Well actually, Tocqueville didn't say that

@IvankaTrump @DavidRivkin @WSJopinion
1/6

Here's link to OpEd that misquotes Tocqueville

"This Impeachment Subverts the Courts", WSJ @WSJopinion Sat, 10/26/2019, by @DavidRivkin and Elizabeth Price Foley
https://blog.heartland.org/2019/10/the-lefts-glaring-disregard-for-the-constitution-looms-in-impeachment-effort/
2/6

Here's where the mis-quote comes from -- a book from 1899.

Author was critiquing the impeachment of Andrew Johnson
3/6

Here's what Tocqueville actual wrote in 1835.

The 1899 paraphrase is a serious distortion and mischaracterization
4/6

Here's context

Tocqueville was comparing US impeachment process vs European process ("tribunals"). Says US system is comparatively mild, but is not toothless.

-more likely to act ("vindictive passions of parties" ~ adversarial)
- more likely to convict
- aim: preventative

Back to @IvankaTrump @DavidRivkin @WSJopinion misquote, Tocqueville DID NOT say
- impeachment was likely to be abused
- in order to crush rivals
- because decline of public morals

Instead, he's basically praising US impeachment institution

Thanks for coming to my TED talk

6/6

P.S. Here's more, if you are interested. https://twitter.com/MrMeritology/status/1197929770501070849?s=20