Letters to the Editor: February 18 – 24, 2021

Impeachment Shouldn’t Be Reserved Just For Presidents

Editor,

Somehow, we think impeachment is just for Presidents. In democracies of the past, like Athens and Rome, it was extended to any and all high-ranking public servants and their accomplices.

According to Plutarch and Aristotle, it included members of the executive branch aside from the chief executive, such as budget and treasury managers and military commanders. Members of judiciaries could be impeached, and members of the legislative branches as well, such as Roman Senators.

Financiers of corrupt political leaders could be impeached or otherwise prosecuted. Also, political party leaders could be impeached for their part in aiding misbehaving leaders. Finally, “friends” of the misbehaving leader could also be impeached.

Impeachment was conducted by judicial panels, legislative panels like the Roman Senate, and executive department panels. The executive department panels included people of high character like the augurs in Rome, “the eleven” prosecutors in Athens, the six junior archons in Athens, and ethics officials called “censors” in Rome.

Why are we going so light on holding public figures accountable? Have we abandoned the ship of democracy?

Kimball Shinkoskey

Via the internet

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