Now is the time to impeach President Donald Trump!

I believe that Trump’s offenses have already exceeded those of President Bill Clinton, whom the House of Representatives voted to impeach, and President Richard Nixon, who resigned before a similar impeachment vote.

Nixon paid for the clumsy burglary of a Watergate office, and Clinton had sex in the White House with a 22-year-old intern. Trump provided aid and comfort to a hostile country, Russia. He was aware of its meddling on his behalf in the 2016 election, and did not report it to the proper authorities.

But, for Nixon and Clinton, and now Trump, it was the cover-up and related obstruction of justice that led to consideration of impeachment. Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s report lists 10 occasions on which Trump potentially committed obstruction of justice. Here are just three: firing FBI Director James Comey to halt the Russia investigation; demanding that White House attorney Donald McGahn have Mueller fired; praising former Trump officials Michael Flynn and Paul Manafort — who are now in jail — as if to suggest they’d be pardoned if they didn’t implicate Trump.

Now that most of the Mueller report has been published, the president has instructed White House employees to ignore subpoenas to testify before Congress.

A Trump impeachment resolution would surely pass the Democrat-majority House of Representatives. Even if the Republican-majority Senate does not convict him, an impeachment action would tell the world that this country objects to the lying of our president and his favoritism of Russia.

Evelyn Ginter, Woodbury

State workers want finalized N.J. budget, not shutdown

I am a State of New Jersey worker. My colleagues are all state workers. Despite what my union leadership is saying to the press, state workers do not want a government shutdown starting July 1 (if Gov. Phil Murphy does not get the expanded millionaires’ tax he wants, and he and the Legislature cannot agree on a 2019-2020 state budget).

The budget that was scheduled for approval by the Legislature on Thursday, without Murphy’s tax, funds the state’s share of public employees’ pension costs, pays for health care, protects job security and allows for state worker salary increases.

Why in the world would I or my fellow workers be against that budget? The truth is, most of us are not.

The union leadership, for personal reasons, not economic or membership ones, agrees with the governor and is willing to jeopardize everything over a millionaires’ tax that would have no effect on me or my colleagues.

Rank-and-file unionized state employees have no bully pulpit to tell both the legislators and the public that we could not care less about a millionaires’ tax.

I am happy with the Legislature’s budget. Sign it, Gov. Murphy. Allow us to continue working!

Mike Makara, Mays Landing

Only Sweeney is right on N.J. Turnpike transfer to boost pension funds

t is abundantly clear that this state currently in serious fiscal trouble. That’s not even taking into account priority items that the state already struggles to fund, like NJ Transit and education aid.

Despite all of this, it seems like the only state official to advance concrete plans to fix these problems is state Senate President Stephen Sweeney, D-Gloucester. A panel he appointed has released “Path to Progress” recommendations for major reforms designed to save the state from financial ruin. (The ideas include reduced state expenses for public employee retirement benefits and health coverage, and school district consolidations.) I believe that the alternative, the status quo, cannot be an option any longer.

Regarding the state’s unfunded pension liability, Sweeney’s plan encourages taking advantage of the state’s biggest assets like the New Jersey Turnpike system and transferring their value and revenue to pension accounts. This kind of action needs to take place soon because the system is heading toward collapse. If that happens, it would be public employment retirees and taxpayers who suffer the most.

To make sure we never get to that point, everyone in Trenton should join Sweeney, and approve his fixes now.

Charles Murtaugh, Westville

Note: The writer is a Democratic borough councilman in Westville and is employed by the Gloucester County Fire Marshal’s office.

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