POSSIBILITY OF IMPEACHMENT OF DONALD TRUMP NOW REAL
By Nitya Chakraborty
Only two months have passed since Donald Trump took over office as the President of the United States on January 20, but the manner in which, he has been violating the provisions of the US Constitution that already, there are serious conversations in Washington among the Congressmen about whether things are heading towards a possible impeachment. On March 20, the FBI Director confirmed at the meeting of the Congress’s Intelligence Committee that his agency has been investigating the connection of Trump campaign before the November 8, 2016 poll, with the Russians. The FBI also repudiated the allegation made by President Trump against his predecessor Barack Obama that the former President ordered wiretapping of Trump Towers last year. The statements made by the FBI Director Comey revealed that Trump had been lying even as a President. It was one thing to make wild allegations in the course of a campaign but after taking the oath to the Constitution as a President, he has to abide by the norms , but Trump has violated that and he was found constantly lying.
Right now, the biggest threat to Trump presidency is this maverick’s connections with illegal funds of the Russian billionaires and the close association of his advisers with the Russians before the Presidential elections. The Trump-Russia connection has led to a series of speculations as to whether a new Watergate scandal is being unfolded. The scandal initially began with a break in at the Democratic Party offices at the Watergate Hotel in 1972 but the follow up developments brought down the then President Richard Nixon after two years, in the only resignation of President in USA till now. The latest revelations in the British newspaper The Guardian about loans received by the Trump company from the illegal funds laundered by the Russian businessmen through western banks and the direct employment of Trump’s former campaign chairman by President Putin, have opened up possibilities of fresh investigations involving Trump’s continuous misrepresentation of facts concerning the security of the country to suit his business interests.
Now, following the FBI disclosure and more facts coming in light about direct association of Trump’s trusted campaign aides with Russian interests, the Democrats have been necessarily emboldened to challenge Trump on the ground of his capability to look after the US interests. The day the Congress hearing took place in the presence of FBI director and the National Security Adviser, an influential Democratic Party Congresswoman tweeted that the Party should be ready for the impeachment. This is not just the fantasy of a defeated Party but a serious debate among the law makers also whether the evidences which have come up till now, are sufficient for calling for impeachment or they should wait for more time till the FBI submits the final report on Trump connections.
The Republican Party is in a dilemma. The conservative leadership is happy that the Party has got back the presidency and now due to the popularity of Trump among the white Americans, the GOP is having majority in both senate and the House of Representatives. But at the same time, the Party leadership has no control over Trump and they are worried that Trump will land the country and the Party in a mess if he is allowed to function in his own way. The Republican leadership is more comfortable with vice-president Pence who is a normal conservative on the lines of most of the GOP leaders. There is a talk among a section of the Republicans that if Trump cannot be controlled by the GOP leadership, the Republican Party should back Vice President Pence to become President by asking the President to step down due to” Unfit to serve” condition but this will require the majority support of the US cabinet which is handpicked by Trump. This scenario is possible under the Constitution’s 25th amendment, In fact, as per this amendment, President George Bush handed power to Vice President Cheney in July 2007 when he had to undergo surgery. For 125 minutes of the surgery, Dick Cheney assumed presidential powers under this amendment to the Constitution. If the circumstances deteriorate threatening the US policies at the hands of Trump, the application of transfer of power through this amendment, is the best course for the Republicans without giving any handle to the Democrats for proceeding with impeachment.
According to the US constitution, the president in office can be impeached for treason, bribery or other misdemeanours. Bill Clinton was charged with obstruction of justice and with perjury for allegedly lying under oath to a federal grand jury about his affair with Monica Lewinsky. The current president can be charged for lying on a number of issues, including ties of his and his campaign leaders with the Russians, especially President Putin. So far, two presidents Bill Clinton (1998) and Andrew Johnson (1868) have been impeached. Articles of impeachment were passed against Richard Nixon by a congressional committee but Nixon resigned before the House of Representatives could vote on the matter. That way, technically, Nixon was not impeached.
Interestingly, a recent opinion poll in US has revealed that 46 per cent of the people covered in the survey favoured impeachment of President Trump. His popularity is now lowest among the presidents at the end of first two months. The Republican Party is worried and there are talks that things should not be allowed to go too far. In that context, the change of president by promoting Pence through 25th amendment of the US constitution is being discreetly discussed in the Republican circles. The GOP leadership is still ready to wait hoping that Trump will mend his ways and he will start listening to the leadership. After all he is the nominee of the Republican Party. But people who know Trump among the Republicans, are not nursing such hopes. They feel that he is too much narcissistic and it will be very difficult to change his ways. Only if signs become clear that the Republican voters are abandoning the Party due to his manners and policies, the GOP has to think of taking some action.
At the mass level, anger against Trump is mounting. Every day, marches are taking place with the participation of various interests groups and the Democratic Party’s new leadership has at last energized itself to play an active role in anti-Trump mass movement. Fierce debate is going on among the American left about the correct strategy to unite the anti-Trump forces. Even those who voted for Trump in the presidential elections, are feeling cheated after the provisions of the new healthcare bill have been made known. The US political situation is in a churning state. The US Communist Party has called for all peoples front to defeat Trumpism. The infighting within the Republican Party on the one hand and the unleashing of united movement of the progressive masses on the basis of a centre-left programme, are imparting a new dimension to the US polity. (IPA service)