With Nancy Pelosi's announcement of a Thursday vote laying out impeachment inquiry procedures going forward, the speaker strikes a meaningful blow for clarity and transparency.
The more Americans have learned about Donald Trump's behavior since Pelosi announced the opening of an inquiry 35 days ago, the more they support impeachment if not removal. Hashing out the process on the floor is the logical next step.
But let's be clear: Despite the bad-faith complaints from House and Senate Republicans during the investigative phase of impeachment, House Democrats were under no constitutional obligation to vote on an impeachment resolution to proceed. Federal Judge Beryl Howell ruled Friday, "even in cases of presidential impeachment, a House resolution has never, in fact, been required to begin an impeachment inquiry," pointing to the significant procedural actions taken in the Andrew Johnson, Richard Nixon and Bill Clinton impeachment episodes before actual inquiry votes occurred.
On solid constitutional grounds, the coming vote will give Democrats the chance to transition from the investigative stage _ which, like a grand jury, is largely conducted behind closed doors _ and begin making the case to the public.
Public support or lack thereof is ultimately what will seal or doom this enterprise.
Already, several weeks of powerful private testimony, including released opening statements by career diplomats, have undermined President Trump's claim that there was "quid pro quo" involved in his Ukraine political shakedown.
The question now: Will the White House reward this gesture of transparency by dropping bogus privilege claims, responding to subpoenas and allowing witnesses to testify? Stop laughing.
