unprecedented, indiscriminate, and categorical campaign of defiance and obstruction. never before in the history of our nation have we seen a president declare and act as if he is above the law. the president even goes so far as to say and act on this absurdity when he says, article 2 says i can do whatever i want. no, it doesn t. that recklessness is a profound violation of the constitution and our republic which endured because of our system of separation of powers, three co-equal branches, each a check and balance on the other, a republic, again, if we can keep it. the founders great fear of a rogue or corrupt president is the very reason why they enshrined impeachment in the constitution. as one founder, william davey of north carolina, warned, unless the constitution contained an impeachment provision, a president might spare no efforts
or means whatever to get himself reelected. another founder, george mason, insisted that the president who procured his appointment in the first instance through improper and corrupt acts might repeat his guilt and return to power. we in congress, article 1, the legislative branch, must stand up and make clear to the american people and to all people that this body still stands by the principles enshrined in the constitution and defended by generations of americans. last week, in observance of the 75th anniversary of the battle of the bulge, members traveled to that hallowed ground to express our gratitude to the heroes of freedom who sacrificed everything to secure victory of freedom over tyranny, not just for america, but for the world. the veterans of that battle, who
convention actually moved to take out the impeachment provision from the draft constitution. they had a reason for that. their reason was they said the president will have to stand for reelection. if the president has to stand for reelection that s enough. we don t need a separate provision for impeachment. when that proposal was made significant disagreement ensued. the governor of north carolina a man called william davey immediately said if the president cannot be impeached he will spare no effort or means what ever to get himself reelected. following davey, george mason of virginia, a fierce republican critic of executive power, said no point is more important than that impeachment be included in the constitution. shall any man be above justice, he asked? thus expressing the core concern that the president must be subordinate to the law and
any kind, a people who had overthrown a king are not going to turn around after securing their independence from corrupt tyranny and create an offense that, like the king, was above the law and could do no wrong. the framers created a chief executive to bring add strak to the administration of federal laws but be accountable to congress for treason, bribery or other high crimes and misdemeanors. the framers concern about the need to protect against a corrupt president was evident throughout the convention. here i must thank my prior two friends who have spoken and refer to a north carolynian, william davey. i ll refer to another north carolynian, james eyre dale who president washington later appointed to the supreme court assured his fellow delegates the president, quote, is of a very different nature from a monarch. he is to be personally