I was glad to see the article quote both Representative Schiff's restatement and Trump's original. Trump thinks Schiff's version has terrible things in it but it's really quite similar to Trump's original.
So I'd love to see some Republican tell us what was so terrible in Schiff's version so we can compare it to Trump's "perfect" original.
What's actually going to happen is none of them will even try to justify Trump's claim about what Schiff said. No, it will be turned into a totem to wave: Schiff's something or other. Like the "Crooked Dossier". No actual discussion of the merits or demerits, just a bunch of shouting.
10
I was under the impression, that our justice system allows the accused to face their accuser. I guess not, if you are our President.
This "whistleblower" is no such thing. He/she has zero first hand knowledge of any alleged wrongdoing All second hand info. Did these individuals have an alterior motive for giving this "info" to this "whistleblower"? For this "whistleblower" to have any validity, all individuals should be revealed.
The Dems are behind this construct.. they arranged this person to have "whistleblower" protections as a way to get closer to impeachment.
Its not going to work for them. All of their efforts will die in the Senate.
And they know it...but they need the show to go on.. its ALL about 2020 not "abuse of power" etc
1
@DB
Trump will have the opportunity to face his accuser and all the assorted evidence against him, at trial, under oath. Just like everyone else
28
@DB It is your delusions about evading the facts that won't work. Accused people have the right to face their accuser(s) in a criminal court, which does not apply here.
Who the whistleblower is doesn't matter. What matters is whether the information (s)he presented is true, which Trump and his supporters are desperate to avoid having the public and Congress learn.
25
Your president. Not mine.
17
Schiff has now lied several times about the contents of so called whistle blowers report. It's clear that he is grandstanding.
He should be censured by the full House. Some people may enjoy his antics but he seriously undermining the credibility of Ms Pelosi and all the other Democrats.
5
@Amy
If the facts supported the case, he would have dryly presented the facts. Clearly they don’t.
3
@Amy
Oh, please do detail each of these "lies", with citations. I'll wait.
20
There are any number of ways this matter might have been made public, but the whistleblower act was chosen because it affords anonymity. Never was anonymity needed more because it’s probably some neoliberal warmonger handpicked by Brennan and Clapper who was put up to blow the whistle. Soon enough we will see their paw prints all over it.
2
What do you think about Trump demanding to violate law and expose the whistleblower? That was what the article was about, not your conspiracy theories
13
Mitch McConnell is right "this impeachment thing" the Democrats are doing is good. It keeps them busy and it keeps their followers busy. When they're not busy, they start having crazy ideas like free health care for all, including illegals; free college, forgiveness on all student loans, universal income, no borders, no cars, no hamburgers, vegan for everyone... Impeachment keeps them focused. Impeachment is like Adderall for them. And we all want a drug-free America.
5
So you are saying you are good with exposing whistleblowers who are protected by law
22
I adore you actually believing the DEMS can’t walk and chew gum. Speaking of distractions I would say over 40 tweets from your guy Donnie over this last weekend alone might be considered distracting by some. Please save your worries for the GOP this president and his wanna be crime syndicate. Us DEMS will be fine taking over the White House in 2020 thank you very much.
47
@P&L This is why Trump's base is so small. They make up a bunch of lies like the ones you listed (really, vegan for everyone?) and then expect people to believe them.
44
Having majority in House instead of working on the projects to improve lives of US citizens such as the new trade deals, the infrastructure or maternity leave for the working mothers, the Democrats chose to spend their energy throwing mud at the president. With their credo: “let’s a destroy” the guy who was the first to stand up to the NATO members for not paying fair share, or to the China regime using all possible methods to steal the US technology and growing on the US markets. Simply, the Dems are on the mission to destroy what is important for our country.
1
I do believe that the president is doing a fine job of destroying himself. It’s the reason Nancy knew she could take her time.
43
@KDz
The Constitution is what's "important for our country."
36
@KDz
Yes, I agree.
It's too bad the House is pulled away from other important stuff in order to enforce their constitutional requirement to monitor the presidency.
29
So I was thinking about the day's when we had a hard working President and crew who every day were trying to do the best for us. A President who could make us proud when he was on the world stage. A President who hired the best and the brightest and who listened to his advisors. A President who played by the rules and was always honest with the American people. A President who didn't throw his people under the bus. A President who brought our economy back from the brink of total meltdown. A President with morals. A President who didn't insult and threaten people on a daily basis. A President who may have been just a little too nice. WE can and will have that opportunity again. Hang in there.
7
So I was thinking about the day's when we had a hard working President and crew who every day were trying to do the best for us. A President who could make us proud when he was on the world stage. A President who hired the best and the brightest and who listened to his advisors. A President who played by the rules and was always honest with the American people. A President who didn't throw his people under the bus. A President who brought our economy back from the brink of total meltdown. A President with morals. A President who didn't insult and threaten people on a daily basis. A President who may have been just a little too nice. WE can and will have that opportunity again. Hang in there.
2
While I am in no way surprised by his unfamiliarity with the law, Trump specifically DOES NOT "deserve" to meet his "accuser."
3
It's not just Trump who is involved in a massive cover up: it's the cabinet, the republican party, a ring of lawyers and the wealthy others who are covering up a massive fraud of the American people. They are hiding something together and together they will fall.
3
The whistle-blower's identity is protected by law, but Trump is obsessed with trying to find out their identity. Since he's compared them to a spy who should be executed, this is a chilling attempt to intimidate a witness.
9
The white house's memo of the conversation overrides anything the whistle blower has to say. The confessional and self-incriminating version from inside reveals trump's crime clearly.
4
I understand why the TV show Homeland has disappeared. The writers cannot compete with reality.
7
Yes Mr. President, continue to intimidate, obstruct, and cover up. Making American Corruption Great Again!
5
President Trump is actually trying to get the whistle blower killed. One of his followers shot up a pizza parlor because his minions advanced "Pizzagate" as a serious and true account. You don't think one of his followers would be crazy enough to interpret Trump's language as a code for action?
Well, I guess Trump would then have fulfilled another promise from his campaign: "I could stand on Fifth Avenue and shoot somebody, and I wouldn't lose any voters."
5
should be "“questioned at the highest level for Fraud & Treason.”"
Once again, Trump is projecting his misdeeds onto others
6
Keep losing your cool Donald, and your employer, Putin, might just be the one to be the next whistleblower.
Remember, Putin doesn’t need all these drama.
And Moscow Mitch is already being groomed as his next laundry boy that an aluminum plant cum laundromat is already in the works in Kentucky.
Anybody else notice that Trump is always profusely sweating these days? Just reading a teleprompter makes his face liquify.
4
What Trump "deserves" is a jail cell.
6
Treason is meeting with the Russian ambassador and foreign minister in the Oval office and sharing US secrets with them.
4
So many possibilities for the articles of impeachment abound. It will be challenging for the House Judiciary Committee to keep focused on the most salient and consequential ones. The Trump film flam and manufactured distractions of the moment warrant no attention. What is worth attention is how the Dems manage to maintain focus in their impeachment of Trump to protect and preserve our essential institutions.
4
Obstruction of a Congressional investigation is a serious offense. Add one more to the litany of impeachable offenses committed by our rogue POTUS.
Unlike Trump, Schiff has respect for the truth.
Donald can run, but he can't hide. He should be afraid of Schiff, because Schiff has got the goods on him.
4
Rep. Adam Schiff's parody is just the type of thing that keeps Democrats in the hot water they want to keep the president in. Nobody should ever believe that, just because they are elected to office, members of Congress are the Country's best and brightest.
2
Which one? It's a very long line.
1
If Trump is so certain about his "perfect " call then he should release the tape and or transcript of it.
4
It would be helpful if the author included the legal definition of treason to inform the reader how outrageous Mr Trump’s statements are.
4
Donny, the whistleblower is not your accuser. He or she is an analyst who's job is to gather the information, organize for clarity, and report. Sort of like a journalist, do you understand?
5
So, the Republican Party and Mr. Trump have decided the Whistle-blower laws do not pertain to them.
Let it never be said again that Republicans are for the "Rule of Law."
Let it never be said again Republicans believe in fiscal responsibility.
Let it never be said again many Republicans are Christians.
Let it never be said again Republicans believe in Truth, Justice and the American Way.
The only truth Republicans believe in is to maintain their political careers regardless of the law, ethics and morality.
23
in this post-Snowden era, are we really not ready to find the audio recordings made of these state leader calls?
then, we can go back to bush groper tape style debates, leaving the whistler and the inquirers as simple extras.
2
Is there no-one who can stop Trump from posting on Twitter?
With every tweet now, he is revealing to all and sundry that he is REALLY losing control of himself.
And this is only the beginning ......
10
@Hochelaga. Never stop your enemy when he is busy destroying himself.
3
Under an Impeachment inquiry and publicly stating that he is attempting to commit another potentially impeachable offense? You can't make this stuff up!
14
Hasn't Trump heard of whistle blower protection act? Trump cant ask, but he keeps asking anyway. Somebody read his the ICWBPA - intelligence Community Whistle Blower Protection Act to him. The law says the whistle blower's identity and his job are protected under this law. Better yet just hand him a copy and walk away.
14
@Reg
Threatening the whistleblower is also illegal. It undermines the transparency necessary in government to function and is by itself impeachable for this fact.
3
as capable as Democratic House Committee chairmen are they need seasoned professional prosecutors to question subpoenaed witnesses--keep it strategic, brief and understandable to john q public
3
Adam Schiff is quite suited, as he has literally prosecuted & convicted spies.
7
Trump has spent decades demanding that his minions be accountable to him, all the while he has operated beyond scrutiny, shielded by countless non-disclosure agreement. The whistle-blower, is not accountable to Trump. Rather, he is accountable to truth and his duty to the Constitution. Trump's grubby soul can scarcely understand such integrity.
22
Trump should be releasing the call records, transcripts, records of meetings between countries from the NS level4 computer system so we can see what trips, what calls, who with, what was said. we want all this hidden stuff be shown to Americans, No redactions, want the originals.
What has Barr doing exactly? He doesn't seem to be working. aren't there lots of cases in his AG office? Barr is just following Trump around and having secret meetings. the only thing he's doing is sitting around with Trump plotting new schemes , plotting new "shake downs"on some poor unsuspecting country or some helpless ambassador.
9
The Legal Definition of a whistleblower is an employee who brings wrongdoing by an employer or other employees to the attention of a government or law enforcement agency. If that's the case, then this "so-called CIA whistleblower" should be reporting about the misdoings within the CIA.
An actual CIA whistleblower (like John Kiriakou) would be revealing numerous insidious CIA operations with the intention to inform the US population about nefarious activities committed by the CIA.
Activities that a "legitimate" CIA whistleblower might divulge to the public: Are we still torturing people like the current head of the CIA, Gina Haspel, was doing ? Are we still engaged in extraordinary renditions, black sites, outsourcing of torture to countries like Egypt?
Obama was even worse than Bush in many ways, prosecuting whistle-blowers using the draconian espionage act passed in 1917, prosecuting more whistleblowers than all previous administrations combined.
He took the Bush spying and drone programs and institutionalized them and greatly expanded them. He expanded W.’s 2 wars and expanded them bombing 7 nations relentlessly, at one time even running out of bombs! He was an Imperialist, expanding US hegemony in every way possible. He ordered the CIA to orchestrate coup d'etats in Egypt, Ukraine, Libya, Honduras, and Syria. All the while giving great speeches, of course, and then doing the exact opposite.
But, yeah, this CIA hack is surely gonna do the trick.
Good luck with that.
