User:Halagad/sandbox

Crimes commited by Donald Trump while in office.

1. The trail of evidence starts with Trump’s attempt to get Comey to drop an investigation into National Security Advisor, Michael Flynn. When he refused, Trump fired James Comey, the FBI director responsible for overseeing the investigation into Trump’s relationship with Russia during the 2016 election. Trump made two more attempts at stopping the investigation by trying (unsuccessfully) to fire Robert Mueller, Comey’s predecessor. Then, Trump ordered White House Counsel Don McGahn to create a false record indicating that no attempts took place – McGahn refused. Trump has repeatedly attempted to intimidate or influence witnesses in proceedings against him. In all, Robert Mueller’s investigation revealed multiple instances where there was “very substantial” evidence that Trump had committed obstruction of justice. Read more about Donald Trump’s obstruction here.

2. Profiting from the Presidency

The Constitution’s Foreign Emoluments Clause prohibits the president from accepting personal benefits from any foreign government or official. Trump has retained his ownership interests in his family business while he is in office. Thus, every time a foreign official stays at a Trump hotel, or a foreign government approves a new Trump Organization project, or grants a trademark, Trump is in violation of the Constitution. Trump has repeatedly pushed his properties as avenues to secure his favor, and multiple foreign officials have stayed at his properties while lobbying his administration. Saudi officials, and an Iraqi Sheik stayed at his hotel when lobbying for their interests. China approved multiple trademarks for his family’s brands while negotiating trade policies. Trump attempted to promote his club in Doral Florida for the 2020 G-7 Conference. And every time he goes to golf at a Trump property, he funnels taxpayer money into his family business—violating the Domestic Emoluments Clause. To date, Trump has spent over $100 million taxpayer dollars to golf and vacation at his own properties.

3. Collusion

In the middle of the 2016 election, Trump’s son was invited to meet with a Russian national regarding “information that would incriminate Hillary and…would be very useful to” Donald Trump. Donald Trump Jr. was told it was “part of Russia and its government’s support for Mr. Trump.” Trump Jr., Jared Kushner, and Campaign Chairman Paul Manafort took the meeting. Federal law prohibits campaigns from soliciting or accepting anything of value from a foreign national. Paul Manafort and Rick Gates met with Konstantin Kilimink, likely a Russian spy, multiple times in the summer of 2016 to provide him with internal campaign polling data detailing the Trump campaign’s midwestern strategy. Manafort lied about these meetings to the FBI even after pleading guilty to other crimes. This relationship between the Trump team and multiple Russian nationals raises questions of whether the campaign aided a hostile foreign power’s active operation against the United States.

4. Advocating Political & Police Violence

When Trump gave cover to the neo-Nazis who rioted in Charlottesville and murdered a protester, he violated his obligation to protect the citizenry against domestic violence. When Trump encouraged police officers to rough up people they have under arrest, he violated his obligation to oversee faithful execution of the laws. Trump and his rhetoric have been cited in numerous criminal proceedings as being the inspiration and justification for political violence. When faced with impeachment in the House, Trump has alluded to his supporters engaging in insurrection to keep him in power – a rallying cry readily picked up by his supporters.

5. Abuse of Power

President Trump threatened to withhold aid from Ukraine if its Prime Minister did not investigate former Vice President Joe Biden and his son. Using taxpayer dollars to manipulate an important ally against Russia and attack a political rival is a clear abuse of presidential power. Furthermore, this administration tried to conceal the whistleblower complaint that brought this corruption to light and label the civil servant who filed it as partisan. In addition, Trump’s decision to pardon Joe Arpaio, who was convicted for contempt of court after ignoring a court order that he stop detaining and searching people based on the color of their skin, amounted to an abuse of the pardon power that revealed his indifference to individual rights, equal protections, and the separation of powers. Pardoning this conviction goes against the Fifth Amendment, which allows the judiciary to issue and enforce injunctions against government officials who flout individual rights.

