Less than a week ago, The Washington Post reported that an official in the US intelligence community had access to a transcript in which Donald Trump made a promise during a phone call to the head of a foreign government. This promise was so “troubling” that it reportedly compelled the official to file a formal whistleblower complaint. In the time since — just six days — we have learned that Trump has been accused of withholding foreign aid to the government of Ukraine as ransom over a demand that they investigate Joe Biden, the frontrunner for the Democratic presidential nomination. Early Tuesday evening, at the end of a 36-hour period that can only be described as astonishing and unprecedented, Nancy Pelosi, the Speaker of the House, met with her caucus behind closed doors and then emerged to announce to the country on national television that a formal impeachment inquiry would be launched into the allegations against Donald Trump.

In the past week, like most Americans, I have felt a numb incredulity in reaction to this news. Since early 2017, our country has been enmeshed in an international scandal in which Trump and those closest to him enlisted the help of the Russian government to subvert our electoral system and hijack a presidential election. Those of us demanding accountability and respect for the constitutional process have been slandered as histrionic and unpatriotic.

Now, as the nation plunges headlong into yet another chaotic presidential cycle, it has been suggested that Trump may have done the same thing a second time: attempting to overrule the voices of the American people and corrupt our political system with foreign intervention, and without oversight or transparency in the public’s interest.

The impeachment process will be a long one and not without substantial controversy; Trump has, after all, denied any improprietry. After the House presumably votes to impeach on whatever charges are brought forward, Trump will be tried by the Senate, and 67 votes will be required to convict and remove him from office.

I can hardly claim to be optimistic at the chances of straightforward due process or any findings leading to a result that prioritizes the health of our democracy above all else. I have spent the past two and a half years watching Donald Trump and his cronies consistently trash the Constitution and act with a seemingly gleeful cruelty toward vulnerable people, including children who were ripped away from their parents and packed into cages at the US-Mexico border. Why that was somehow seen as less impeachable than this Ukraine scandal is far beyond my understanding — or perhaps I would like to avoid conceding that I understand what happened all too well: brown and black children and their families fail to register sufficiently on our collective moral radar for that.

Everyone Trump has fired or forced out Show all 13 1 /13 Everyone Trump has fired or forced out Everyone Trump has fired or forced out John Bolton Trump claimed to have fired Bolton, his national security adviser, while Bolton claimed he offered to resign. An anonymous White House source that Bolton's departure came as a result of the national security adviser working too independently of the president AFP/Getty Everyone Trump has fired or forced out Anthony Scaramucci Scaramucci lasted only six days in his role as Trump's communications director before being fired by John Kelly, the incoming chief of staff Getty Everyone Trump has fired or forced out Rick Perry Rick Perry announced his resignation just as he became embroiled in the president's impeachment scandal. The White House said Mr Perry was asked by Donald Trump to work with Rudy GIuliani in regards to Ukraine. AP Everyone Trump has fired or forced out Rex Tillerson Tillerson, Trump's first secretary of state, was fired after a series of clashes with the president over policy Getty Everyone Trump has fired or forced out James Mattis Mattis served as secretary of defense from the beginning of Trump's administration until retiring on 1 January 2019. However, the president later claimed that he had "essentially fired" Mattis Getty Everyone Trump has fired or forced out James Comey Comey was fired as director of the FBI early in Trump's presidency after serving in the role for four years prior. His dismissal is widely thought to have been related to the Russia investigation Getty Everyone Trump has fired or forced out Reince Priebus Priebus, Trump's first chief of staff, was forced out after six tumultuous months AFP/Getty Everyone Trump has fired or forced out David Shulkin Veterans affairs secretary Shulkin claims that he was fired, the White House claims that he resigned Getty Everyone Trump has fired or forced out John Kelly Kelly, Trump's second chief of staff, was forced out after 17 months in office. His departure was a confused affair though it is clear that Trump wanted Kelly out AFP/Getty Everyone Trump has fired or forced out Michael Flynn Flynn lasted 24 days as Trump's national security adviser before being fired for lying to the FBI Getty Everyone Trump has fired or forced out Lee Cisna Cisna served as director of citizen and immigration services between October 2017 and June 2019 before being asked to resign amid a major personnel change in the department of homeland security Everyone Trump has fired or forced out Madeline Westerhout Westerhout served as Trump's personal assistant after leaking private information about his family AFP/Getty Everyone Trump has fired or forced out Mira Ricardel Ricardel was forced out of her role as Deputy National Security Advisor after first lady Melania Trump publicly called for her to be fired

Regardless, all I and so many other Americans have at this point is our remaining hope in the constitutional process. I have to believe that congressional leaders, regardless of political party, will act with full accountability in this matter. I have to believe that the Republican Party will choose country over clown. I have to believe that the Great American Experiment will endure another chapter because if not, what else can be done?