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Impeachment hearing: Trump’s serious misdemeanors baffle judicial committee

The political rhetoric coming from America for the next three weeks—some would call it asymmetrical verbal warfare—will most certainly lead to Articles of Impeachment for President Donald Trump.

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Former US President Donald Trump's Florida home raided by FBI, Republican leader calls it prosecutorial misconduct

By Kenneth Tiven

The political rhetoric coming from America for the next three weeks—some would call it asymmetrical verbal warfare—will most certainly lead to Articles of Impeachment for President Donald Trump.

This is unlikely to dislodge him from office. Impeachment is a two-step affair. The Republican controlled 50-person Senate, which sits as a real court for impeachment articles voted by the lower House of Representatives, will resist convicting him. Because impeachment is an optional Constitutional requirement it is a political process. Today it is also an on-going media even nationally elected Republicans believe winning reelection is determined by the intensity of the Trump voters for whom facts and reality are non-existent factors.  The backlash from impeachment, whatever its outcome, will be clear in the November 2020, presidential election: Will America remain a   free world leader or become a Banana Republic.

Releasing a scathing 300-page report the Democratic-led House Intelligence Committee concluded that Trump had “compromised national security to advance his personal political interests” and then engaged in an “unprecedented campaign” to prevent Congress from uncovering the truth.

In releasing it the chairpersons of the three committees involved said, “The President’s actions have damaged our national security, undermined the integrity of the next election, and violated his oath of office.” The Judiciary Committee not decides on Articles of Impeachment focused on obstruction of justice (cover-up of what happened) and abuse of power. Witness intimidation tactics figure in both charges.

House Republicans — as the minority political party— drafted a 123-page report that asserts that Democrats have failed in committee hearings to unearth evidence that Trump committed an impeachable offense in the Ukraine, where he and his lawyer sought negative information about Joe Biden.

Evidence cited in the GOP report strives to exonerate President Donald Trump and his personal lawyer, Rudy Giuliani. However, the evidence clearly incriminates both men. It shows that Giuliani, operating under Trump’s authority, pressed Ukraine to serve Trump’s personal interests rather than the interests of the United States. The technical distinctions the GOP uses in its report are transparent.

The House Judiciary Committee drafts impeachment articles based on what the Intelligence Committee has sent them. Constitutional experts will testify about history, precedent and language. These hearings will be a noisy and rude battle of fact and fiction demonstrating America, like other great democracies, has collected an assortment of colorblind politicians. Consider, says the GOP, “The Democrats’ impeachment inquiry is not the organic outgrowth of serious misconduct; it is an orchestrated campaign to upend our political system.”

Democrats point out the impeachment inquiry is an organic outgrowth of serious misconduct by Trump and his administration, not only in Ukraine, but also in dealings with Russia, Turkey and elsewhere.

The fight moves soon to the Senate, where the White House and its allies believe that the president will be acquitted by the Republican-controlled chamber.

A quick timeline suggests a formal impeachment will be in Trump’s Christmas stocking with the Senate taking it up in after New Year’s.

The writer has worked in senior positions at The Washington Post, NBC, ABC and CNN and also consults for several Indian channels.

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Rahul Gandhi says air pollution in North India a national emergency, tourism declining, global reputation crumbling

“We need a collective national response, not political blame games,” the Congress leader said on his X handle.

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Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi on Friday said the air pollution in North India is a national emergency that needs a collective national response and not a political blame game. The Congress leader added that due to air pollution tourism is declining and “our global reputation is crumbling”.

It is a public health crisis that is stealing children’s future and suffocating the elderly, Gandhi said, adding an environmental and economic disaster that is ruining countless lives.

“As Parliament meets in a few days, MPs will all be reminded of the crisis by our irritated eyes and sore throats. It is our responsibility to come together and discuss how India can end this crisis once and for all,” the Leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha said.

The former Congress chief said the poorest “among us suffer the most”, unable to escape the toxic air surrounding them. Families are gasping for clean air, children are falling sick, and millions of lives are being cut short, he added.

The Rae Bareli MP noted that the pollution cloud covers hundreds of kilometres. He said cleaning it up will require major changes and decisive action from governments, companies, experts, and citizens.

