topic: Criminal Statute

Legal scholar Alan Dershowitz argues that "collusion" is not a crime defined in the federal criminal statute. He suggests that even if a candidate coordinated with a foreign power, it would not necessarily constitute a criminal act unless it violated specific laws like bribery or hacking. Dershowitz advocates for a nonpartisan commission rather than a special counsel to investigate election interference to ensure transparency.

Senator Trey Gowdy confronted IRS Commissioner John Koskinen regarding the "spoliation of evidence" and the negative inferences juries are allowed to draw when records are destroyed. Gowdy criticized Koskinen for claiming there was no evidence of criminal wrongdoing without having reviewed specific criminal statutes. The exchange emphasized the legal double standard between how the IRS treats taxpayers and how it manages its own records.