Comment by roywiggins

18 hours ago

I am fairly sure it would be a crime for the President to pull up someone's VA health records on a whim, or at least it would be a crime for anyone at the VA to facilitate him doing that.

We can also add to that IRS data. The articles of impeachment against Nixon included the following:

"He has, acting personally and through his subordinates and agents, endeavoured to obtain from the Internal Revenue Service, in violation of the constitutional rights of citizens, confidential information contained in income tax returns for purposes not authorized by law" (emphasis mine).

There actually are laws regulating the handling of personal data collected by the government and it generally doesn't have a "the president wants to see it" exception.

"When the president does it, that means that it is not illegal" - Nixon

I wonder, if he was alive today would he stand by those words?

I would agree with that emphasis. Misusing presidential privilege is always a possible impeachment, if congress cares.

I think that he can access a health or irs record for cause - anything which would not get him impeached.