6. Engaging in Reckless Conduct

High-ranking administration officials involved in foreign affairs have signaled that Trump does not have the capacity to make informed decisions in the event of a military crisis. Even worse, his actions could spark a needless confrontation stemming from misunderstanding or miscalculation. We see this in full effect every time Trump tweets or makes a public statement taunting and threatening the North Korean regime. The president may be the “Commander in Chief of the Army and Navy of the United States,” but that does not give him the right to behave in reckless or wanton ways that put millions of lives at risk. If he is unfit to perform his duties as Commander in Chief, he cannot be allowed to remain in the position.

7. Persecuting Political Opponents

President Trump has repeatedly pressured the Department of Justice and the FBI to investigate and prosecute political adversaries like Hillary Clinton; now, the DOJ has reopened the Clinton email investigation in an attempt to scandalize his opponents. This is not based in concerns with national security, law enforcement, or any other function of his office—it is an attempted power play, plain and simple. Trump also pressured the Ukrainian government to investigate Joe Biden, his potential opponent in the general election, by leveraging US military aide to help his reelection prospects. Trump and Attorney General Barr have asked foreign intelligence agencies to assist in an investigation to discredit Robert Mueller, hoping to undermine the credibility of the damning Mueller Report. There’s no question that these actions constitute an outrageous and inappropriate abuse of executive branch powers and serve as clear grounds for impeachment.

8. Attacking the Free Press

President Trump has repeatedly attacked the concept of an independent press. He’s called critical coverage “fake news” and journalists “the enemy of the American people,” made threats to change libel laws and revoke licenses, and his battles with CNN led him to try to interfere in the AT&T/Time Warner merger. His Administration has repeatedly and baselessly revoked press credentials for critical coverage. He has dismissed the murder of a critical journalist, citing the economic partnership the US has with the offending nation. This demonstrates his unwillingness to respect and uphold the Constitution, and disdain for the crucial foundations to our free society. Thanks to Free Speech for People, whose white paper, ‘The Legal Case for a Congressional Investigation on Whether to Impeach President Donald J. Trump,’ served as the basis for this list.

9. Violating Immigrants' Right to Due Process

Enforcing its new “zero tolerance” policy, the Trump administration separated as many as 3,000 immigrant children from their parents at the southern border. This policy was meant to deter families from attempting to cross the border. The children and their families have been held in internment camps and cages with what lawyers call “inhumane conditions.” Due to negligence, the Trump administration has no plan to reunite all children with their families, even deporting some parents while their children remain detained. Currently, the Trump administration is in court trying to enforce a policy allowing the administration to detain migrants indefinitely in violation of their constitutional rights. Thanks to Free Speech for People, ‘New ground for impeachment hearings: cruel and unconstitutional imprisonment of children and their families,’ served as content for this impeachable offense.

10. Violating Campaign Finance Laws

Donald Trump knew disclosure of his extramarital affairs with Stephanie Clifford (A.K.A. Stormy Daniels) and Karen McDougal could hurt his chances at winning the 2016 election. At the direction of Trump, Michael Cohen and American Media, Inc. (AMI), the publisher of the National Enquirer bought the rights to the women’s stories and forced them to sign Non-Disclosure Agreements to prevent them from going public for the purpose of protecting his campaign. Cohen admitted to making illegal, hush-money payments to hide Trump’s affairs in the fall of 2016, just weeks before the election. Federal prosecutors, and Trump’s co-conspirators Cohen and AMI, all say that Cohen made the payments at Trump’s direction, “in concert with the campaign,” and with the intention of helping Trump win. Trump made illegal reimbursements to Michael Cohen for this crime while President, discussing the illegal scheme while in the Oval Office. Trump is an unindicted co-conspirator because he directed Cohen to “cause an unlawful corporate contribution” and an “excessive campaign contribution” by paying the two women hush money with the intent to influence the election.

There is no reason that this man should still be in an office which he is abusing it's power for his own gain and to make a mockery of this nation. He needs ot be removed immediately and punished according to the crimes he has committed. No one other than politicians like this can get away with these crimes.

Impeach this man now.

-#lockhimup