An open-and-shut case for Trump impeachment

Dear Editor: The same day House Democrats released articles of impeachment, President Trump met with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov. Like at their May 2017 Oval Office meeting, the American press was denied attendance. An official White House meeting readout states Trump warned Lavrov against election interference. When a reporter asked about that, Lavrov replied, “We haven’t even actually discussed elections.”

Trump repeatedly acts in Vladimir Putin’s benefit and against America’s national security interests. The 2017 Lavrov meeting happened the day after Trump fired FBI Director James Comey over “this Russia thing,” as Trump described it during a live TV interview. During the 2017 meeting, Trump divulged classified information that precipitated urgent exfiltration of a Kremlin spy one month later. That spy worked close to Putin for a decade and confirmed to 17 U.S. intelligence agencies that Putin directed 2016 election meddling.

Trump should be impeached as two impeachment articles define. He abused the presidential office’s power for personal/political gain and obstructed Congress’ investigation. Trump withheld Ukraine aid, approved by Congress in February 2019. Trump denied President Volodymyr Zelensky a headof-state Oval Office meeting and withheld $390 million in aid, demanding Zelensky publicly announce investigations into the Bidens AND a Putin false narrative that Ukraine, not Russia, meddled in America’s 2016 election.

The aid was released September 2019, but only after the whistleblower report became public. To date, Zelensky awaits his Oval Office meeting while Lavrov was given his second.

It’s obvious Trump should be impeached and removed from office.

Jeff Akins Highland