Next stop Moscow?This morning's little incident with Roger Stone has to serve as a warning that all of this year is going to be a rocky ride in Congress, the media and in our lives. Early this morning, in Florida, there came a knocking on Roger's door. Apparently Bob Mueller took quite literally, Get Me Roger Stone. Thursday, Stone had been indicted by a grand jury on charges brought by Mueller, alleging that "the longtime Donald Trump associate sought stolen emails from WikiLeaks that could damage Trump's opponents while in coordination with senior Trump campaign officials," referring to, at minimum, Steve Bannon. This is likely to eventually all go back to one of the masterminds-- as well as the Daddy Warbucks-- behind Trump's election, neo-fascist billionaire Robert Mercer. And the indictment wasn't just about working with Assange on disseminating the stolen DNC emails, but also lying to Congress to cover it up and witness tampering (radio alk show host Randy Credico). The sordid episode in our country's history reads like a Mafia screenplay.As far as I can tell so far, Pelosi didn't put any real fire-breathers onto the House Judiciary Committee, the way the GOP did. [The Republicans added just one semi-sane person-- Tom McClintock-- and 4 absolute crackpots, Ben Cline (VA), Kelly Armstrong (ND), Guy Reschenthaler (PA) and Greg Steube (FL) to defend Trump and his criminal regime.] The 9 new Democrats added to the committee are conservative patsy Lou Correa (Blue Dog-CA), Mary Scanlon (PA), Sylvia Garcia (TX), Joe Neguse (CO), Lucy McBath (GA), Greg Stanton (New Dem-AZ), Madeleine Dean (PA), Debbie Mucarsel-Powell (New Dem-FL), and Veronica Escobar (New Dem-TX). Pelosi should have put Rashida Tlaib on it.Luckily, Ted Lieu (D-CA), Steve Cohen (D-TN), Jamie Raskin (D-MD) and Pramila Jayapal (D-WA) are all on the committee and all up to the task of making sure Trump is held accountable for his criminal activities. My guess is that Eric Swalwell (D-CA), David Cicilline (D-RI), Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) and Karen Bass (D-CA) will also turn out to be stars in the impeachment process-- once Pelosi gives Nadler the OK to get the damned show on the road and stop using the ridiculous excuse they're waiting for Bob Mueller.Mueller works for the Executive Branch-- and is accountable to Trump-- and has no role in impeachment. Impeachment lies strictly with the House and the only thing that is keeping Pelosi from moving forward are her own political calculations. That's pretty outrageous.These are the two dozen Democrats who will serve on the committee for the 116th Congress:
• Rep. Jerrold Nadler (NY-10), Chair• Rep. Zoe Lofgren (CA-19)• Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee (TX-18)• Rep. Steve Cohen (TN-9)• Rep. Hank Johnson (GA-4)• Rep. Ted Deutch (FL-22)• Rep. Karen Bass (CA-37)• Rep. Cedric Richmond (LA-2)• Rep. Hakeem Jeffries (NY-8)• Rep. David Cicilline (RI-1)• Rep. Eric Swalwell (CA-15)• Rep. Ted Lieu (CA-33)• Rep. Jamie Raskin (MD-8)• Rep. Pramila Jayapal (WA-7)• Rep. Val Demings (FL-10)• Rep. Lou Correa (CA-46)• Rep. Mary Gay Scanlon (PA-5), Vice Chair• Rep. Sylvia Garcia (TX-29)• Rep. Joe Neguse (CO-2)• Rep. Lucy McBath (GA-6)• Rep. Greg Stanton (AZ-9)• Rep. Madeleine Dean (PA-4)• Rep. Debbie Mucarsel-Powell (FL-26)• Rep. Veronica Escobar (TX-16)
As Alan Grayson, one of the most successful lawyers to have served in Congress in decades, explained recently, "Trump has committed high crimes and misdemeanors, and he is unfit for office. You can’t un-ring those bells. This is why we have impeachment in the Constitution."Ted Lieu served as an Air Force prosector and he feels the time is right to start the formal investigation now: "It is time, he tweeted last week, "for the House Judiciary Committee to start holding hearings to establish a record of whether @POTUS committed high crimes."The way this will probably happen is that relevant subcommittee chairs-- guessing again-- Steve Cohen (Constitution subcommittee) and Karen Bass (Crime subcommittee) will begin holding hearings even before the full House votes to establish a separate committee on impeachment within the Judiciary Committee. I can't wait to see that one get going-- and see who winds up on it.