IMPEACHMENT TRIAL: What Exactly Trump Is Being Impeached For As Trial Begins
Both social media and mainstream media have been abuzz with discussions speculating the possible impeachment of Donald J Trump, the 45th President of the United States of America. His impeachment, a sensation and at the same time a matter of concern has rocked airwaves not only in Washington but also across the world. This is the third time in American history that an American president is facing trial.
Today, 21st January 2020, marks the commencement of Donald Trump’s trial where the senate is expected to sit through the hearings for six hours each day, for the next six days after which a decision will be made. Trump who will be at the economic forum in Davos, Switzerland when his trial opens has been on a rant about his impeachment, mostly staging confidence that he will not be impeached, and insisting he is not guilty.
If Trump is impeached, he will be the first American President to go down like that and this will not only destabilize the world’s superpower but will also affect the economy and other political dynamics in countries both allied and not allied to the US. Chances are that Trump will not be ousted, for the obvious reason of having Republicans as the majority in the Senate, it is expected that the 53 members against 45 affiliated with the Democratic party will clear the president who is facing several accusations.
Trump’s Charges
Out of the piles of documents and according to witnesses, Donald Trump is accused of abusing his presidential power by manipulating vulnerable parties to help him get reelected in November. Since his election into office in 2016, conspiracy theories have taken center stage with allegations that Russia interfered with the polls to harm Hillary Clinton’s campaign and increase political and social discord in the states.
Trump has however denied the involvement of Russian personnel in the last elections and instead, he has been on the record accusing Ukraine of interfering with the presidential elections. Trump is said to have pressured the Ukraine government to dig dirt on former President Joe Biden and his son Robert Hunter a former member of the board of Ukrainian energy firm Burisma.
Both Russia and the United States have put Ukraine in the spotlight for its energy dependence and the Bidens have been accused of being part of tax evasion and money laundering among other political and economy based sagas.
In July 2018, Trump made a call to Volodymyr Zelensky asking him to lodge an investigation into the Bidens in exchange for $400 million in US security aid and a white house meeting. Trump’s reach for aid from other countries to win his 2020 presidential bid has not been taken lightly by congress and he has been alleged to stonewall investigations into the issue. “By refusing to allow White House staff to testify at the first impeachment hearings last year, Mr. Trump obstructed Congress.”
“In doing so, he jeopardized our national security and our democratic self-governance, he then used his presidential powers to orchestrate a cover-up unprecedented in the history of our republic.” using his “presidential powers to pressure a vulnerable foreign partner to interfere in our elections for his benefit”.
Those fact-checking the president on this issue have gone ahead to publish up to 65 ways Trump has lied about Ukraine and impeachment.