1
Let us not forget that Trump's threat was to withhold help from the Ukraine, a small democratic country struggling against the Russian military invasion of its territory. Perhaps without that help the Ukraine would be taken over by Russia. But of course that would make Trump's friend Putin (who is America's enemy, don't forget) happy. Trump is no patriot.
17
President Pelosi is ready to be inaugurated....
19
if she wanted to be president she would've run long ago.
5
Not to put too fine a point on it, but what a dope. Our President. And what he deserves. Has there ever been a man or woman more clueless - in a position of real power - in recent memory? I know there are contenders, but really? Seriously? More absolutely dense than this man? I think not.
42
Given that Barr and republicans have vested the ultimate power in Trump, I see why he might be willing to plunge this nation into a civil war rather than lose the 2020 election fairly. What is terrifying about all of this is that he holds onto grudges like a real psychopath.
The NYT needs to do its due diligence in investigating more deeply into the Ukraine-Trump interactions. Apparently, Ukraine had its own investigation of Paul Manafort, which may have been shut down last spring in exchange for javelins.
18
@Dr. Girl
One more reason to ditch this pathetic excuse of a president is that he is leading our country down a path to the kind of convoluted, in-depth corruption that is found in countries that are hopelessly irredeemable.
2
I'll show you mine, if you show me yours .. how 'bout we start with those tax returns.
22
The whistle blower is in federal protective custody from the President of the United States Please remove him from office and end this national nightmare
36
You're right, and I'd add: "let stop this *international* nightmare.
14
@monte keen
Isn't "federal protection" somewhat different from "protective *custody*"? That's always been *my* understanding, anyway....
Trump is an American Castro, except at this point he's only fantasizing about firing squads for his opponents and he is clean-shaven.
10
Nothing more I can say here that hasn't been said already. However, for everyone who says Trump is on the edge; he's losing it, etc. He never "had it" in the first place!
Trump is being 100% percent consistent. He's not losing it, because he's always acted this way. He proceeds out of self-interest, and when caught makes up lies and blames other people.
I've stopped being mad at him because I've stop expecting that he has a conscience. As everyone says, he's a psychopath. The people I am mad at are Republicans. Surely some of them recognize that they are going down with him--or are they expecting the "base" is going to carry every man jack of them over the electoral finish line? The "base" is only important when most of the rest of the citizenry can't be bothered to vote. They're empowered by the apathy of the majority.
How cynical can you be? Please, pray God, please votes, go out and vote in 2020!!!
20
there is no "deep state" there is the constitution of the united states
25
He’s unraveling. Republicans got to be nervous.
9
Democrats should just bait him more and more and more. Nancy is really good at it. He will implode.
2
Do you remember the scene in the movie "The Excorcist", before the two priests go into the room to perform the excorcism. The one priest says to the other: --- "Especially important is the warning to avoid conversations with the demon. We may ask what is relevant but anything beyond that is dangerous. He is a liar. The demon is a liar. He will lie to confuse us. But he will also mix lies with the truth to attack us. The attack is psychological, Damien, and powerful. So don't listen to him. Remember that - do not listen." --- Odd how it seems relevant in an impeachment proceeding.
20
Someone should start a grassroots campaign for citizens to send whistles to the white house to encourage more whistleblowers to blow the whistle. I’m going to send one. Imagine the effect of tens of thousands of Americans each sending a whistle to the white house. It would be fantastic. Come on everybody, go buy a whistle and send it to the white house.
27
President Trump says that he "deserves to meet his accuser." I recommend that all Americans who believe that he has betrayed his oath of office and been disloyal to his country go to Whitehouse.gov and tell the President, "I am your accuser."
21
@tjepsen
He seems to have conflated "court of law" with "court of public opinion." Or at least his own internally fabricated idea of the latter.
“For nothing is secret, that shall not be made manifest; neither any thing hid, that shall not be known and come abroad.”
trump is FUMING because his EVIL deeds have come to light.
So SAD!
9
Trump respects no boundaries. The man just cannot bear limits. If he feels the urge to do anything he just does it, no matter the consequences. He’s acting like a child who can’t control himself.
9
Trump was attracted to getting information from Australia because it was an Australian who reported Papodopoulus to the FBI due to the latter's drunken admission.
Source NYT:
"During a night of heavy drinking at an upscale London bar in May 2016, George Papadopoulos, a young foreign policy adviser to the Trump campaign, made a startling revelation to Australia’s top diplomat in Britain: Russia had political dirt on Hillary Clinton."
The Liberal party in Australia is actually right-wing and conservative; so to my American friends, don't be misled by the word "Liberal". The diplomat was Alexander Downer who actually led the Liberal Party while in Opposition. Trump was fishing around for the origin of the investigation when he spoke to our PM. Few, including Donald- especially in the USA- seem to realise that Downer is in the same political party as the PM, Mr Morrison. They are probably friends. Trump's comprehensive and profound ignorance had him barking up the wrong tree. As a millionaire toddler he does not imagine or comprehend nuance. He has never had too. We Aussies are always on America's side. That is why Mr Downer (he is a lot more than a diplomat) reported it to the FBI.Our Liberal Party members - I am Labor myself- would never think that Aussies reporting to the FBI might later be a problem with an American President. Australia is more on your side than Trump is. Who knew?
21
How about following up your statement about Trump claiming the whistleblower law was changed recently with a statement noting that Trump us wrong or lying? It wasn’t changed recently.
6
Trump's idea of the law: if he thinks it's good for him, than it should be legal. Whether it is or isn't is irrelevant.
11
The Justice Department claims that the President cannot be arrested or indicted and that the President can only be impeached or removed via the 25th amendment.
So, Trump can break any laws he wants to identify the whistleblower, as long as the resulting crimes are not “impeachable” or do not lead to removal via the 25th amendment. Trump’s helpers can be charged with crimes, but Trump can request help in ways that enable the helpers to avoid crimes or to hide behind “executive privilege”.
The whistleblower law, like most of our laws, is weak in comparison to the President's powers. The whistleblower should prepare to be outed.
This is far from the intent of the whistleblower law but is a fact of life.
12
@David
Don’t underestimate the outrage that will follow an outing of the whistleblower!
7
State and federal prosecutors and judges understand Trump's witness threats, innuendo (in the old days), and personal entitlement to violate the anonymity Congress allowed for in the whistle blower statute are independent "high crimes and misdemeanors" upon which additional articles of impeachment can and should be based. It should not be so hard for House to Impeach and the Senate to Convict!
15
@Rich
Impeachment is getting closer by the day,
Conviction once thought impossible not so.
7
The law protects the whistleblower's anonymity. Calling him a spy doesn't make it so. No one's taking away votes from Trump voters except Trump himself - if the evidence proves his misdeeds.
16
What is particularly striking of the last 10 days or so, is the utter predictability of Trump’s behavior.
Americans are no longer back on their heels with shock at Trump’s robustly aggressive attacks on being called out. Seems that he’s slowly, now suddenly, realizing the “schoolyard bully” routine has been done to death. Most Americans are finally bored by, and disgusted with, his manipulation of the truth and contempt for the rule of law.
Now things will get exciting again, but for all the right reasons. There’s a piper to pay, Mr. Trump. It’s name is “The Constitution of the United States of America.”
37
About four months after Trump rode the escalator, Trevor Noah of The Daily Show did a segment about him wanting to be basically an African dictator.
Two observations
1) It's a shame so many Americans don't have a wide enough perspective to see things like this
2) In four years there has been not one iota of evidence or conduct by Trump contradicting that conclusion.
And yes, we're four years into having Trump + presidency existing in the same sentence. Feels like we've all aged a couple decades.
35
Frankly, even Nixon would be rolling over in his grave at all of this.
33
When I consider having thrown pretty much every republican I know out of my life, my doing so is vindicated more and more every day.
Every. Day.
37
Oh sure. You can meet the whistleblower after you let us meet your taxes. We certainly deserve that, and...you promised.
34
"The president said he “deserved” to meet his accuser who filed a formal whistle-blower complaint after a call with Ukraine’s leader."
I don't think he should try to change laws to make it likely he'd get what he deserves.
4
It's actually quite hilarious that Donald Trump considers himself so powerful and important to the world that dark conspiratorial forces must coalesce to overcome his monstrous hold on the nation. The truth is, most people consider him a pathetic clown who happens to be the perfect impotent figurehead for a vast demographic of angry bigots and white supremacists who believe there is a war between facts and ignorance, though they just haven't figured out which side they represent.
35
I think it's time for Trump to call Henry Kissinger to come to the White House so they can get down o n their knees and pray together in the Oval Office.
12
My only regret about Mr. Schiff is that I never had the opportunity to meet him when he was a legal consultant and I was our consul general in Bratislava. He is not just a brilliant lawyer, but really a rare gem in Congress.
37
Why do Republican lawmakers continue to ignore blaring, glaring warning signs and fail to recognize the red-alert crisis of leadership in this country? Trump has threatened the lives of American citizens who stand in the way of his desire for zero accountability and lawlessness. His not-veiled-threat of violent punishment - the ultimate punishment - for the whistleblower should scare the hell out of every single citizen in this country. And he's now extending that threat to Adam Schiff ("treason"). Are Republicans waiting for something truly awful to happen before they wake up?
50
Of course we should all know the accuser’s identity - how can we judge the accuser’s credibility without knowing his or her motives, and whether he or she actually had the information allegedly causing the complaint.
Regardless of whoever, weren’t you all listening? He admitted he asked for favor after freezing funding. It doesn’t take a 2 year old to understand meaning of what is going on. Giuliani visits and talks with them. He is personal lawyer of Trumps. Please open your eyes!
39
@Common Sense the people who screen whistle-blower complaints have already done that.
28
How can we get whistleblowers to come forward in the future if we don’t protect them now ? There are people who know the whistleblower’s identity and the whistleblowers sources. They are professionals and found them credible.
15
Nowhere in this article is it clearly and specifically stated what was debunked, nor how. The fact remains that the vice-president's son made a fortune off of the Ukraine energy industry while his father simultaneously was effecting change on said industry. This corruption and nepotism should and will be investigated despite the bleating of the opposition party and their devotees.
4
Uh, the article is about Trump threatening the life of Congressman Adam Schiff.
46
@LV Biden (and most western nations) were pressing for the removal of the Ukranian prosecutor. They wanted rid of the prosecutor because he was NOT investigating corruption. At the time, the investigation into Biden had stalled.
So, it seems that Biden's pressure HURT his son, as a new prosecutor would start up the prosecutions that had been stalled under the old one.
Trump has trouble understanding that not everyone acts in their own self interest. He is imputing his own qualities onto Biden.
34
@LV
Practice your stand up elsewhere, the adults are having a serious discussion
37
May I repeat this please? The real "whistleblower" is
"more than half a dozen" people in the White House who were -- independently, apparently -- uncomfortable with having possibly witnessed a crime by President. The whistleblower who brought those collective concerns forward was simply passing on THEIR "deep concerns."
The "whistleblower" is in fact a very uneasy collective of people within the White House. And they have every reason to fear being treated as what Trump called spies: in the old fashioned way. Hanging? I think that's what Trump was metaphorically suggesting. And those people are not protected. Only the person wrote the memo and brought it forward is protected.
Some White House lawyers are also in trouble -- with the law, not Trump -- for concealment of possible criminal evidence.
24
Given Trump's current, well-established connections to the Russian oligarchy and past, well-established connections to the Mafia, I hope that the whistle-blower remains safe and under protection from Trump's gangster affiliates, both foreign and domestic.
17
Of course Mr Trump wants to uncover the whistleblower and accuse this person of being a traitor. It’s the behavior we’ve come to expect from the mob boss from Queens NY. Mr Trump never had an understanding of government, not even a theory of how to govern in a democracy.
