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Over 750 historians call on House to impeach Trump

President Trump attends a meeting in the Cabinet Room of the White House on Monday. Photo: Brendan Smialowski/AFP via Getty Images

Over 750 historians called on the House of Representatives to vote to impeach President Trump, claiming in a letter posted to Medium that his "disregard" for the law "constitutes a clear and present danger to the Constitution."

Why it matters: The historians' letter comes as the House is expected to vote Wednesday on two articles of impeachment against Trump — abuse of power and obstruction of Congress. The president Trump and his Republican allies maintain he's done nothing wrong.

President Trump’s numerous and flagrant abuses of power are precisely what the Framers had in mind as grounds for impeaching and removing a president"
— Excerpt from the letter

The big picture: Notable signatories to the scathing letter include biographer Robert Caro, filmmaker Ken Burns and historians Douglas Brinkley, John Meacham and Ron Chernow.

  • "[T]he President’s offenses, including his dereliction in protecting the integrity of the 2020 election from Russian disinformation and renewed interference, arouse once again the Framers’ most profound fears that powerful members of government would become, in Hamilton’s words, 'the mercenary instruments of foreign corruption,'" the group says in the letter.
  • The letter ends with a clear message for lawmakers: "We therefore strongly urge the House of Representatives to impeach the President."

Go deeper:

Go deeper

Rebecca Falconer
2 hours ago - Politics & Policy

UN poll: Most see climate change as global emergency during pandemic

Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg (C) fronts a Fridays For Future protest at the Swedish Parliament in Stockholm in September. Photo: Jonathan Nacksrtrand/AFP via Getty Images

64% of people from around the world say climate change is a global emergency, a United Nations poll published Wednesday finds.

Why it matters: It's the biggest global survey on climate change ever conducted, with some 1.2 million participants from 50 countries — including the U.S., where 65% of those surveyed view climate change as an emergency.

Go deeper (1 min. read)Arrow
Lachlan Markay
8 hours ago - Politics & Policy

Collins helps contractor before pro-Susan PAC gets donation

Sen. Susan Collins during her reelection campaign. Photo: Scott Eisen/Getty Images

A PAC backing Sen. Susan Collins in her high-stakes reelection campaign received $150,000 from an entity linked to the wife of a defense contractor whose firm Collins helped land a federal contract, new public records show.

Why it matters: The executive, Martin Kao of Honolulu, leaned heavily on his political connections to boost his business, federal prosecutors say in an ongoing criminal case against him. The donation linked to Kao was veiled until last week.

Go deeper (2 min. read)Arrow
Lachlan Markay
8 hours ago - Politics & Policy

How cutting GOP corporate cash could backfire

Illustration: Aïda Amer/Axios

Companies pulling back on political donations, particularly to members of Congress who voted against certifying President Biden's election win, could inadvertently push Republicans to embrace their party's rightward fringe.

Why it matters: Scores of corporate PACs have paused, scaled back or entirely abandoned their political giving programs. While designed to distance those companies from events that coincided with this month's deadly siege on the U.S. Capitol, research suggests the moves could actually empower the far-right.

Go deeper (1 min. read)Arrow

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