THEY SAID IT
An investigation and subsequent vote to impeach a duly elected president of the United States could very well be one of the most difficult processes our country could initiate, experience and endure.
In fact, only three presidents in our history faced impeachment proceedings, and only Andrew Johnson and Bill Clinton were actually impeached. Richard Nixon resigned prior to being impeached.
But the contrast between how the House of Representatives conducted itself in 1974 and 2019 are striking. In both cases, the House was controlled by Democrats impeaching a Republican president.
In February 1973, after the Watergate break-in participants were found guilty, the Senate voted 77-0 to begin an investigation into what Nixon knew and when he knew it. A year later, the House was ready to begin impeachment. The vote to authorize the House Judiciary Committee to begin the impeachment inquiry was 410-4.
Democrat Peter Rodino, the chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, famously said, “Whatever the result, whatever we learn or conclude, let us now proceed with such care and decency and thoroughness and honor that the vast majority of the American people, and their children after them, will say: This was the right course. There was no other way.”
The minority leader in the House, Republican John Rhodes of Arizona, said he trusted Rodino and took him at his word that he would conduct a fair hearing.
Rodino and Rhodes demonstrated bipartisan respect for each other, as well as bipartisan honor for the institution they represented, and more importantly, for America.
Fast forward to 2019, and times has certainly changed.
House Democrats aren’t even willing to go on the record with a vote to begin impeachment. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi made the decision to begin impeachment without a vote to protect her 31 members from whose districts Donald Trump won in 2016.
She knows many of them could lose their seats (and Democrats could lose the majority in the House) because of this vote, and she doesn’t want to make them take the vote until it’s absolutely necessary.
Impeachment doesn’t make political sense for Democrats, nor are their actions marked by bravery. Their hatred of Trump is so unhinged that they can’t see a way forward without impeachment. I’d suggest that there is a quaint thing called an election, and letting voters decide their president is a far better solution than the rush toward impeachment.
The problem with the modern-day approach by the Democrats, as opposed to the Watergate era, is that the 2019 impeachment reeks of “ready-fireaim.”
Many Democrats wanted Trump impeached since Inauguration Day and have been looking for an opportunity to do it. During Watergate, Democrats were patient and let the evidence lead them down a path that required members of both parties to put country before partisan urges.
Brad Simpson
@bradleyrsimpson
I am a historian of US foreign policy. I have read many, many letters from US Presidents to foreign leaders, and I have never read a letter from the US President so unhinged, so threatening, so bizarre, so completely lacking in basic etiquette. Trump is deeply, deeply unwell.
Marco Rubio
@marcorubio
Last night’s debate was a reminder that while you may not always agree with everything Trump says or does, the leading alternatives to Trump mock people with traditional beliefs & support socialism, gun confiscation & free government funded health care for unlawful immigrants.
Stephen King
@StephenKing
Debate: What debate? After 3 years of Trump’s cruelty, crudity, stupidity, and schoolyard taunts, any one of these intelligent, caring people would be like aloe vera on a bad sunburn.
Rick Scott
@SenRickScott
Clearly @KingJames is the one who isn’t educated on the situation at hand. It’s sad to see him join the chorus kowtowing to Communist China & putting profits over human rights for #HongKong. I was there 2 weeks ago. They’re fighting for freedom & the autonomy they were promised. RealClearPolitics Associated Press Politico