And he had already written another article of impeachment, witness intimidation.
25
The University of Pennsylvania should be ashamed of its most famous alumnus. Benjamin Franklin must be rolling over in his grave.
1
No Donald, you don't "deserve" to know the identity of the whistle-blower. If you understood anything about the law (which, by the way, is your job), you would know this.
21
Dear Mr./Mrs. Whistleblower:
Protect yourself. Your allegations proved valuable. You are a patriot. Stay anonymous.
25
Drumpf says he wants to meet this whistle blower for what purpose. Best guess to expose that person so that his wing-nut sycophants can start their attack on that person's person, labeling him a traitor which Dumph has already done along with the very strong 'suggestion' that in the past spies and traitors were dealt with differently.
It's no wonder that this person has to have federal protection with all of the insane crazy deranged supporters that Drumpf has, one or more just might try to do what Drumpf's comment say should happen.
12
From the subpoena's issued to Guiliani, etc:
“Your failure or refusal to comply with the subpoena, including at the direction or behest of the president or the White House, shall constitute evidence of obstruction of the House’s impeachment inquiry and may be used as an adverse inference against you and the president,”...
Hey Rudy.
Gotcha.
11
So it is OK for Vice President Biden to hold the Ukraine people hostage over 6 Billion dollars of aid unless they terminate a chief prosecutor who is investigating a company that has hired the VP's son at a salary of $500K per month, but it is not OK for President Trump to inquire about the issues encountered at that time. No bias here, just keep moving on. How stupid do you think the American people are, this is going to come back and bite.
The pressure by Biden was to remove the prosecutor for not pursuing corruption, including looking into his son’s company.
You’re very selective in what you want to believe.
15
Geez, doesn't this imbecile get it. This is an abuse of power. He is violating the whistle blower law. Trump needs to face the evidence not the whistle blower. He has threatened he/she as well as those that provided information to the whistle blower. Can the Intelligence Committee obtain a protection order and a restraining order against the trump WH to protect this whistle blower. Trump is totally out of control, he is gong down.
7
Schiff's opening comments were ill advised, childish and demeaning to the seriousness of the proceedings. Whomever thought that was a good idea should be fired immediately.
Nevertheless they were nothing more than a momentary distraction from what was damning testimony by the DNI. The thought that a POTUS would try and manipulate those comments into a cry of treason in any other era woudl be unimaginable. That it is just another Monday under Trump should inform us that we are cursed to live in interesting times.
2
All in the name of tax cuts. My fellow Republican brethren, you should be ashamed.
14
And a packed right wing g court system.
8
Since Giuliani claims he is the whisteblower,, then Trump has met him.
9
It would be best if the whistle-blower moved to another country and stayed put until this blows over.
1
I am actually frightened by the daily bombardment of news.
1
Dear Lindsey Graham,
Explain yourself. Not to us. To yourself. That's all that matters.
Sincerely,
Someone Who Loves You
1
The only thing Trump should seek is class, humility and a brain cell.
6
I remember the Watergate guard who discovered the burglary I wonder will The Whistleblower suffer the same fate as he did and that was a disgrace
4
The only thing Trump deserves is the block.
7
Schiff, a fellow attorney, is heroic, and has already made his bones, by convicting corrupt Federal judges.
Trump is clueless
15
25th Amendment time. Do it!
11
It won’t happen. Look at the sycophants that Trump has put in his cabinet. Pompeo, Wilbur Ross, McConnell’s wife Elaine Chu, the good doctor. They are willful and none of them will declare that Trump is insane.
No, President Trump, you can't know the identity of the whistleblower. Why? Because you would tweet it out, blurt it out...tell everyone you know on you early morning phone calls (on your private cell phone). And that would put his/her life in danger. That's why you can't know.
12
Have you seen the tee shirt with Obama's picture and the caption,"Do you miss me yet?"?
The answer is"My God, YES!"
16
"Trump Seeks Whistleblower's Identity" You gotta be kidding? They knew in the White House the identity as soon as it became clear it was a CIA guy/gal. Did the Don have a senior moment and forget who it was?
3
I agree. They already know.
3
Trump outed himself with the release of the letter last week. And like toothpaste, you can't put it back in the tube once it's out. But King Arrogance thought he could silence any pushbacks, or create distractions as he has in the past.
It's been evident for quite a while that he's abandoner doing the country's business. But now that he's obviously focused only on himself, and trying to destroy the truth-tellers, it's wholly obvious that he's too distracted to get anything done -- other than watch TV and tweet crazy messages all day.
Today I saw his Tweet threatening civil war. I hope that's added to the list of reasons for impeachment...it was pure evil...and proves he is, without a doubt, absolutely unfit to be anywhere near the presidency.
9
Mitch is the one with all the power here. He's gonna take DJT in a room by himself and let him know that he has enough votes to convict him and he should go easily by resigning. Then Mitch will be re-elected. Other wise, Amy Mc Grath gonna eat Mitch's lunch.
8
@GARRY
Concur. Mitch has his own agenda, first as a party apparatchik, & second as someone exactly like Trump, i.e., having no qualms at all about throwing someone else under the bus.
If I were a television writer I would love the fantasy.
Mr. President. Your "accusers" are the American people, and a lot of us won't be at your next MAGA rally.
10
Dictator Trump is really bummed that he can't just incarcerate his opponents like his b-b-buddy vlad the untouchable. Protecting the identity of this person from the so-called president of the US is of paramount importance as his supporters have shown that they have no compunctions about seeking out his "traitors" and punishing them.
10
It is very unusual to read that Roy Cohn, er, uhm, I mean Donald Trump is calling Schiff a traitor, when it seems that the document / summary of the phone call that Schiff was reading is proving that Trump is the traitor. Roy Cohn taught him well, hit, back hit hard, and just say anything that the public will hear other than what is truthful.
The Democrats could learn a thing or two from this style of public discourse.
Trump is a traitor. Impeach him.
13
If Trump wants to participate more actively in the impeachment inquiry, he should start by releasing all the documents and witnesses requested by Congress.
182
Mr. Trump's understanding of the protections afforded whistleblowers under state and federal law equals his understanding of most institutions that undergird our democratic society. But that being said, I suggest that we tell Mr. Trump this: Okay, you - the actual subject of the whistleblower's report - can have that person's name IF AND ONLY IF you will sign an ironclad agreement that you (a) will not disclose the name to any other person, with a penalty of twenty-five million dollars out of your personal funds if you do; and (b) will in any case pay, likewise out of personal funds, all costs associated with providing sufficient physical protection to that person and their family so as to ensure their freedom from retribution by anyone, in perpetuity.
4
Did I miss infrastructure week? How is it Trump has so much time to tweet, golf on Saturday and keep that suntan up? If you can’t write, you can’t think and if all you do is tweet in all caps you don’t come across as very innocent.
14
So, who’s hiding behind “political correctness” now? Apparently Schiff isn’t allowed to make fun of how much Trump sounds like a mob boss. Doesn’t Schiff know it’s not nice to hurt the president’s feelings? Trump is very sensitive. You have to be gentle with him or he’ll be triggered.
8
If impeachment doesn't catch him, article 25 certainly should.
8
don the con is getting scared. the ridiculousness gets more amplified by the day.
8
Me Trump, you will have plenty of opportunity to face your accuser(s) - plus a host of corroborating witnesses and mountains of evidence - at your impeachment. That’s how the rule of law works
8
Irrelevant. The facts are there. How we came to know about those facts have nothing to do with the facts.
9
Trump wants to meet his accuser. How about on common ground and under oath?
4
The president released a transcript of the phone call. Can someone please explain to me how this is hearsay?
9
This is great. I'd schedule a meeting at the White House for whistleblower and Trump. And then announce the whistleblower didn't feel safe in the WH.
Then reschedule for a meeting in a sleazy Baltimore bar, and then move it to a tattoo shop at the last minute because of signs of an assassin. This is better than anything Steven Segal every thought of!!
1
At his next public appearance I will carry a big sign saying
"I AM THE WHISTLE BLOWER" Perhaps 100's or 1000's join; signs say: "WE ARE ALL WHISTLE BLOWERS"
Hilarious ... Maybe he'll arrest everybody ... !
15
So Trump wants to face his accuser. Well, there are about 25 women waiting for the opportunity.
24
45 deserves to be in jail. I hope he gets what he deserves.
10
The person was reliably informed of possible serious illegal activities of President Trump. He did what he had to do and reported it. He/she was well aware of the risks to himself. He deserves a medal for his courage to do the right thing.
18
Trump wants to root out the folks who gave info to the whistleblower. Will there be more departures soon? This will get awfully fascinating.
5
If the Trumps get their way, it's the end of democracy, or America as we know it.
8
There are only 2 things I believe trump deserves
The first is a fair and speedy trial
The second a long sentence with no possibility of parole.
17
when he identifies the whistle blower, will the whistleblower be disappeared? was Jeffrey epstein disappeared? i am old enough to remember all the assassinations that were blamed on roque killers. this administration feels fake because it is and the untoward events will escalate.
8
You have to wonder:
The whistle-blower writes better than most lawyers. He had help.
Recently the Intelligence community changed the whistle-blower law where you do not need to be directly involved. Rumor, hearsay, and second or third-hand information qualify.
Even before the transcript was published and the whistle-blower complaint reached the Congress, Madam Pelosi ordered impeachment inquiry.
Here we go again....
4
@JustWatching Not correct. The form was changed but only to change the categories not a distinction between hearsay and first hand information. Grasping at straws. Anyhow, too late, the transcript is out, put into the public domain by --- guess who? The very fact that he could not realize the content and import is enough to merit either impeachment or the 25th.
8
The whistleblower law has never been changed. The form has. Stop lying. Everyone just stop lying. Enough.
7
@JustWatching
"Recently the Intelligence community changed the whistle-blower law" -- I was under the impression that only Congress can alter a law.
"Even before the transcript was published ... Pelosi ordered the impeachment inquiry" -- Untrue, fortunately. Also, the fact is that the memo (not a transcript) *corroborated* the items enumerated in the WB report. The foolish release of the memo by the White House does nothing but buttress the report's credibility (as established by the ICIG, who had the report long before any of us out here knew about it).
Cabinet members should step up and remove Trump right now. He is clearly unfit and a clear and present danger to Our country.
17
The "hearsay" objection to the whistleblower is because he wasn't a witness, he is just repeating things he was told. Congress will hear from the actual witnesses, and the word of the whistleblower will be irrelevant. So what is the need for knowing the identity of the whistleblower?
12
@Chris So Trump can attack, distract TV news from his own crimes, lie, accuse and endanger the whistleblower, and therefore, discourage any others from coming forward.
18
@Winston Smith
Yes, I think it's clear there is no legitimate purpose, it is only for intimidation and discouraging others.
22
I've read the transcript 3 times and nowhere is there a quid pro quo were trump says I'm going to cut your military aid unless you investigate Vice president Biden. The whistle blower now it turns out never heard the information and he makes a report after mysteriously the rules are changed that you can make a report with 2nd hand information. It turns out again nowhere in their transcript does trump threatened to withhold military aid. The real purpose of Giuliani originally going to the Ukraine was to investigate how the steel dossier got started and he ended up having people wanting to talk to him about Biden corruption. Because the truth is wherever vice president Biden when his son made a fortune from influence peddling. Imagine if trump when he was vice president went to the Ukraine Imagine Donald junior then with no experience in the gas or oil industry Got a $50000 a month contract and he ended up clearing 8 million dollars what do you think the reaction of The New York Times would be
5
@JDavid: I never heard Bugsy say he wanted Luigi to murder his rival. All he said was ‘buy the guy a nice necktie.’ I mean, what’s wrong with that? A guy can’t buy a gift for a friend anymore?
