How Do Democratic Candidates For Congress Feel About Impeachment?

Mark Putnam is probably best known as Obama's top ad-maker. But remember Told Me for Amy McGrath in Kentucky and Doors for MJ Hegar? Those were two of the most recent ads that are credited for bringing in millions of dollars for unknown candidates he helped. (Listen to that background music on Hegar's video. Sound vaguely familiar?) Anyway, the ad up top was released yesterday and it isn't for any particular candidate, although it was paid for my Tom Steyer.

The 30 second spot features 4 incumbents Jerry Nadler (off camera, D-NY), Val Demings (D-FL), Ken Buck (off camera, R-CO) and Adam Schiff (D-CA), Need to Impeach ran the ad last night on CNN during the debate and will run in again tonight. They're spending around half a million dollars to get it out widely on cable.

Brianna Wu is running for Congress in the other Boston seat (bordering on Ayanna Pressley's district). She watched the video yesterday and said "Robert Mueller, through his report and testimony, has clearly indicated that Trump would be indicted for obstruction if he was not the president, and that the Russians are still interfering with our elections. Why wouldn't they after Trump welcomed them to do so?

There is ample evidence that Trump possibly obstructed justice on ten occasions and invited Russian meddling in our elections. Mueller has given Congress all it needs to immediately begin impeachment proceedings. There are now 109 Democrats in the House who support the commencement of impeachment hearings, including six members from the Massachusetts delegation. But my opponent, Stephen Lynch, thinks Democrats still need to "make the case” and that impeachment would be just Democrats “blowing off steam.” He either isn’t paying attention or is totally missing the point.

This isn’t about politics or what will benefit or harm the Democratic nominee in the next election. This is about the rule of law and preserving our democracy.

The findings of the Mueller report and the Special Counsel’s testimony point toward the real possibility that Donald Trump committed high crimes and misdemeanors, and perhaps more blatantly, treason. It is now the responsibility of the House to begin the impeachment process to determine if the evidence warrants articles of impeachment. And, more importantly, to preserve the rule of law and declare that no president, regardless of party, is above the law. That is how Congress “makes the case.”

I’m delivering a petition to the House leadership to begin impeachment proceedings. If you agree with me that the rule of law needs to be preserved, please sign it by going here.

Milwaukie, Oregon progressive mayor Mark Gamba is running for a seat held by a reactionary Blue Dog Kurt Schrader who opposes impeaching Trump. "We pride ourselves as Americans for having a society that lives by the rule of law rather than the tyranny that some other countries suffer under," said Gamba. "The question is: What is our country becoming when a president thumbs his nose at our laws and seemingly breaks them with impunity? We are supposed to have a system of checks and balances so that we can never be ruled by a tyrant. I believe that it is the implicit duty of Congress to protect our constitution by holding the other branches of government to the same standards we are all held to. If I were in Congress, I would be calling for an in depth and thorough Impeachment Inquiry, unlike my opponent who voted against impeachment in July of 2019."

Eva Putzova also watched the ad yesterday. "Special Counsel Robert Mueller's testimony to Congress, along with his report, makes it clear that President Trump is guilty of obstruction of justice and other crimes and could be prosecuted in court if he were not the president. Since he is the president, the remedy under our constitution is impeachment by the House of Representatives. This is the constitutional obligation of Congress and should not be subjected to political calculations as to whether it would be popular or would help one party or another, or the likelihood of him being convicted by the Senate and removed from office. Either we value democracy with balancing powers of its institutions or we don't and we put blind partisanship over the interests of the people.Those are the choices that the Democratic Party leadership has."

Marie Newman is running for the Chicagoland seat held by Blue Dog Dan Lipinski, another reactionary who opposes impeaching Trump. "This is simple. It matters not if the Senate will impeach; what matters is the need for Congress to do its duty, address the overwhelming evidence and begin impeachment inquiries. There should be absolutely no more equivocation, stalling or wringing of hands."

Mike Siegel's Republican opponent, Michael McCaul, is a full-time Trump enabler. McCaul will never back impeachment; it would be like impeaching himself. "I supported starting the impeachment process before Mueller testified. His testimony only confirmed what we know: the House is obligated to take the next step. The Constitution doesn't tell us to start impeachment only when politically convenient. To maintain the balance of powers, to preserve the integrity of our national institutions, the House must begin impeachment now."

And that... regardless of certain anomalies in the system right now, as award-winning political cartoonist Nancy Ohanian has illustrated.

#MoscowMitch by Nancy Ohanian