The House’s duty is to determine whether the president’s conduct is impeachable, using the tools at their disposal. Mueller has given them strong indications that it is, as much as he is allowed to say.

The Senate’s actions are largely irrelevant to the House’s decision. Yes, they will certainly acquit. Yes, Trump will claim vindication — but he already has, even though the report and testimony are damning, so we might as well do the right thing for history.

If at the end Trump only gets an asterisk, then he gets an asterisk; but the House will have spoken, to him and future generations, that this conduct is unacceptable.

And more can come out in an open-ended inquiry. Mueller was constrained to Russia; the House can look at anything Trump did. Depending on what we find, we might even peel off a few Republicans in the Senate, who might not want to defend Trump’s lawlessness anymore.