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‘That’s My Point’: Alan Dershowitz Argues With Sunny Hostin Over Impeachment Witnesses

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Virginia Kruta Associate Editor
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Harvard professor emeritus Alan Dershowitz made the case against impeachment witnesses Wednesday, appearing to get “The View” host Sunny Hostin to help him make his point.

Dershowitz, who appeared on the daytime talk show ahead of another day of President Donald Trump’s impeachment trial in the Senate, got into a testy exchange with Hostin over whether or not witnesses were necessary. (RELATED: Adam Schiff Says House Won’t Subpoena Bolton Because They’re Not Trying To Out Him As A Hypocrite)

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“Alan, you just mentioned that you’ve been a lawyer for a long time and you have been, a defense attorney,” Hostin began. “Even with the new Bolton revelations, we still don’t have a guarantee that Republicans will vote to hear from Bolton, and my question is, what kind of trial have you seen that doesn’t have witnesses or evidence? I mean —”

“Many, many,” Dershowitz responded.

Hostin tried again, asking, “Okay, but if Trump didn’t commit a crime, why not let the evidence and witnesses back him up? Because in my experience as a prosecutor, defendants always have a list of witnesses that exonerate them.” (RELATED: 3 Times ‘The View’ Hosts Blatantly Lied On TV In Less Than An Hour)

Dershowitz responded with a hypothetical.

“Let me ask you a question. You’re a prosecutor. You indict somebody for dishonesty, not a crime, dishonesty—” he said.

“I didn’t indict people for that—” Hostin interrupted.

“Let me — that’s my point,” Dershowitz smiled, going on to argue that the defense did not need to call witnesses to a crime that was never charged. “You would have a motion to dismiss. The judge would dismiss it. I’ve had cases like that which I’ve won based on no witnesses because no crime has been charged.”

“I argue that no impeachable offense has been charged,” Dershowitz continued. “If I’m right, there are no witnesses. If I’m wrong, then the rule has to be if one side can call witnesses, the other side must be able to call witnesses. We must have equality.”

“Fine, okay,” Hostin shrugged.