39
Um... do you really want to know what Donald Jr has been involved in?
19
Read up on your Constitution. Quid pro quo is not necessary; it’s simply frosting on an otherwise toxic cake. The real crime is asking for the interference in the first place. Whether there was agreement to provide the interference or not, or something offered in return or not is completely immaterial.
25
The Democrats made a big deal out of this because the president made a quid pro quo where aid from the United States was held back until Ukraine investigated Joe Biden. Now it turns out there is no evidence of any quid pro quo and there never has been any. Where's the crime here then?
5
Why on earth do you say there was no quid pro quo? It looks to me like there was plenty?
28
@John Smithson You describe the quid pro quo and then it isn't there?
15
@John Smithson Please get back to us when you figure it out, ok?
26
Trump appears to be attempting to intimidate the whistle blower. That's probably yet another crime, but who can even count the number of crimes from our grifter-in-chief at this point. However Trump is a classic bully in that if the whistle blower revealed himself, Trump wouldn't do anything, except maybe call him names. He's all talk, no action.
10
What can keep a man with any sense of decency (and survival) as a Secretary in this administration? With this stench of corruption and moral opprobrium? Mr. Scalia should consider quitting, and so all other secretaries...
So, it is no longer against the law to harass witnesses? The new America!
3
Well, that would certainly put an end to whistle blowing, wouldn't it?
2
Those who quote his words, even verbatim, will be accused of distortion , parody and failure to appreciate sarcasm and a joke.
1
Trump has told so many lies to the American that have been factually proven to be lies. His lies are always repeated and exaggerated by Fox News. I just don’t understand how this is legal.
2
Trump is going rogue. This is effort to intimidate and retaliate against patriotic individuals who try to put some sunshine where it is direly needed should be resisted by US law informed agencies.
8
Pardon my ignorance of the law, but if the whistleblower’s identity is protected under federal law, then isn’t it illegal for POTUS to make any effort to find out who the person is?
10
That’s the thing about Trump - like a mean insecure schoolyard bully, he can dish it out but he can’t take it.
11
Above the law and oblivious. He is the poster child of WHY we have whistleblower procedures. Of course he lives by the code of NDA and HUSHMONEY
8
I don’t see the curtain going back down on this one...!
2
Isn't witness tampering illegal?
6
I have great pity for the whistle blower. Sooner or later, their identity will either be leaked or they’ll have to come forward.
Congress should ask this person’s lawyers if they would consent to aid the impeachment inquiry with names, dates, and further details not outlined in the official complaint. They should also offer any aid they can in return to protect this person’s privacy and safety. I think it’s inevitable they won’t remain anonymous, but they have the right to return to a private life in as much as they possibly can.
3
Rep. Schiff's summary was dead-on accurate; but if one main objective of this inquiry is to convince the so far unconvinced (who, by definition, are looking for flaws), I'd suggest sticking to the verified text and leaving the creativity to SNL.
2
I've read that the whistleblower will testify in closed session before Congress.
Does ANYONE think that the Republicans with keep her/his identity confidential?
Trump is trying to make impeachment conform to criminal standards of evidence, burden of proof, and due process. NJ Congressman Van Drew (D) even went so far as to suggest that "treason" was the standards for impeachment.
The media has got to start connecting these dots, because reporting Trump claims merely stokes base.
5
My hope is that the whistleblower is a life-long, deeply conservative, devoutly Christian person who really likes 45, but found themselves unable to ignore/rationalize/reframe 45's behavior anymore and had to sound the alarm even though it brought them pain and remorse. That is the only way the supporters in Congress and amongst voters will possibly be persuaded that actionable offenses have occurred and need to be addressed.
3
Nixon was well ahead in the polls, before he authorized the wiretapping and break-ins of his political enemies, as well as the cover-up. Nixon's fatal flaw was that he needed to be perceived as winning so big, that no one could conceivably argue otherwise.
3
This is classic Trump. From what we've learned over the last 3 years, some would say longer, all Trump does is keep secrets. Now he wants to know the name of a secret (by law) whistleblower. Good luck with that SAD!
3
@George
"all Trump does is keep secrets" -- Excepting only cases of national security.
1
The picture of Trump and Barr posturing in front of the portrait of George Washington is stomach-churning.
That these men so easily shred the ideals that generations of Americans fought and died for is profoundly disheartening and is truly sad for our country. I pray we survive it.
8
The more he tweets, the guiltier he is.
8
It’s time for all American to stand up for America, not Trump. Republicans do the right thing, and save your party before it’s too late.
9
Everything I have read about what has happened, what Trump has said, leads me to the simple conclusion Trump is without facts, law or logic to refute what has been alleged. Therefore, his only recourse is to engage in baseless name calling.
Trump asserts Schiff and the whistleblower have committed treason.
Treason is an act in furtherance of an overthrow of a government and an attack on one’s country.
If a person exercises his or her constitutional right to free speech, the right to redress grievances against the government, and the right of access to the courts [use of the legal system to assure that a politician does not subvert the Constitution of the United States], such conduct is patriotism.
Permitting a ruler to subvert the US Constitution is a subversion of government and therefore treason.
The person engaged in treasonous behavior is Trump by being in league with Putin.
9
The only Thing Trump "deserves" is American justice.
Mr. Trump will be impeached by the House, (and if the Senate wakes up from it's partisan stupor) convicted by the Senate and removed from office. Trump will then be criminally indicted, tried and convicted of the numerous crimes he has committed since taking oath.
And if there really is any American justice left his kids will be right there with him.
13
@Ron Unfortunately “American justice” is not reliable with Barr as the country’s chief law enforcer. He is a corrupt toady for trump. Justice may come, at least in part, when he is voted out of office and the Federal Court of the Southern District of New York gets their hands on trump.
3
@Mossy American justice isnt reliant on the DOJ. The American people will ultimately provide justice, either through the impeachment process, or vote him out of office at the polls. Either way- it is American justice.
I have faith in America. She is under attack, but she is strong, and the people will not allow a lawless president to destroy that heritage
1
Mr. Trump has not been indicted or charged with a crime, and the Confrontation Clause in the Bill of Rights is specific to criminal proceedings. This is only an attempt to intimidate a public servant and to identify him and turn him over to the masses of the president's supporters that may harass them, and in so doing he would be a party to whatever might happen to this individual.
2
The White House already knows the identity of the putative whistleblower but obviously they can't out him, as it were, directly. Soon more people will know and, eventually, the name will be made public.
1
Isn't this a good time for Twitter to take down Trump's account? Or is Twitter afraid of being accused on their own doorstep of violating Trump's right to free speech?
4
Issues like this seem to bring out some of the worst in mankind. Blatantly fabricated talk, communication intended to confuse and waste time, etc.
It would be cool to filter out the nonsensical "public debate" on some issues and go to some collegial, intelligent online space, to have a succinct meaningful discussion then move on.
1
Funny how time and again Trump acts completely guilty of accusations levied against him yet continues to proclaim his innocence.
3
I cannot fathom how anyone in good conscience can see that this man is totally unfit to hold the office. It was apparent on day one and he has only succeeded in making it more so. The Republicans will destroy what little is left of their party if they don't come together and deal with this inquiry honestly for the good of the nation.
3
If anything happens to the whistleblower when his/her identity is discovered by this administration, then his/her blood will be on tRump's hands. Period.
3
After reading the complaint I wouldn’t call them a whistleblower, more like the conductor of a full 90 piece orchestra playing a full symphony. Trump’s going to need a big room in which to face all his accusers.
2
I am sure the whistle blower is being carefully protected. Will he/she have to do the Witness Protection program, move with his/her family and assume a new identity? Otherwise, who knows what will happen if Trump lets loose some "thugs".
There are no guidelines to deal with the consequence of a power-grabbing Trump; we have always had honorable presidents until now.
3
Why do so many people refer to Republicans in Congress as scared or timid? They are in on it with Trump 100%.It is not helpful to constantly imagine that in their heart of hearts they would oppose Trump if brave enough. Enough with giving the benefit of the doubt to those who are actively engaged in bringing down our democracy. It is the oldest Democratic weakness there is -- we'll take the high road and let them kill us because we are too good hearted to believe in so much shared evil.Well, I see it and call it what it is. They are as evil as their chosen leader.
3
May he get all he deserves, and in abundance. But only what he deserves.
3
Trump deserves to meet his accuser like he is fit to be president. The whistle blower laws protect the identity of the whistle blower, and protect them from retaliation. The effort to determine the identity of the whistle blower is an effort to commit a crime. Trump has already threatened the whistle blower and his sources with execution, which is a crime.
5
When Trump attacks someone via Twitter I usually substitute that persons name with Trumps and usually see something closer to the truth .
This is more abuse of power, obstruction of justice and intimidation of a witness.
Add them to the Articles of Impeachment.
6
Of course Trump wants to find out who the whistleblower is, so he can threaten that person into silence like the mob boss he has shown himself to be
3
Thank You so much Mr. Schiff for standing firm for what is right in the the very unpleasant position of Trump’s direct narcissistic raging line of fire. I for one am a citizen who will be forever grateful.
5
Trump has been inoculating the American people for three and a half years so that the outrageous becomes the norm. This has worked with remarkable surety and is amply illustrated by the devoted followers of Limbaugh and Hannity. Peddling hate and especially, fear ; the far right has suckled a raving following which needs the few remaining moderate republicans to join Democrats in bringing down this would be dictator.
7
Trump "deserves" to be thrown out of office and into jail. This whistleblower did something that he could never understand anyway - he put patriotism and love of his country ahead of his own personal welfare. Two and a half years in office and Trump has never done that once!
7
The way I see it," reason of insanity" will accomplish 2 things - remove Trump from office and keep him out of prison.
2
I agree with Trump, if you are brave enough to try to change foreign policy just because you don't like it you should be ready to face the scrutiny. I think he needs to exposed as we can't have a low level nobody trying to expose or change foreign policy which a president is executing. Pretty sure if this happened under any democrat president liberal would not be so forgiving of the whistle blower ie Julian Assange. Liberals will always like it if its convenient for them.
6
@Tampo
Liberals will always like it if it's good for our Nation.
35
@Tampo
Oh for gods sake, this whole “if this happened to a democrat” line is getting so tired. It doesn’t matter because that’s not the reality we’re currently dealing with. Trump alone has brought this upon himself.
5
@Tampo
Oh for gods sake, this whole “if this happened to a democrat” line is getting so tired. It doesn’t matter because that’s not the reality we’re currently dealing with. Trump alone has brought this upon himself.
Please stop calling it a transcript or people will start believing this is true. It is a staffers recollection of the phone call. If DJT believes this is not a true reflection of what he said during the call, let him release the transcript or the "tape" of the call. Then we will all know what he actually said, no?
35
Don't you think he would have released them right away, instead of burying them in the NSC highly classified server?
Think about Trump's tax returns, they were never produced either. If they were above board, we would have seen them long ago.
6
@Irene
The so called “whistleblowers” information, at best, staffers recollection of the call—and it may have been more removed than that. The “transcript” is the best data available right now and takes precedent over an anonymous rumor monger glorified with the label “whistleblower”. Impeachment proceedings based on anonymous third party stories will NEVER be accepted as legitimate by the people and will tear this country apart. I hope that Pelosi has something else up her sleeve or this country is done.
The real transcripts with Trump's own inarticulate ramblings are surely very bad news for this corrupt regime.
5
The identify and paper trail of the third party information gatherer (not a whistleblower in any sense) is important to try to understand if this is a collaborative Deep State/Democratic party attempt to take over the government.
