Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio) has yet to back a Democratic presidential candidate in the 2020 election, but he’s confident that the party will have a strong chance against President Trump regardless of the nominee.
Brown says once the candidates stop fighting for the party nod, they can start pointing out how President Trump is working to undo all the things Democrats stand for—including overtime pay for workers and expanded medical coverage for people in need.
“Making the contrast on health care, making the contrast on climate change, making the contrast on gun safety, and the Democrats, we will make that contrast and we will win with that contrast regardless of who the candidate is,” Brown said.
Brown decided not to make a run for president himself. He has not indicated which candidate he will vote for in Ohio’s March 17 primary.
Brown says Trump has been emboldened to push the limits of executive power after his acquittal on impeachment charges. Brown was among the senators who voted to remove Trump from office on charges of abuse of power and obstruction of Congress.
“The Constitution clearly draws a very bright line separating the judicial branch and the executive branch and the legislative branch,” Brown says. “But because Republicans in the Senate have failed to do their jobs, this president’s unleashed.”
He cites the recent example of Trump exerting influence on the sentencing of his friend Roger Stone, who was convicted of lying to Congress and witness tampering. Four career Justice Department lawyers quit the case after Trump objected to their 7-9 year prison recommendation.
Stone was sentenced Thursday to 40 months in jail. Brown says no previous president has tried to change the outcome of what happens in federal courts.
