While I agree that the bribery / extortion and solicitation of illegal foreign assistance in a political campaign is the strongest charge to be brought, and should be brought first, especially since bribery is one of the two specific crimes explicitly stated in the Constitutional provision on impeachment (Article II, Section 4), it is also imperative that other charges also be brought.
While I understand the desire for a narrow focus, a single charge is too easy for spineless Republican cowards to simply dismiss.
Further, ignoring all the other very serious charges — obstruction of justice, obstruction of congress, emoluments, witness intimidation, financial crimes, 2016 campaign irregularities (payoffs to porn stars, unprecedented collaborative exchanges with Russians, illegal involvements with Wikileaks, Facebook and Cambridge Analytical data crimes) and many others — sends the message that these very serious violations are not going to be taken seriously.
There needs to be an overwhelming mountain of evidence of very serious wrongdoing in very serious ways, not only to force the Republicans to find their moral compasses (unlikely, but not impossible if there is sufficient public outcry), but to force them to run on their record of exonerating a very obviously guilty felon if they don’t.
While I agree that the bribery / extortion and solicitation of illegal foreign assistance in a political campaign is the strongest charge to be brought, and should be brought first, especially since bribery is one of the two specific crimes explicitly stated in the Constitutional provision on impeachment (Article II, Section 4), it is also imperative that other charges also be brought.
While I understand the desire for a narrow focus, a single charge is too easy for spineless Republican cowards to simply dismiss.
Further, ignoring all the other very serious charges — obstruction of justice, obstruction of congress, emoluments, witness intimidation, financial crimes, 2016 campaign irregularities (payoffs to porn stars, unprecedented collaborative exchanges with Russians, illegal involvements with Wikileaks, Facebook and Cambridge Analytical data crimes) and many others — sends the message that these very serious violations are not going to be taken seriously.
There needs to be an overwhelming mountain of evidence of very serious wrongdoing in very serious ways, not only to force the Republicans to find their moral compasses (unlikely, but not impossible if there is sufficient public outcry), but to force them to run on their record of exonerating a very obviously guilty felon if they don’t.