The Trump Impeachment Inquiry: a debate between the two sides
October 31, 2019
Impeachment is “to charge (a public official) before a competent tribunal with misconduct in office”(Merriam-Webster). It is the constitutional process, not the conviction or removal from office, whereby the House of Representatives may “impeach” (accuse of misconduct) high officers of the federal government for trial in the Senate (USLegal).
A Summary of the Impeachment so Far
July 25, 2019, President Donald Trump made a call to the just-elected Ukrainian president, Volodymyr Zelensky. In the call, Trump congratulates Zelensky and Zelensky thanks Trump for all of his help and the work he has done. Trump then brings up corruption, and that he wants to get rid of it. Trump directs Zelensky to talk to the Attorney General Barr and Trump’s personal lawyer, Rudy Giuliani. Then Trump says that something happened between former vice president and current Democratic candidate, Joe Biden, and his son, Hunter Biden, and then Ukrainian Prosecuter General, Viktor Shokin. Trump claims that Biden bragged about getting this prosecutor fired, and Trump asks Zelensky if he “… can look into it … It sounds horrible to me.”
After this call, a series of interactions occured. On August 12, 2019, an anonymous source, known as the “whistleblower,” sent a complaint into the U.S House and Representatives and the U.S. Senate, claiming that President Donald Trump “[used] the power of his office to solicit interference from a foreign country in the 2020 U.S. election.” September 24, 2019, Speaker of the House, Nancy Pelosi, officially announced a formal impeachment inquiry into President Donald Trump. “The actions of the Trump presidency revealed the dishonorable fact of the president’s betrayal of his oath of office, betrayal of our national security and betrayal of the integrity of our elections,” said Pelosi.
All this means is that more time and resources are to be spent investigating the offense (requesting foreign power to help in the upcoming election). There have been many discoveries since the Speaker’s announcement. To be clear, the impeachment process has just started, and it is a long process. The impeachment hearings for Richard Nixon lasted over 13 months.
As of right now there have not been any extremely major evolution in the inquiry, and we are still waiting for the House to finalize their articles of impeachment, and officially charge the president. After that, a vote will be held in the Senate as to whether or not Trump will be impeached. Then there will be a trial and hearings.
Maryland Congressman Raskin weighs in
Thursday October 24, I (Matthew Strahlman) had the privilege of interviewing Maryland’s 8th District Representative, Jamie Raskin. In this interview I asked him a couple of questions about his opinion on the current situation, as well as the processes which the House is currently undergoing.
Q: “Is impeachment a waste of time?”
A: “It’s only a waste of time if you think the Constitution is a waste of time, and if you think our democracy is not worth fighting for.”
Q: “What is happening in the House right now? Are you drafting the articles of impeachment yet?”
A: “Well, we’re actually still in the factual investigation process. We’re still collecting information about the president’s plan to shake down the Ukrainian government, for political information on Joe Biden and his son. The president withheld $391 million security assistance in order to extract from the Ukrainian government its support for a ludicrous conspiracy theory about the 2016 campaign, and, in return for political dirt that it could dig up or fabricate about the Biden’s. So this was the narrative that was provided by the whistleblower and had been objectively corroborated by multiple witnesses and by the contemporaneous memorandum written by President Trump’s White House staff. So the evidence is now overwhelming that the president withheld military assistance in order to shake down a besieged foreign ally that was resisting Russian aggression. Obviously we are pulling together the facts and the legal series which would support an impeachment resolution, and articles of impeachment.”
Q: “What could this situation mean for the future of our country?”
A: “So it’s really the question our framers began with. Can we create a representative government where the representatives and the people in Congress write the laws, and we find presidents who can faithfully execute the laws. Or, will we go the way of much of the world, and fall into the depths of corruption, criminality, and lawlessness. All over the world dictators, despots, tyrants, kleptocrats, and bullies are on the march, and Donald Trump has become their best friend. But the framers of our Constitution wanted the government to be an instrument for the common good of all of the people, not a plaything for special interests and wealthy citizens who can purchase public office. [connection cut off]… But anyway, the real issue is whether the government will be an instrument for the common good, or whether it will become the private property of the president [and his groups]. The original sin is that this president has been turning this presidency into a for-profit operation, and a get rich quick scheme for himself and his family and his business.”
For
“Impeachment is a waste of time.”
If President Donald J. Trump is not impeached, having committed all of these impeachable offenses, that could set a precedent in the future that other presidents will be able to get away with. He broke campaign finance laws with hush money to Stormy Daniels, and he has obstructed justice with this latest Ukraine situation. A president cannot be above the law.
“Is what Trump and Giuliani are doing with the Ukraine an impeachable offense?”
What Trump and his advisers and lawyers have done with Ukraine is an impeachable offense. No matter how the situation is examined, Trump did go to a foreign power and attempt to manipulate them. He simultaneously asked them to look into Joe and Hunter Biden, Joe being his lead political rival in the upcoming 2020 election. This is a quid pro quo which could be seen as bribery or extortion.
