A majority of Wisconsinites show that they don't know some of the most important parts about the impeachment proceedings — demonstrating that lack of support for impeachment is based on a lack of data.
The latest Marquette Law School poll shows that a plurality of Wisconsinites don't think there's enough evidence yet to begin impeachment hearings on the president. Understandably, based on those findings, a majority also doesn't believe President Donald Trump should be removed from office, too.BUT...and there's always a BUT...
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An even higher majority haven't read the memo detailing the conversation between him and Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky, in which the U.S. head-of-state seemingly requested Zelensky to investigate Joe Biden and look into a long-debunked conspiracy theory that would benefit Trump politically.
Only 40 percent said they did indeed read the memo (which is not an official transcript) released by the Trump administration last month. Fifty-nine percent say they haven't read it.
It's understandable, then, why 51 percent of Wisconsinites don't support impeachment and removal, while 49 percent say there isn't enough evidence for an inquiry into Trump's actions to begin. Simply put, not enough Wisconsinites know about what the impeachment inquiry is all about.
Not that this issue alone is necessary to warrant action by House Democrats to open an impeachment inquiry in the first place. Trump's Emoluments Clause violations, including his now-canceled proposal to host the G-7 Summit at one of his own properties (undoubtedly profiting personally by doing so), also demand an examination by Congress. So too does the fact that former special counsel Robert Mueller's eponymous report detailed at least 10 instances of Trump committing acts of obstruction of justice.
But on the Ukraine scandal, it's clear that much of Wisconsin has yet to delve into the serious matter at hand.
Trump, according to several State Department employees who have since spoken out, pressured the Ukraine president into opening an investigation into Biden. It was widely known within the State Department, as well as within Ukraine's own government, that the investigations Trump wanted were necessary to facilitate military aid from the U.S. to Ukraine.
Forcing a quid pro quo onto a foreign government is bad enough. Using said quid pro quo to benefit from it politically, in many people's opinions, fits the definition of "high crimes and misdemeanors" that the founding fathers had in mind when it comes to impeachment.
Wisconsinites aren't wrong on the issue of removing Trump from office. They're merely missing a number of facts regarding what's presently going on.
As time passes by, more Wisconsinites will likely wake up to the fact that Trump's actions — on Ukraine especially — deserve attention, including consideration of impeachment hearings and possible removal from office.
We already have demonstrative evidence to see this as true: the last time the Marquette Law School poll asked Wisconsin citizens about impeachment, only about a third supported the idea. Now, substantially more respond in the affirmative, supportive of the goal of at least investigating the president for potential "high crimes and misdemeanors."
There's also proof that, with more information given to them, Wisconsinites will change their tunes on impeachment. We find this within the latest version of the poll itself.
When asked whether it would be appropriate for a president to ask a foreign power, such as Ukraine or China, to investigate a U.S. citizen, two-thirds of respondents to the Marquette Law School poll said that'd be wrong to pursue.
Trump attempted to solicit investigations from both. Presuming a portion of those who haven't been paying attention start realize that fact, undoubtedly, support for an impeachment inquiry, and perhaps impeachment itself, will start to go up in the months ahead.
