Using Impeachment Fears to Energize the G.O.P.

https://www.nytimes.com/2018/04/11/opinion/trump-impeachment-republicans.html

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To the Editor:

Re “For G.O.P., Threat of Impeachment May Spur Voters” (front page, April 9):

It is particularly disappointing that in the campaign for the November elections, the G.O.P.’s strategy will be the scare tactic of possible impeachment of the president should the Democrats win the House. Have they nothing else to present to the electorate? Like plans and ideas for the real problems and issues facing the country?

That the G.O.P. and its supporters will be using words such as “coup” reveals their fear of having genuine and substantive discussions regarding policies and programs.

RICHARD ANDRESEN, LOLETA, CALIF.

To the Editor:

Many Republicans, both right-wing and moderate, are totally disgusted with President Trump and would much prefer the true ideologue, Mike Pence, as their president. I suspect they are kneeling in prayer for impeachment and conviction. They may be so upset that they could hold their noses to vote Democratic and for possible impeachment.

Conversely, there are many Democratic voters, especially on the left, who fear a purely ideological right-wing Pence presidency to the point of joining Republicans in opposing impeachment. This would militate against Republican fears of losing their president, and makes the possibility of Democrats taking Congress more probable. Go figure.

JOSEPH GIUSTRA, NEW YORK

To the Editor:

The argument that we need more proof before pressing for impeachment proceedings against President Trump belies the facts.

We already have overwhelming evidence that the president has committed impeachable offenses, including obstruction of justice; violations of the anti-corruption provisions of the Constitution (the emoluments clauses); abuse of the pardon power; undermining the freedom of the press; recklessly threatening nuclear war against foreign nations; directing or seeking to direct law enforcement, including the Department of Justice and the F.B.I., to prosecute political adversaries for improper purposes; and giving aid and comfort to white supremacists and neo-Nazis.

Whether the president was directly involved in a conspiracy with the Russian government to interfere with the 2016 election remains the subject of Robert Mueller’s investigation. But we do not need to wait for the outcome of that criminal investigation before moving forward with an impeachment inquiry in the House of Representatives on whether the president has committed crimes against the state: abuse of power and abuse of the public trust.

Our Constitution is facing one of its greatest tests. We must rise to defend it, using the power of the impeachment clause to confront the unprecedented corruption of the presidency. That starts with the launch of an impeachment investigation of Mr. Trump.

JOHN C. BONIFAZBEN T. CLEMENTS

The writers are, respectively, the president and chairman of Free Speech for People.

To the Editor:

The vehicle for removing Donald Trump from office should be an election, not an impeachment. Although the latter may satisfy the emotional needs of some, a defeat at the polls will be definitive, dispositive and, for the vast majority of rational Americans, whether Democrats or Republicans, unarguable.

M.C. LANG, CHEVY CHASE, MD.