House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said it all in her presentation to the American People, when announcing the formation of a formal impeachment inquiry into acts of Donald Trump, by quoting Benjamin Franklin comments to the people after the adoption of the United States Constitution in 1787 when they asked him “what do we have, a republic or a monarchy?” Franklin replied, “a republic if you can keep it.”
The current occupant of the White House and his sycophantic enablers have behaved since January 20, 2017, like he is presiding over an absolute monarchy, not a Republic.
This position has only intensified since the Democrats took over control of the House of Representatives last January with the consistent obstruction of Congressional investigations, defying subpoenas, and not allowing witnesses to testify before committees.
Witnesses that did show up like former campaign manager (and resident mentally disturbed) Corey Lewandowski openly mocked the Democratic committee members under questioning (while most enabling Republican Representatives gloated, forgetting they served in a Republic) until the House Democratic Counsel successfully contained him and made him admit both that he lied to the media and that the Liar in Chief had obstructed justice.
According to reporting by journalists like the Washington Post’s Greg Sargent, the 2016 Popular Vote Loser, feeling stupidly emboldened like an absolute monarch by the Mueller Hearing, decided to place a call to the Ukranian President-Elect. Mr. Trump’s own verbal recollection of the call confirms that Joe Biden, corruption, and Rudy Giuliani were discussed.
This July phone call was made about a week after Individual One ordered his acting Chief of Staff and Budget Director, Mick Mulvaney, to hold the disbursement of military aid funds to Ukraine.
This aid would be on hold (for a variety of likely contrived reasons) until the recent controversy with the whistleblower and complaints of the Ukrainian Government to Democrats in the Senate forced its release earlier this month.
This communication also happened after Mr. Giuliani, on his client’s direction (possibly through intermediaries at the State Department,) attempted (before and after) to get false information on bogus corruption allegations against former Vice President (and current Democratic Presidential front runner) Joe Biden and his son, Hunter in an attempt to influence the 2020 election.
This phone call, the transcript of which will be reportedly be released on September 25, apparently along with other allegedly questionable incidents, prompted a whistleblower in the Intelligence Community to report a complaint to the Director of National Intelligence Inspector General, a Trump Appointee.
This Inspector General concluded that the whistleblower complaints had serious merit and urgency, forwarding the matter to the Acting Director of National Intelligence, advising that, per legal statute, Congress needed to be informed.
The Acting Director of National Intelligence, Joseph Maguire, under advisement from the Justice Department, ignored the statute and did not turn over the complaint material to Congress.
This flagrant abuse of power, disdain for the checks and balances in the Constitution, the erroneous belief that a President can not be investigated for crimes committed in office while serving, and potential compromising of National Security prompted most of the Moderate Democrats who Speaker Pelosi had been shielding to come out in support of an impeachment inquiry into what the President and his people did, or attempted to do, with the new government of Ukraine.
This development allowed Speaker Pelosi to come forth today and declare that, while alluding to the episode with Ben Franklin in 1787, that
“The President must be held accountable. No one is above the law.”
Arizona Democratic Representatives, according to reporting from AzCentral, agree with the Speakers sentiments that we live in a Democratic Republic where everyone is equal before the law. Four of the five Representatives (Anne Kirkpatrick, Raúl Grijalva, Ruben Gallego, and Greg Stanton) openly favor the impeachment inquiry. The fifth Democrat, Tom O’Halleran favors a thorough investigation first before deciding.
Some of the Democrats running to replace three of the four Republican enablers of the KKK endorsed candidate, also agree that the time is right to proceed with an official impeachment inquiry.
Arizona Congressional District Five Democratic Candidate Joan Greene
“Impeachment is the first step needed to take back our Country. We must protect the Constitution, rule of law and our Nation’s security.”
“We can’t concede to injustice because of one’s position or privilege. We must uphold the Constitution against all who exploit or obstruct it.”
“#Impeachment hearings are necessary. We’ve seen evidence of criminal acts, we must follow the evidence. No one is above the law.”
“Rep. David Schweikert‘s statement on today’s Impeachment news.”
” (From Representative Schweikert): The House of Representatives has now squandered nine months of precious time,” he said. “The left’s fixation on the president has blinded them from accomplishing the actual work that is necessary for our country.”
“This is coming from an absent congressman that’s currently under an ethics and campaign finance investigation.”
