Peter Daou, an adviser to Hillary Clinton's 2008 presidential campaign, got a lesson in basic constitutional law Sunday after he suggested that President Donald Trump be overthrown and replaced with Clinton.
Daou made the suggestion as the 23rd tweet in a 25-tweet rant, where he attempted to lay out the case that last year's presidential election was hacked by Russia to benefit Trump over Clinton, making it the "biggest political scandal in US history."
"A hostile power helped elect our president," Daou alleged.
Daou said that if the investigation into alleged collusion between Russia and the Trump campaign yields evidence, then the scandal will become a "full-blown Constitutional crisis." It's Daou's suggestion on what to do next that has people on social media mocking him.
"At that point, the only fair and just resolution is to have popular vote winner Hillary Clinton take office. Or to hold a new election," Daou tweeted.
23. At that point, the only fair and just resolution is to have popular vote winner Hillary Clinton take office. Or… https://t.co/1n0PvwZmF0— Peter Daou (@Peter Daou) 1490537194.0
However, the Constitution, in the 25th Amendment, already addresses the "fair and just" process in which the president is succeeded — and it's not the way Daou suggests.
In addition to the process, the Presidential Succession Act of 1947 addresses who succeeds the president — and it's not who Daou suggests.
Naturally, Daou became a laughingstock on Twitter for his suggestion:
If you are proposing abandoning the line of succession, you are abandoning the rule of law. https://t.co/ehQIe6FQ5i— Ben Howe (@Ben Howe) 1490577811.0
I wonder: for what percentage of Dems focused so intensely on Russia is the 1st option here the one they are pining… https://t.co/HTX2FLeQ5i— Glenn Greenwald (@Glenn Greenwald) 1490577851.0
@peterdaoupic.twitter.com/rVlj4wiTYF
— Biggomamma (@biggomamma) March 27, 2017
1. THREAD. Hillary's loss broke Peter Daou's brain. What now? Psychological treatment for paranoid delusions, hopef… https://t.co/LF2O7WQNyg— Dan O'Donnell (@Dan O'Donnell) 1490573531.0
You go, girl. Your tweetstorm is awesome. @peterdaou https://t.co/X83ywpj8jz— Kurt Schlichter (@Kurt Schlichter) 1490577092.0
@peterdaou You. Are. A. Joke. Hillary. Lost. Get. Over. It.
— Clark Kent (@icamefromkrypt1) March 27, 2017
Federal investigators are currently investigating the Trump campaign for potential ties to Russia and are searching for evidence of collusion, FBI Director James Comey confirmed last week. What they have found — or if they have found any evidence at all — has not been made public.