Impeachment experts testified before the House judiciary committee on Wednesday that Donald Trump’s misconduct offered a textbook case of impeachable offenses as prescribed by the constitution and applied over the course of US history.
Four constitutional scholars, including three called by Democrats and one called by Republicans, became the first witnesses to testify in a second round of public impeachment hearings beginning Wednesday and expected to last until late next week.
In his opening statement, committee chairman Jerrold Nadler said that Trump was the first president to engage in conduct that met all three constitutional criteria for impeachment: “Treason, bribery or other high crimes and misdemeanors.”
“Never before has a president engaged in a course of conduct that included all the acts that most concerned the framers,” Nadler said.
Nadler was echoed by witness Michael Gerhardt, a University of North Carolina law professor.
“If Congress fails to impeach here, then the impeachment process has lost all meaning, and, along with that, our Constitution’s carefully crafted safeguards against the establishment of a king on American soil,” Gerhardt said.
Republicans will defiantly support Donald Trump despite the facts presented. Republicans in Congress will override the Constitution and set a serious precedent for Trump and future Presidents who abuse their authority with impunity.
Vladimir Putin could not have chosen a better puppet than Donald Trump who has destroyed the world-wide reputation of America. It will take years if not decades for American influence to return to the level of power and prominence prior to the election of Donald Trump.
The Republican dominated Congress will not vote for impeachment despite overwhelming evidence of wrong-doing by Donald Trump. Instead the Republican lead Congress will bury its pride, its respect for the American Constitution and its respect for all Americans and vote not to impeach one of history’s worst Presidents.
