Review: “Faithless Execution- Building the Political Case for Obama’s Impeachment” by Andrew McCarthy
by RUTH KING
May 29, 2014
Andrew McCarthy's new book has ignited an epidemic of hives among Democrats who have not read it but fear the title. An e-mail from http://my.democrats.org/Stand-with-President-Obama warns in tall and bold letters: "Conservatives are getting excited about a brand new book "Faithless Execution-Building the Political Case for Obama's Impeachment." They then implore: "It Comes Out Next Month...The Bogus Impeachment Talk Will Never Stop unless we put an end to it! Help Democrats Fight Back!" No doubt it will become a great fundraising vehicle.
Stand down silly Democrats. Thanks for the great pre-publication publicity, but if you read the book you would know that Andrew McCarthy, author of bestselling books on national security issues and one of America's most respected prosecutors, argues that there is no appetite for it in either political party or among the majority of the population. While it is important to make the case that we have a lawless administration and a president guilty of serial impeachable offenses, it would, he contends, be foolhardy to file articles of impeachment in the absence of strong public support for the president's removal. In fact, the author takes great pains to aver that the nation would be better served if the President changed course, followed his oath to execute the laws faithfully, and concluded his term. On the matter of legislators and pundits holding the President's feet to the fire by demanding that he uphold the laws of the nation, McCarthy scolds both parties.
For American adults and voters the word "impeachment" conjures the costly, embarrassing and titillating case of President Clinton and Monica Lewinsky, which was about lying, perjury and scurrilous sexual behavior by the President.
But as the author of this essential book states: " All presidential lawlessness is not the same....and real impeachment will never happen unless the people are convinced, by the nature of the president's lawlessness, that it must be stopped and that it will not be stopped unless the President is removed from office." Does Obama's blatant disregard of the law fit the criteria for impeachment?
Andrew McCarthy lays out the political case for impeachment with methodical and scrupulous detail as both a preparation for litigation and a primer for American citizens and their elected legislators. The author is a skilled prosecutor who has determined, with undeniable evidence that President Obama has shown willful disregard for the chief executive's fundamental obligation to "take care that the Laws be faithfully executed."
The following questions are occasioned by seven articles of impeachment offered by Andrew McCarthy, with the caveat that the standard adopted by the Framers - "high crimes and misdemeanors" - refers to political wrongs by officials in which high public trust is reposed, not ordinary penal statutes:
Has President Obama executed the laws of the nation faithfully?
McCarthy demonstrates how congressionally enacted and constitutionally valid law has been disregarded and flouted in unilateral amendments to the Affordable Care Act (Obamacare), federal immigration law, and EPA regulations, among others.
Has the President usurped Constitutional authority?
Examples abound: Usurpation of Congressional War Powers in instigating an undeclared, undisclosed, unprovoked and ultimately disastrous war in Libya; making "recess appointments" when the Senate was not in session; undermining of Congressional oversight of executive agencies.
Is the president guilty of dereliction of duty as Commander in Chief of the United States Armed Forces?
Here, McCarthy documents the inadequate security in Benghazi, which led to the murder of four Americans including the American ambassador- all subject of new disclosures and continuing investigation. However, McCarthy goes further to condemn the unconscionable "Rules of Engagement" in combat that continue recklessly to endanger American troops.
These rules of engagement were formulated as part of a policy of appeasing the mores of Muslim combatants, and McCarthy elucidates this policy in a chapter on Abridging Free Speech in Appeasement of Islamic Supremacism, Here, he illustrates a direct violation of the First Amendment and free expression by recklessly accommodating Sharia and Islamic radicalism and suppressing critics of Islam.
Among the evidence cited : The prosecution of the moviemaker of "Innocence of Muslims"- a movie compatible with principles of free speech which was fraudulently blamed for the Benghazi terrorist attack and murders; collusion with the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) in the United Nations in efforts to restrict speech critical of Islam; failure to acknowledge that the Fort Hood Massacre was an act of Islamic terrorism; purging training materials for defense of all allusions to Jihad and terror.
Is the President guilty of perpetrating fraud on the American people?
Waging the war in Libya under false pretenses, insisting that the massacre in Benghazi was the result of an inflammatory video, providing false information to Congress and the American people through the media, misrepresentations about the benefits of the Affordable Care Act, enabling Iran's development of nuclear weapons and giving false assurances of determination to halt them, and subsidizing failing solar power companies are among the more egregious examples.
What about the President's failure to execute Immigration laws faithfully?
The unlawful grant of amnesty for certain categories of illegal immigrants by executive order and the outrageous extortionate pressure on states wishing to enforce laws are clear examples.
Did the President execute the laws faithfully in the Justice Department?
Again the evidence: the denial of equal protection under the law by racially discriminatory policies; willful obstruction of investigation of the Fast and Furious operation which resulted in violent crimes and murder; deliberate policies to investigate, punish and suppress journalists and critics of the administration.
Finally: Did the President undermine the Constitutional Rights of the American People That he is Sworn to Preserve, Protect and Defend?
Here McCarthy presents a resounding indictment listing selective targeting of political opponents for abuse by the IRS and obstruction of investigation, the violation of free speech rights by enactment of sharia blasphemy standards, suppression of evidence and information of Islamic terrorism, and denial of religious liberty with gratuitous and coercive abortion mandates on conscientious objectors, and infringement of Second Amendment rights through international treaty on firearms, despite congressional opposition.
The "essential elements" for impeachment are clearly demonstrated.
In "Watergate" a President's lawlessness was terminated by two journalists who revealed secret information from an undisclosed informer (Deep Throat). However, all the information that Andrew McCarthy reveals is available to anyone with access to the media and internet?
In fact, since this book was concluded in April 2014, we've got more Benghazi evidence, more IRS evidence, and an exploding VA scandal.
An election for Congress in every single state will take place this November. Republican incumbents and challengers are willing to defy the president on the construction of the Keystone XL Pipeline without limiting amendments and on possible defunding and repeal of Obamacare. There are quite a number who challenge the president's usurpation of state and constitutional rights. If there is a clear majority how far will they go?
Andrew McCarthy's outstanding book is a major catalyst for discussion and should be read and circulated.
Ruth King, editorial board member of Family Security Foundation, Inc., is a freelance writer. She has written a book and articles on gardening, and also writes a monthly column in OUTPOST, the publication of Americans for a Safe Israel.