AUSTIN, TX — Crowds gathered for a pair of rallies calling for the impeachment and removal of Donald Trump as president of the United States — one of about 500 such protests taking place across the country on Tuesday.

The mass protests were scheduled on the eve before the impeachment hearing in the U.S. House of Representatives against Trump, who has been accused of high crimes and misdemeanors. Among the charges levied against Trump is an allegation he used presidential power for pure political gain in pressuring Ukraine to investigate a company for which the son of his chief Democratic rival sat on the board of directors. In a July 25 telephone call between Trump and Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky, the latter asked for much-needed military aid to help finance an ongoing war with Russia. Trump held up the nearly $400 million in aid until Zelensky agreed to open an investigation into Burisma, the gas company for which Hunter Biden — son of Joe Biden, arguably Trumps most formidable rival for the presidency in 2020 — served on the board of directors in a paid advisory role.

Demonstrators gathered outside Austin City Hall on Tuesday calling for the impeachment and removal of Donald Trump. Photo by Tony Cantú/Patch staff. Trump's accusers claim the aid Ukraine needed to fight a war against Russia was seen as part of a quid pro quo contingent on the Ukranian president's investigation of the company to which the younger Biden was tied. "I would like you to do us a favor, though," Trump told his Ukranian counterpart as reflected in an official transcript of the two leaders' telephone conversation.

Despite the sole focus on Burisma, Trump and his surrogates have since argued the president was merely trying to root out overall corruption in Ukraine as a condition to receive financial assistance from the U.S. A pair of rallies calling for Trump's impeachment took place in Austin — a mid-morning gathering at the grounds of the state Capitol and another outside City Hall on 2nd Street in the evening. Long after the speakers departed, a spirited group of demonstrators calling for Trump's removal chanted slogans while carrying signs.



Photo by Tony Cantú/Patch staff.



"Impeach Putin's puppet," one man's sign read, alluding to Trump's deference to Russia — including his denials the country interfered in the 2016 U.S. election to his advantage, despite a preponderance of evidence to the contrary from federal law enforcement agencies. "Trump is not above the law," read another sign. "Resist," yet another read. Some visual aids were more creative, including an effigy of Trump being wheeled around as if to suggest his ousting and removal from the White House.

As Patch meandered through the crowd, the subject of Burisma was in the air. "Explain how investigating a corrupt company isn't investigating corruption?" the lone Trump supporter among the crowd — and the only person in attendance with the benefit of a megaphone to loudly broadcast his sentiments — asked a protester. After the question, another demonstrator dared the Trump supporter to say with a straight face that Trump cares about corruption.