An attempt to divert blame

Much has been written over the past week or so about the rush by the House Democrats to impeach President Trump. The most popular opinion is that the Democrats want to prevent Mr. Trump from running again with a bonus that an impeachment would provide fodder for a massive Democratic fundraising effort.

Mr. Trump's alleged crime was inciting a riot at the Capitol building on Jan. 6, when Congress was meeting to verify the electoral college votes. The alleged "crime" was supposedly committed during a rally, in Washington on the same day. Unfortunately, there is no evidence that's what happened. The airwaves have been curiously silent of rebroadcasting any part of his speech that suggested his followers storm and occupy the Capitol building. (His exact words to the crowd were to "walk peacefully and patriotically" to the Capitol.)

There is, on the other hand, abundant evidence that the Capitol Police were woefully undermanned that day and had no chance to stop unruly protesters from entering the building. Which brings me to the real reason for the rush to impeachment. The impeachment was a simple diversion to protect the people directly responsible for not having an adequate protective staffing plan that day.

The Capitol Police are led by the chief, who is managed by the Capitol Police Board, which in turn is overseen by an eight-member congressional oversight committee appointed by Nancy Pelosi and Mitch McConnell. In other words, everyone was responsible and no one was responsible.

Ultimately, however, the buck stops at the feet of McConnell and Pelosi.

Interestingly, on Jan. 20, news broke that three men have been arrested on charges of plotting the break-in at the Capitol, well before President Trump spoke to his followers in Washington on Jan. 6.

Dave Van Singel

Long Grove