Editorial Board
Impeachment Is a Grave Matter. Proceed With Caution.
An explosive whistle-blower’s complaint demands investigation, not a partisan circus.
We’re going to have to hear a lot more.
Photographer: Victor J. Blue/Bloomberg
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s decision Tuesday to open a formal impeachment inquiry is a momentous step. Without some caution, it could also be a perilous one for American democracy.
The impetus for Pelosi’s pronouncement was a whistle-blower complaint by a U.S. intelligence official that alleges misconduct by the president. Donald Trump’s administration tried its best to prevent the full complaint from being shared with Congress, which Pelosi said was the last straw. As the details of this case have emerged, it’s become evident why the president wanted to suppress them: They show a flagrant abuse of power.