Beryl Howell: “His attempt to do so here is blatantly illegal, and his constitutional arguments to excuse this illegal act are contrary…”

The president's interpretation of the scope of his constitutional power — or, more aptly, his aspiration — is flat wrong.

It sends chills down my spine when you say that if the president in his view has the position that an individual, or an entity, or a company is operating a way that is not in the nation’s interest, he can issue an executive order like this.

The president's efforts here to take over an organization outside of those bounds, contrary to statute established by Congress and by acts of force and threat using local and federal law enforcement officers, represented a gross usurpation…

The president cannot bring the federal government down on his political opponents ... as he has done here.