Trump did not commit a crime.
Legal scholars debate the issue of whether impeachment requires a crime be committed, but the consensus opinion is that a crime need not be committed. In fact, Trump’s staunchest defenders, including hi own impeachment defense counsel, have previously argued a crime not need be committed for a president to be impeached. Nonetheless, credible sources have publicly stated that there was a crime.
The Government Accounting Office issued a formal decision stating that Trump’s actions to freeze $390 million dollars in government aid to Ukraine violated the Impoundment Control Act. “Faithful execution of the law does not permit the President to substitute his own policy priorities for those that Congress has enacted into law.” If Trump wanted to defer the funding, he was required to notify Congress. The GAO has historically been considered a bipartisan government entity.
Trump has admitted to delaying the government aid, not delaying the aid and even said they don’t know.
Trump has never testified under Oath, and the crime that Clinton committed during his impeachment was perjuring himself about the Lewinsky affair. There would be a treasure trove of lies to pick from if Trump testified under Oath. Even Trump himself has feared he would lie as a reason not to testify — during the Mueller investigation. Clinton’s downfall was his decision to testify — a consequence of his own bravado that all future presidents will learn from.
the witnesses that have testified to congress do not have firsthand knowledge of trump’s conversations
The following White House officials have firsthand knowledge of conversations regarding President Trump and Ukraine President Zelensky.
- Lt. Col. Alexander Vindman
- Ambassador Gordon Sondland
- Jennifer Williams, adviser to VP Pence
Each have testified before the House about Trump’s conversations related to a quid pro quo that were unusual or inappropriate in nature.
ukraine president zelensky was not concerned about security aid being WITHHELD
In a December 2019 Time magazine interview, Zelensky stated, “If you’re our strategic partner, then you can’t go blocking anything for us.” Given Zelensky is a newly minted politician and needs to project strength in his political relationships, there may more to this than Zelensky is letting on.
3. impeachment has been a partisan, illegitimate exercise — nothing more
There has been significant GOP criticism and concerns about President Trump’s willingness to invite foreign countries to meddle in United States elections. To drill down even further, such criticism has directly been about the Ukraine fiasco.
The obvious example is Michigan Congressman Justin Amash, who voted for impeachment. Amash ran as a Republican from 2008 until 2019, when he became an independent following continued disagreements with Trump. Amash is running for re-election in 2020 as an independent for the first time.
Early in the Ukraine investigation, two US Senators also voiced concerns about the President’s actions, only to shy away for reasons unknown (perhaps for getting called out by the President). Mitt Romeny, 2012 GOP President candidate stated, “By all appearances, the President’s brazen and unprecedented appeal to China and to Ukraine to investigate Joe Biden is wrong and appalling.”
Nebraska GOP Senator Ben Sasse has also weighed in. “Republicans ought not to be rushing to circle the wagons to say there’s no there there when there’s obviously lots that’s very troubling there,” he continued. “The administration ought not to be attacking the whistleblower as some talking points suggest they plan to do.”
The Last Democrat 