President Trump's explosive tantrums over the impeachment inquiry have reached new highs – or lows, rather – with allies, adversaries and bystanders alike all well within the blast zone. Demanding absolute fealty from republicans – and with utter disregard for the U.S. Constitution – Trump has mangled the GOP into a deformed party of one, placing political self interests above sacred American ideals.
In an extraordinary letter to House Speaker Pelosi, Trump laid out an audacious defense, calling his impeachment inquiry "illegitimate" and "unconstitutional." And thus, the president declared his administration would cease any semblance of cooperation, law and order be damned. As Politico notes, "[Trump] is not claiming privilege. He has simply declared that the usual rules don't apply to him."
Trump's argument is both laughably absurd and profoundly dangerous. Congress is a co-equal branch of government, impeachment its sole legal mechanism to hold the executive branch fully accountable. This scorched-earth defense tactic delegitimizes the Constitution, with grave implications for the institutional well-being of our country.
Tell federal judges to swiftly dismiss in the strongest possible terms this assault on our most basic governing principles.
Checks and balances were written into our Constitution precisely for moments like these. Trump has used the American legal system to great personal benefit his entire adult life, with 4000+ lawsuits and counting. This is one trial he must not be allowed to dodge.