Carl Bernstein has pointed out that this was likely a group effort. Let's find out which groups were involved and what their motivation might have been. If it was a concerted effort to undermine an election, then I would argue that this is treason.
The trafficking in presidential phone call information should be viewed as a treasonous offense if done for political motivation to undermine an election.
Or perhaps, the third party information gatherer is a beneficiary of the same type of corruption that yielded Biden's son a large check each month.
I am entitled to speculate also.
4
You’re not speculating.
You’re fantasizing.
There’s nothing even close to the facts on your post.
74
@Dan
Dan, Dan, Dan. The earth is not flat and the heliocentric solar system theory is not a deep state plot.
6
These are talking points that were handed to you; and you got them, directly or no, from the ill-fated email that the White House recently attempted to unsend. One of the most wonderful things about being a citizen of the United States, is that you don't have to say what you've been told to say. I encourage you to try it.
5
I understand that the law provides anonymity for whistle blowers, however doesn’t this contradict the Confrontational Clause of the 6th Amendment of the Constitution which a person has the right to face their accuser?
Furthermore, since the whistle blower’s lawyers are making claims that the client’s safety is at risk, wouldn’t going public be much safer?
7
@MDCooks8
The 6th amendment applies in a criminal trial. There is no criminal trial here. The whistleblower is protected by the Whistleblower Protection Act.
76
@MDCooks8 That would be at a criminal trial. Which we've just heard ad nauseam is not an option for a sitting president.
5
@MDCooks8 No, there is no contradiction. The clause provides for meeting the accuser in criminal proceedings. All other trials, civil, impeachment, are excluded.
Wouldn't going public be much safer? Given the hate Trump is able to foment among his supporters there could be one, or more, with an idea to curry favor with Trump...and Trump could attempt to perform, personally or with surrogates, witness intimidation.
3
Why is anyone struggling to understand that Schiff was not twisting Trump's words, nor parodying him, nor falsifying his phone exchange with Zelensky? He clearly said at the beginning of his statement that he was summarizing, and replaying "in not so many words," what the exchange consisted of.
He made the disclaimer at the outset, he paraphrased, and he interpreted. And the sad part is, he was spot on.
91
@sfpk
No. He interpreted, not summarized.
1
And the Republicans can stand for this? Trump going after the whistleblower?
Donald Trump is a very scary man.
Our poor country.
82
The Trump treason remark can't be too far from crossing a line even the Republicans won't allow.
One of these days, perhaps sometime soon, Trump will blow, and tweet or say something so outrageous and over-the-top, Senate Republicans will have to convict him of whatever the House impeaches him for.
48
And the American people deserve to hear the President answer questions under oath.
59
@Kate Meacham
Why would any oath matter?
3
We’ve already found out than an oath is meaningless to Trump.
4
“Under Oath” has no meaning for Trump
3
Trump "deserves" impeachment and incarceration.
The IRONY of him demanding proof and specifics to back claims is D E L I C I O U S
44
Someone hurry and send this clown in our White House a copy of the speech and debate clause of the Constitution. Actually, send him the entire document--he's obviously never read a word of it.
Also, tell him really slowly and in easy words what a whistleblower is.
44
@Anj
Not true-After reading the first three words the stable genius knew the document didn't apply to him. We the People? Ha! s/
1
This is a tipping point...Trump isn’t looking to hand the person a commendation, he’s looking to crucify him/her. If legitimate government doesn’t come to the defense of this person, we, as a country, deserve everything we get!
33
Adam Schiff speaks the truth, but then, again, from Rudy Giuliani we learned that "truth isn't truth." Let's just get rid of this president, his corrupt administration and do what we have to do to facilitate it. That's the hard part, but let's just do it and get it over with, and start anew. The nation is sick of this circus of lies, deception, deflection and outright incompetence. Vote Democrat in 2020.
31
Can someone tell him he deserves nothing. This person has gone scott free his entire life. He is a grifter that conned his way to the presidency.
36
Like most of his violations, this one is in plain sight. Witness tampering, discouraging, whistleblowers, assuming a royal position...whatever you choose to call it; it's wrong and it's dangerous.
40
I read the transcript of the call - transcript produced and released by Trump. It sounds VERY, VERY close to what Schiff said. Actually closer to the truth than most of what Trump says on any day.
54
Interestingly, the stock market is up today, despite Trump's dire situation. Something tells me folks think the US economy will perform better if Trump is distracted from further meddling in matters he knows nothing about. Namely trade and governing and just about anything else besides gangsterism and real estate grifting.
26
@Michael Tyndall
The Cal Coolidge and Ronald Reagan effect—the economy does best with presidents who take long naps and don’t do anything.
2
I fear for the safety of this whistleblower.
44
Yes. And I fear for democracy in America!
4
@Thoughts from afar... - If his identity is released, he will last as long as Jeffrey Epstein who was in Trump's/Barr's jail system.
7
@tom harrison. I keep thinking of Khashoggi or some of those poisoned Russians.
4
Maybe Trump will meet him in the Senate after impeachment. It is his right to meet his accusers at trial.
12
@Glevine, That right applies in a criminal case where the defendant's liberty is at stake. Not sure it applies in an impeachment.
3
@Glevine There is no right to meet accusers in proceedings that are not criminal trials. Source: Our beloved Constitution that Trump ignores.
Lastly, the whistleblower's identity is protected by statute, thus, the corrupt Trump may never know the identity of the individual.
3
@Glevine There is no such "right" in an impeachment. That is a right reserved for a legal court of law. An impeachment is a political action (like it or not) and the House sets its own rules. In particular, with a whistleblower protected under federal law, that person can (and should) remain anonymous to all but the select few on the appropriate committee. Remember, the House inquiry is more akin to a grand jury. The Senate is where the "trial" actually takes place.
4
Yes. He should meet his accuser. In a court of law, with himself as a defendant. That's true enough. He has zero right to meet him or her before that.
29
@jb Research the Constitution. There is no right to meet the accuser in the absence of a criminal trial, that is, civil or otherwise. Secondly, the whistleblower's identity is protected by statute and may never be revealed. Given that Trump has made noise about the individual the person could be in harms way.
3
'The president said he “deserved” to meet his accuser who filed a formal whistle-blower complaint after a call with Ukraine’s leader.'
That's an out and out gangster move by Trump. He wants to terrorize and intimidate his accusers. It's a rerun of his assault on his own Justice Department after they had the temerity to investigate possible Russian connections and obstruction of justice.
42
@Michael Tyndall
That's really not the argument you want to make. Without the ability to investigate, or cross-examine, his accuser, you are just giving the Reps more opportunities to call this a kangaroo court and more reason for the Senate to vote to acquit.
1
Spies or lies, which is it Mr. Trump? For you to be credible, it can't be both.
20
Yet another example of how our president cannot even speak English properly. What he means is, he “has a right to” meet his accuser. And he deserves something, all right, but that’s not for me to say here.
15
He actually has no right to meet his accuser.
He has a right to know who he is and to confront him at trial.
That’s all.
2
Trump is careening out of control. He is losing it, & it's only going to get worse. Just look at his face in photos that has been taken recently.
For the first in this nightmarish freak show of a presidency, I don't have to look away in disgust.
Actually, it's fun to watch :)
18
It seems for all the world that the breaking point that we all have been waiting for — that moment when Mr. Trump’s manifest psychological problems coalesce into a blinding hot apoplectic fit of rage and hysteria — may be approaching. 
24
What the President deserves is to spend the rest of his life in a jail cell.
40
Trump’s only defense: “I am an oafish ignoramus who does not know history, norms or the law.” And that’s not going to cut it. Time to crank up the rotors on Marine One, 1974 style.
27
He "deserves"? If he got what he deserved, he'd be serving time for his sexual assaults.
47
Wouldn’t this be considered witness intimidation?
55
@Practicalities
Yes.
3
All that I can say is that the Republican party richly deserves this fate. Reputations are about to go up in smoke, chief among them Lindsey Graham's, but he has a lot of company.
53
I don’t agree with republican policies, but I thought these lions of the senate had character. Sad. They won’t be remembered well.
7
We have whistleblower protections exactly for this reason. This alone is impeachable.
52
Trump wants to know who this brave patriot (whistleblower) is so he can start his usual character assination on him or her.
23
Treason? Donald Trump doesn't even know the meaning of the word. If he did, he would never use it for fear of giving somebody the idea of looking for a traitor. Treason? Trump started a program of treason against the rule of law from the moment he took office.
30
I realize the Halloween is approaching, but the Trump "witch hunt" defense is getting a bit thin.
Then he attacks the Chair of the House Intelligence Committee, the "whistleblower", the media, and who else--oh yes, the 16 year old who believes that climate change is killing an entire generation of Americans.
Take a look around Mr. Trump. You've got a couple of warlocks--Barr and Giuliani--lurking around the White House. And, they're causing all kinds of mischief.
Someone needs to get them under control before it's too late.
14
You forgot Miller.
4
If trump got what he deserved he would be sitting with Manafort in prison .
33
Donald Trump is invoking his Sixth Amendment rights, and the impeachment inquiry has only just begun.
Seems a little sketchy.
10
Given that McConnell, Sessions, the new personal attorney Barr, Graham and the rest have never held Trump accountable to the letter of the law and Constitution it would not be worth the time to tell Daffy Donny there is a statute that protects the whistleblower's identity.
And rightfully so given Trump's ability to mobilize a few fringe elements and fan the flames of hate and violence.
20
Trumpus losing his cool is hilarious!
24
Trump is not a judge, lawyer or law enforcement officer. He has no business saying whether people’s’ actions are “illegal” or accusing people of crimes. He doesn’t know anything about the law.
Can’t someone make him stop talking?
23
@Elli
That's a bit rich. How many people commenting here are not judges, lawyers, or law enforcement officers? That doesn't stop any of them from opining about what the law is, says or does.
1
@GMooG. One of the differences is that they are not blustering to save their necks as is Trump. And if the commenter is wrong about the law somebody usually hits the reply button and sets him straight.
You don’t have to be a lawyer to have a general knowledge of the Constitution and the law. Trump should have that knowledge as president. But he doesn’t, or he doesn’t care about laws. Unfortunately all he knows about the law is how to break it.
3
Translation of Trump: "Will no one rid me of these troublesome priests?"
30
Trump's response is pure Roy Cohn: Never admit anything, attack the accuser, sue everybody, standard operating procedure. Trump may have been a lousy student in college, but he was a quick study with Cohn.
30
@Molly Cook Please also keep in mind that referring to the legitimate inquiries into his actions as a witch hunt is an astonishingly clear example of trump's propensity for accusing others of what he has done. Actually, in this case he is channeling Roy Cohn who was indeed the lawyer assisting the Dishonorable Joseph McCarthy in what became the modern American example of a witch hunt. And of course, trump's fixer was the same sleazy lawyer. History is not really repeating, but somehow there is a mirror involved.
16
@aoxomoxoa
I thought I made it clear in my post that I understand that well. Thanks for the reply.
7
@Molly Cook Certainly I understood. My intent was to amplify your point, maybe a bit redundantly.
1
And to think that just a few years ago, Republicans were deeply troubled by the idea of "presidential over-reach".
54
@Steve- They were troubled by a presidential tan suit.
5
I am cautiously hopeful that we will finally be able to put an end to the destruction of our democracy and hold the man responsible. I realize he will do everything in his power to subvert the process. I realize the Republicans are, for the most part, too afraid to oppose him. I don't think there is a choice here. It's a stand-up and be counted moment. May it go well.
