Prominent Harvard law professor and liberal author Alan Dershowitz says Donald Trump Jr.s controversial meeting last year with a Russian lawyer is likely protected under the First Amendment.

Theres a big difference between the act of stealing, or the act of hacking, and the act of using it, Mr. Dershowitz told Fox Business host Neil Cavuto in an appearance Wednesday.

And theres really no difference under the First Amendment between a campaigner using information he obtained from somebody who obtained it illegally and a newspaper doing it, he continued. So I think this is conduct that would be covered by the First Amendment. It is also not prohibited by law. And theres been so much overwrought claim. There are people are talking about treason. I cant believe The New York Times had an op-ed yesterday in which treason was mentioned.

Mr. Trump Jr. on Tuesday released an email chain between himself and a British publicist that arranged a June 2016 meeting with Russian lawyer Natalia Veselnitskaya, who, according to the publicist, offered very high level and sensitive information about Hillary Clinton as part of the Russian governments support for Donald Trumps presidential campaign.

The younger Mr. Trump said Tuesday that the meeting turned out to be a waste of time and nothing came of it, but the revelation ramped up allegations from Democratic lawmakers that associates of President Trump may have colluded with the Russian government to influence the U.S. election. Some lawmakers, including Hillary Clintons running mate Tim Kaine, have said it could potentially lead to a treason investigation.

Mr. Dershowitz, however, said he doesnt see any crime at this point in Mr. Trump Jr.s behavior.

Even if the worst case scenario as far as we know now, is the Russians get in touch with Trump Jr. and say, we have some dirt on Hillary Clinton, come well give it to you and he goes and gets the information. Thats what the New York Times did with the Pentagon Papers, thats what the Washington Post did and many other newspaper did with information with Snowden and Manning, he told Newsmax Tuesday. You are allowed legally to use material that was obtained illegally as long as you had nothing to do with the illegal nature of obtaining the information, so at the moment I see no legal jeopardy for Trump Jr.

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Alan Dershowitz: Donald Trump Jr.'s conduct likely covered by First ... - Washington Times