Abuse Of Power

The president’s legal team suggested today (in writing, I’m not kidding) that abuse of power is not an impeachable offense.

If  that were true, then what’s the point of having impeachment in the constitution? What would a president have to do before congress would feel compelled to remove him or her from office? 

Consider a graphic example. What if the president lined a bunch of senators up in front of a firing squad? Would that get their patriotic juices flowing at long last? Would they finally recognize the threat that abuse of power poses under those dire conditions? Or would they accept the ridiculous premise that there is no Article I remedy for abuse of presidential power, and simply stand there without complaining as the rifles were loaded?