22
Do not believe a single word Trump says. He wants the whistleblower to be severely punished. With the crazies in Trump’s base, now including Senators like L. Graham, gunning for him, he would be in mortal danger. As for Trump’s accusations against Schiff, it is a typical Trump set up. The claim that Schiff made up the story will be used by the true believers in the base and applied to the whole story. The man is a walking time bomb.
31
@Richard Wright
I still am waiting for Trump supporters to grow up and realize they made a mistake. Not holding my breath.
3
I still am waiting for the secret information that Schiff has many times said he has that proves beyond a doubt that Trump colluded with the Russians. I wonder why Schiff withheld the information from Mueller.
2
Confronting one's accuser happens in the context of a criminal court case. An impeachment inquiry is not the same thing, as Lindsey Graham was so careful to point out 20 years ago (on C-Span FYI).
30
@La Resistance Perhaps he is just getting a head-start on preparing his defense for the criminal trial.
4
At this rate he's going to incriminate himself before the lawyers have a chance to get seated.
26
Trump has already threatened the whistleblower with threats of execution. He has already called on people to treat the whistleblower as a traitor.
When there is a jury trial whether in the Senate or in court of law, Trump should get to face his accusers. Not before hand. The whistleblower is not their to be murdered, he is not their to have pressure put upon him by a President who will out him to his followers and his suggestions of vigilante justice.
Rule of law.
If the President tries to find out who he is beforehand using the executive branch to do so that will only be another abuse of power to add to the charges.
20
@Edward Brennan
He is already trying to find out who he/she is.
1
Thanks for this.
Trump is losing it.
17
@Dr. B. The thought of Trump sitting in Congress answering questions under oath with Giuliani sitting beside him as his attorney to give him advice boggles the mind.
3
Jail time for Trump and his Republicans..
16
When masses of Americans opposed Presidents and their policies back in the late 60s and early 70s, change occurred because (primarily young) people took to the streets, declaring by their actions that there would be no business as usual unless and until there was change. It was not the traditional media, Congress, the courts, disillusioned members of the Administration, or complaining online (which, of course, didn't exist) that lead and eventually produced change. We may well be at that point again, though it's questionable whether today's youth can get around to taking their noses out of their cell phones, let alone are up to the challenge of taking substantial risks.
The most fundamental legal/Constitutional question, one which has never been decided and would invariably go right to the Supreme Court, is whether, as well as for what crimes committed where and when, can a President pardon himself?
2
@Steve Fankuchen
The "today's youth" I know are furious about this and paying attention. Millions of them around the world gathered to protest climate change last week, and millions gathered to protest mass shootings. I know plenty of people in the 40's and 50's who can't take their noses our of their cell phones or get off Twitter or Facebook. Your generalizations smack of "get out of my yard" fogeyism.
In other circumstances, some (but not all) of the alternative candidates (Republicans & Democrats) to Trumpster are not attractive to me. But, he, the Trumpster, is so disgraceful, I find any of the alternative aspirants preferable.
My concern includes the precedent breaking behaviors that Trumpster has demonstrated. He has set new lower standards for appealing to the lowest common denominator of voter and for POTUS statesmanlike behavior.
Will we as a culture restore decent values and standards or has the "bar" been permanently lowered, so disgraceful behavior will become the new normal?
10
Dear Mr. Trump,
I am your real accuser.
I am a citizen of the same country that elected you as its leader, though I have yet to come to the point where I can say that I am from "your" country. You have given all citizens new caution about once common turns of language and thought.
I have read much that concerns me about the way you have handled the opportunity that was handed to you by trusting citizens. Most recently I read the transcript of your call to Ukraine. If you have anything to add to explain away what you are up to there, best to come out with it quickly instead of blaming others for revealing what every American needs to know about you and your activity.
As it is, I am accusing you of squandering your opportunity to advance the principles of democracy and the rule law. I am accusing you of succumbing to your own insecurity in seeking help from a foreign leader. I am accusing you of using taxpayer (my) money to bolster your chance for re-election, something that you deserve less with each passing day.
Most of all I am accusing you of being ignorant, for being gullible, for falling for any hoax or conspiracy theory that will explain away the fluke that put you in office. I will never know whether it is true ignorance or just public relations dogma that prevents you from admitting what our country's intelligence agencies have taken for truth for three years now. Doesn't matter.
I am accusing you of being unfit for your position.
54
Trump can’t—I’m convinced: cannot—see how serving his own interests doesn’t promote the public good, generally. In his “reality,” what’s good for him is good for America.
It’s warped, to be sure, by not nearly as warped as the sycophantic indulgences and loyalty heaped on him by Rudy Giuliani and, it seems, William Barr.
Honestly, it boggles my mind.
I don’t know anything, but I know it’s very, very fishy when men lie and cheat on behalf of a man who’s own lying and cheating are common knowledge (indeed, legendary), often unnecessary, and very often patently ridiculous.
22
One can only hope that this will motivate folks to vote him out of office.
1
He is under investigation. He is not entitled to face his accuser anymore than a suspect in a sexual assault or robbery is.
Talk about a power imbalance...
The stuff that gets printed is incredible.
22
Shall we take Trump's statement as an agreement to meet with the dozens of women who have filed sexual assault or harrassment charges against him? Yes?
35
@winchestereast
Actually, nobody has filed any such charges against him.
Trump should not meet his whistle blower. He will intimidate him and get away with it. The whistle -blower is a hero and must be protected.
16
if impeachment is not enough, only civil war will put an end to this madness.
4
The felon in the White House has obviously never been in this situation before. Everything is falling apart and there's no Daddy to fish him out. He is incompent. This is how you go bankrupt six times - this is how, for the love of Mike, you bankrupt a gambling casino. Rotten judgement, over estimation of your own capability, arrogance and ignorance - now presented in one awful package. He's not getting out of this, bully how he may. Nobody loves him any more.
42
So bizarre that Trump always projects what should happen to him. He claimed Representative Adam B. Schiff should be arrested for treason for his description of a phone call, but its Trump who should be arrested for treason, and removed, without waiting for impeachment to be effected.
30
Trump is pretending he doesn't understand the difference between lying and paraphrasing. Maybe he really doesn't, because he himself has only proven capable of doing one of those.
16
Part of the entertainment value of watching Trump is the cluelessness he brings to every occasion. Not understanding that publicly identifying whistleblowers is not a good idea would be breathtaking in any other politician. Here it is just more of the same. Sadly, his followers are also so clueless means that this will not hurt him politically any more than shooting a few Democrats on Fifth Avenue. On the other hand, shooting Democrats would likely result in indictment (is prohibition of indicting a sitting president absolute), and making the Ukraine call will probably bring impeachment. Thus, there are some consequences.
8
Deserves got nothin to do with it.
4
So much for the U.S. being a bastion of democracy and respect/adherence to the rule of law - UNLESS we get this despicable fraud out of the White House, and his enablers are held to account.
18
It's bad enough that Trump solicited a foreign power to assist him by digging up some dirt on the Bidens, His subsequent unhinged, furious tweet rants after the fact may put him squarely in the cross-hairs of the 25th Amendment. If so, the impeachment process may just become nothing but a moot point. He seems determined to unwittingly self-destruct, one way or another.
20
I have tremendous respect for the whistle-blower who certainly knew, in the Trump administration, that his legal protection would have been in jeopardy. As a former Foreign Service Officer who, during the 1964 Congolese foreign hostage crisis, had close involvement both with the NSC and CIA, I find the whistle-blower's account both credible and highly professional.
Long before the whistle-blower law, I had occasion to risk my career to comply with my oath to serve the United States. I was writing a daily early morning Congo Situation Report that went, with no clearances, directly to the Secretary of State, the White House, and elsewhere.
One morning I saw a telegram from our ambassador in Nairobi recounting a meeting he had with Kenyan Foreign Minister Joseph Zuzarte Murumbi. Based on my personal knowledge and other reporting, I felt strongly that Ambassador Atwood was either naive or lying. I devoted my entire Sit Rep highlighting this. I was told that Secretary Rusk, reading this on the way to a Congressional hearing. 'hit the ceiling.' My boss fielded a sharp reaction from the 8th floor. He asked whether I stood behind my reporting, to which I replied 'yes.' He strongly backed me. Two days later my reporting was fully validated. Thanks initially to my boss, my career was not jeopardized. WHEN YOU TAKE AN OATH TO SERVE THE UNITED STATES, THAT IS WHAT YOU SHOULD DO. Again, kudos to this whistle-blower.
43
Fox News will always be remembered as the "Trump Network." Stooges, liars and traitors. Every dog has their day. Or as nana used to say, sum of a beaches.
18
@karen - You must watch a different FOX than I do. Shephard Smith has repeatedly debunked Hillary/Uranium along with debunking anything Biden/Ukraine. And did you see Chris Wallace just toss Steve Miller around like a cat playing with a toy?
And Rupert Murdoch, founder of FOX News was one of the first to publish the whistleblower story to begin with in his Wall Street Journal.
History will show that Pirro, Carlson, and Hannity are all Putin puppets but how people pass each other in the hallways there must be a sight.
1
Trump does deserve to know and confront his accuser.
Hopefully he will get the chance.... in a criminal court after he leaves office, and in a civil court where his tax records will reveal the full scope of his massive dishonesty and corruption.
14
“…Mr. Trump claimed that he deserved “to meet my accuser.”
Yes, he’s right, but not because Trump demands it. The blowhard will meet his accuser at trial in the Senate, with Chief Justice Roberts presiding.
10
Want to see your accuser Donald ?
Look in the mirror.
You did this to yourself.
30
At this point there is probably more discrepancies between the released “transcript” and the conversation that happened than with Schiff’s parody. How about releasing the full verbatim that’s been concealed by aides?!?
12
@Étienne Guérin No parody, a concise summary.
6
We must remember that Trump is a sociopath and a very bad man.
22
Oh no, another witch hunt...
4
Present and former WH officials, speak up NOW!
16
There are two kinds of citizens of this country: those who treat the president as if he were or could be a normal, functioning, even well-intended entity who is slightly or even more “off the right track” and needs to be nudged back on it (as if he ever were); and there are those of us who understand this president as beyond the scope of being viewed as an element in a moral universe, who is beyond awareness of what a moral universe might be, who operates independently of and beyond the realm of a moral universe, without regard for consequences to anyone beside himself or his immediate family (and if push came to shove, I doubt even his family would make the cut to secure a hold on the lifeboat).
Donald Trump is a science-fiction creature utterly devoid of morality, though as a shape-shifting entity, he is occasionally capable of simulating a regard for it. Don’t be fooled. He is alien to any previously known life-forms in the universe, and ultimately he is anathema to all of them, at least those with even passing recognitions of morality.
35
@Unpresidented
He reminds me of Big Boy Caprice played by Al Pacino in the movie Dick Tracy. He is a malevolent cartoon. Unreal. I am amazed anybody pays attention to him. He is sickly comical.
5
Trump has likely already met the whistleblower in many meetings, and just doesn't realize it's someone that close to him.
16
Is there an American cartoonist out there scrambling round for an idea for the day ?
Here's one :
Picture a president standing high on a rostrum (perhaps ,on second glance, it also doubles as a gallows), demanding of a vast crowd of spectators the identity of 'the whistleblower'. A person, in midst of the crowd, raises his/her hand and admits guilt
Countless others raise their's claiming, more vociferously, to be the actual 'whistleblower !'
Such a strategy, to deflect blame, has a name, but if a title is called for ,how about " "Trumped."
8
Mr. President. Everything your seriously accomplished father said about you as you grew up- your lack of focus, seriousness, discipline, respect - was true. It's why they shipped you off from home to military school. That's his voice still echoing in your head. And the fact is he was right and you alone have proven it. Elected to the presidency by a series of accidents, in a Putney Swope moment, you've failed once again.
