(CNN)
By Errol Louis
Can Democrats finally start talking about impeachment, Nancy Pelosi?
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The leader of the party's House conference warned last month against harping on the impeachment of President Donald Trump. "It's not someplace that I think we should go," she said on CNN.
As a skilled politician and former speaker of the House, Pelosi has forgotten more about national politics than most of us will ever know. But recent events suggest she may be off base here -- that it's time for the American public to ponder the gravity and consequences of the scandal engulfing the White House.
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It will take time for all of us to fully absorb the mind-boggling fact that Michael Flynn – who as national security adviser was entrusted with safeguarding the nation – has pleaded guilty to lying to FBI agents about his contacts with Russia's ambassador.
At a minimum, Flynn's guilty plea Friday utterly destroys the repeated claims by President Trump and his team that concerns about collusion with Russia amount to a petty distraction – a "nothingburger," as Flynn's son, Michael Flynn Jr., called it.
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Back in May, the President publicly called the investigation of Russian meddling a "hoax" and a "taxpayer funded charade." As recently as last week, Trump issued another statement on Twitter, complaining that "Since the first day I took office, all you hear is the phony Democrat excuse for losing the election, Russia, Russia,Russia."
We now know that concerns about Russia links are not a nothingburger, charade or "phony Democrat excuse," but a well-justified suspicion of criminal activity, to which Trump's top security adviser has pleaded guilty.
