ST. BONAVENTURE, N.Y. — The House of Representatives’ impeachment inquiry into President Donald Trump will be the subject of a public forum when two former members of Congress visit St. Bonaventure University next month as part of the Congress to Campus program.
Former Democratic Congresswoman Loretta Sanchez of California and former Republican Congressman J. Phillip Gingrey of Georgia will be on campus Nov. 10-12. In addition to visiting classes and engaging with campus media representatives, they will hold an evening forum, which is free and open to the public.
The forum, to be held at 7 p.m. Nov. 11, in the William F. Walsh Science Center amphitheater on campus, will address the topic: “Are We Facing a Constitutional Crisis? The House Impeachment Investigation and President Trump.”
The Congress to Campus program, established in 1988, gives college students an opportunity to interact with former members of Congress. Bipartisan pairs of former legislators travel to campuses across the country and around the world to share their insights and experiences in an effort to improve students’ understanding of the American political system and to encourage them to consider careers in public service.
The Monday evening public forum will be sandwiched between a host of daytime engagements on campus with students Monday and Tuesday, said Dr. Josiah Lambert, associate professor of political science, department chair, and coordinator of the Congress to Campus program at SBU.
“Former Representatives Sanchez and Gingrey will visit classes, including my Congress class, where we are running a Model Senate. They will appear as expert witnesses on the issue of election security,” said Lambert. “In addition, I will be setting up interviews with some of our student media outlets — SBU-TV, the Bona Venture student newspaper, and TAPinto Greater Olean — and with student leaders. There will also be an informal lunch with students on Monday.”