Opinion

These allegations are a threat to all we have sworn to protect

A demonstrator with a sign reading "Impeach now" takes part in Trumps Birthday Protest in front of the Trump International Tower, June 14, 2019 in New York City. - A group of activists protested against his immigration policy. less A demonstrator with a sign reading "Impeach now" takes part in Trumps Birthday Protest in front of the Trump International Tower, June 14, 2019 in New York City. - A group of activists protested against his ... more Photo: JOHANNES EISELE/AFP/Getty Images Photo: JOHANNES EISELE/AFP/Getty Images Image 1 of / 1 Caption Close These allegations are a threat to all we have sworn to protect 1 / 1 Back to Gallery

Our lives have been defined by national service. We are not career politicians. We are veterans of the military and of the nation's defense and intelligence agencies. Our service is rooted in the defense of our country on the front lines of national security.

We have devoted our lives to the service and security of our country, and throughout our careers, we have sworn oaths to defend the Constitution of the United States many times over. Now, we join as a unified group to uphold that oath as we enter uncharted waters and face unprecedented allegations against President Donald Trump.

The president of the United States may have used his position to pressure a foreign country into investigating a political opponent, and he sought to use U.S. taxpayer dollars as leverage to do it. He allegedly sought to use the very security assistance dollars appropriated by Congress to create stability in the world, to help root out corruption and to protect our national security interests, for his own personal gain. These allegations are stunning, both in the national security threat they pose and the potential corruption they represent. We also know that on Sept. 9, the inspector general for the intelligence community notified Congress of a "credible" and "urgent" whistleblower complaint related to national security and potentially involving these allegations. Despite federal law requiring the disclosure of this complaint to Congress, the administration has blocked its release to Congress.

Congress can get rid of a president they don't like, through impeachment. It isn't easy, though. The Founding Fathers left America with a way to get rid of a president - impeachment. It's necessarily a difficult process and has only been done twice in the country's history.

Click through the gallery to see how impeachment works and when it has been tried on the president. less Congress can get rid of a president they don't like, through impeachment. It isn't easy, though. The Founding Fathers left America with a way to get rid of a president - impeachment. It's necessarily a ... more Photo: Evan Vucci Photo: Evan Vucci Image 1 of / 20 Caption Close Impeaching and removing a president is difficult: Here's how it works 1 / 20 Back to Gallery

This flagrant disregard for the law cannot stand. To uphold and defend our Constitution, Congress must determine whether the president was indeed willing to use his power and withhold security assistance funds to persuade a foreign country to assist him in an upcoming election.

If these allegations are true, we believe these actions represent an impeachable offense. We do not arrive at this conclusion lightly, and we call on our colleagues in Congress to consider the use of all congressional authorities available to us, including the power of "inherent contempt" and impeachment hearings, to address these new allegations, find the truth and protect our national security.

As members of Congress, we have prioritized delivering for our constituents - remaining steadfast in our focus on health care, infrastructure, economic policy and our communities' priorities. Yet everything we do harks back to our oaths to defend the country. These new allegations are a threat to all we have sworn to protect. We must preserve the checks and balances envisioned by the Founders and restore the trust of the American people in our government. And that is what we intend to do.

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Reps. Cisneros of California, Crow of Colorado, Houlahan of Pennsylvania, Luria of Virginia, Sherrill of New Jersey, Slotkin of Michigan and Spanberger of Virginia are freshman Democrats.