I have been struggling with deep discouragement over the unlikely prospect of a successful impeachment and removal of the president. What’s to do?
Trump and his loyal House and Senate leaders have built an immovable blind base of support, promoted a blatant misinformation campaign, and fomented anger and civil unrest on behalf of a supposedly poor victim president. Against all precedent and outside of any moral and constitutional bounds, Senator McConnell and the White House are coordinating a Senate impeachment trial that is predicted to be a quick acquittal or maybe even something less.
The hilarity of the morning Trump news hour has become deadly serious for me. I can barely tune in to watch as the nation crumples under the threat of McConnell’s Senate control.
Discouragement is real, and our republic is surely in danger. It seems at times like there’s nothing we can do. Or can we?
We are, after all, THE PEOPLE.
The voices of America will be heard loud and clear on Tuesday evening, Dec 17, 2019, when “NO ONE IS ABOVE THE LAW” events take place in over 600 cities nationwide.
Please attend! Rallies will be held this Tuesday evening (TODAY!) at 5:30pm in Walnut Creek, Napa, Fairfield, Sonoma, Berkeley, El Cerrito, Oakland, San Francisco… Plug in your zip code for details at NeedToImpeach.
Here is information on a few of the events closest to Benicia:
“Nobody Is Above the Law” Rally in Walnut Creek
WHEN: Tuesday, December 17 at 5 p.m.
HOST(S): Ogie S.
WHERE
Intersection, Mt. Diablo Blvd. and Main St.
Walnut Creek, CA 94596
Signups: 1085 attendees
Please join us for a “Nobody Is Above the Law” rally in downtown Walnut Creek at 5:00 PM this Tuesday, 12/17/19, the evening before the House of Representatives is expected to vote on the impeachment of Donald Trump. It is a crucial time to be visible and vocal about the imperative to take back our democracy!
We need to show that there is massive public support for impeaching Trump for his crimes and abuses of power. That’s why the night before the House of Representatives takes a historic vote to impeach Trump, we’ll take to the streets to declare that Nobody Is Above the Law. Join us!
The day BEFORE the Impeachment Vote (we believe the vote will be Wednesday, therefore, we are scheduling the Impeach and Remove Rally for Tuesday, December 17th) so we will rally at Veterans Park at 5:30 p.m. Get your posters ready now! Find one of your resistance T-shirts! Get your Rapid Response Backpack stocked! Spread the word! We’ll be gathering to support our democracy’s survival and freedom from the tyrant in the White House and fully supporting Impeachment in the House and Removal in the Senate! We are honoring our Constitution and those who resisted all the way!
El Cerrito Plaza, All Four Corners on San Pablo Ave.
El Cerrito, CA 94530
Signups: 561 attendees
We need to show that there is massive public support for impeaching Trump for his crimes and abuse of power. That’s why the night before the House of Representatives takes a historic vote to impeach Trump, we’ll take to the streets to declare that Nobody Is Above the Law.
Directions: BART to El Cerrito Plaza station, then walk WEST to the corners of San Pablo Ave. and Carlson. NOTE: Please do NOT block any of the accessibility ramps on the corners, or impede pedestrians, traffic, or businesses. Thanks!
Let’s take our stand for democracy and join this movement taking place all across the nation. We will gather in front of the Chase Bank on the southwest corner of Center and Shattuck. Bring signs, insults and dress warm!
Directions: If you come out of the downtown Berkeley BART you’ll see us.
By Roger Straw, December 5, 2019
Nobody Is Above the Law. That’s why we’re calling on Congress to Impeach & Remove Donald Trump. — impeach.org
Groups all across the nation – including many here in the Bay Area – are planning to hold rallies on the evening before the announced HOUSE vote. That’s coming up pretty soon.
From The Nation: 5 Ways to Debunk the GOP’s Defense of Donald Trump…
“…attempted crime is still crime, and Trump’s ineffectiveness is no defense for his actions. But here, it’s important to understand that the law makes no distinction between “attempted” bribery and bribery. The mere solicitation of the bribe is the crime itself, regardless of whether the bribe is paid. The law contemplates a public official who “directly or indirectly, corruptly demands, seeks, receives, accepts, or agrees to receive or accept anything of value.”
[Editor: This is an UPDATED listing including brief references to recent findings of Trump’s corrupt treatment in regards to Ukraine. For some of us, this will serve as a good SUMMARY of the miserable daily onslaught of the last 3 years’ news reporting. For ALL OF US, this is yet another alarm bell and maybe time to contact our elected representatives! More on current IMPEACHMENT HEARINGS… – R.S.]
The trail of evidence starts with Trump’s attempt to get James Comey, the FBI director responsible for overseeing the investigation into Trump’s relationship with Russia during the 2016 election, to drop an investigation into National Security Advisor Michael Flynn.
