Karen Hobert Flynn

Opinion contributor

The American people deserve accountability, transparency, and ethics in government. They are not getting it from the Trump administration.

As we heard again Wednesday in former special counsel Robert Mueller’s congressional testimony, President Donald Trump and members of his administration went to great efforts to hide the truth from government investigators as well. Mueller also made it very clear that the threat to our elections from Russia and other hostile foreign powers is ongoing and not nearly enough is being done to safeguard the integrity of future elections.

And once again, we heard from Mueller that his report did not exonerate Trump of criminal wrongdoing. "The president was not exculpated for the acts that he allegedly committed,” he said. Or, as he put it in May: "If we had had confidence that the president clearly did not commit a crime, we would have said that.”

Only option is impeachment inquiry

Under Department of Justice policy, Mueller was prohibited from bringing criminal charges against a sitting president even if he had uncovered criminal wrongdoing. He made clear that only Congress can hold the president accountable while he is in office. The outrageous and seemingly criminal conduct outlined in the report requires further investigation by Congress.

The White House, however, has stonewalled Congress at every turn — refusing to turn over relevant documents or allow current and former officials to testify. That ongoing obstruction, and refusal to recognize Congress as a co-equal branch of government, leaves no option but to begin an impeachment investigation in order to force the White House to comply with its requests.

As president of Common Cause, a nonpartisan democracy advocacy organization that first rose to prominence in the Watergate era, I am not calling for an impeachment investigation lightly. I’ve spent months working with Common Cause’s staff and board, along with outside legal experts, to figure out the best ways to hold the president accountable and to unearth the truth for the American people.

Over this time period, critical Trump administration officials, including Attorney General William Barr, former White House Counsel Don McGahn, Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin and White House Counselor Kellyanne Conway have refused to testify, turn over documents as required by subpoena, and/or answer basic questions.

Constitution, oath of office at stake

As the Constitution’s ultimate oversight process to hold the executive branch accountable, an impeachment investigation would put teeth in the investigative powers of Congress and give lawmakers more tools to get to the truth that the American people deserve to know. Any impeachment investigation must conduct public hearings and focus on key areas where President Trump appears to have violated the Constitution and failed to carry out the duties of his office.

First, the investigation must fully examine the strong evidence in the Mueller report that President Trump likely obstructed justice through his longstanding interference with the special counsel and FBI’s investigation of Russia’s attacks in the 2016 election.

Secondly, Congress must use the powers of an impeachment investigation to determine whether President Trump is violating his oath of office with his hostility toward efforts to thwart further foreign interference in our elections. To date the president has neglected his constitutional duty, publicly denying the facts about Russia’s role in the 2016 election. At times, he has even appeared to invite future meddling.

Campaign finance felonies

An impeachment investigation must also include close examination of the overwhelming evidence that President Trump committed and abetted multiple campaign finance felonies during the 2016 presidential election campaign involving hush money payments related to extramarital affairs and secretive meetings between Trump campaign officials and Russian intelligence assets.

Halting but potent:Robert Mueller testimony on Trump and Russia nails devastating facts that point to impeachment

New evidence emerged just last week when a judge ordered the Department of Justice to release applications for search warrants of Michael Cohen’s home and offices. That new evidence points to Trump’s direct involvement in the illegal hush money scheme. And there is undoubtedly far more evidence the public has not yet seen, including evidence DOJ discovered in executing the Cohen warrants and through cooperation of key witnesses such as Trump Organization Chief Financial Officer Allen Weisselberg.

Once launched, it is imperative that the House of Representatives conduct its impeachment investigation as transparently as possible.That includes public hearings for every American to see, a budget sufficient to hire professional investigators, and exploring the possibility of forming a special committee to handle the inquiry.

Trump could set dangerous precedent

As the people’s House in Congress, and a co-equal branch of government, it is the constitutional duty of House members to launch an impeachment investigation. If it fails to do so, it could set a dangerous precedent for future administrations to ignore the rule of law, flout the duties of the executive branch, and ignore Congress as a co-equal branch of government.

Americans deserve to know the full truth about the Trump administration’s efforts to obstruct the Mueller investigation into Russia’s campaign to help elect Donald Trump to the presidency. They deserve to know the full truth about the impact of the president’s denial of the past and ongoing Russian threat to the integrity of our elections. And they deserve to know whether the president and members of his inner circle committed felony campaign finance violations.

What might have been:What if Robert Mueller decided to tell Congress what he really thinks?

It has become alarmingly apparent though, that without a significant course change, the American people will not be given the full truth. It is time for a congressional impeachment investigation because Americans deserve the truth.

Karen Hobert Flynn is president of Common Cause. Follow her on Twitter: @KHobertFlynn