This Might Be the Charge That Leads to Trump's Impeachment

By Robert Reich, Robert Reich's Facebook Page

14 April 18

pecial Counsel Robert Mueller is preparing a report on Trump's repeated attempts to obstruct justice in the Russia investigation, according to NBC News. Mueller is reportedly focused on:

1) The firing of former FBI Director James Comey. Last May, Trump fired Comey after demanding loyalty and urging him to drop the investigation into former national security advisor Michael Flynn.

2) Reports that Trump dangled the possibility of presidential pardons to former aides who might otherwise incriminate him to avoid conviction. Last summer Trump's lawyers secretly floated the idea of presidential pardons for Paul Manafort and Michael Flynn as Mueller prepared to bring charges against them, according to the New York Times.

3) Misleading statements about Don Jr. and Jared Kushner's meeting with Russian lawyer Natalia Veselnitskaya to obtain dirt on Hillary Clinton. Trump reportedly helped draft a deliberately misleading statement about the meeting.

4) Trump's attempts to stop Attorney General Jeff Sessions from recusing himself in the Russia investigation. Trump reportedly told White House chief counsel Don McGahn that he needed Sessions "to protect him" from the investigation.

The federal crime of obstruction of justice applies to “[w]hoever corruptly, or by threats or force, or by any threatening letter or communication influences, obstructs, or impedes or endeavors to influence, obstruct, or impede the due and proper administration of the law” in a proceeding or investigation by a government department or agency or Congress. This might very well be the charge that ultimately leads to Trump's impeachment. What do you think?