The House votes to impeach Donald J. Trump

(h/t The Hill for graphic)

For the first time in his life, grifter, con man, sexual predator, liar, thief and cheater Donald J. Trump has been held accountable for his misconduct.

The House of Representatives has approved two Articles of Impeachment against Donald J. Trump, only the third president impeached in our history, and the only president impeached in his first term. Donald J. Trump is branded with the scarlet letter “I” for impeachment for all history.

Not one Republican — other than former Republican Representative Justin Amash, who is now an independent — voted for either Article of Impeachment. Republicans put GOP tribalism over their oaths of office, defense of the Constitution, and loyalty to their country. They have made it apparent to all that they are a sycophant personality cult of Donald Trump. This is a very dangerous and frightening development.

There were only two questions that every member of Congress had to answer:

• Is it OK for a president of the United States (and his political party) to solicit a foreign government to interfere in the elections of the United States to aid his election and to undermine his political opponent(s)?
• Is it OK for a president of the United States to engage in a policy of “total obstruction” of Congress to defy the legitimate constitutional oversight functions and exclusive impeachment function of Congress?

The obvious answer to these questions for any American with even the most rudimentary civics education is “No.”

But Trump’s aiders and abettors in Congress have made it clear that the Party of Trump is perfectly OK with destroying the sovereignty of our elections if it inures to their political benefit, and is OK with destroying the separation of powers in our constitutional democracy to establish an “imperial presidency,” i.e., an authoritarian autocracy — as long as a Republican is the autocrat.

As I have said before, the Party of Trump is a criminal enterprise led by a third-rate mafia “Don” Trump. They are all accomplices, coconspirators and accessories who aid and abet his criminality and corruption. There is not a patriot among them. They put fealty to their “Dear Leader” above all else, including loyalty to their country and our national security, and their oaths of office to defend the Constitution. They reject the rule of law and are amoral. It is a betrayal of the faith of the American people in our constitutional government. They must all be held accountable. But only Donald Trump is subject to impeachment.

Here’s how the vote on the first article of impeachment — abuse of power — went down:

• Democrats: 230 yeas
• Republicans: 197 nays

Only two Democrats — Reps. Collin Peterson (Minn.) and Jefferson Van Drew (N.J.) — crossed the aisle in dissent. Rep. Tulsi Gabbard (Hawaii), a Democratic presidential candidate, voted “present.”

Here’s how the vote on the second article of impeachment — obstruction of Congress — went down:

• Democrats: 229 yeas
• Republicans: 198 nays

Only three Democrats — Reps. Collin Peterson (Minn.), Jefferson Van Drew (N.J.), and Rep. Jared Golden (Maine) — crossed the aisle in dissent. Rep. Tulsi Gabbard (Hawaii), a Democratic presidential candidate, again voted “present.”

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, speaking right after the House impeached President Trump, said today is “a great day for the Constitution” but “a sad day for America.”

“I could not be prouder or more inspired by the moral courage of the House Democrats. We never asked one of them how they were going to vote. We never whipped this vote” she said

“I view this day, this vote, as something that we did to honor the vision of our founders to establish a republic, the sacrifice of our men and women in uniform to defend our democracy and the republic, and the aspirations of our children that they will always live in a democracy, and we have tried to do everything we can to make sure that that is their reality.”

Speaker Pelosi suggested she may delay delivering the Articles of Impeachment to the Senate until there is an agreement reached for a fair trial in the Senate.

#MerryImpeachmas is trending on Twitter.