Trump’s impeachment looks much more likely after damning Mueller report
Following the release of the Mueller report, many high-profile Democrats have begun to talk seriously of impeachment.
Even a redacted version of the Mueller report makes clear that Trump repeatedly attempted to obstruct justice and that his campaign hoped to benefit from Russia’s election interference.
It’s so bad for Trump that calls for his impeachment look more well-founded than ever — and many leading Democrats, some of whom had not previously endorsed the idea of impeaching Trump, are now speaking of it as a possibility that must be considered. And others are outright demanding that proceedings be started.
On Friday, House Oversight and Reform Committee Chairman Elijah Cummings indicated that investigations into Trump would continue. He also noted that “a lot of people keep asking about the question of impeachment. We may very well come to that very soon.”
That’s a departure for Cummings, who had said, before the issuance of the Mueller report, that impeachment “has to be a bipartisan effort, and right now it’s not there.” He also said that “this matter will only be resolved at the polls.”
Similarly, Adam Schiff, the chair of the House Intelligence Committee, said that the evidence of collusion is overwhelming. He went on to say the Mueller report contains findings “more significant than Watergate” and that Trump’s obstruction of justice was “far worse than anything Richard Nixon did.”
Schiff also acknowledged the sad reality that Republicans in the Senate are likely “willing to carry the president’s water no matter how corrupt, or unethical or dishonest” Trump’s conduct is. This devotion to protecting Trump likely means that the Senate would refuse to proceed with impeachment, even though there is ample evidence of Trump’s impeachable offenses.
Rep. Jerry Nadler (D-NY), chair of the House Judiciary Committee, called for the release of the unredacted Mueller report several days ago. On Sunday’s “Meet the Press,” he said that “obstruction of justice if proven” is impeachable — and that there is “plenty of evidence” of obstruction in Mueller’s report.
Some Democrats have gone a step further. On Friday, Massachusetts senator and 2020 presidential contender Elizabeth Warren became the first Democratic candidate to call for Trump’s impeachment, tweeting that the severity of Trump’s misconduct requires elected officials to “do their constitutional duty” — and that the House should begin impeachment proceedings.
Three of the most vibrant Democratic freshmen in the House have also demanded that the impeachment process begin.
Rashida Tlaib of Michigan had already put forth an impeachment resolution back in March, and she renewed that call Thursday, the day the Mueller was released. Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (NY) and Ilhan Omar (MN) have also signed on to the resolution.
Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi is convening a conference call with Democrats on Monday to discuss the Mueller report, and said that “Congress will not be silent.”
Trump has been spending his time on Twitter boasting of his exoneration, but that’s completely premature. Democrats in Congress are only getting started.
Published with permission of The American Independent Foundation.
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