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.

Impeachment is a Real National Tragedy

This is a sad day for America when the Speaker of the House has called for an impeachment inquiry of the president.

Impeaching the president of the United States is as much a political decision as it is a legal decision. Without the support of the public it is not likely to happen.

I am not a lawyer but I have read the constitution. It is written in words that most people can understand.

Article II – The Executive Branch

Section 4 – Disqualification

The President, Vice President and all civil Officers of the United States, shall be removed from Office on Impeachment for, and Conviction of, Treason, Bribery, or other high Crimes and Misdemeanors.

That is easily understood by me to mean that attempted bribery by the president is an impeachable offense. That appears to be Donald Trump’s attempt to obtain information about a political opponent from the Ukraine is all about. We just do not know that is what he did. A whistle blower statement that has not been released is the evidence to proceed with an impeachment. We don’t even know who the whistle blower is.

If the whistle blower statement and associated information is denied to congress that would most likely lead to congress charging Donald Trump with high crimes and misdemeanors.

Donald cries of “witch hunt” will not deter the congress if there is public support of impeachment. That is the political side to Speaker Pelosi’s statement that there will be an impeachment inquiry.

Given the overwhelming GOP control of the Senate the removal of the president is not a likely outcome. In fact an impeachment vote or threatened vote, by the House of Representatives could make the next presidential election campaign one of the nastiest in America’s history.

What is the Robert Mueller Investigation?

For those of you outside the United States the question is what is going on in the USA?

The original Robert Mueller investigation, motivated by the firing of FBI director James Comey, was at the direction of Mr Rod Rosenstein, the deputy attorney general appointing Mr Mueller to look into:

The Russian government’s efforts to interfere in the election

Any links or co-ordination between Russia and Trump campaign-linked individuals

Any matters that arose or may arise directly from the investigation

That last point gives him quite a broad authority to also determine if the president himself has committed any wrongdoing.

The president’s words and behavior towards Russia and Vladimir Putin since taking office have only heightened the suspicion that his election was tainted and he has committed treasonous acts. The Helsinki summit between Trump and Putin only exacerbates that suspicion.

Donald Trump’s extraordinary performance in Helsinki alongside Russian leader Vladimir Putin may have crossed a red line with his fellow Republicans.

Former Republican Representative David Jolly said Congress was at “an inflection point.”

“This will be one of those moments the long lens of history remembers,” Jolly, who represented a Florida district from 2014 to 2017, said in an interview. “We’ve never had reason to question a president’s patriotism. We question their competence, their judgment, their self-interest, their partisan motivations. Even with Richard Nixon we never had questions of patriotism like we are seeing today.”

Jolly said that for the first time he believes impeachment of Trump — or removal under the 25th Amendment by declaring him unfit — should be on the table. But, he said, “The fates of Republicans on the Hill are too tied to the president. I’m not optimistic that they will be independent.”