Page:Impeachment of Donald J. Trump, President of the United States — Report of the Committee on the Judiciary, House of Representatives.pdf/122

 Finally, President Trump's conduct threatened to harm America's alliances more broadly. "The U.S. is the most powerful country in the history of the world in large part because of our values, and our values have made possible the network of alliances and partnerships that buttresses our own strength." Yet President Trump's scheme—using Ukraine's desperation for military assistance and support to pressure our ally to announce an investigation into his political rival—shook Ukraine's "faith in us." Even worse, it sent a message to our allies that the United States may withhold critical military and security assistance for our President's personal political benefit; if such conduct is allowed to stand, our allies will "constantly question the extent to which they can count on us."

President Trump ignored and injured our national security when he corruptly abused the powers of his office for personal political gain. As Ambassador Yovanovitch summarized in her testimony, President Trump's "conduct undermines the U.S., exposes our friends, and widens the playing field for autocrats like President Putin. Our leadership depends on the power of our example and the consistency of our purpose. Both have now been opened to question."

b.Free and Fair Elections

As explained at the outset, the Framers of our Constitution were particularly fearful that a President might someday abuse the powers of his office to undermine free and fair elections. The heart of the Framers' project was a commitment to popular sovereignty. In an age when "democratic selfgovernment existed almost nowhere on earth," the Framers imagined a society "where the true principles of representation are understood and practi[c]ed, and where all authority flows from, and returns at stated periods to, the people." But that would be possible only if "those entrusted with [power] should be kept in dependence on the people." This is why the President, and Members of Congress, must stand before the public for re-election on fixed terms. Through free and fair democratic elections the American people protect their system of political self-government.

President Trump's conduct ignored and injured the Nation's fundamental interest in selfgovernance and free and fair elections. As Professor Pamela S. Karlan of Stanford Law School explained in her testimony before this Committee, "[t]he very idea that a President might seek the aid