My main references in this post are from radio interviews today, March 25, 2019, with John Nichols of The Nation, Ruth Coniff editor at large of The Progressive, and Jeff Cohen, journalism professor, founder of FAIR (Fairness and Accuracy in Reporting) broadcast on the KPFA program Letters and Politics with Mitch Jeserich.

I agree with those journalists who say that the Democratic Party establishment’s strategy of “Waiting for Mueller” —like Samuel Beckett’s theater of the absurd characters Estragon and Vladimir—is bankrupt. Outside the narrow scope of Robert Mueller’s 2-year investigation, is a very long list of abuses by Donald Trump, in plain sight, documented, and proudly asserted by the so-called president himself. Just because the Republican-dominated Senate would not convict their corrupt, lying standard-bearer, does not mean that articles of impeachment should not be brought.

It would bring media attention back from the obsessive cable coverage of “Russiagate” to an ever-growing list of impeachable offenses and damage to our constitutional democracy. Below are the articles of Impeachment from RootsAction.org with links to an explanation of each. This information should be put before the American public night after night. It might help balance the flock of tweets emanating from the Oval Office or presidential bedroom each night.  (FAIR noted 5000% more airtime coverage on MSNBC regarding the Mueller investigation than on the U.S. complicity in the war on Yemen and humanitarian crisis there.)

Trump Articles of Impeachment
Violation of Constitution on Domestic Emoluments
Violation of Constitution on Foreign Emoluments
Incitement of Violence
Interference With Voting Rights
Discrimination Based On Religion
Illegal War
Illegal Threat of Nuclear War
Abuse of Pardon Power
Obstruction of Justice
Politicizing Prosecutions
Collusion Against the United States with a Foreign Government
Failure to Reasonably Prepare for or Respond to Hurricanes Harvey and Maria
Separating Children and Infants from Families
Illegally Attempting to Influence an Election
Tax Fraud and Public Misrepresentation
Assaulting Freedom of the Press
Supporting a Coup in Venezuela
Unconstitutional Declaration of Emergency

Both Pence and Trump lied today in their statements saying Trump was “completely exonerated” while even the 4-page summary noted that Mueller took no stand on the obstruction of justice charge against the president. Bernie is demanding release of “the whole damn report” instead of a cursory summary of two years of work by an Attorney General who had exhibited bias about it long before he was confirmed. What information might be there to add to congressional oversight hearings?

As noted by Common Cause president Karen Hobert Flynn:

“The [Mueller] investigation has already led to 199 criminal charges, 37 indictments or guilty pleas, and five prison sentences. Numerous additional investigations of possible criminal conduct uncovered by the Special Counsel have been spun off to other prosecutors. The string of crimes that have already been unearthed and made public is staggering and unprecedented in our nation’s history.”

Yes, sister. You got that right.