Trump’s abuses of office are serious than Richard Nixon’s: Richard Painter

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A former top Republican administration lawyer, Richard Painter has claimed that multiple cases of abuse of office from Donald Trump are more serious than those even of Richard Nixon. He said Democrats must trigger their effort to impeach Trump before the end of 2019. Painter had served as an ethics lawyer in the administration of George W. Bush but he left the party after it moved sharply to the right. He claimed Trump’s offenses are unique even when considered against the many misdeeds of his predecessors. Painter informed a news outlet, he said, “President Trump has violated the constitution in numerous ways, including taking profits and benefits from foreign governments. He’s obstructed justice, as outlined in the second part of Robert Mueller’s report”.

Painter added, “Trump encouraged the Russians to interfere in the 2016 election and a number of his compatriots collaborated with the Russians. And even though that was not criminally charged, that was a serious matter. Now he’s doing it again and trying to get Ukraine to come up with dirt on his political opponents. It goes on and on. He’s attacked the free press with language that is really quite horrific. This president is guilty of multiple high crimes and misdemeanors, and needs to be impeached”. It is noteworthy that the House speaker Nancy Pelosi last month announced a formal impeachment investigation of Trump after a whistleblower complaint emerged alleging the president of looking to pressure the leader of Ukraine to dig up dirt on Joe Biden.

The White House sought to dismiss the allegation and said it is nothing more than a witch-hunt and refused to co-operate. Trump made the same point at an election rally in this city. He also attacked local congresswoman Ilhan Omar and claimed Minneapolis had accepted too many Somali refugees. Trump informed supporters, “They know they can’t win the 2020 election, so they’re pursuing the insane impeachment witch-hunt”. Painter is currently serving as vice-chair of a government accountability watchdog. He claimed the president’s wrongdoings went beyond those even of Richard Nixon.