“We need a collective national response, not political blame games,” the Congress leader said on his X handle.

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Indian Navy submarine collides with fishing boat near Goa coast, 2 fishermen missing

A spokesperson from the Navy told the media that eleven crew have been rescued so far.

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Indian Navy submarine collides with fishing boat near Goa coast, 2 fishermen missing

Indian Navy officials on Friday said that an Indian fishing vessel with a crew of 13 collided with an Indian Naval submarine near the Goa coast. 

Following the incident, a massive search and rescue operation has been launched by the Indian Navy, which has deployed six ships and aircraft. Reportedly, while 11 crew have been rescued, two are still missing.

The Ministry of Defence issued a statement and said that the vessel, Marthoma, collided with a Scorpene-class submarine about 70 nautical miles off the Goa coast. It added that search and rescue efforts for the remaining two are underway and are being coordinated with Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre Mumbai (MRCC). It further mentioned that additional assets including from the Coast Guard have been diverted to the area to augment the efforts.

The statement said that the cause of the incident is being investigated. Notably, Scorpene-class submarines are a major part of India’s naval power in the Indian Ocean as they can undertake multifarious types of missions, including anti-surface warfare, anti-submarine warfare, intelligence gathering, mine laying, and area surveillance.

Reports said that the state-of-the-art technology utilised for the construction of the Scorpene-class submarines has ensured superior stealth features such as advanced acoustic silencing techniques, low radiated noise levels, hydro-dynamically optimized shape and the ability to launch a crippling attack on the enemy using precision-guided weapons. Furthermore, the attack can be launched with both torpedoes and tube-launched anti-ship missiles, whilst underwater or on the surface.

Meanwhile, the Indian Navy in its statement said that 13 crew members were aboard the fishing vessel at the time of the collision. It added that while 11 crew have been rescued so far, two fishermen are still reported missing.

A spokesperson from the Navy told the media that eleven crew have been rescued so far. He stated that search and rescue efforts for the remaining two crew members of Marthoma are in progress and are being coordinated with the Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre (MRCC), Mumbai. Additional assets including from the Coast Guard have been diverted to the area to augment the efforts, he continued.

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10 Naxalites killed in encounter in Chhattisgarh’s Sukma

The District Reserve Guard (DRG) and the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) continue their search operation in the area.

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Ten Naxalites were killed in an encounter with security forces in the Sukma district of Chhattisgarh on Friday.

The confrontation started in the morning within a forest area under the jurisdiction of the Bhejji police station, where a joint operation was being conducted by security personnel as part of an anti-Naxalite initiative, according to Inspector General of Police (Bastar Range) Sundarraj P. 

This operation was initiated following intelligence regarding the presence of Maoists connected to the Konta and Kistaram area committees, situated in the forested regions around Korajguda, Dantespuram, Nagaram, and Bhandarpadar villages.

So far, the bodies of ten Naxalites have been recovered at the scene. Additionally, a significant cache of weapons was seized, including an INSAS rifle, an AK-47, and a Self Loading Rifle (SLR). 

The District Reserve Guard (DRG) and the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) continue their search operation in the area. This incident contributes to the year-to-date total of 207 Naxalite fatalities recorded in various clashes across the Bastar region of Chhattisgarh, comprising seven districts. 

On Wednesday, Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai met with Union Home Minister Amit Shah in the national capital, North Block. Their discussion focused on developmental progress in Naxal-affected areas of Chhattisgarh and efforts aimed at enhancing peace and stability in these regions. 

The Chief Minister emphasised that both the state government and security forces are diligently working to eradicate Naxal influence in Chhattisgarh, aligning with the Union Home Minister’s commitment to eliminate Naxalism by 2026.

“I met with Union Home Minister Amit Shah and updated him about the Naxal activities in Chhattisgarh. Over the past 11 months, close to 200 Naxals have been neutralized, and approximately 600-700 have surrendered. We are making significant strides towards the goal set by the Prime Minister and Home Minister to achieve a Naxal-free India by March 2026,” CM Sai told reporters following the meeting.

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