By: Haley Berley
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – President Trump’s inquiry of impeachment is the first time in twenty years it has happened, with Bill Clinton’s the most recent in 1998.
Announced on national television by Speaker of the House, Nancy Pelosi, she stated that, “The actions taken to date by the president have seriously violated the Constitution,” adding that, “[he] must be held accountable — no one is above the law.”
In a series of tweets as seen below, President Trump said that the inquiry was a hoax aimed at preventing him from running in the 2020 election. As well as hurting the stock market.
One student on campus stated that she hoped the process wouldn’t take as long as former President Richard Nixon’s.
“With Nixon, it was a little bit drawn out, so we’ll see if it happens I hope that doesn’t happen, although congress drags their feet, we have an 11 percent approval rate. There’s a reason for that. If there is an impeachment that keeps going, hopefully, the Democrats get that in move.”
While another student said, “I believe that if there is reasonable evidence and there’s a call to trial, of course, it should be explored. If he’s innocent he’ll be proved innocent, and if he is guilty then he will be proved guilty.”
Journalism Professor Gina Shelton said this impeachment has had its standards raised due to social media. Shelton also covered the Clinton impeachment while reporting politics in Mississippi. “So much has changed since the Bill Clinton impeachment, we didn’t have Facebook or Twitter. We have all of this animosity and hatred on social media. It has really made America more polarized.”
“I think this high stakes civics lesson we’re having, we will see the spillover in the election next year. In Clinton’s case, he was viewed as sympathetic after his impeachment. So Donald Trump could benefit in that way as well. I think in the short run, this will affect the election next year, this will affect polarization. I think in the long run, you might see presidents use this as a road map in trying to fight impeachment. I think that might be one long-range.” Shelton said.
The President’s lawyers said he will not be participating in House Judiciary’s first impeachment panel on Wednesday (Dec. 4), calling it unfair.