Columns

ECLECTIC RANT: Impeachment now or continue the inquiry?

Ralph E. Stone
Thursday October 17, 2019 - 10:02:00 PM

The impeachment inquiry should continue even though there is already enough evidence of “high crimes and misdemeanors” to support impeachment. The evidence so far includes Trump’s admission that he solicited Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to investigate Joe Biden, his possible opponent in the 2020 election, and his son Hunter Biden for corruption, in violation of the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971. This alone is enough for impeachment.

Trump did not produce any evidence of this alleged corruption by Joe and Hunter Biden and none has emerged so far.

In addition, Trump conditioned the release of $391 million in mother relatives for Congressionally-approved military aid to Ukraine and a coveted personal visit to the White House, on this asked for investigation of Joe Biden. A quid pro quo. Then the White House attempted to cover-up the whistleblower’s complaint about the solicitation. 

Further, Trump has stonewalled Congressional attempts to obtain witness testimony and documents in furtherance of its impeachment inquiry. This was an article in the Nixon impeachment. 

A majority of House Democrats, which is a House majority, approved an impeachment inquiry but the full House has not voted on an inquiry, although, even Trump concedes that the House has enough votes to impeach. 

Then why continue the inquiry? — to gather more support for impeachment. According to a recent Gallup poll 52% say Trump should be impeached and removed from office and 46% say he should not be. This is roughly the opposite of a June poll. I would expect the revelations in the House investigation to continue this upward trend and hopefully more Congressional Republicans, especially Senate Republicans, will support impeachment.