December 19, 2019 - Issue: Vol. 165, No. 206 — Daily Edition116th Congress (2019 - 2020) - 1st Session

[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1625-E1626]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




IMPEACHING DONALD JOHN TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES, FOR HIGH 
                        CRIMES AND MISDEMEANORS

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                             HON. RON KIND

                              of wisconsin

                    in the house of representatives

                      Wednesday, December 18, 2019

  Mr. KIND. Madam Speaker, I am the only member of Congress who has 
voted to open impeachment inquiries against Presidents William J. 
Clinton and Donald J. Trump, a Democrat and a Republican.
  Since then, I have voted to hold attorneys general of both parties in 
contempt for obstructing legitimate congressional inquiries.
  One of the most important roles for Congress to perform is acting as 
a coequal branch of government, holding the executive branch 
accountable to the rule of law and the Constitution.
  No one comes to Congress to impeach a president. I have always said 
it should be a last resort. I know impeachment is inherently divisive 
and brutal. The first casualty is usually the facts. I took an oath of 
office, not to any political party or person, but to preserve, protect 
and defend the Constitution of the United States. Congress is the only 
institution in our democracy that can hold a president accountable.
  The House opened an inquiry after learning of a whistleblower 
complaint alleging that the president actively coerced Ukraine to 
meddle in our elections.
  This complaint came from a nonpartisan intelligence officer working 
in the White House. By law, the report had to be turned over to 
Congress to be investigated.
  As a formal special prosecutor, I know that it is important to follow 
the facts and evidence. For the past few months, the House investigated 
these serious allegations outlined in the whistleblower's report. Here 
are those facts:
  During a phone call on July 25th, President Trump asked Ukrainian 
President Volodymyr Zelensky to ``do us a favor though,'' immediately 
after discussing frozen military aid. He urged President Zelensky to 
work with his personal attorney Rudy Giuliani and Attorney

[[Page E1626]]

General William P. Barr in opening investigations connected to a 
political opponent, Vice President Joseph Biden, Jr., and a debunked 
conspiracy theory alleging that Ukraine--not Russia--was responsible 
for meddling in the 2016 election.
  Just weeks before the call, President Trump withheld nearly $400 
million in critical security assistance to Ukraine, which had been 
overwhelmingly approved by Congress. No reason was given for the hold 
beyond that it was directed by the president. The hold on security 
assistance was lifted only after the whistleblower complaint was filed 
and Congress opened its inquiry.
  The investigation also revealed that besides withholding military 
aid, the president and his allies withheld White House meetings, phone 
calls and trade preferences from Ukraine.
  We heard from nonpartisan State Department and intelligence officials 
who worked for the president, and they confirmed the allegations 
outlined in the whistleblower reporter.
  I have reviewed the evidence and followed the hearings. It is clear 
the president's actions were a flagrant abuse of constitutional power; 
it was unlawful, and it jeopardized our national security.
  The president had every opportunity to present contrary evidence but 
did not. Instead, he chose to obstruct the inquiry, preventing top 
officials from testifying and withholding relevant information.
  Some have argued to let the voters in the next election decide. But 
how can we trust an election that the president is trying to corrupt?
  I grew up in this country believing no one is above the law, 
including the president. If any president--Democrat or Republican--had 
committed these offenses, I would reach the same conclusion. And I ask 
others how they would feel if President Obama, instead of President 
Trump, engaged in this conduct.
  Not all bad conduct is impeachable. Being rude or mean is not 
impeachable. Jaywalking, petty theft or infidelity does not put our 
national security at risk. But asking another country to meddle in our 
election and withholding vital security assistance to an ally is what 
our founders feared and why they placed impeachment in our 
Constitution.
  The president once said that he could stand in the middle of Fifth 
Avenue and shoot somebody without losing any support. Clearly, he was 
exaggerating, but have we become so partisan, polarized, and tribal 
that as long as it is someone on our ``team,'' they can defy the law?
  The president is wrong to believe this is all about him. More 
importantly, it is about defending the rule of law and our Constitution 
and what signal we send future presidents of what is acceptable 
behavior. In short, do we want a democracy where no one is above the 
law, or do we want a monarchy?
  The decision of whether the president should be removed from office 
now rests with the Senate. In the meantime, I will continue to work 
across party lines, tackling issues of importance like lowering health 
care and prescription drug costs, ending trade wars, and combating the 
student loan debt crisis.

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