After listening to the first several hours of the impeachment inquiry public hearings, I continue to believe the Democrats’ choice to focus on the quid pro quo bribery of Ukraine is too limited and too easily attacked by current Republican congresspeople. Even arguments that what Trump wanted never came to pass does not mean it was not wrong to attempt it. And it also sidesteps the use of back channel foreign policy and corruption in our own government (witness Paul Manafort sitting in jail right now for his machinations in Ukraine.)

There are so many OTHER high crimes and misdemeanors, I wonder how the supporters of President Trump could refute them all. I’ve taken the list below from https://impeachdonaldtrumpnow.org/case-for-impeachment/

“From the moment he took office Donald Trump’s refusal to divest from his business interests has placed him in direct violation of the US Constitution’s Foreign Emoluments Clause and Domestic Emoluments Clause. Since then, his corruption and abuse of power have only increased.”

1. Obstruction of justice; (documented the Mueller investigation/report)
2. Violations of the Foreign Emoluments Clause and Domestic Emoluments Clause of the United States Constitution; (Among other things: Trump hotel stays, including such domestic instances as use of Trump properties way out of the way of VP Pence’s visit to Scotland; Ivanka’s advantages for her business interests in China)
3. Conspiring with others to: (a) commit crimes against the United States involving the solicitation and intended receipt by the Donald J. Trump campaign of things of value from a foreign government and other foreign nationals; and (b) conceal those violations;
4. Advocating illegal violence, giving aid and comfort to white supremacists and neo-Nazis, and undermining constitutional protections of equal protection under the law;
5. Abusing the pardon power; (one example: Sheriff Joe Arpaio)
6. Recklessly threatening nuclear war against foreign nations, undermining and subverting the essential diplomatic functions and authority of federal agencies, including the United States Department of State, and engaging in other conduct that grossly and wantonly endangers the peace and security of the United States, its people and people of other nations;
7. Directing or endeavoring to direct law enforcement, including the Department of Justice and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, to investigate and prosecute political adversaries and others, for improper purposes not justified by any lawful function of his office, thereby eroding the rule of law, undermining the independence of law enforcement from politics, and compromising the constitutional right to due process of law;
8. Undermining the freedom of the press;
9. Cruelly and unconstitutionally imprisoning children and their families; and
10. Making and directing illegal payments to influence the 2016 election.

These articles of impeachment don’t include all the allegations of rape and sexual assault by this president, even when he admitted he had a right to “grab them by the pussy.” See this running list of Trump’s accusers.

Nor do these articles include his documented 13,400 false or misleading statements over 928 days.

I’m still listening to the testimony, and it takes a lot of stomach to handle the voice tone and lack of dignity of the Trump defenders compared to the dignity of the witnesses. If these hearings don’t succeed in removing or fatally damaging Trump’s 2020 campaign or to convince the American people that our democracy is in danger, I believe it will be because of Nancy Pelosi’s caution. I know there are reasons, but just like the catastrophe of climate change, huge problems need huge remedies.

In conclusion, I’ll commend KPFA radio (94.1 FM) for its commitment to broadcasting the hearings in their entirety on Pacifica Network stations throughout the county. I urge considering a donation to this listener-sponsored 70-year-old station.