Article I of the impeachment resolution (House Resolution 755) accuses President Donald Trump of “abuse of power” by soliciting the interference of a foreign power, Ukraine, in the 2020 U.S. presidential election. According to Article I, “He did so through a scheme or course of conduct that included soliciting the Government of Ukraine to publicly announce investigations that would benefit his reelection, harm the election prospects of a political opponent [former Vice President Joe Biden], and influence the 2020 United States Presidential election to his advantage.” Article I also alleges that Trump conditioned the release of $391 million in aid to Ukraine on the Ukrainian government publicly announcing the investigations he requested. Trump’s actions, claims Article I, “compromised” U.S. national security.
The House adopted Article I on December 18, 2019 by a vote of 230 to 197 (Roll Call 695). We have assigned pluses to the nays because, in his actions on Ukraine, Trump did not commit “treason, bribery, or other high crimes and misdemeanors,” the constitutional requirement that must be met for impeaching and removing from office a president (or other U.S. “civil officer”). On the contrary, the controversy over Trump’s actions on Ukraine amount to a tempest in a teapot. Where are the “high crimes”? The House did not present evidence of any. Trump is accused of withholding aid from Ukraine, but the aid was provided. He is also accused of requesting an investigation into Hunter Biden and the Ukrainian company Burisma, which paid Hunter $50,000 per month during a period when his father was vice president. But there is no crime in making such a request.
