While the Trump defenders keep harboring on collusion as the imaginary bar in the case against Trump, the impeachment clause in the constitution actually begins by citing two other unforgivable crimes a president could commit: treason and bribery.
The Constitution defines treason as "adhering to (our) enemies" giving them aid and comfort." While this subsequently has been taken to mean that the crime of treason means aiding an enemy in a declared war, it is clear Trump has already met the test set by the founders on this.
As for bribery, taking money to influence the decisions of an official, this is more straightforward and there are already manifold examples of Trump not only being swayed by where he has business interests but he has gone further...
...directly violating the Constitution's prohibition against accepting emoluments (as cases before the courts are almost certain to prove.) The impeachment clause goes on to also cite high crimes and misdemeanors which might include the many other crimes attributable to Trump.
Obstruction of justice, conspiracy, and many others fill this list. It is in fact, possible to conclude from just a cursory read of the Constitution, that the impeachment remedy was conceived precisely with a disgrace like Donald Trump in mind.
We should not rush into such a case against him until the full scope of his crimes have been investigated and solid evidence against him on all counts is gathered. This not be seen as politically motivated.
But, we are in the midst of the most far-reaching scandal that has ever touched the American presidency, a crisis of corruption that threatens everything from the rule of law in the United States to our security and our standing abroad.
Which means if we should be careful when we speak of impeachment and while should approach it with rigor, discipline and the highest of standards, inevitably the case against Donald Trump must be made. If ever an American president warranted the remedy the founders provided...
it is Donald Trump. Failure to impeach and convict him opens the door future crimes and abuses that would ultimately destroy the legitimacy of the presidency and of our system of government. Those are the stakes. We must not lose sight of them.
Of course, what I meant here was "harping on" collusion. (I think the spellcheck elves were "helping me out" a little too aggressively here.)
