The latest allegations against President Trump have Livingston County’s voice in Congress saying that, if true, than all options including an impeachment inquiry need to be considered.

8th District Democrat Elissa Slotkin is one of seven centrist Democratic freshmen lawmakers who served in the military and national security to say that if President Donald Trump pressured Ukraine's president to investigate rival Joe Biden for political benefit, it's impeachable. Slotkin and the six others; Reps. Gil Cisneros of California, Jason Crow of Colorado, Chrissy Houlahan of Pennsylvania, Elaine Luria of Virginia, Mikie Sherrill of New Jersey and Abigail Spanberger of Virginia said in an op-ed late Monday in The Washington Post they "do not arrive at this conclusion lightly." They call the allegations "a threat to all" they've sworn to protect.

Like Slotkin, all seven come largely from swing districts where Trump is popular but voters split. Taking advantage of that perceived vulnerability, Carly Atchison of the National Republican Congressional Committee said Slotkin, "caved to her rabid base to back impeachment" and that her "decision to appease the radical left’s hatred of President Trump over representing Michigan’s 8th congressional district will be the death of her career in Congress." However, Democratic Representatives Debbie Dingell of Dearborn and Haley Stevens of Rochester also said they favored moving forward with impeachment proceedings, meaning that all seven of Michigan's U.S. House Democratic delegation are now on board.

In her own Op-Ed written for the Detroit Free Press, Slotkin said that if it is true the President “attempted to use the power of his office to pressure a foreign country, Ukraine, into investigating his potential political opponent” then Congress “has no choice” but to consider all congressional remedies available, including impeachment hearings. Slotkin added, “We must make exceptionally clear that this behavior cannot stand.” Slotkin says her decision is driven by her “deeply-held belief that no one should ever be above the law, and that preserving our American institutions is the most important responsibility we have as members of Congress.” Slotkin also pointed out that the President’s personal lawyer, Rudy Giuliani, confirmed that Trump “personally pressed the Ukrainian government for damaging information” and that hanging in the balance was critical security assistance funding that the U.S. Congress had authorized to support the Ukrainian military. “The President allegedly exerted pressure on the Ukrainian government by withholding $250 million in funding for military equipment and advanced military training, intended to equip the Ukrainians to defend against Russian-backed militants that have taken over the eastern portion of their country. The security assistance funding was only restored when a bipartisan group of lawmakers forced the White House to release it.”

She ended the Op-Ed by saying, “If these allegations are true, the President is threatening the integrity of democracy. That cannot stand.” You’ll find a link to the full Op-Ed below. (JK)