Senator Mitch McConnell said today “"I'm not an impartial juror," he said flatly. "This is a political process. There is not anything judicial about it. Impeachment is a political decision."  (https://www.cnn.com/2019/12/17/politics/mcconnell-impartial-juror-impeachment/index.html).  Is Senator McConnell, who is enabled by the current crop of Senators in Congress, i.e. Senator Lee, irresponsibly leading all the Senator’s to pass judgement before due process is heard?  Should we be concerned?

Any Senator who thoughtfully, and deliberately, says he/she is above the law because the Senate is a Political Body is, I assert, themselves joining in an effort to reshape America into a perversion of democracy.  They are transforming our republic into an oligarchic state where the privileged elected few operate above and outside the letter, intent, and/or spirit of the law and Constitution that provides impeachment mechanisms to investigate potential wrong doing.  Regardless of the ultimate impeachment outcome, Senator McConnell is leading the redefinition of our democracy and control of power from the hands of the people to the few who place themselves above the law, the political elite - leaving you with no real choices of candidates and only what they feed you.

As President Trump said, “the system is rigged.”  And, isn’t he now himself ensnared in, and pulling the levers of, the same “rigged” political system, himself abusing power, undermining, obstructing, and resisting Constitutionally permitted impeachment proceedings?  Do we truly embrace efforts now to achieve some perceived greater good by allowing a political party and its leadership to slip our Constitutional processes and values under their boots and dismiss what is right?  Should we be concerned about that?

Why are our Republican, and some Democratic, leaders afraid to simply let the truth take its course?  Why not just use the mechanisms we have to transparently investigate an allegation of wrongdoing, withhold judgement until the facts are presented for all to see, and intelligently, calmly, make a rational judgement?  Why not insist the White House permit its witnesses to testify?  Why not hand over public White House documents that paint the complete picture?  Is there something to hide?  This is a time where our democracy ought to be shining.  If there is nothing here to see, then the truth will emerge, and the business of our government will go on.  If there is a law broken, it will see a balanced penalty assessed and paid.  Don’t we want that?  Am I extreme in expressing these views?  I like to think I’m not extreme. 

All Senators, whether republican or democrat, who agree with Senator McConnell that they are above the law and there is nothing judicial about our Constitutionally driven impeachment mechanisms, that’s YOU Senator Lee, and that the Senate is characterized as a political body where the spirit - intent - and letter of the law does not apply when not expedient to their aims, needs to be removed from their positions by immediate impeachment themselves - or at least during the next election cycle.  Of course, the aggressive grasp for power currently going on will not result in any impeachments of Senators because the Senator’s in majority power will do anything to hold on to their elected positions.  Therefore, Americans must do-the-right-thing for them at the ballot box during their next election cycle – and vote them out.  I know, sounds a little extreme – but really, I’m not!

Folks, I hope you are not good with what’s going on regardless of which party you identify with.  There is a deliberate effort to steal your democracy blatantly away from you before your eyes by the parties and their selfish interests that put party ahead of “Duty, Honor, and County.”  Their leadership, Senator McConnell, behaves as though he and his party’s interests are above the law, that they are part of some kind of legally exempt “political body,” that it is not necessary to be “not impartial” in hearing any facts, and have already jumped to impeachment conclusions before they, and the American people, even hear the evidence.  Irresponsible, I say, and not doing any justice for our democracy or the American people.

All this while the accused, President Trump, is quoted today in the New York Times (December 18, 2019) claiming an “illegal partisan attempted coup.”  Mr. President, if there is a fiber of belief in what you keep saying - “attempted coup” then I and all clear headed Americans challenge “YOU” as the leader of America, sworn to defend the Constitution, the highest law enforcement official in the land, overseer of all the Executive Branch agencies charged with enforcing the law, our commander and chief, to take action!  You stir and foment “attempted coup” accusations.  Then Sir, I say arrest them for treason!  ARREST THEM now!  What are you waiting for?  Why are you not doing your sworn duty to defend the Constitution and arrest them?!  You of course know the answer.  We have a Republican party and their leadership that’s come completely off the rails and they will sell you ANYTHING to make you embrace their narrative.  I urge you, folks, not to buy any of it.

The current theatrics are not about the hated democrats, or the hated republicans, or even the loved, or not loved President.  This is about the survival of faith in our republic and system of government.  The decisions are being made right now, as evidenced by the Senate dismissing due process, to place power in the hands of “the elected” few who view themselves above the law.

And so I now quote Senator Mike Lee’s comments last March (https://www.lee.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/2019/3/a-vote-for-the-constitution) who currently is leading Utah’s efforts to re-elect Present Trump after Senator Lee’s “Scenic Route” that transitioned him from not supporting the President’s leadership, to supporting him.  Leadership that dismisses the Constitutional impeachment mechanism as stated by Senator Lee’s Senate Majority Leader, Senator McConnell, as “nothing judicial about it, it’s a political decision.” and by his party leader, President Trump, as a “Coup Attempt.”

Senator Lee states: “…the Constitution doesn’t resolve our political differences, and it isn’t meant to.  But it does lay out the processes by which we are supposed to resolve them.  Brushing that process aside does not override our disagreements, but intensifies and escalates them, ratcheting up our politics into an all-consuming war of outrage and contempt.”  Senator Lee, I agree!!!  But now I ask, “What happened on your “Scenic Route?”  What happened on that detour from doing the right thing to embracing your camp’s efforts to undercut constitutionally permitted mechanisms to address alleged wrongdoings without giving the “process” a chance?  What happened to your disagreement with even the President’s reallocation of congressionally earmarked appropriations, and to claim the leader you found on your “Scenic Route,” President Trump, is all of the sudden good for America as you now lead the Utah campaign to re-elect him?  What happened here?  Is the President no longer, as you stated “circumventing our constitutional and legal framework?”  Your party leader is claiming “coup attempt.”  Really – REALLY!  This is who you are behind?  Senator Lee, why are you not calling for the arrest of those attempting the “coup attempt” too?  Where’s your outrage?  Or, Senator Lee, have you decided that the greater good is to put party before “Duty, Honor, and Country?“

I don’t want a special class in America of folks who are above the law.  I think we should all be VERY concerned.  And, I do not believe those who put party interests before America’s interests, uh, there’s an oath taken somewhere here, should be our elected representatives.  They should be voted out of office at the next opportunity.  Folks, those who won’t belly up to the idea of “doing-the-right-thing” should not have a place in our government.  They need to go away.

COL Mike Seguin

Utah Bull Moose Party 2022