Though he spent most of the day dodging questions, feigning ignorance, and being a good toady for President Donald Trump, one part of Attorney General William Barr’s testimony before the Senate Judiciary Committee earlier this month gave Congress everything they need to begin impeachment hearings and remove Trump from office.

Under questioning from Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Barr was asked if he’d had any conversations with Trump or anyone in the administration about any of the 14 ongoing criminal investigations that Special Counsel Robert Mueller referred to other jurisdictions, such as the U.S. Attorney’s office for the Southern District of New York. The attorney general responded:

“I don’t recall any substantive conversation. I just don’t recall offering any substantive information about a case.”

Notice that Barr made sure to add the word “substantive” to his response, which suggests he has indeed been in contact with the White House about trying to toss a monkey wrench into those other investigations. And that means that Donald Trump has not only obstructed justice as spelled out in the Mueller report, it also tells us that the president is engaged in an ongoing, coordinated attempt to obstruct by hampering prosecutors who are amassing evidence against him, his family, and his business.

A president who has already been proven to have obstructed justice and remains determined to do so now and in the future to protect himself from criminal charges can by definition be said to have committed high crimes and misdemeanors.

It should be noted that one of the main charges against both Richard Nixon and Bill Clinton in the articles of impeachment drawn up against them was obstruction of justice. And it’s a very serious charge, especially when it is committed by the most powerful man in the federal government.

When he took the oath of office on inauguration day, Donald Trump swore to uphold all of the laws of the United States and defend this country against all enemies, foreign and domestic. He has repeatedly violated that oath, as his own attorney general admitted under oath today.

Impeachment is now a foregone conclusion. Trump must be removed from office to guarantee the safety and security of this republic.