COMMENTARY: Trump impeachment set to be another waste of taxpayer dollars
I will be the first to admit that I’m no fan of President Donald J. Trump. I was so disgusted with the duopoly’s candidate-throat-shoving via the GOP’s Trump and the Democrats’ Hillary Clinton. I voted for Libertarian nominee Gary Johnson without hesitation because I’m beyond disgusted with both major parties.
The current attempts in the House to impeach Trump with a full vote expected before the end of the 2019 session can be somewhat equated to the 1998 impeachment of Bill Clinton and I intend to break down some of the comparisons.
Clinton’s 1998 impeachment was mostly over his infidelity, using and abusing his position of power for sexual exploitation of women staffers, including Paula Jones and Monica Lewinsky. The two charges for impeachment proceedings were perjury and obstruction of justice. The perjury charge was approved by the House by a vote of 228-206, and the obstruction of justice charge was approved by the same body by a vote of 221-212. After a nearly three-month trial, Clinton was cleared of both charges, perjury being shot down 45-55 and obstruction of justice shot down for failing to reach a majority, 50-50. After long-term research, it was revealed to have cost taxpayers in the neighborhood of $100 million (or more).
Trump’s likely impeachment somehow has something to do with relations with Ukraine regarding an investigation on Democratic presidential candidate Joseph Biden and son Hunter. The charges being filed are abuse of power and obstruction of Congress. Action is pending on whether to advance this to the Senate for the trial. Estimated duration and overall costs are uncertain at this time, but like the Clinton impeachment, it will be a blatant waste of taxpayer dollars.
That’s right — I call the impeachment process a waste of taxpayer dollars. With all the money the Federal government steals from taxpayers every year, the 1998 impeachment trial was obviously a witch hunt which wasted at least $100 million in taxpayer dollars, money that should have stayed in your wallets. The Trump impeachment trial, should it take place, will be no different: another bloated unnecessary waste of taxpayer dollars involving money that should have never belonged to the Federal government to begin with.
Jake Leonard, a broadcast media and journalism veteran, is the editor-in-chief of Heartland Newsfeed. Leonard is also GM and program director of Heartland Newsfeed Radio Network, wrestling editor and contributing writer for Ambush Sports, a contributing writer for My Sports Vote and Midwest Sports Network, and a former contributor to Bleacher Report and Overtime Heroics. He resides at home in Nokomis, Ill. with his dog Buster.
