Does Precedent Require the House to Pass an Impeachment Inquiry Resolution?

It is a tiresomely repeated talking point that the current impeachment investigation in the House of Representatives is unconstitutional, violative of House rules, and in conflict with “bipartisan precedent.” As the first of these claims have been repeatedly and decisively refuted, I will here only take a little more detailed look than has been common at the precedent claim, which, turns out to be unsupported by history.

Impeachment Investigation, Impeachment Vote: A Prosecution Perspective

There are differences between the decisions facing a prosecutor in an ordinary criminal case and the decisions now facing members of the House of Representatives. There are also similarities.