Avoiding impeachment is a losing strategy

Donald J. Trump and his administration are taking actions that are unashamedly unconstitutional. Section 3 of the 14th Amendment of the U.S. Constitution demands that Congress remove an unfit president for high crimes and misdemeanors. American voters, including one in five Republicans, support impeachment. By refusing to use their power to impeach and convict an unfit president and his administration, members of Congress make themselves look weak and unable to protect the interests of their constituents. In short, avoiding impeachment is a losing strategy.

Congress appears remarkably committed to it.

Inaction strengthens authoritarianism

Two months ago, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer argued that a united Democratic party could make “Trump the quickest lame duck president in modern history by showing how bad his policies are.” This has not happened.

Fast-forward to today. Trump’s lawlessness has not changed. Neither has Congress’ unwillingness to censure it. Trump’s actions are unambiguously authoritarian. His disregard for constitutional limits, undermining due process, executive orders that exceed presidential authority, inciting contempt and violence, violating state sovereignty and federal law are inexcusable.

By avoiding impeachment, Congress is accelerating the overt corruption they claim to oppose.

Congress is failing to meet the moment

Members of Congress are wrong to think that avoiding impeachment is a savvy strategy. It is an abdication of responsibility and undermines the rule of law.

Letting a president dig his own hole might have succeeded in normal times with a normal president, but these are not normal times. We are in an ongoing constitutional crisis, led by a tyrant who does not know if he needs to follow the Constitution at all.

America has no kings. Allowing Trump to act like one without consequences normalizes executive overreach and lawlessness, and erodes democratic checks and balances. Congress is giving away their power, and there may not be time to get it back.

In a recent interview, Professor Daron Acemoglu, winner of the 2024 Nobel prize in economics, explained how democracy is weakened by corruption and the normalizing of contempt. “Once voters become convinced that democracy is corrupt or is unable to control corruption, their support for democracy declines… the democratic system that ultimately controls corruption and reinstates the norms of honest politics, that becomes harder.”

To be clear – it’s not just the Constitution and the American public who lose when Congress refuses to uphold their oath of office. Congress is going to lose too.

Avoiding impeachment is a losing strategy

As long as members of Congress prioritize their own perceived political gain over the necessary work of restraining a tyrant, they will lose. So will we. By allowing Trump’s lawless behavior, members of Congress are contributing to the destruction of democracy and normalizing corruption. Their inaction is complicity with the Trump administration’s overtly unconstitutional actions. .

The failure to check the executive branch is especially disappointing from the so-called opposition party. If top Democrats like Chuck Schumer, Hakeem Jefferies, and Jamie Raskin continue to “oppose” undemocratic actions by doing nothing, they will lose. They are spinning a roulette wheel with our democracy, and we could lose everything.

The path forward: Act with integrity

Just two representatives, Rep. Shri Thanedar (MI-13) and Rep. Al Green (TX-09) have brought impeachment articles to the floor of the House. While both are Democrats, protecting the Constitution is not limited to one party. Every representative has the opportunity to take a stand against the unabashedly corrupt Trump administration.

America’s citizens recognize the crisis the country is in. They overwhelmingly support impeachment. The party that leads on impeachment, conviction, and removal will capture the momentum of a vibrant and passionate public movement against tyranny. Furthermore, members of Congress who pursue the unequivocally constitutional remedy of impeachment will restore faith in democracy above and beyond the party politics.

Citizens’ Impeachment is bringing citizens together to say loudly and clearly that impeachment is the moment of our time. We need our representatives to listen. Congress should ditch its losing strategy and stop avoiding impeachment. Join the American people. Demand the impeachment, conviction, and removal of Donald J. Trump and his administration today.