Congressman Eric Swalwell (D-CA) has recently characterized the ongoing House Republican inquiry into the impeachment of President Donald Trump as a “continuation of the insurrection” that has been sweeping the nation since the president’s attempted coup on January 6. In an interview with MSNBC, the Democratic representative from California claimed that the inquiry in question was a clear attempt by the Republican House minority to use the Sedition Act of 1918 to silence and punish any dissenters of Trump and his policies. Swalwell said that the Republican Party was trying to launch its own investigation in order to try to intimidate, scandalize, or silence its opponents into submission.
Swalwell’s statements come on the heels of the recent development in which the House Republicans launched an investigation into the “truths” behind the storming and insurrection of the U.S. Capitol on January 6. This move was meant to counter the Democrats’ official impeachment inquiry of the president, which they have stated is based on the allegations that Trump incited an insurrection against the United States government.
Swalwell also denounced the attempt by the Republican Party to use the Sedition Act to punish and silence any person or group of persons who are thought to be disparaging or offensive to the president. He argued that such a move is unconstitutional and would only serve to further dismantle American democracy. Furthermore, the Congressman shared his opinion that the Republican effort was designed to discredit and delegitimize any evidence that could be used against the president or his associates should the impeachment inquiry lead to those executives being charged and tried for any form of misconduct.
Swalwell concluded his remarks on the topic by urging the American public to not be swayed by the Republican inquiry and to instead focus on the fact that President Trump is facing serious charges of incitement to insurrection. As he put it, “This inquiry is nothing more than a distraction and a waste of time. We must focus on what really matters, and that is holding Donald Trump accountable for his actions.”
Indeed, it remains to be seen how this ongoing saga will play out. With the Republican Party trying to use the Sedition Act of 1918 to quash any opposition to the president and his executive orders, it is clear that their inquiry into the impeachment has less to do with justice and and more to do with creating a weaponized tool to use against the Democrats. Swalwell’s comments serve to remind the American public of the importance of staying vigilant and unmoved by attempts to manipulate and misuse the justice system for political gain.