“Real representation requires courage, not deflection.”
“This isn’t about left or right. It’s about ending corruption, standing up for justice and protecting our Democracy.”
Arizona Congressional District Eight Candidate Michael Muscato
“The American people should breath a sigh of relief that we will finally see the evidence hidden from and hear the testimony of witnesses stonewalled by the White House for nearly two years. We will find out for once and for all exactly how corrupt this president may be.”
“Unfortunately, Debbie Lesko sits on the Judiciary Committee and rather than go where the evidence leads, will be partisan because for her, as her response Tweet to Speaker Pelosi’s announcement shows, it’s party before country.”
“I called for an inquiry months ago and frankly, it’s about time.”
Arizona Congressional District Eight Candidate Bob Musselwhite
“if the whistleblower allegations are correct and we cannot judge that at this time because the report is being illegally held from Congress, I see no other way than to proceed in whatever way is necessary to enforce the law and protect the integrity of the Constitution”.
But this country is a Republic, not an absolute monarchy where everyone is equal before the law.
Speaker Pelosi showed today that the American System works.
That is the only positive result of this political tragedy.
The road to uncovering all of the facts (not just the phone call transcript) and possibly proceed with impeachment may take months, not days or weeks. The people should be prepared for that.
The people should also be prepared to disregard the Republican talking points echoed by Arizona’s GOP Representatives as relayed in a report by AzCentral.
This will not be, as Congressional District Eight Representative Debbie Lesko, asserts, be a “political boon for the GOP.”
This probe is more reminiscent of the Watergate hearings, not the Clinton ones. In that case, a President (Nixon) resigned and the Republicans lost the 1974 and 1976 elections.
This is not, as Congressional District Six Representative (and entangled in his own ethic controversy) David Schweikert, a case of the House Democrats wasting nine months of time. As reported, the Democrats have tirelessly worked on passing legislation to move the country forward. It is the Republican Senate led by Enemy of the People-Political Prince of Darkness-Obstructionist in Chief-Moscow Mitch McConnell who has built a “graveyard” for Democratic House Legislation.
Finally, this is not another hoax as Freedom Caucus head and Congressional District Five Representative Andy Biggs has contended. Remember these allegations regarding Ukraine stem from a Trump-appointed Inspector General at the Director of National Intelligence Office who recommended disclosure of the whistleblower complaint, after reviewing it and finding it credible and urgent, to Congress as required by law.
The Administration, by not turning over the whistleblower complaint, has chosen to ignore the law.
The Administration has apparently chosen (despite offering different, likely fairy tale, explanations of corruption and lack of N.A.T.O. financial contributions) to trade Congressionally earmarked military aid to Ukraine for fabricated dirt on a political rival.
This ignoring of the law and improperly blocking the release of Congressionally approved funds are both examples of abuse of power and obstruction of justice.
It is an attack on the Constitution and the Democratic-Republican values this nation was built on.
This is no hoax.
This is a fight for the soul of the country and what kind of nation the people want to live in.
The Democrats recognize this.
When will the Republicans?
UPDATE TO THIS STORY: THE TRANSCRIPT OF THE CONVERSATION HAS BEEN RELEASED. APPARENTLY MR. TRUMP ACTED LIKE A MOB BOSS. MORE TO FOLLOW APPARENTLY THE JUSTICE DEPARTMENT RECEIVED A CRIMINAL REFERRAL FROM THE INSPECTOR GENERAL.
UPDATE:
The Arizona Democratic Party has issued a statement which reads:
“In response to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi announcing the House will proceed with an official impeachment inquiry, Arizona Democratic Party Chair Felecia Rotellini released the following statement:”
“The Arizona Democratic Party has full confidence in the leadership of Speaker Pelosi and her judgment to do the right thing.”
“As a co-equal branch of Government, Congress has the right to investigate this Administration for any wrongdoing. President Trump must cooperate. No one is above the law. Arizonans deserve to know if the President of the United States risked our national security to gain dirt on a political opponent and engaged in a gross abuse of power.”
“We must take action and get all of the facts. If the administration does not cooperate with Congress on the investigation, then further action will be required.”
Featured Image from Vanity Fair
It’s hateful rhetoric like this that have fueled the problem. Hopefully everyone can de escalate soon.
How is this hateful?