USA TODAY International Edition
Opposing view: Impeachment inquiry = Witch Hunt, Part II
For two years, congressional Democrats promised evidence of collusion between Donald Trump’s campaign and the Russian government. These allegations prompted the appointment of a special counsel, Robert Mueller, after leaks and manipulation from disgraced former FBI Director James Comey.
Mueller immediately hired a team of biased prosecutors to prove that Trump was guilty of the crimes he had been accused of. The anti- Trump inquisition cost American taxpayers over $ 30 million, while issuing over 2,800 subpoenas and 500 search warrants. No one could argue that this investigation was inconclusive.
At the conclusion of the Mueller report, Trump was cleared of any criminal collusion, collaboration or coordination with the Russians — something the American people knew all along.
However, Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam Schiff and other House Democrats were not satisfied with the result. Many of their allies — and even some of their members — had been calling for Trump’s impeachment since he was elected. No honeymoon for the Trump administration, only a constant clamoring for impeachment.
So, after House Judiciary Chairman Jerry Nadler’s inept performance in his unauthorized impeachment inquiry trial run, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi moved the ball into Schiff ’ s court to investigate more allegations against the
Trump administration: this time, the Ukrainian hoax.
Schiff began his tenure as self- appointed special counsel by falsely retelling the infamous telephone conversation between Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky during his first hearing on the whistleblower complaint.
Schiff then took future hearings into an underground bunker, where the media, the public and even most members of Congress could not hear or see testimony. He lied to the American people about his committee’s contacts with the so- called whistleblower. And he is concocting a narrative that could land him the Democrats’ long- desired, political grand prize: the impeachment of President Donald J. Trump.
The American public, members of Congress and the media should stand for Schiff ’ s Soviet- style antics — especially when he is denying the American people and their elected representatives access to hearings, testimony and documents that are allegedly crucial to a future, potential vote.
President Trump is well within his right to restrict members of his administration from testifying before Schiff ’ s secret tribunal until Pelosi formalizes the process by a vote of the whole House. All Americans should demand that Schiff adhere to American values of due process, truth and transparency.