Kathy Sheridan
Jefferson City
Dear Editor:
May I be a fact witness? When Trump released the "transcript" he admitted that he asked Ukraine for a favor against a political adversary. He called the call "perfect."
He has admitted that he took our tax money, which was appropriated by Congress for military support of an ally to defend against an invasion by our adversary, and held it to extort an investigation for his own political benefit. He did this the day after Mueller testified before Congress that Trump welcomed and encouraged meddling by Putin (note I did not say colluded). A few days later, he doubled down and encouraged an investigation by China!
He knows this is wrong. He doesn't care. He endangers our alliances, making us less safe. He doesn't care. He has proven, without a doubt, that he thinks it's okay to cheat as long as he is winning. His base and congressional Republicans apparently agree. He is not above the law. If he were to murder someone in the Oval Office, does he seriously expect that he wouldn't be prosecuted?
He whines that the impeachment is unfair. He didn't care about fairness when he tried to extort Ukraine to act against Biden. He argues that he has a duty to root out corruption around the world. Perhaps he could begin by cleaning his own house: Our White House! How ironic that he is so concerned about what Hunter Biden was doing when his own children are profiting from his presidency. He has had ample opportunity to provide rebuttal evidence, instead he stonewalls, refusing to cooperate, a sure sign of knowledge of guilt.
Congress has a constitutional duty to impeach Trump. The three divisions of power were intended as a check against a president run amok. If they don't use this power to keep a lawless president in line, they have neutered themselves. Every time the president and his minions state he has absolute right to do whatever he wants, I cringe. The Constitution requires the judiciary and Congress to protect us from the dictator wannabe. If they shirk this duty, we will no longer have a republic.
If allowed to get away with his dirty deeds, he will feel even more empowered to be even more corrupt. We have no idea what he is doing now, behind the scenes, to undermine our democracy for his own ends. These are dangerous times in the U.S.