Congress shirks its duty by dawdling on impeachment

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

By Eugene Robinson

The Washington Post

House Democrats can’t have it both ways. Either they’re impeaching President Trump or they’re not; and it looks like they’re not.

Why Congress is not fulfilling what would seem to be its constitutional duty has nothing to do with the merits of the case against Trump, who adds to the list of his impeachable offenses almost daily. It has everything to do with a political calculation that I hope Democrats do not come to regret.

Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerry Nadler, D-New York, said this week that his panel is “examining the various malfeasances of the president with the view toward possibly … recommending articles of impeachment to the House.” But Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-California, says this is just a “path of investigation” that might lead to a formal impeachment inquiry or, presumably, might not. Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, D-Maryland, said Wednesday that the House has not launched an impeachment inquiry, but later clarified that he fully supports the “investigation” whose subject, according to Nadler, is impeachment.

On Thursday, Nadler’s committee approved procedural guidelines for its investigation or inquiry or whatever anyone wants to call it. “I salute them for that work,” Pelosi said later. But she added that “people are saying it’s good to be careful about how we proceed.”

Enough with the oh-so-subtle semantic distinctions. Do something or don’t; and be prepared to explain why.

With respect, how much more investigation do we need? Former special counsel Robert Mueller III spent two years compiling what amounts to an impeachment road map. Part Two of his voluminous report clearly establishes, to the satisfaction of more than 1,000 former prosecutors, that Trump’s actions would have justified multiple charges of obstruction of justice. If you take the view that impeachment requires the president to have committed a statutory crime, Mueller handed it to Congress on a platter.

https://www.heraldnet.com/opinion/robinson-congress-shirks-its-duty-by-dawdling-on-impeachment/

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

1. Do, or do not.

[elleng]

2. They ARE doing something, but

can't/haven't figured out what to call it (and be accepted.)

[Skittles]

4. that's the problem

we have no clue what they are doing

[elleng]

6. They are INVESTIGATING,

just what they SHOULD be doing.

[Skittles]

7. they have been INVESTIGATING for a LONG TIME

when will we see RESULTS???

[elleng]

8. Yes, they have been, and of course one reason for the delay is

the continued obstruction by the repugs.

On July 27, 29, and 30, 1974, the Committee approved three articles of impeachment against Nixon, for obstruction of justice, abuse of power, and contempt of Congress, and reported those articles to the House of Representatives.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Impeachment_process_against_Richard_Nixon

[Skittles]

9. they need to do a better job communicating to the people what is going on

the average person has no clue ANYTHING is happening

[elleng]

10. I agree, difficult for most to follow,

but it IS in fact possible.

One major problem appears to be difficulty between Pelosi and Nadler to agree re: communication.

[KPN]

11. Huh? Pretty simple: impeachment.

It’s now or never really.

[RKP5637]

3. With all respect to dems in congress, we may lose in 2020 the way this is being handled.

Quit mushing around and do whatever it is and stop looking indecisive.

[kacekwl]

5. I could not have

said it better. Tick to toc , it's 2020 in a few months.