85S11709 BPG-D
By: Reynolds H.C.R. No. 22
CONCURRENT RESOLUTION
WHEREAS, On June 12, 2017, U.S. Representatives Brad Sherman
and Al Green filed an article of impeachment against President
Donald John Trump for high crimes and misdemeanors; and
WHEREAS, The article states that President Trump has
prevented, obstructed, and impeded the administration of justice;
he has exhibited a pattern of behavior calculated to thwart
investigations being conducted by federal law enforcement
officials into Russian interference in the 2016 presidential
election, including inquiries into the activities of General
Michael Flynn, his former national security advisor, and into
possible collusion by members of his campaign staff and other
associates; and
WHEREAS, After vainly pressing then-FBI director James Comey
to shut down the Flynn probe, President Trump carried out his
implied threat and fired Mr. Comey; one day after that incident,
the president expressed to Russian officials his relief at being
rid of Mr. Comey, stating in a meeting "I faced great pressure
because of Russia. That's taken off"; he also admitted in a
television interview that the dismissal sprang from the Russia
investigation, which statement could serve as a warning to any
successor inclined to follow Mr. Comey's example of independence;
along the way, President Trump also tried to enlist Daniel Coats,
the director of national intelligence, in his scheme to stymie the
examination of General Flynn's activities; and
WHEREAS, Former director of national intelligence James
Clapper has characterized the firing of Mr. Comey as "egregious and
inexcusable"; President Trump's course of conduct is clearly a
felonious obstruction of justice under Section 1512 of Title 18 of
the U.S. Code, which applies to anyone who corruptly "obstructs,
influences, or impedes any official proceeding, or attempts to do
so"; Article II of the Constitution provides for impeachment and
removal in the case of "Treason, Bribery, or other high Crimes and
Misdemeanors," and there is broad bipartisan consensus that
obstruction of justice falls under this definition; obstruction of
justice was cited in the first article of impeachment filed against
President Richard Nixon in 1974, based on his efforts to interfere
with the FBI's Watergate investigation, and it formed one of the
grounds on which President Bill Clinton was impeached in 1998; more
recently, the House of Representatives voted unanimously to impeach
Texas Federal District Court Judge Samuel Kent for this offense;
and
WHEREAS, Donald J. Trump has acted in a manner contrary to his
trust as president of the United States and subversive of
constitutional government, and his conduct manifestly warrants
impeachment, trial, and removal from office; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That the 85th Legislature of the State of Texas,
1st Called Session, hereby urge the United States Congress to
impeach President Donald John Trump; and, be it further
RESOLVED, That the Texas secretary of state forward official
copies of this resolution to the president of the United States, to
the president of the Senate and the speaker of the House of
Representatives of the United States Congress, and to all the
members of the Texas delegation to Congress with the request that
this resolution be entered in the Congressional Record as a
memorial to the Congress of the United States of America.