Drinking Liberally explains the impeachment hearings;
In Politics: Nationally, public testimony in the House of Representatives’ hearings on the Impeachment of Donald Trump began on Wednesday. It continues today as I write this invitation. It has been very damning for President Trump and the White House. On Wednesday, testimony linked Trump directly to the shakedown and Bribery scheme conducted by his representatives to get the newly elected Ukranian President to investigate Trump’s political rival, former Vice-President Joe Biden. To put pressure on the Ukrainians, the Trump Administration froze over $300 million in Ukrainian military aid previously authorized by Congress to help the Ukrainians fight the Russian invasion of their country. Despite the fact that this scheme undermined stated US policy and our security interests and those of our Allies, and despite mounting evidence that Trump directed this scheme of Bribery and Extortion himself, Republicans continue to defend him. They say as bad as Trump’s acts may have been, they haven’t risen to the level of an Impeachable Offense. For the benefit of Republicans, below I quote the Constitution and provide them with the legal definition of Bribery. Perhaps it will help them rediscover the Patriotism they profess to have and usually are quick to display.
US Constitution:Section 4, Article Two: “The President, Vice President and all civil Officers of the United States, shall be removed from Office on Impeachment for… Treason, Bribery, or other high Crimes and Misdemeanors.”
A legal definition of Bribery: “The offering, giving, soliciting, or receiving of any item of value as a means of influencing the actions of an individual holding a public or legal duty. … Solicitation of a bribe also constitutes a crime and is completed regardless of whether the solicitation results in the receipt of a valuable gift.”
Anyway, the next time you hear a Republican say “Trump’s actions haven’t risen to the level of an Impeachable Offense.” Just say, “Bull***t”. Bribery is right there in the Constitution. It is a constitutionally mandated Impeachable Offense. Trump and his lawyer, Rudy Giuliani, have admitted to soliciting a personal favor, (the public statement of an investigation of Joe Biden and his son) in exchange for an Oval Office visit and the release of authorized military aid Trump’s Administration had frozen. If that isn’t Bribery, I will eat my shorts.
Of course, Republicans being Republicans they might argue that Trump is guilty of Extortion not Bribery and that, since Extortion is not explicitly mentioned in the Constitution, Trump’s conduct doesn’t rise to the level of an Impeachable Offense. I call this the Sergeant Schultz defense.