Dear Kpete (a keeper from my congressperson)

https://ci5.googleusercontent.com/proxy/U-Mo5G04UybcPGNKv2MaStcBmJKnd4FvqgkRR7m57WwKpc1wJRVpyzDPLHA3Qma9lhpNxLgu95yTJT5jOunE4Fs-iu61exWqsSbsg0untR13KF1m-XYPQVngwbfy=s0-d-e1-ft#

Dear Kpete,

Thank you for contacting me to share your views on President Trump. After carefully reading Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s report, I believe Congress must hold President Trump accountable for his actions and begin impeachment hearings.

Our democracy depends on transparency and accountability. In pursuit of the facts behind what happened in the 2016 election, Special Counsel Mueller was tasked by the Department of Justice to investigate Russian interference. His report lays out in precise detail ten attempts by President Trump to impede the work of the Special Counsel. Mueller’s report also found several instances where Trump campaign officials knew of Russia’s attempts to interfere with our democracy, and his investigation led to 34 guilty pleas or indictments of individuals and companies.

According to the Washington Post, more than 1,000 former federal prosecutors from both political parties said this evidence is enough to support prosecution and conviction on felony obstruction of justice charges. Special Counsel Mueller said himself that he did not exonerate the President, but felt he could not prosecute Trump because of the Department of Justice’s rule against indicting a sitting president. He made it clear it's up to Congress to take further action.

Given the record presented, my colleagues are duty-bound to proceed with impeachment hearings. If Congress doesn’t act, we send the message that criminal behavior is normal for presidents. Trump will be more emboldened to ignore Congress, and we will increase cynicism among those who depend on us to uphold the law and the Constitution. None of that is acceptable.

Americans know the difference between right and wrong, and they know the President’s ten attempts to obstruct justice were wrong. Impeachment is not about the president’s character or policies, and we should never pursue impeachment for political reasons. Impeachment is about upholding the rule of law and defending the Constitution. For these and other reasons I’ve stated here, we need to begin impeachment hearings.

Thank you again for contacting me. Last year I received over 55,000 calls, emails, and letters from constituents across the district on a wide range of issues. With a lot of help from my staff, every communication is read and everyone gets a response. If you have any further concerns on this or any other matter, I hope you’ll be in touch. To stay updated on how I’m working to represent the 52nd District, please visit scottpeters.house.gov to sign up for my e-Newsletter, like us on Facebook, or follow me on Twitter @RepScottPeters.


Sincerely,

Scott Peters
Member of Congress