On Aug. 8, 1974, a day after Philippe Petit walked a cable strung high between the twin towers, Richard Nixon resigned. Articles of impeachment against him included obstruction of justice and abuse of power.
In October 2019, a friend and I mused over how far the 45th president would be allowed to go. No matter his venomous rhetoric, no matter his election tinkering, no matter his willful deceits, his actions have gone unchecked. Even with a landslide winner in the 2020 election, we wondered, how thoroughly will Republicans cheat? Will the winner win? Will President Donald Trump yield the presidency?
It may sound far-fetched, but three years ago, so did having a president who admires fascists and emulates dictators. So did having a president who spouts xenophobic and racist language. So did having a president who covers up his actions coercing a foreign government to interfere in our upcoming election.
Trump, his cohorts and the Republican Party that continues to stand behind him have shown their disdain for democracy and the Constitution.
Now we walk a tightrope over the abyss of authoritarianism and deceit. Impeachment is again the path to restore justice, lawfulness and integrity at our nation’s helm.
Nancy Dickeman, Seattle
