The Constitution at Bay

The Trump Administration defies lawful Congressional subpoenas as a matter of policy and, in clear violation of statutory federal law, has refused to release Trump’s tax returns to the appropriate committee of the House of Representatives. The Washington Post reported, “Federal prosecutors on Friday declined to make public transcripts of recorded conversations between Michael Flynn and Russia’s ambassador to the United States in December 2016, despite a judge’s order.” Acting in obeisance to the White House and contrary to its Constitutional duty, the Justice Department has defied the order of a federal court to turn over documents pertinent to a case before it. These acts bespeak an unabashed effort to convert our form of government from a Constitutional democracy to an autocracy. This unprecedented and tragic turn in the course of American history has been made possible by the Republicans controlling the senate, who continue to countenance Trump’s lawless behavior no matter how extreme it gets.

      It’s no longer tenable to argue that an impeachment inquiry should be deferred until more politically opportune time. Democrats have a duty to defend the Constitution, and that requires impeaching Trump and Barr. The gravity of the situation –– the enormity of the behavior of Trump and those allied with him –– must be vividly conveyed to the American people.