Over the past week, we have seen highly ethical, nonpartisan and committed foreign service officers and members of the military with nothing to gain and everything but their integrity and vow to defend and protect the U.S. Constitution to lose, say essentially the same thing.

Our policy toward Ukraine, which was in the best interest of our national security, was co-opted by a high-powered cabal in the current administration determined to dig up dirt about a political opponent. The group sought to leverage approved military aid for personal favors to investigate its opponents. This was reinforced by one of the members of the cabal, a politically appointed ambassador who finally found the truth to save his own skin.

The facts of the matter are not in dispute. If there was any question that someone could exonerate the accused, the White House would not be refusing to allow people to testify. It would provide access to the documents the U.S. House of Representatives requested. The White House’s refusal to respond indicates it has nothing to defend itself from the facts. Innocent people don’t hide. Guilty people obstruct justice.

So since the accused is clearly guilty of bribing another country for his own political purposes, the question remains, should he be impeached and removed from office?

Many people think that it is worth waiting for voters to remove him. However, I think a corrupt leader who is trying to secure the help of a foreign country to win an election is a threat to the sovereignty of our nation, especially since he received help from a different foreign country in the last election. If we ignore this bold action in defiance of congressionally approved funds, we are saying clearly as a country that the elected leader is above the rule of law and that the Constitution he is sworn to protect doesn’t matter.

Too many people have died to protect the freedom of our nation to ignore his actions and our place in the world as a vision of democracy matters. To look the other way in the face of the clear and present danger to our national security and sovereignty is to say that all that matters is what we say we are as a leader and force of democracy, not what we actually do.

I pray we find some patriots in our country who will realize this is notpartisan, put country ahead of party and let freedom and justice ring again in this great land.