Mark P. Painter spent 30 years as a judge, including 12 years on the Ohio Court of Appeals. In an op-ed for Cincinnati.com, Painter says that even though we are only one month into Trump’s term, he’s been a disaster:
After the election, many hoped that Trump would “grow up” into the job – that he couldn’t possibly be as bad as some thought. Well, it’s gone the other way. The bully has become a more entitled bully. Anyone disagreeing is attacked. Policy is announced in illiterate tweets.
Basic American values – free speech, the rule of law, separation of powers, even common decency – are unknown in this White House. We now have a president who has no concept of separation of powers, or why we have three branches of government. If he knew anything about the Constitution, he would know the framers envisioned just the situation we have now – a would-be dictator. They provided checks and balances – such as an independent judiciary to protect us from presidential tyranny.
Judge Painter did not pull any punches, saying it’s time to end this experiment before it goes any further:
I am a lifelong Republican. I voted for every Republican presidential candidate from 1968 to 2004. But I have watched what once was a sane, center-right party go off the rails, first to the extreme right, then to wherever Trump is, which is in another universe.
It’s tough, but we must end this dangerous presidency. Trump must be impeached and removed with all haste. But only Congress can initiate the process.
He’s even offered to help Rep. Steve Chabot (OH-01) draft the impeachment papers.