When Comey refused, Trump fired him.
Trump made two more attempts at stopping the investigation by trying (unsuccessfully) to fire Robert Mueller, Comey’s predecessor. Then, Trump ordered White House Counsel Don McGahn to create a false record indicating that no attempts took place – McGahn refused.
In all, Robert Mueller’s investigation revealed multiple instances where there was “very substantial” evidence that Trump had committed obstruction of justice.
The Constitution’s Foreign Emoluments Clause prohibits the president from accepting personal benefits from any foreign government or official.
Trump has retained his ownership interests in his family business while he is in office.
Thus, every time a foreign official stays at a Trump hotel, or a foreign government approves a new Trump Organization project, or grants a trademark, Trump is in violation of the Constitution.
Trump has repeatedly pushed his properties as avenues to secure his favor, and multiple foreign officials have stayed at his properties while lobbying his administration.
In the middle of the 2016 election, Trump’s son was invited to meet with a Russian national regarding “information that would incriminate Hillary and…would be very useful to” Donald Trump. Donald Trump Jr. was told it was “part of Russia and its government’s support for Mr. Trump.” Trump Jr., Jared Kushner, and Campaign Chairman Paul Manafort took the meeting.
Federal law prohibits campaigns from soliciting or accepting anything of value from a foreign national.
This relationship between the Trump team and multiple Russian nationals raises questions of whether the campaign aided a hostile foreign power’s active operation against the United States.
When Trump gave cover to the neo-Nazis who rioted in Charlottesville and murdered a protester, he violated his obligation to protect the citizenry against domestic violence.
When Trump encouraged police officers to rough up people they have under arrest, he violated his obligation to oversee faithful execution of the laws.
When faced with impeachment in the House, Trump has alluded to his supporters engaging in insurrection to keep him in power – a rallying cry readily picked up by his supporters.
President Trump threatened to withhold aid from Ukraine if its Prime Minister did not investigate former Vice President Joe Biden and his son. Using taxpayer dollars to manipulate an important ally against Russia and attack a political rival is a clear abuse of presidential power.
Furthermore, this administration tried to conceal the whistleblower complaint that brought this corruption to light and label the civil servant who filed it as partisan.
In addition, Trump’s decision to pardon Joe Arpaio, who was convicted for contempt of court after ignoring a court order that he stop detaining and searching people based on the color of their skin, amounted to an abuse of the pardon power that revealed his indifference to individual rights, equal protections, and the separation of powers.
Pardoning this conviction goes against the Fifth Amendment, which allows the judiciary to issue and enforce injunctions against government officials who flout individual rights.
High-ranking administration officials involved in foreign affairs have signaled that Trump does not have the capacity to make informed decisions in the event of a military crisis.
Even worse, his actions could spark a needless confrontation stemming from misunderstanding or miscalculation.
We see this in full effect every time Trump tweets or makes a public statement taunting and threatening the North Korean regime.
The president may be the “Commander in Chief of the Army and Navy of the United States,” but that does not give him the right to behave in reckless or wanton ways that put millions of lives at risk.
If he is unfit to perform his duties as Commander in Chief, he cannot be allowed to remain in the position.
President Trump has repeatedly pressured the Department of Justice and the FBI to investigate and prosecute political adversaries like Hillary Clinton; now, the DOJ has reopened the Clinton email investigation in an attempt to scandalize his opponents.
This is not based in concerns with national security, law enforcement, or any other function of his office—it is an attempted power play, plain and simple.
Trump also pressured the Ukrainian government to investigate Joe Biden, his potential opponent in the general election, by leveraging US military aide to help his reelection prospects.
There’s no question that these actions constitute an outrageous and inappropriate abuse of executive branch powers and serve as clear grounds for impeachment.
Enforcing its new “zero tolerance” policy, the Trump administration separated as many as 3,000 immigrant children from their parents at the southern border. This policy was meant to deter families from attempting to cross the border.
The children and their families have been held in internment camps and cages with what lawyers call “inhumane conditions.”
Donald Trump knew disclosure of his extramarital affairs with Stephanie Clifford (A.K.A. Stormy Daniels) and Karen McDougal could hurt his chances at winning the 2016 election.
At the direction of Trump, Michael Cohen and American Media, Inc. (AMI), the publisher of the National Enquirer bought the rights to the women’s stories and forced them to sign Non-Disclosure Agreements to prevent them from going public for the purpose of protecting his campaign.
Federal prosecutors, and Trump’s co-conspirators Cohen and AMI, all say that Cohen made the payments at Trump’s direction, “in concert with the campaign,” and with the intention of helping Trump win.
The voices of America will be heard loud and clear on Tuesday evening, Dec 17, 2019, when “NO ONE IS ABOVE THE LAW” events take place in over 600 cities nationwide.
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