I pass this on because, despite her tender years, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez is brilliant enough to have become a Dem thought leader. Whether the party establishment likes it or not.
She obviously considered it carefully and decided to go, Mueller-like, by the book:
Textual:
Mueller’s report is clear in pointing to Congress’ responsibility in investigating obstruction of justice by the President.
It is our job as outlined in Article 1, Sec 2, Clause 5 of the US Constitution.
As such, I’ll be signing onto @RashidaTlaib’s impeachment resolution.
While I understand the political reality of the Senate + election considerations, upon reading this DoJ report, which explicitly names Congress in determining obstruction, I cannot see a reason for us to abdicate from our constitutionally mandated responsibility to investigate.
Many know I take no pleasure in discussions of impeachment. I didn’t campaign on it, & rarely discuss it unprompted.
We all prefer working on our priorities: pushing Medicare for All, tackling student loans, & a Green New Deal.
But the report squarely puts this on our doorstep.
I personally think it’s too early to crucify Hoyer, Pelosi, Schumer et al. for holding back on impeachment. The more they hold back now, the more credible they look when they say “We really had no choice” after receiving more information such as:
1) the unredacted version of the Mueller report
2) Mueller’s testimony
3) revelations arising out of House committee investigations into which they can now draw Mueller evidence
4) revelations arising out of the 12 investigations that were farmed out to other prosecutors’ offices, all of which were redacted except Michael Cohen and Greg Craig. Ten other people could be indicted.
5) possible leaks from the Mueller team
6) an even stronger public demand for impeachment.
There is a lot of information yet to come. All kinds of interesting things are likely to drop from #1-5.
But I think #6 is the most important. Hoyer, Pelosi, Schumer and the rest are politicians, it’s instinctive for them to test the winds. The old story of FDR telling a group of activists, “I agree with you, now make me do it” (even if it might be a canard) is relevant here. I recall that Nancy Pelosi, in her interview with Markos after she was sent all those roses, emphasized that the Dems need strong public support to pursue Dem goals.
What am I saying, Dem goals…! This is non-freaking-partisan, this is about retaining the rule of law and of democracy itself.
From the comments, emphasis added:
For everyone who believes as I do that the squeaky wheel gets the grease.
Capitol Hill Switchboard (202) 224-3121.
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Also (h/t to LaPinturaBella) the Dems could take the Sam Ervin approach. I quote MC24’s diary about it:
...there was an extensive prelude to the House impeachment hearings of Richard Nixon. That prelude was the Senate Select Committee on Presidential Campaign Activities. Under the leadership of Senator Sam Ervin, the committee took a two-week block of time in May of 1973 in order to parade a long list of witnesses and broadcast 319 hours of questions and answers. Those hearings produced the most startling revelations about the Watergate scandal including the existence of the White House tapes and John Dean’s dramatic testimony coming clean about the corruption at the core of the Nixon presidency and administration. The information uncovered by those hearings provided the basis for the House impeachment proceedings.
At the risk of totally dating myself, I remember those hearings. I was a kid, but I was riveted.
Friday, Apr 19, 2019 · 1:16:33 AM +00:00 · KM Wehrstein
Hoyer puts impeachment back on the table (h/t to KJB Oregon):
Congress must have the full report & all underlying evidence in order to determine what actions may be necessary to ensure that the Congress & the American people have all the info they need to know the truth & all options ought to remain on the table to achieve that objective.
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