Impeachment is Coming. It is a Moral Imperative.

[ehrnst]

Our democracy is based on rules and norms that have very little muscle to back them up. If someone is immune to guilt and shame, failure to follow the rules has shockingly little consequence. Bill Barr was held in contempt of Congress on Wednesday but he is not likely to have to face any serious punishment for being in contempt of Congress. If he were in a trial court and found in contempt of court he would go to jail. But that probably will not happen to Barr since he is the head of the DOJ and he is not about to punish himself. But there is no doubt he and others are in blatant defiance of the House requests for materials that the House is fully entitled to have.

For those of us who want more direct and severe repercussions for people who lie to us and keep the truth from coming out like Trump, Bill Barr and the Republican enablers, the remedies seem feeble and slow. Court cases often move forward at a glacial pace, although in this situation courts will act more quickly because they understand how important a ruling will be.

The only real solution is going to be impeachment. Once impeachment proceedings begin, the Dems will have the more fulsome power of the courts behind them because they are fulfilling a clearly Constitutionally mandated judicial/ legislative purpose that courts will support if the Trump administration continues to stonewall. Which they will. Courts will step up to help the Dems obtain the information they request of the administration and require the people they want to have to testify.

Pelosi, Nadler, Schiff and other House leaders understand that and are moving towards impeachment. They are making a case for it by exhausting all the other remedies and avenues so they cannot be faulted for rushing into impeachment. They are also trying to gain the support of the American people as was done with Watergate.

The Dems are searching for new remedies. Adam Schiff on MSNBC last night raised the idea of a new (old) remedy Congress could use which is the inherent power of contempt. This would apparently allow the House to have a mini trial which could make document production happen more quickly. The Dems are also going to use the power of the purse to fine and cut off funding to force compliance by the administration. There is talk of the House being willing to jail those who do not comply.

https://markinreport.com/2019/05/08/impeachment-is-coming-it-is-a-moral-imperative/

[manor321]

1. There is no reason for a delay

An impeachment proceeding is not impeachment, and it gives judges more reason to be deferential. There is zero excuse to not start an impeachment inquiry now. None.

[ehrnst]

2. What "excuse" do you think Democratic leaders are giving in lieu of actual judgement?

What do you know that they don't?