The presidential impeachment effort keep bringing out the worst from all sides. To read the full explanations from the following four columns, please click the links embedded in the headlines.

Democrats’ proposed impeachment rules are still unfair (Oct. 30).  President Trump deserves to face an impeachment hearing, but his Republican defenders are right that Democrats still aren’t promising a fair process.

That said, Republicans should offer specific amendments to the Democrats’ draft resolution governing the investigation, rather than just carping about it.

Still, they do have reason to carp. As it stands right now, the resolution is woefully inadequate, nonsensical, and unjust. It leaves the wrong committee largely in charge of the process; it affords Republican congressmen too little opportunity to call witnesses; it keeps too many of the proceedings behind closed doors; and it still does not provide any specifics as to when and how the president’s own counsel will be allowed to rebut allegations against him. If this is how the impeachment investigation will proceed, it will fail to persuade large portions of the public that the allegations are legitimate….

Republican Reps. who oppose an inquiry fail in their duties (Oct. 28).

House Republicans should support a Democratic motion Thursday to open a formal, transparent presidential impeachment investigation and specify rules for the process. Republicans who deny there is a reason at least for an investigation are pushing a blatantly dishonest line. If Republicans examine all the evidence and then determine nothing impeachable occurred, that is their prerogative. Clearly, though, the allegations at issue are manifestly serious, and President Trump’s already-known behavior was at least objectionable if not impeachable….

House GOP risk national security with cheap stunts (Oct. 23). In a tawdry impersonation of the radical Occupy movement, about 30 Republican congressmen on Wednesday abased themselves, brought dishonor to the House of Representatives, and put national security at risk….

Attempt to censure Schiff is errant, arrant nonsense (Oct. 21). I bow to nobody in my criticism of the way House Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam Schiff is conducting the presidential impeachment investigation. But the planned attempt by House Republicans to officially censure Schiff is a dishonest waste of time….

 

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