CROSS POINT: Impeachment inquiry is first line of defense against Trump's misuse of power

“The president must be held accountable. No one is above the law," Speaker Pelosi announced as she moved forward with the formal impeachment inquiry.

The released phone transcript of Trump’s conversation with the Ukrainian President confirmed that Trump pushed the Ukrainian government to investigate former Vice President Joe Biden and his son.

Just a few months ago, President Trump by his own admission said in a live interview that he’d use foreign governments to dig dirt on his opponents. So, this Ukrainian conversation should come as no surprise.

This comes on the heels of Trump calling the months-long Mueller investigation a “witch hunt” and echoing those sentiments with his Ukrainian dealings as well.

Why does President Trump think he can keep circumventing law and order, the Constitution and continue engaging foreign governments in coming after his adversaries?

Well, simply because, until now, there has been no real penalty for it.

Top brass Democrats have put the 2020 election and politics above pursuing this president’s crimes to the fullest. That all stops now, and Trump knows it— he even called Speaker Pelosi asking to “work something out" on the whistleblower complaint. A request she immediately shut down.

President Trump’s antics have run their course and it’s time for reckoning.

Let’s get to the point: The impeachment inquiry is the first line of defense against President Trump’s use of foreign governments to benefit him politically. It’s time to put an end to Trump’s misuse of presidential power.