Adam Schiff and Nancy Pelosi

The key discussion House Democrats are currently engaged in is about how broad a net they will cast in drawing up articles of impeachment against Donald Trump. The possibilities are endless, but there's still reluctance among the more moderate faction to trust in the American public to be engaged enough and patient enough for it all to be examined.

House Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam Schiff has announced that he'll be drawing up a report for the Judiciary Committee, which in turn will draw up the articles, after Thanksgiving, but he hasn't ruled out holding more hearings and calling more witnesses. On the one hand, there's this argument: "We could have pages and pages and pages of articles of impeachment," said Rep. Veronica Escobar of Texas, a Democratic member of the Judiciary Committee. "What we have seen over the last three years is, I think, unprecedented. I absolutely believe in being as focused as possible as well. I think the broader we go—that may pose challenges for the American people."

On the other hand, there are members who are looking at a broader picture. Another Judiciary member, Rep. Jamie Raskin of Maryland, argues that there's an entire report from Robert Mueller detailing some of the rot in the White House. He argues that Mueller's findings are "definitely something we need to consider because we've seen a pattern of obstruction of justice from the beginning." He added, "I would be inclined to look at the whole pattern of obstructionism by the White House, and then figure out how it best coheres with the articles of impeachment that are being suggested."

In a letter to House Democrats sent Monday, Schiff wrote that the report would detail the "months-long effort in which President Trump again sought foreign interference in our elections for his personal and political benefit," and would also document all of the instances in which the Trump administration defied House subpoenas. That "Trump again sought foreign interference" (my emphasis) leaves room for the Mueller report. Schiff wrote, "We will catalog the instances of non-compliance with lawful subpoenas as part of our report to the Judiciary Committee, which will allow that Committee to consider whether an article of impeachment based on obstruction of Congress is warranted along with an article or articles based on this underlying conduct or other presidential misconduct. […] Such obstruction was the basis of the third article of impeachment against President Richard Nixon."

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi appears to be hearing her moderates. "The clarity for the public to understand what is there wasn't as clear, in my view, when you say obstruction of justice, obstruction of justice, obstruction of justice, 11 times in the Mueller report," she said. "That isn't justification enough for inquiring into an impeachment." All due respect, but obstruction of justice into an inquiry about Trump's potential collusion with Russia to win an election is absolutely justification for an impeachment inquiry. It is the House of Representatives’ job, Pelosi's job, to present that to the American public. At the same time, House general counsel Doug Letter has asked a U.S. appellate court, in his appeal for the full grand jury material from Mueller, "Did the President lie? Was the President not truthful in his responses to the Mueller investigation?"

That's definitely something the American people would understand: Trump lying to investigators about whether or not he was working with the Russians to gain the presidency. It's also something that would put additional pressure on Senate Republicans. To be clear, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell is not going to let Trump be convicted. That's a given. But it's not a reason for providing a less-than-complete case to the Senate. In fact, it's the opposite: The strongest possible case needs to be shown to the American public, so that when McConnell and his cadre of Trumper Republicans blow it off, they are exposed for what they are. That's how Democrats win the White House and Senate next year.