17
Dangerous people should be jailed. Donald Trump should be locked up.
13
@Metrowest Mom
"Dangerous people should be jailed."
Umm, no, that's now how it works in a democracy. Only people convicted of crimes should be jailed.
He knows he won’t be given the identity, of course. His goal, as always, is to intimidate and scare away any others who may come forward in the coming days and weeks. A truly awful human being.
14
The only thing Mr. Trump “deserves” is an escort out of the White House. Just to make sure he leaves, not because he’s entitled to an escort.
15
Look around, Mr President. “The Whistleblower” is all around you. Multiple White House staffers went to an intelligence agent and told him what you’ve been up to and then the agent wrote up your misdeeds and sent them through the appropriate channels. You’re toast.
18
The only person Trump deserves to confront is
NY Attorney General Letitia James.
She’s waiting for you to come home Donald.
She’s waiting for your crooked family too.
18
The only "witch hunts" seem to be led by Trump with the aid of Giuliani and Barr.
14
We can take some solace in not having to stomach Sarah Huckabee. around to lie in our faces and tell everyone that when "this President" is attacked (she never added, "by the inconvenient truth") he fights back.
Personally, until last week, I thought it best to wait and use the ballot box and not to give Trump an opportunity to rub in our faces that the Republican Senate refused to convict and that was a Great Exoneration of any and all wrong-doing.
But to fail to investigate this abuse and allow more foreign intervention in our elections is to 'go low' and see Democrats fail in their oaths to office as we've seen the likes of Moscow Mitch and many Republicans do over and over and over. And no doubt, tomorrow and tomorrow.
16
Trump is trying to intimidate the whistleblower by demanding to know who he/she is and insisting that he be able to confront him/her. Trump is suggesting civil war if he is impeached. It is not an idle threat in my opinion. We must be brave. We must be strong. We must stand united against Trump and his followers. The times have found us indeed.
22
The whistle-blower is NOT the accuser.
Congress is, or will be, on behalf of the American people, based on information the whistle-blower, a federal employee doing his/her duty, provided them.
28
The more he talks the worse it gets. Although the whistle blower may elect to come forward, attempting to identify (and no doubt retaliate in some way) the person is a direct violation of the law.
10
Congressman Schiff: Please add to the articles of impeachment Trump using the powers of his office to violate the law that protects the identity of the whistle-blower.
The only good thing about this travesty is Trump's penchant for committing impeachable offenses in full view. I'm old enough to remember Watergate. Nioxn knew enough to try to keep his crimes secret.
11
The impeachment investigation must continue to its logical conclusion - trump is not fit to govern in any sense of the word. He must bee impeached and removed from office.
My biggest fear? If he doesn't get convicted and dragged out of office, trump will spend the rest of his tenure as president trying to ruin his perceived enemies. It will never end.
Someone please make it stop!!
10
No, he doesn't. Protecting the whistle blower from retaliation is part of the LAW. The LAW is what Trump has no regard for.
9
Trump's is attempting to subvert the intent of Congress which passed our Whistleblower law by wanting the identity of that person to be revealed.
Furthermore, Trump has publicly described this person as "almost a spy" who should be viewed in the context of being subject to capital punishment for "treason".
THAT should be included in an Article of Impeachment because Trump is publicly engaging in witness tampering and witness harassment even though Trump took an oath to see that our laws are faithfully executed.
9
We don’t need to know who Superman is.
We don’t need to know who Batman is.
We don’t need to know who The Whistle-Blower is.
22
Trump is just acting like he did with his personal business: if he wanted something from a contractor or vendor he’d just withhold payment until they “did him a favor.”
While this may work for building casinos and golf resorts, it’s unfortunately an issue when you’re POTUS.
7
@M.
Exactly. That’s why it’s stupid to elect a non-politician to the highest political office. Maybe there was some question about the wisdom of that before, but not at this point.
5
Except Trump as a businessman would not pay small businesses who contracted for him because he knew that they didn’t have deep enough pockets to sue him for non-payment. He was/is/will continue to be a mob-like businessman.
6
EVERYONE who heard Rep Schiff knew immediately that he was making an exaggerated allusion to "wiseguy" lingo from popular culture to highlight the inappropriateness of Trump's behavior with the Ukrainian president. There was NEVER any doubt it was anything else. Calling it treasonous just underscores how ill-equipped the current POTUS is for the most important job in the world.
11
The headline should be "Trump seeks leakers identity". Whistleblower, what a joke.
2
Your definition of leaker = Person who reports violations of the Constitution and who follows law-defined procedures when reporting those.
3
He does deserve to meet his accuser - in court.
4
Not really.
The person reporting the crime is irrelevant.
The only people necessary to appear in court are the investigators who uncover the facts.
The traitor here is TRUMP, plain and simple. In the REAL universe (NOT Trumpworld), no one could have anywhere near that much smoke surrounding him without a blazing 5 alarm fire burning bright.
If our NATIONAL DISGRACE is such a choir boy, make him prove it beyond a doubt. Force him to turn over all of his financial records, just like he said he would, and all of his hidden phone conversations. Compared to anything that Hillary did (and she made some mistakes for sure), this is a thousand times worse at least.
We MUST protect all vetted sources of information about this rogue president, this criminal in OUR White House. That is exactly why we have a whistle-blower law and Trump cannot circumvent that, nor can his stooge Barr.
7
Obviously, Donald Trump has never heard the expression, when you're in a hole, stop digging. Be careful what you wish for, Mr. President, an impeachment hearing and subpoenas are like boxes of chocolates...ya never know what you're gonna get. Maybe Donald thinks he can bring the whistleblower into a Oval Office edition of the Apprentice and tell him he's fired.
5
In the act of revealing facts not in question, one becomes the "accuser"? Outstanding. But that's your president's abysmal diction.
4
The whistleblower's identity should be protected. The person did not claim first hand knowledge and all teh things s/he wrote can be separately checked. The whistleblower has given a summary of information which the committees are now looking into. No impeachment will be based on the whistleblower complaint - it is just a (very persuasive) summary of things that can each be evaluated and investigated and described by people who do have first hand knowledge.
The President's statements about discovering the identity are in themselves intimidation. He should not be trying to suppress information and evidence.
5
@L osservatore
The change of rules at CIA to ALLOW hearsay complaints probably came AFTER this report was discussed on Capitol Hill.
I don’t think that you understand the word “coup.”
Investigating and prosecuting someone for wrongdoing is legal.
Tossing around inflammatory words like “coup” and “traitor” is irresponsible.
And I’ll remind you that removing a president for wrongdoing is not unprecedented.
Nixon resigned because he was about to be kicked out, and all that saved him from going to jail was a bought-and-paid-for pardon from Gerald Ford.
What are “anti-Trump organizations”?
Reporting Trump’s own words and deeds hangs him.
1
Protect the whistleblower at all costs.
20
What?....a man yelling "treason.....implying disloyalty, dishonor, turning your back...Stormy Daniels' "friend." The never ending circus. Politics=Treason of our nation.
2
I just pray that in 15 - 20 years time youngsters will find photos of their parents and grand parents fully decked in all that creepy maga paraphernalia, screaming at Trump rallies, and will ask these people: #what.where.you.thinking?
16
Oh, you mean those rallies where they yell "lock her up", "send her back", mocking and intimidating members of the press on location, physically attacking protesters, insulting anybody who has a different opinion than their dear leader?
That has more in common with a fascist cult movement a la 3rd Reich than one based on the values and constitution of this country. I'm German, I will call out fascism when I see it.
4
@Sam
The violence during Trump rallies in '16 was all set up by a Democratic Congresswoman's husband. Jan Schakowsky lives in Evanston, Illinois with her husband Robert Creamer, pronounced ''Kramer'' I understand.
He had had dozens of visits with Pres. Obama in 2015 and '16 as recorded on WH visitor logs.
The sign-holders were paid $50 or so and the guys willing to fight and get arrested earned $1500, reportedly.
2
@CitizenTM You should go see one of these rallys when you get the chance. They are warm, gratifying experiences that will thrill you about your country.
3
Richard Nixon had the good sense to resign the presidency when he knew his guilt was irrefutable. But he had the fortune of losing his VP, Spiro Agnew-- a very corrupt politician who was convicted later-- before Watergate was going full-steam, so Gerald Ford waited in the wings. Today, Mike Pence is waiting in the wings but probably should be charged with not reporting Trump's aberrant, illegal behavior and for acting as a fixer himself (like Guiliani and Barr) pursuing Trump's shakedown agenda. By the time Pence realizes that Trump will also thrown him under the bus, he should agree to testify and maybe save himself from going down the drain with Trump.
10
Trump's latest nonsense...accusing Schiff of treason, demanding to see the whistleblower who is protected by law, saying people who work for him knew of it all when they didn't (possibly), a;; sound like we are now entering into highly dangerous territory where the authoritarian side of him will be out in full force. He's a dangerous man who is getting more dangerous by the day. Can't wait for when he has to face impeachment and answer questions...scary stuff.
8
Now this monstrous President is luring our PM Scott Morrison into his morass. I am on the left; Scott is on the right but he is a nice man who would never dream of cutting our Universal health coverage. Just yesterday he expanded massively our PBS program which provides massive assistance for seriously ill people. He has cut prices for medications substantially.
Please Don; do not lure Scott into your disgraceful mess. Donald is using the massive leverage of the mighty USA to benefit his own campaign.
12
Sorry, mate.
1
@bob. If this wasn't so sad it would be funny. We don't believe a word this man says.
4
@Bob Guthrie "any port in a storm". Hopefully, your PM is bright enough to politely decline any proposal from our unfortunate president.
3
If the so-called president has ordered any of his staff to out the Whistle Blower, he's ordered them to break the law. They can, and should be prosecuted.
12
The White House released an abridged memo of Trump's phone call with Zelensky hoping it could get ahead of the story. It completely failed and now they're trying to distract from their own relwase.
We need to subpoena the complete transcript or recording of the 30 minute phone call. You can bet much more damning things were said than what was released by the president.
8
He has met his accuser. Her name is Nancy. Or better still he should look in the mirror, or read his own words.
5
Well don, you threatened the whistleblower with treatment as a spy, including execution. The USA is not The Mob, and we don’t tolerate your brand of thuggery. So you’re just gonna have to deal with the fact that an unknown patriot pulled back the curtain on your pathetic game.
14
I’m worried that when the whistleblower testifies that the republicans will out him to Trump and I think that will be very dangerous for this upstanding person.
13
Nancy Pelosi has finally said what has been obvious from the first time Trump opened his mouth or used his tweet-rage: he is always "projecting" his own failures, guilt or crimes.
When he says Schiff is guilty of treason, he is in fact projecting that HE is the one guilty of treason. It's quite telling, actually: every time he points the finger at someone else it really is always just pointing back at him.
7
Trump « deserves » to be taken out of the White House in handcuffs, and he doesn’t « deserve » anything else, other than that.
18
Article I, Section 6:
They shall in all Cases, except Treason, Felony and Breach of the Peace, be privileged from Arrest during their Attendance at the Session of their respective Houses, and in going to and returning from the same; and for any Speech or Debate in either House, they shall not be questioned in any other Place.
Except in Trump's fevered mind none of the exceptions hold.
5
Isn’t Trump technically the whistleblower, as its his own confessed incriminating evidence that is the basis for his impeachment. Its not hearsay, or circumstantial evidence, its his voice, confessed.
7
2500 comments. If only trump supporters could read, and if only republicans would.
