During the last few months, our country has been in the middle of a process of historical significance, the impeachment of President Donald Trump. Beginning with the revelations about military aid to Ukraine and a July 25 phone call with Ukraine’s leader Volodymyr Zelesnky, further developments have embroiled the Trump Administration in an investigation of massive proportions. While it is easy to split into our partisan corners, accusing Democrats of a witch hunt or declaring that Trump is absolutely guilty, allegations of this gravity deserve proper scrutiny and resolution.
So how did we get to this point? Throughout the summer, details emerged that President Trump had talked in a phone call with Ukrainian President Zelensky about setting up a White House visit and military aid to Ukraine. As one of our allies in Eastern Europe, Ukraine is currently fighting a war against Russian-backed separatists in their eastern regions. To that effect, Congress had earlier passed a package of almost $400 million in aid that was to be sent to Ukraine.
However, this is where the allegations start. According to a whistleblower report and corroborated by multiple witnesses in the impeachment inquiry, Trump reportedly requested Zelensky open an investigation into Joe and Hunter Biden’s actions in Ukraine, in exchange for the White House visit and military aid being delivered.
This is what has been talked about in the media as a “quid pro quo.” While “quid pro quo” may sound like a confusing, fancy term, it is simply a Latin phrase meaning “something for something.” In other words, Zelensky would do something for Trump (opening the investigations) in exchange for Trump doing something for Zelensky (setting up the White House visit and delivering the military aid).
The question may be asked then, “what’s the problem here?” In this case, if Trump in fact did make this request to Zelensky, it would violate several laws and procedures. First, since the aid package was passed into law by Congress, the president must see that it is delivered. The president isn’t allowed to choose at will which congressional funding to spend or not to spend, as the Government Accountability Office stated when they ruled Trump’s action illegal this past week.
Next, an investigation into the Bidens’ conduct in Ukraine could be seen as a material contribution to Trump’s 2020 campaign, as such an investigation would hurt the Bidens’ reputation. Material or monetary campaign contributions originating from foreign countries or citizens are not allowed under U.S. campaign finance law.
But what if the Bidens really were up to no good in Ukraine? Doesn’t that deserve investigation? That could certainly be true, but the way the Trump Administration is alleged to have gone about the process has also been called out as suspicious. Rather than going through official State Department and Justice Department channels, Trump tasked his personal attorney Rudy Giuliani with trying to request the Biden investigation. This alone deserves to be looked into.
Now that the House of Representatives has impeached Trump, the process will now proceed to the Senate. Presided over by the Chief Justice of the United States, the 100 senators will sit as a jury, where a two-thirds vote (67 senators) is able to remove the President from office. Just like a regular trial, the Senate will hear arguments from members the House has appointed as prosecutors, as well as the president’s defense attorneys. They usually also hear testimony from witnesses.
The potential of witnesses has been a major stumbling block so far, as Republican leader Sen. Mitch McConnell has sought to delay any decision on whether to hear from witnesses until after the first parts of the impeachment trial are over. The Democratic leader Sen. Chuck Schumer wants it decided sooner.
If this impeachment trial is to facilitate a real resolution of the charges against Trump, all the possible evidence needs to come out in order to get to the truth of the matter. Witnesses should be heard from and documents should be released to the senators and the public so all of the facts of the case can be viewed as a whole.
Impeachment is a serious matter, and we as Americans shouldn’t take this matter lightly. The evidence should be carefully followed, and the appropriate action, whether acquittal or conviction of the President then ought to be carried out. Regardless of party affiliation, senators should vote based on the truth. The integrity of our country is at stake.
Connor Kockler is a student at St. John’s University. He enjoys writing, politics and news, among other interests.