The word
bribery is suddenly at the center of the House’s impeachment inquiry. Last week, Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi accused President Donald Trump of bribery when he offered “to grant or withhold military assistance” in exchange for a public statement by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky about pursuing investigations related to the 2016 election and to Hunter Biden. At the hearing of Marie Yovanovitch, last Friday, Republican Representative Chris Stewart asked Yovanovitch whether she had information about the president accepting bribes. (She said no.) Yesterday, Ambassador Gordon Sondland
confirmed that a quid pro quo existed for the Ukrainian president to meet with President Trump. House Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam Schiff seized upon this testimony,
saying, “It goes right to the heart of bribery and other misdemeanors.”
Accusing the president of bribery could have incredibly important consequences for the impeachment inquiry because, as Pelosi noted, the Constitution specifically identifies bribery as grounds for impeachment. The Constitution says, “The President, Vice President and all civil Officers of the United States, shall be removed from Office on Impeachment for, and Conviction of, Treason, Bribery, or other high Crimes and Misdemeanors.”
There may be political reasons motivating the Democrats to use this specific word.
The Washington Post reported last week that the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee asked focus groups which term—
quid pro quo,
extortion, or
bribery—was the most “compelling” way to describe Trump’s conduct.
Bribery won.