Is Nikki Haley’s characterization of the impeachment inquiry as “Death Penalty” for President Trump due to his actions extreme? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ijzVU93RgkQ.

How the tales are weaved to shape public opinion…

Folks, the foundational facts of the impeachment inquiry are not in dispute. The President used the power of his office to seek advantage over a political opponent's apparent wrongdoings intended to be used to enhance his political fortunes and chances of winning in the upcoming 2020 election. This is not in dispute - the facts are clear and well documented. In this case, we're not talking about a President's responsibility to use his agencies to investigate crimes of corruption that specific American's may have been involved in with foreign counties (ie: Joe Biden). We're not talking about a President's responsibility to ensure good stewardship of American foreign assistance does not get abused for personal gain. We're smarter than that - right? We're talking about an elected official's use of their office to target political opponents to secure an advantage in an upcoming election. Should Joe Biden's misconduct in Ukraine be investigated and should he be held to account - absolutely! The President "should" use his office to root out corruption and crime wherever it exists. But in this case, the question of a misuse of power has converged with the integrity of honestly investigating corrupt behavior that undermines American values and credibility on the global stage. Maybe intentions matter - which are the core of this impeachment controversy. And maybe the best interests of America should come before the political fortunes of an elected official.

The question is, are you okay with that?

Aside from alleged violations of 1. Campaign Finance Laws, 2. Bribery laws, 3. Extortion laws, and 4. Obstruction of justice laws, the question really is: “Were the President’s actions “High Crimes and Misdemeanors” and “An Abuse or Violation of Some Public Trust?”

These are fair questions. There’s nothing that needs to be feared or hidden here. There is no witch hunt. The impeachment process will investigate the matter and make a transparent determination based on facts. If the House of Representatives determines there was no wrongdoing, then the matter dissolves away. If the impeachment inquiry determines there was wrongdoing, the facts are presented to the Senate who then weighs the facts and votes on what actions, if any, they should take against the President.

Do you feel it should be the President’s right to use his office to coerce foreign countries to find dirt on political opponents that can be leveraged in his favor in the next election? If you say yes, then he, and all elected officials, should be excused from any established laws that are in place to prevent the use of agencies an elected official overseas to advance their re-election strategy. In fact, they should be allowed to use their elected positions and the tax dollars at their disposal to shape campaigns against their political opponents - right? If you say no, then it’s just a question of what penalties should be imposed that you believe are balanced with the crimes - someplace between nothing and removal from office.

Yes or no? Think about it and choose intelligently.

As for my take, no elected official is above the law.  Excusing President Trump’s behavior as “his style” of negotiations is lame.   He’s a big boy and must be held to account for his actions - especially at his level - there are no excusable novice mistakes allowed.  If the facts of the impeachment committee determine wrongdoing has occurred, and the Senate agrees, then the President should be held accountable. In this case, given what we all know the basic facts to be, my sense is the President is guilty of shaking down a foreign country inappropriately and illegally.  Sure, a President can and should be able to negotiate and withhold aid to a foreign nation if it’s deemed in Americas, not his, best interests to do so - but that’s not the complete story here, is it. 

So, the wrongful personal political gains the President pursued under the threat of withholding U.S. aid to Ukraine, in parallel with the morally legitimate need to investigate the wrong doings of a major political figure (Joe Biden), and the lapses in ethical judgement Mr. Biden made in dealing with Ukraine when he was Vice President - should not result in a “by” for either individual, and neither behavior should be excused.  Two-wrongs do not necessarily make a right (though sometimes that truly is a reality for those of us who live in a real world).

As for the punishment:  With less than a year to go before the next election, the people should decide the matter at the voting booth.  But, they should do so knowing the facts and actions of this President, including the Senate’s determination, or not, that he has committed “High Crimes and Misdemeanors.”  If the Senate’s ultimate determination is to not excuse the President’s actions, my sense is that the matter of punishment should be left to the people to decide.  If the people are okay with a President, who is under oath and empowered to ethically enforce the laws of America, and decide to ignore the facts and embolden the office of the President to operate outside of, and above, the law, then so be it. 

As for Nikki Haley, her position is one of occupying space on thin ice.  She knows the President’s actions were wrong, but if you read between the lines, she’s really coming down on the side of an elected “by-the-people” representatives’ need for freedom to “lead” and not be undermined, stonewalled, or stymied by politically motivated leveraging of the law by bureaucrats who seek to undermine the elected official.  I totally get that and the effort to ensure bureaucrats know their place as employees of the government, and not containment tools or policemen for elected officials.  There’s a thin, but clear, line here.  In the matter at hand, lets let the truth free us.  The investigation into the facts will become clear, as our system of checks and balances is intended to work, and the truth will come out.   

If in the end the impeachment findings demonstrate egregious wrong doing, I will not be counted as one that supports a President who acts above the law or the intent of his oath of office.