his own justice department. because the only check on him is congressional, and the only real check, the only serious check is impeachment. so if you say, you know, the bar is so high it can never be reached, what you're saying is the president is essentially unaccountable and the founders did not mean that. >> what about the process argument that republicans seemingly have been trying to make? they are saying this is not what happened in the clinton impeachment or watergate. and they're hanging their hats on that. what do you make of that argument? >> constitutionally, they are on very thin grounds. the power -- the house can organize impeachment pretty much as it wants. there is no constraint in the constitution. it's sort of like the president's pardon powers. they are unfettered. now politically, i think the democrats should do exactly -- should follow the historical precedent. they should allow republicans to call witnesses. they would argue they are going to do that. they are at a different stage in the process. they are now in the fact-finding stage.