Experts weigh in on the Ukraine-Biden bombshell and have come to a conclusion: impeachment
On Friday afternoon, the nation was rocked by the allegations that President Trump had tried not once, not twice, but eight times in a single phone call to get the Ukranian President to work with his personal lawyer, Rudy Giuliani, in order to get dirt on Joe Biden to use against him in the 2020 elections.
Social media exploded at the news as experts and commentators weighed in on the unprecedented sight of the President of the United States attempting to collude with a foreign government in order to interfere in an American election — again — and their conclusions were fairly uniform:
It’s time for impeachment.
If true, the President's actions are flatly, unquestionably impeachable. The very definition of a "high crime" abuse of power.
— Chris Hayes (@chrislhayes) September 20, 2019
So I've argued throughout that this isn't worse than Watergate.
Now? Pretty confident it's worse than Watergate.
— Jonathan Bernstein (@jbview) September 20, 2019
Ok, Dem Pres candidates repeat after me: "This is collusion. It's impeachable. Congress needs to act"
— Jennifer Rubin (@JRubinBlogger) September 20, 2019
Lordy, I hope there are tapes!
— Benjamin Wittes (@benjaminwittes) September 20, 2019
That Trump felt emboldened enough to try to personally collude with a foreign government to shape the 2020 election *after* the Russia investigation is pretty good evidence that he believes there are literally no checks on him at all.
— Ezra Klein (@ezraklein) September 20, 2019
No idea if Trump will be impeached. So much political strategy involved.
But it’s absurd to argue that, if he was, it’d be unmerited. He’s leveraging official power to have foreign nations attack domestic political opponents.
It’s literally the Founders’ impeachment example.
— Matt Glassman (@MattGlassman312) September 20, 2019
On phone w/ @ChrisMurphyCT as WSJ story broke. His immediate reaction when I read him the lede: "If it's true that the president requested that the president of Ukraine interfere in an American election, we are in really dangerous, brand new territory."https://t.co/Pt2kIxD2N0
— Robert Costa (@costareports) September 20, 2019
I'm not a lawyer, but asking a foreign government to investigate an American citizen who is the son of your political opponent seems, well, problematic
Trump repeatedly pressed Ukraine president to investigate Biden’s son https://t.co/yFduYoMIDr via @WSJ
— Jason Campbell (@JasonSCampbell) September 20, 2019
On top of all those calling for impeachment was a growing sense of frustration with Speaker Pelosi and Democratic Party leadership for refusing to begin impeachment proceedings against the President, arguing that their silence was allowing Trump to trample the very notion of oversight and the foundation of our republic itself.
The founders contemplated a President like Trump. It is exactly why impeachment exists. What they did not contemplate and what truly threatens the structure of our government, is a majority opposition leader refusing attempts to hold such a president to account.
— Sam Seder (@SamSeder) September 20, 2019
So. Imagine that Democrats did their duty and we were knee deep in impeachment hearings when this Ukraine business came out. Imagine if they had taken the chance on doing the right thing and trusted in that.
— Jared Yates Sexton (@JYSexton) September 20, 2019
constitutions don't enforce themselves and constitutional powers are use them or lose them. right now, pelosi is risking oversight and impeachment power for a *gamble* that trump will lose the white house.
— b-boy bouiebaisse (@jbouie) September 20, 2019
Trying to think what Trump would have to do for Pelosi or Schumer to think it deserves impeachment. Shoot somebody on 5th Avenue? Theyve become like his immovable supporters.
— Ryan Grim (@ryangrim) September 20, 2019
Colleagues in Congress: if this isn't impeachable abuse of power, what is? I'm sick of the parsing, dithering & political overcalculating. We are verging on tragic fecklessness. Time to do our job! https://t.co/27GZEpgJJi
— Rep. Jared Huffman (@JaredHuffman) September 20, 2019
We’re getting to absolutely absurd levels of wrongdoing by the president, and the need for the Democrats to put their majority in the House to good use is growing exponentially by the day.
Add your name to tell the House to fulfill its constitutional obligation: Launch impeachment proceedings against Donald Trump!
