Go ahead and impeach, if only because democracy demands it
Team Trump apparently released the rough transcript memo of the call in the hope that it would make Team Trump look good. It didn't.
It then released the whistleblower's complaint, which makes a big two-part allegation: One, that Trump used his office to pressure Ukraine to investigate the Bidens and, two, that the White House tried to cover up the paper trail.
Before the release of the call memo, Trump's team had tried to claim there was no explicit quid pro quo between the two presidents. But the transcripts read like a script for a mob shakedown in "The Untouchables."
Step one: The setup. Early in the call Trump signaled impatience with Ukraine, to which the West has sent military aid so Ukraine could defend itself after Russia annexed Ukraine's Crimea region in 2014.
The United States has been "very good" to the country, Trump said, but he "wouldn't say" that Ukraine has been "reciprocal" to the United States. The tone was not subtle. Trump wanted something from Ukraine.
And Zelenskiy wanted something too. His big ask: More Javelin missiles, a defensive anti-tank system that can help even up the odds in Ukraine's clashes with their larger neighbor. Trump agreed, sort of.
Then step two: "I would like you to do us a favor though," Trump responded memorably, "because our country has been through a lot, and Ukraine knows a lot about it." Trump appeared to be asking for assistance in investigating the Russian end of the 2016 election interference scandals.
Heads of state routinely strike deals. It's part of the job. The potential problem is not in the deal but in such other questions as who benefits and why.
Trump continued his request. He asked Zelenskiy to expect a call from Giuliani.
"The other thing, there's a lot of talk about Biden's son," said Trump. "Biden stopped the prosecution and a lot of people want to find out about that."
Right. "A lot of people" want to find out a lot of things about Trump too. Impeachment is a risky move for the Democrats but if our system can't hold its leaders accountable, what good is it?
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(E-mail Clarence Page at cpage@chicagotribune.com.)
(c) 2019 CLARENCE PAGE DISTRIBUTED BY TRIBUNE MEDIA SERVICES, INC.
