Over 8 Million Americans Sign Petition to Impeach Donald Trump
A billionaire philanthropist and progressive activist Tom Steyer says that Trump has violated the Constitution, the office of the Presidency, and the trust of the public.
By Rakesh Raman
An online petition on a dedicated “Need to Impeach” website claims that it has collected more than 8 million signatures of Americans who want impeachment of President Donald Trump.
It also urges the petitioners to call House Speaker Nancy Pelosi to begin impeachment proceedings against Trump. The petition suggests that Trump has obstructed justice and special counsel Robert Mueller did not exonerate him in his report, which was supposed to investigate Trump’s secret links with Russia.
After nearly two years of investigation, Mueller delivered a 448-page report on March 20. The report – in two volumes – has covered Russian interference in American election – including charges of conspiracy and the obstruction of justice by Trump.
The petition claims that Trump interfered in federal investigations and tried to influence their outcomes, violating federal law. “That is a clear case of obstruction,” according to the petition.
Started by a billionaire philanthropist and progressive activist Tom Steyer, the petition informed that Trump has brought Americans to the brink of nuclear war, obstructed justice, and taken money from foreign governments. “We need to impeach this dangerous president. Sign on now,” the petition urges.
[ RMN Poll: Should Congress Impeach Donald Trump? ]
What is impeachment? It is the process by which a legislative body such as the Congress levels charges against a government official including the President. Impeachment is not supposed to remove the official from office. Rather, it is only a process for indictment.
If the official is convicted after indictment, then only he or she can be removed from office. Only those individuals can be impeached who commit crimes such as treason, bribery, or other high crimes and misdemeanors.
It is being argued that Mueller in his report has asked Congress to take decision about Trump’s impeachment as he has committed obstruction of justice which is an impeachable offence.
Mueller was leading a judicial team to know the extent of Trump-Russia ties that allegedly helped Trump win the 2016 presidential race. The contents of the Mueller report have not been made public because Attorney General William P. Barr – who is a Trump loyalist – has refused to share the full report with the Congress. The House Judiciary Committee has held Barr in contempt of Congress for his failure to turn over unredacted report.
Steyer also has written a letter to politicians, suggesting that Trump is not fit for office. It is evident that there is zero reason to believe “he can be a good president,” Steyer said in his letter. In a new ad, he is urging Democrats to impeach Trump.
Steyer has given multiple reasons for Trump’s impeachment. These include Trump’s relationship with Vladimir Putin and Russia, his willingness to exploit the office of the Presidency for his personal gain, his conduct during Charlottesville, his decision to pull out of the Paris climate accord, and his seeming determination to take the nation to war.
Steyer adds that Trump has violated the Constitution, the office of the Presidency, and the trust of the public. He is a clear and present danger to the United States of America, Steyer had warned in his letter.
“So, by way of this letter, I am asking you today to make public your position on the impeachment of Donald Trump, and to urge your federal representatives to remove him from office at once,” Steyer stated.
By Rakesh Raman, who is a national award-winning journalist and social activist. He is the founder of a humanitarian organization RMN Foundation which is working in diverse areas to help the disadvantaged and distressed people in the society. He also creates and publishes a number of digital publications on different subjects.
