Why it matters: Dershowitz said he will, in his oral arguments at the trial, contend that the House can only impeach a president who has committed “criminal-like” conduct — not political charges such as abuse of power and obstruction of Congress.

House Intelligence Chairman Adam Schiff said on ABC’s “This Week” that Dershowitz’s argument is an “absurdist position” that someone would only make if the facts of the case were not on their side.

Rep. Jason Crow, who along with Schiff is one of the Democrats’ seven impeachment managers, argued on CNN that if a president can’t be indicted and abuse of power isn’t impeachable, then “no president can be held accountable.”