The Impeachment Trial of Donald J. Trump

Senators have a duty to conduct a fair and full trial. The Republican leader, Mitch McConnell, is trying to make sure they don’t. The strategy is obvious. Let’s get through this impeachment trial as quickly as possible. The senate finds the president not guilty and he will have another reason for re-election. Trump will point to his exoneration as proof of the great job he is doing as president.

Are the American people likely to buy this strategy? Of course I don’t know the answer but if we look at history we all can see that Americans know when the country is on a wrong path.

The best example is the presidency of Jimmy Carter. Two situations denied him a second term. The inflation rate rose from 6% to 12% rates while unemployment remained at 7.5% and 52 hostages were taken from the U.S. embassy in Tehran, Iran and held for over a year before the 1980 election. Those nightly updates on ABC’s Nightline about the hostages only reinforced public opinion that Carter was ineffective.

There is also a remote possibility that Republican senators will take a hard look at the constitution and realize that Mr. Trump is a threat to this American democracy.

Trump is just 67 votes away from being an ex-President

There were Republicans support for Richard Nixon almost to the day he resigned. That could be the same situation for Donald Trump.

Trump is being impeached on two charges of misbehavior during his dealings with Ukraine. The Judiciary Committee in the House has deliberately kept the charges within the narrow range of the Ukraine fiasco.

The real charge against Trump is that his entire presidency has been conducted on the belief that he stands above the law, is an elected monarch. At issue is nothing less than preservation of the republican framework of the Constitution.

Trump is just 67 votes away from being an ex-President. Yes, it’s a huge long shot but two of the three articles of impeachment against Richard Nixon are the same in the impeachment charges against Donald Trump.

A powerful prosecutor, who is known for political impartiality, might present the Democratic Party arguments for removal of Trump’s from office in a manner that Republican senators will be unable to ignore. Jurys have been known to bring unexpected verdicts. Some of those GOP senators may be reviewing the arguments given Trump’s efforts to scuttle the constitution.

Perhaps an overwhelming indication that the senate will vote in favor of his removal he will follow Nixon’s example.