Today we are seeing the first real sign that Congress could begin discussing the impeachment of President Trump. Congresswoman Rashida (D-MI) is taking it upon herself to get the ball rolling.
“We saw record turnout in an election year, where people wanted to elect a jury that would begin the impeachment proceedings to Donald Trump.” – Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-Mi)
But while there is momentum in some corners of the Democratic Party, a new Quinnipiac poll shows most voters are also against impeachment (for now), “Congress should not begin impeachment proceedings against Trump, American voters say 59 – 35 percent.”
From The Hill:
“Democratic leaders have sought to deter members of the caucus from pressing the impeachment issue, arguing the need for further investigations into Trump’s actions in office. They’re concerned that without more evidence of presidential wrongdoing — and more public support for impeachment — the issue could backfire on the Democrats at the polls next year. “
Speaker Nancy Pelosi isn’t ready to talk about taking action against the president yet either. She recently remarked:
“I is a divisive issue in our country. And let us see what the facts are, what the law is, and what the behavior is of the president.”
Pelosi is ready to investigate Trump though. Wednesday night she released a statement saying:
“News flash Mr. President: the days of Congress turning a blind-eye to the Administration’s epic misconduct, corruption and incompetence are ove For two years, House Republicans are refused to hold Trump and his administration accountable for its improprieties and its direct impact on the health and safety of the American people and our democracy.
Congress has a constitutional duty to restore checks and balances on the executive branch. House Democrats will be relentless in our pursuit to get the answers the American people deserve, clean up the corruption in Washington, and enact reforms that address the most pressing challenges facing our nation.“
But the recent spate of Congressional investigations are also a step too far for some on both sides of the aisle. That was the chatter early this week after Congress requested documents from 80 people and institutions affiliated with Donald Trump. The Washington Post quoted an unnamed lawyer on the Watergate investigation who called it a “kitchen-sink kind of request.” The Post wrote:
The extensive scope could bolster claims by Trump and Republicans that congressional Democrats are seeking to undermine the president and cripple his 2020 reelection effort rather than conduct a disciplined, fact-finding inquiry.
So, is the investigation as much about appearances as finding facts?
Democrats argue the GOP has looked the other way for two years. On The View, Conservative political analyst Ana Navarro said:
“The intelligence committee, I think, has got a duty to investigate whether this campaign of Trump’s colluded with Russia and what in the hell is this compromise that they have on him that he keeps coddling to this murderous dictator oligarch in Russia.”
“When you have a Congressional investigation, it might lead to legislation. For example, if this oversight committee comes up with something perhaps they should have legislation that requires Presidential candidates to release their taxes. That should be a requirement for running for president.”