Abstract
The year 2022 begins with democracy hanging in the balance. On February 13, 2021, Donald John Trump becomes the only American president to be impeached and acquitted twice. His acquittal for the second time follows a violent mob, having been incited by the lame-duck president, into marching down Pennsylvania Avenue to break into and vandalize the Capitol Building. It is now known that at least 138 law enforcement officers suffered from or received burns, concussions, rib fractures, heart attack—and at least five deaths are attributed to this insurrection. More than 725 individuals are subsequently charged for their role in this violent crime. Here is an account of the events leading up to impeachment and the constitutional duties and responsibilities that follow.
America is at a crossroads. Encouraged by foreign powers, the rise of domestic terrorism in the United States has now become a major threat to the fragile American experiment. Preservation of this precious republic will require a diligent and thoughtful daily commitment to preserving the sanctity and efficient functioning of each of the three independent branches of government.
Recommended Citation
Lawrence J. Trautman, Democracy at Risk: Domestic Terrorism and Attack on the U.S. Capitol, 45 SEATTLE U. L. REV. 1153 (2023).
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