Eugene Robinson: No option for Congress to shrug and look away

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

The escalating war in Washington, D.C., is not between the White House and “Democrats,” despite what President Trump may claim. It is between an arrogant, out-of-control executive and the people’s duly elected representatives in Congress, whose sworn duties transcend politics. There’s a big difference.

Trump tries to drag everyone and everything down to the basest, most transactional level, which is the only level he knows. In his telling, it’s “Democrats” who are demanding to see his tax returns, “Democrats” who want public testimony by special counsel Robert Mueller and former White House counsel Don McGahn, “Democrats” who are holding hearings and issuing subpoenas for the sole purpose of persecuting Donald J. Trump.

The president cynically tries to paint the whole thing as pure politics, as if it were all some kind of game. But it is not. An adversarial foreign power, Vladimir Putin’s Russia, maliciously interfered with our presidential election in 2016. Trump campaign officials and advisers had scores of unusual contacts with Kremlin-connected Russians, then lied about those contacts. Trump tried repeatedly to thwart any investigation of those contacts and lies, engaging in conduct that many legal experts believe clearly amounts to obstruction of justice.

None of this is normal or acceptable, none of it, and Congress does not have the option to shrug and look away. Acting in the name of the nation, the House Ways and Means Committee has the statutory authority — and good reason — to look at Trump’s tax returns. Acting in the name of the nation, the House Judiciary Committee has the duty to read Mueller’s entire unredacted report and hear from Mueller and McGahn. Acting in the name of the nation, the speaker of the House must decide whether Trump’s conduct was so egregious that impeachment hearings should be held.

The fact that the House of Representatives is presently controlled by the Democratic Party instead of the Republican Party does not alter its responsibilities; or mitigate its powers.

https://www.heraldnet.com/opinion/robinson-no-option-for-congress-to-shrug-and-look-away/

[MyOwnPeace]

1. He is correct......

however, there are too many "Repugs" (yeah, YOU McTurtle!) that refuse to do their duty and instead work to keep their pockets lined and to continue the agenda of the 1%.

[patphil]

2. I think the thing that bothers me most in all this is how the Republicans in Congress

and a large minority of the American Public have embraced Trumps dishonest, un-American activities.
Their continual denial of the whole Trump-Russia thing is beyond belief.
This has unsettled the Democrats in Congress also, and it makes them a bit unsure of pursuing the impeachment process.
However, Trump himself has all but insisted they proceed.
As Nancy Pelosi recently said, "He's becoming self-impeaching".

At this time, impeachment is the only path that the Democrats have left.
They should pursue it with all deliberate speed, regardless of the outcome.

Patrick Phillips

[Skittles]

3. I agree