Turley made clear he does not necessarily believe Trump should not be impeached. It could happen eventually, and the professor has even advised Democrats on how to do it. In a USA Today op-ed published a week ago, Turley wrote that abuse of power is an impeachable offense “but it is the most difficult of potential impeachment claims” to prove, one that requires Democrats to gather more compelling evidence and to put together a clearer timeline. But the current charges, he concluded, are “neither complete nor compelling on proof of an impeachable offense.”

If Trump survives for a second term, it is possible that Democrats will take this pro-bono advice and give impeachment another try. But those lawmakers were in too much of a hurry Wednesday, and a potential critic of the president became his best defender.