Impeachment Trial Set To Begin (?)

“Presumed innocent until proven guilty”, are words we have heard many times when an individual has been apprehended after allegedly committing a crime, and will face a jury trial by his own peers in a court of law. That is how it would normally go. That was until Donald Trump became president of these United States. By the time these words are read, the 45th president of the United States, Donald John Trump may be on trial in the Senate after impeachment charges are in the hands of Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell. By all accounts in the Republican Party in Washington and elsewhere in the nation, a trial should not be going on. Why? Because conservatives (not all) are convinced that President Trump has not done anything that is remotely close to impeachable. Republicans on select committees in the House argued vociferously that the hearings were a “charade”, “sham” and the president’s favorite words, “hoax” and “witch hunt”. Despite hearing from people in the president’s own administration who were in key positions with direct knowledge of the president’s actions, Republicans urged their supporters and anyone else who would listen to not believe the Democrats. Democrats countered by bringing in witnesses and documents that became a central part of the inquiries records that will one day be a part of this nation’s historical records with no chance of them being expunged. Once a president is impeached, it will never go away, but become a part of his legacy, the thing that will set that president apart from all of his predecessors and successors.

President Trump has maintained that he is “innocent”, even though he appears not to be acting as if he is. There are not many (only a few) who would not jump at the chance to prove their innocence no matter what the penalty may be. We are penalized for what has been proven of what we have done when it is an illegal act. Very often a trial is conducted that leads to one being sentenced. However, President Trump refuses to call anyone who has direct knowledge of what he has done in an effort to counter the evidence that the House has against him. There are not many individuals who will not ask someone to help exonerate him, unless they know that those individuals when telling the truth can ultimately seal his doom/fate. The president in that case would need help and in this particular instance, from Republicans in the Senate. That is the last resort for the president. Will it be a fair trial?

Don’t bet the house on it. It is as if, Republicans in the Senate have their marching orders…do not remove the president. Will Mitch McConnell make any witnesses or documents requested by Democrats available? Highly doubtful. Who knows?

More importantly, the nation and the world will be watching. Often times the “law and order” party likes to brag about the rule of law, and patriotism when its takes the moral high road. Not only will legal scholars in this nation, but also those around the world will closely watch the proceedings. Those especially in countries ruled by dictators may point to this nation’s system of removing corrupt leaders, and may be inspired if the president is not removed. After all there won’t be much President Trump will be able to say to Kim Jung Un or other dictators. History will say that Democrats did the “wise” thing by impeaching President Trump, as history will also record the president’s actions before, during and after the impeachment process has concluded. History will also record the actions of the political party that appeared to protect the president instead of protecting the Constitution. Remember, the world is watching. So is God.