Trump Impeachment Rally Staged In Austin

AUSTIN, TX — Crowds gathered for a pair of rallies calling for the impeachment and removal of Donald Trump as president of the United States — one of about 500 such protests taking place across the country on Tuesday.

The mass protests were scheduled on the eve before the impeachment hearing in the U.S. House of Representatives against Trump, who has been accused of high crimes and misdemeanors. Among the charges levied against Trump is an allegation he used presidential power for pure political gain in pressuring Ukraine to investigate a company for which the son of his chief Democratic rival sat on the board of directors.

In a July 25 telephone call between Trump and Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky, the latter asked for much-needed military aid to help finance an ongoing war with Russia. Trump held up the nearly $400 million in aid until Zelensky agreed to open an investigation into Burisma, the gas company for which Hunter Biden — son of Joe Biden, arguably Trumps most formidable rival for the presidency in 2020 — served on the board of directors in a paid advisory role.

Demonstrators gathered outside Austin City Hall on Tuesday calling for the impeachment and removal of Donald Trump. Photo by Tony Cantú/Patch staff.

Trump's accusers claim the aid Ukraine needed to fight a war against Russia was seen as part of a quid pro quo contingent on the Ukranian president's investigation of the company to which the younger Biden was tied. "I would like you to do us a favor, though," Trump told his Ukranian counterpart as reflected in an official transcript of the two leaders' telephone conversation.

Despite the sole focus on Burisma, Trump and his surrogates have since argued the president was merely trying to root out overall corruption in Ukraine as a condition to receive financial assistance from the U.S.

A pair of rallies calling for Trump's impeachment took place in Austin — a mid-morning gathering at the grounds of the state Capitol and another outside City Hall on 2nd Street in the evening. Long after the speakers departed, a spirited group of demonstrators calling for Trump's removal chanted slogans while carrying signs.

Photo by Tony Cantú/Patch staff.

"Impeach Putin's puppet," one man's sign read, alluding to Trump's deference to Russia — including his denials the country interfered in the 2016 U.S. election to his advantage, despite a preponderance of evidence to the contrary from federal law enforcement agencies. "Trump is not above the law," read another sign. "Resist," yet another read. Some visual aids were more creative, including an effigy of Trump being wheeled around as if to suggest his ousting and removal from the White House.

As Patch meandered through the crowd, the subject of Burisma was in the air.

"Explain how investigating a corrupt company isn't investigating corruption?" the lone Trump supporter among the crowd — and the only person in attendance with the benefit of a megaphone to loudly broadcast his sentiments — asked a protester. After the question, another demonstrator dared the Trump supporter to say with a straight face that Trump cares about corruption.

At that, the pro-Trump demonstrator took to his megaphone: "Donald Trump is clearing the swamp!" he shouted before ticking off a series of conspiracy theories centered on federal law enforcement agencies' role in the John F. Kennedy's assassination.

"Hey hey, ho ho! Donald Trump has got to go!" the demonstrators later shouted in unison, to which the megaphone-aided Trump supporter retorted: "Hey hey, ho ho, your IQ is really low!"

Video by Tony Cantú/Patch staff.

Patch asked one of the officers present whether the use of a megaphone violated the city's ordinance. The young officer responded the pro-Trump demonstrator — who made a point between chanting to express his "love for law enforcement" — was allowed to use the sound amplifier. But when asked when the ordinance allowed for such decibel levels, the officer responded: "I don't know. It's public information. Look it up," before expressing wishes for a good day.

Video by Tony Cantú/Patch staff.

A cursory glance at the Austin noise ordinance shows it's broadly written, generally stating people are banned from making "unreasonable noise" between the hours of 10:30 p.m. and 7 a.m. or create "a sound or vibration more than 30 feet from a vehicle." The Trump supporter's megaphone use was conducted at around 7:30 p.m.

Photo by Tony Cantú/Patch staff.

Those calling for Trump's impeachment lined the sidewalk fronting City Hall while holding their signs, earning honks from passing motorists in seeming endorsement of their position. Similar rallies were staged across Texas, including in Dallas, Houston and San Antonio.

From Dec. 16:

AUSTIN, TX — Austin is among several U.S. cities staging rallies on Tuesday calling for the impeachment of Donald Trump as president and his removal from office.

The mass protests are being organized by the group MoveOn. One of more than 500 "Nobody is Above the Law" events across the country, the local gathering is set to start at 10 a.m. on the grounds of the Texas Capitol. The event is scheduled the day before the U.S. House of Representatives is scheduled to take its first vote on impeachment.

"The evidence of Donald Trump's crimes is clear," organizers said in its invitation to would-be attendees. "He bribed a foreign government to interfere in our election, and then obstructed justice to try and cover it up. There is also no indication that he has stopped breaking the law to rig our next election."

The point of the mass gathering: "Together, we'll demand members of Congress in both the House and the Senate uphold their oath of office and the Constitution," organizers wrote.

As of late Monday, more than 850 people indicated they would attend the rally at the state Capitol. A second phase of sorts is set to start at 5:30 p.m. at Austin City Hall, 301 W. 2nd St., with more than 1,460 would-be attendees signing up as of Monday night.

"At 10 a.m., we will begin at the steps of the south entrance of the Texas State Capitol to speak and hear some words from a few people," organizers wrote. "We will then show signs to people passing by the Texas State Capitol (along 11th Street and Congress) that "No One is Above the Law," "Impeach #45," or other signs with family appropriate language."

Protesters will begin at the south entrance of the Texas State Capitol before proceeding to the front of the Texas State Capitol on 11th Street.

Another 850 people indicated they would participate in the San Antonio version scheduled to occur occur in front of the downtown federal building starting at 5:30 p.m. In Houston, more than 1,440 protesters are expected to gather in front of the office of Sen. Ted Cruz for a protest there, according to MoveOn.

All told, organizers said, some 100,000 people in all 50 states are expected to stage rallies. The events come amid a Fox News poll that showed 54 percent of the American public want to see Trump impeached with 41 percent opposed.

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