Trump Impeachment: Grave Responsibility Congress Must Take Seriously

In 1977, Senator Daniel Patrick Moynihan appended a statement to the annual report of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence. The committee, he said, had been properly concerned with the intelligence community’s abuses, which “should be pursued — almost — regardless of the consequences.” The reason for the “almost” was that the maxim “let justice be done though the heavens fall,” Moynihan wrote, “ought to be more an abstract than an applied principle of government.”

That counsel is worth considering as the House of Representatives votes on articles of impeachment against President Trump. A mood of inevitability has crept into Democratic rhetoric on the topic. In a statement announcing the articles that was replete with commendable affirmations of long-dormant congressional authority, Speaker Nancy Pelosi said Democrats were proceeding because “the President leaves us with no choice” but to do so. When the articles were introduced, Representative Jerrold Nadler of New York said Democrats “must take this solemn step today.” At least five other Democrats have employed the “no choice” mantra.

About the Author

Greg Weiner

Mr. Weiner is a political scientist at Assumption University and a visiting scholar at the American Enterprise Institute.

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In 1977, Senator Daniel Patrick Moynihan appended a statement to the annual report of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence. The committee, he said, had been properly concerned with the intelligence community’s abuses, which “should be pursued — almost — regardless of the consequences.” The reason for the “almost” was that the maxim “let justice be done though the heavens fall,” Moynihan wrote, “ought to be more an abstract than an applied principle of government.”

That counsel is worth considering as the House of Representatives votes on articles of impeachment against President Trump. A mood of inevitability has crept into Democratic rhetoric on the topic. In a statement announcing the articles that was replete with commendable affirmations of long-dormant congressional authority, Speaker Nancy Pelosi said Democrats were proceeding because “the President leaves us with no choice” but to do so. When the articles were introduced, Representative Jerrold Nadler of New York said Democrats “must take this solemn step today.” At least five other Democrats have employed the “no choice” mantra.