It’s time for Congress to begin a formal impeachment inquiry. I can arrive at no other conclusion after (Special Counsel Robert) Mueller’s testimony to Congress last week. Mueller did his job; now it’s on Congress to do theirs.

President Donald Trump may lie, but the evidence does not, and Mueller found plenty of it. His report clearly outlined at least ten occasions in which Trump obstructed justice. Obstruction of justice is a serious crime. If you or I did what Trump did, we’d be in jail. But Trump remains free only because he’s President. As Mueller said in his testimony, a longstanding Department of Justice policy prevented him from indicting a sitting president.

Mueller also found over a hundred secret communications between Trump’s team and Russia or individuals tied to Russia. His campaign chairman even gave polling data to a former Russian intelligence officer on a regular basis. Trump can yell “no collusion” all he wants, but these actions are unacceptable from any American, much less from the Commander in Chief who is tasked with protecting our national security.

It’s time for our representative and the rest of Congress to finally open a formal impeachment inquiry to hold Trump accountable and send a message to Trump and future presidents that welcoming the help of a foreign government –and obstructing justice to cover it up–will not be tolerated.

Janis Ripple

Lake Orion