Philippe Reines, a former senior adviser to Hillary Clinton, said impeaching President Donald Trump might be the best option for Democrats.
Reines made his comments in a column for The New York Times posted Wednesday.
He questioned the perception the impeachment of Bill Clinton backfired on Republicans and noted the GOP went on to take or hold the White House in three of the next five presidential elections.
"It's true that Mr. Clinton was not removed from office, but Republicans used the fact of his impeachment as a cudgel first against his vice president, Al Gore, and later against his wife," Reines said. "While its impact can't be quantified, it sure didn't help either in their election bids."
And he added: "There are many reasons for Democrats to contemplate impeachment today that go beyond politics.
"Substantial evidence has already emerged showing that the president has abused his office to the detriment of the American public. That evidence deserves a thorough and transparent airing in Congress, arguably the only venue available for trying a sitting president."
And he said Democrats must look to what impeachment will mean in the future.
"Mr. Trump is a pernicious, divisive figure who is poisoning our politics, and hopes to do so for years to come," Reines said. "Should he lose in 2020, he has already laid the groundwork for an all-out assault against the media, the political establishment and the Democratic Party itself.
"Politically, we — the country, not just the Democratic Party — cannot accept that risk. Impeachment might be the only remedy we have."
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