“How could this impeachment affect the upcoming election?”
If Trump is impeached and removed from office, then there is a small chance that the Justice Department would then indict him after leaving office (there is a policy that they will not indict sitting presidents). If indicted, that would prove a difficult campaign for Trump to run, as he would not be able to rally support. If he is not successfully impeached, however, he will likely run for a second terms. The impeachment is the only option the Democrats have at keeping corruption out of the Oval Office, as the goal of all democracies is to get rid of corruption.
“Donald Trump’s presidency so far has been successful.”
Trump has had an unsuccessful presidency thus far both when it comes to the economy and foreign policy. Although the unemployment rate is historically low, Trump has coasted on the economic trajectory from the Obama administration. As the stock markets boom, it brings an ever-looming threat of recession, which is currently on the minds of Republicans and Democrats alike. Since his inauguration, as well, Trump has added over $2 trillion to the national debt, which, while it is less than the amount added during Obama’s second term ($3.46 trillion from January 2009 to February 2011), is more than both the Clinton and George W. Bush administrations combined. Along with the economy, his foreign policies have been all over the place, and his response to the climate change movement has been undesirable.
“The impeachment is politically charged.”
The impeachment is not politically charged, and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has expressed ad nauseam that an impeachment would paint the Democratic party in a bad light. Even though she knew this, it is America’s duty to take someone who has committed crimes out of the Oval Office. If Trump is impeached and removed, that would leave Mike Pence as our president, who many Democrats can agree that that could be even worse for their party. Also, if he is impeached, it does not give the Democrats a greater chance at winning the 2020 election, and the three other Republican candidates for the next election are very strong.
End
There are no guarantees for anything. No one knows what will happen in the future. No one knows what else may be revealed. Every person is entitled to an individual opinion, and their opinion can never be wrong. Party affiliation should never keep a person from having their own opinion.
Against
“Impeachment is a waste of time.”
Impeachment at its foremost is a waste of time. It is impeding the ability to govern if impeachment is the only goal. Globally, America is facing more imperious issues such as ISIS fighters in Syria, the buildup of nuclear weapons, and winning a trade war with China. Domestically, we should be focusing on issues like immigration, gun laws, and improving the welfare of our citizens.
“Is what Trump and Giuliani are doing with the Ukraine an impeachable offense?”
What Trump and Giuliani did in Ukraine is a felony. However, back in 2018, the Democrats sent a letter to Ukraine threatening to withhold funds if they didn’t fire a prosecutor. The actions taken by Democratic senators is a felony, and why have they not been prosecuted if they’ve committed the same crime? We should hold everyone to the same standards of law no matter what party of beliefs they have.
“How could this impeachment affect the upcoming election?”
Impeachment at this point in time is just a bad idea. The impeachment process is not going to stop Trump from running and winning the next election. Impeachment itself will fire up Republican supporters and make the democrats look like a pro-impeachment party, rather than the progressive platform that they seek.
“Donald Trump’s presidency so far has been successful.”
We should not impeach Donald Trump because our country is doing well at the moment, as Trump continues to “Make America Great Again.” We are currently at an unemployment rate of 3.5%, a 40-year record low. The Trump administration has taken big steps in combating the heroin epidemic by declaring it a national emergency. Trump imposed tariffs on foreign imports, increasing domestic production and protecting American businesses. Another achievement was the establishment of a 6th military branch, the Space Force. Overall, the accomplishments of Donald Trump and his progress are something we need as a country.
“The impeachment is politically charged.”
If Trump is impeached, the Democrats still wouldn’t get what they want. The White House would still be controlled by Republicans, and Mike Pence would step in as President. This wouldn’t be beneficial to anyone, especially the Democrats. Even though Speaker of The House Nancy Pelosi is not politically motivated, this doesn’t mean everyone else involved in the impeachment isn’t. Democrats have run on campaigns of impeaching Donald Trump, rather than attempting to help U.S. citizens. For example. Maryland House of Representatives Democrat David Trone ran his campaign ads based on the impeachment of Donald Trump. They are only working to oppose laws and legislation rather than to cooperate for the good of the country. Both parties are guilty of this. This includes Republican Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, who pledged to block all Democratic legislation.
The issue of impeachment is not for justice; it’s for political gain. Democrats are completely ignoring issues like the trade war, ISIS fighting in Syria, increasing inflation, and peace agreements with North and South Korea. In 2012, Republicans tried to build up an impeachment movement similar to the current one. Republicans were trying to impeach Obama for his administrative role in the Benghazi cover up scandal. Republicans began to grasp for straws, such as the Birther Movement and the White House bathroom scandal.
Ninety-five percent of Democrats have openly supported impeachment, showing that they are unified in making impeachment their plan.
End
There are no guarantees for anything. No one knows what will happen in the future. No one knows what else may be revealed. Every single person is entitled to an individual opinion, and their opinion can never be wrong. Party affiliation should never keep a person from having their own opinion.