16
I remember all to well the Nixon Impeachment proceedings, which, along with the '68 Chicago Democratic National Conversation, in my opinion constitute the two darkest political episodes of my lifetime. However, 1. Nixon was a crook and a terrible President but not a traitor. 2. Chicago has given us nothing but failed hopes (yes, including Obama) but nothing rising to the level of treason. Now, however, it appears that 3. New York City has given us two people, one a life long miscreant and criminal and one a former Mayor, both of whom appear to have crossed that line. To actively and knowingly attempt to undermine the very basis of our democracy is treasonous and unforgivable. Now the Republican Party must decide if they prefer power above democracy ( I have a guess) and the American people then must decide in 2020 whether they agree with the determination at which they arrive.
5
The statute which provides for whistle blowers requires that the government protect their anonymity. Typically, Trump does not see this as a law which applies to him because it does not literally say "the president" . But more importantly, it he fails to see that the whistle blower isn't really his "accuser". The accuser in this case is a transcript that he released himself and apparently people who work in his WH, who told the whistle blower what they know. You know, the people whom he called "spies" or "traitors" and threatened with execution.
6
So we have a president under investigation for abuse of power abusing his power in order to defend himself? Trump knows no limits! And just look at his supporters living in denial. What a farce!
9
I don't recall him wanting to meet with any of the dozen or so women who accused him of wrong
17
No, Mr. Trump, you do not deserve to meet the whistleblower. If you had not tried to hide the evidence and then lie about it there would not need to be a whistleblower. That's why the laws are to protect people who, unlike you, tell the truth and stand up to protect the United States of America. You would be well served to tell your wife to start packing the household goods for a move back to New York.
7
Trump asked Australia for help to investigate origin of Mueller probe. This President is off his rocker. He should be in an institution.
12
Sounds like Trump pressured Australia to implicate themselves in Trump’s delusional deep state conspiracy. Oy vey!
1
I like to volunteer to go, “Yeah, it was me. I was the whistleblower.” Then Trump and his army of proud boys can string me up. I’m sick to death of this stupid soap opera.
Sad a 73-year old man is irresponsible like a small child and most of us are wishing for better days.
8
Time for Billy Joel to make "We didn't start the fire." Part deux. 🎶
3
This Russian placed leader doesn’t understand we don’t use taxpayers hard earned dollars to find dirt on an opponent no matter how he explains it. Selling America Cheaply should be his motto because the other one never made it out the door. His lack of morality, ethics, knowledge shows he always was and always will be a thug.
13
I was disappointed that Schiff parodied Trump’s phone call to Zelensky but at least at this point bad taste is not a crime.
403
@Peter Silverman
I believe the phrase you're looking for is "consise summary".
150
@Peter Silverman It was more of a summary or paraphrasing than a parody, and Schiff explicitly noted that he was not reading from the exact transcript.
174
@Peter Silverman. Schiff did not parody Trump- the incoherency, incomplete sentences is how Trump actually speaks. Did you not notice?
208
Welcome to THE CAINE MUTINY with D.J. Trump playing the role of Captain Queeg.
Since Trump took the reins of presidential power, many journalists, pundits, politicians and average citizens have speculated on how the Unbalanced President might react to either the case of serious moves being made toward his impeachment or his attempt at reelection to a second four-year term failing. Frequently these seemingly serious predictions are alarmingly extreme.
What we are witnessing in Trump’s attack on Adam Schiff’s “treasonous behavior” is predictable and completely in line with the president’s deteriorating rationality and growing paranoia.
As the walls close in on Trump, wild rants, unfounded accusations and extreme diversions from factual reality are quite likely. President Trump doesn’t do well at all when it comes to accepting the reality of defeat.
Mr. Trump’s public behavior is likely to become hysterical and irrational in the extreme as we move forward.
19
With this, Trump has undoubtedly proven to simple minds that he is innocent.
5
Robert Mueller gave a master class on how Democrats leading the impeachment should comport themselves: Heads down. Rise above the fray. No leaking. Go where the facts lead. Commit.
12
Trump has no desire to meet the whistleblower. Confronting his accuser is not the same as speaking to the whistleblower.
Trump knows he is guilty. He had admitted it.
What Trump wants to know is who and how many within his realm were rabidly tearing open rolls of dimes to make phone calls, while the other members of his staff were quickly hiding the notes on the classified server.
There is nothing to cross examine anyone about; unless Trump were to admit there is a fact issue about his lack of mental clarity, dementia and the like which would obviate the scienter necessary to prove a crime.
7
It is quite apparent at this moment that Kurt Volker is either whistle blower or organised leakage and let anonymous comrade in arms to name him in his report.
1
Don't shoot the messenger... It's time Trump looks in the mirror..
3
@Eddy
He has no reflection
8
I think my head is going to explode. Schiff made a dramatization out of a SUMMARY......A SUMMARY, NOT THE ACTUAL TRANSCRIPT that this corrupt, criminal WH released.
Just like Bill Barr when he “summarized” the Mueller report??
#Game of Thrones wasn’t real either.
4
What Mr. Trump deserves is a cage and a diet rich in peanut butter. Dig, Mr. Schiff, until your fingers bleed.
10
Don please give it up. There on to you. Save yourself and your family and resign. Listen to me, Don, your house is about to come crashing in on you.
5
The only thing that the Con-Artist-in-Chief "deserves" is jail time, along with his daughter and Kushner.
This is a family of grifters that are trying to operate on a global scale of intimidating other governments and their leaders to get him re-elected and to pad their very questionable financial resources.
If he isn't found guilty and forced to resign the US will never ever be respected again as a democracy. And all of this continues to allow China to rise and Russia to continue meddling in other countries elections.
Meanwhile...climate crisis...income inequality...unfettered capitalism as practiced by Wall Street and hedge funders...our infrastructure...racism...anti-semitism...the list goes on and on...will continue to wreak havoc not only in America but across the planet.
9
I think # 45 needs a lesson on what is considered a treasonous offense. Is he making up in his own head what the whistle blower said? Must be treason!
4
Is mob boss Trump now seeking to “wack the rat”? A public display of the “omertà” code that even the most criminal Mafioso would keep under wraps, and a sure sign that he’s out of control. Now, what, Republicans?
7
JHC, how could he not know who the whistleblower is? He works in the CIA and was detailed to the WH. Duh. It's one of them. How many could there be?
Laughing real hard if the whistleblower is so good that #Individual1 cannot figure this out.
1
The American people deserve to face our chief crimina, so I'll trade you 20 years of taxes for the name of one whistle blower.
2
The whistleblower merely has put together the evidence into a coherent narrative. S/he is no more Trump's "accuser" than is the medical examiner who makes a finding of homicide on autopsy.
Trump's accuser will be the House of Representatives, as it presents the articles of impeachment.
Dear Donald ... stupid to the end.
5
America can trust Trump about as much as Melania can, and Stormy and Karen. Evangelicals are you taking notice or is the power of un Christlike, un Samaritan-like bigotry too enticing for you?
9
When a certain Nazi and Wehrmacht Elite - kind of the second tier - realized somewhere between late '43 and early '45 that their number was up, that the Nazi Machine was going down in flames they only had two choices: trying for assassination (a few tried - Stauffenberg plot) and most likely be discovered and executed for treason or going down with the burning evil machine that they served and enabled and hope that somehow they might survive the wrath of the inevitable victors and the punishment they deserved.
That is your GOP senate right now.
5
May I suggest a letter to the White House, under Mr. Schiff's signature, pointing out that mere attempts by that branch of government to discover the identity of this legally protected whistle-blower constitute criminal infractions that will find themselves as the basis of yet another article of impeachment? That may serve to also notify staff members involved that they will not be protected by the orders of their boss.
14
Trump's attempts to out the whistle-blower constitutes attempted intimidation, and should be added to the list of high crimes and misdemeanors listed in the impeachment.
The Congress should make every possible effort to protect the identity of the whistle-blower, to protect him or her from retaliation.
The facts speak for themselves. Identifying the whistle-blower adds no value.
9
Trump Admin contacts with Ukrainian officials to get dirt on Biden was bad enough. Personally asking for the dirt as a favor was worse. Holding up the aid that Congress approved hostage until the dirt was provided is just criminal. Former Senator Howard Baker famously asked during the Watergate hearings: "What did the President know and when did he know it? " In this case Schiff will ask "what did the President do and when did he do it?". It is critical to getting at the truth( if that is even possible with distractions, obfuscatory responses by involved key officials, and hedging we have seen so far). So, Schiff's prosecutorial expertise is a critical piece of the process going forward when the committee begins taking testimony. Schiff will drill down on the timeline, the people involved, who they were taking direction from, ( directly or indirectly), and if their jobs were threatened if they didn't comply.
4
If, as reported here, Mr. Trump or anyone else in the Trump administration is seeking to "uncover" the identity of the whistleblower this constitutes another intenal breach of his oath of office.
Mr. Trump should be facing the serious credible accusations he abused his Constitutional authority as President in extorting foreign intereference in the 2020 election from Ukrainian President Zelenskyy.
The legal concept of "facing the accuser" is applicable in criminal proceedings which the recently announced Congressiional Impeachment investigations are not. The equitable concept is satisfied by permitting the accused to examine the EVIDENCE supporting the charges lodged against him or her.
In this particular instance, the prima facie evidence of Mr. Trump's alleged violation of federal campaign finance law IS NOT the whistleblower or his complaint but the transcript of his telephone call with Ukrainian President Zelenskyy so Mr. Trump has already 'faced" his accuser; his own words.
5
Two questions:
1) Why only ONE whistle blower?
2) How can anyone stand by this man?
The President, the Justice Department, and the State Department, all knew, and didn't say anything, and didn't do anything about it. This is frightening. Truly frightening.
7
Right, only they did do something: They tried to cover it up.
5
We don’t know for sure that it really is just one whistleblower.
1
Trump should NOT meet the whistleblower his threatening talk. We don't want him inferring or saying anything menacing about this process to his supporters either.
All Trump needs to do is read the whistleblower's report.
It's all there and in the discussions that will follow.
1
The President's attention is directed to Article 1 Section 6 of the Constitution, which illustrates that his statement that Rep. Schiff should be arrested for “treason” is itself another violation of that Constitution that he is sworn to protect.
6
@Horacio
No, champ. Read it again. Article 1, Section 6 says that Senators & Representatives are immune from arrest EXCEPT in cases of treason. And even if it were otherwise, the First Amendment still applies .
Instead of serving the people and defending the constitution, Trump expects the people to serve him and is happy to ignore or abuse the constitution. It's time to right this wrong.
7
The person sitting in the White House has never read our constitution or any other basic information on our government. He would not be capable of understanding any of those documents. All he hears and can comprehend that are catch phrases related to him.
6
Should Trump's complaint about Schiff be true then
Schiff is merely turning the tables on Trump!
Evidently Trump can dish it out but can't take it.
3
This is, very simply, witness tampering. It appears all of Trump's heros are mob bosses. If only he had not mismanaged his casino businesses so disastrously, he might have become one. He definitely has the innuendo down.
3
Trump will face his accuser at his trial. One of his trials.
3
Trump demanding to meet the whistleblower is the picture of intimidation.
The entire whistleblower process is designed to prevent just this thing.
Another glaring example of the complete disregard for law that Trump has. We can be certain that this gambit will be parroted by GOP toadies as part of a "due process" narrative.
5
In the movie the godfather, Don Coreone also wanted to meet with those who were a threat to make them an offer they could not refuse.
How is Trump's behaviour and difference from a mafia boss?
6
I would hate to think trump wants to confront the whistleblower to make an identification for any reason other than to set him up for an assassination, but that’s what it looks like.
4
Trump gets more bold by the day. Accusing Schiff of treason? That demonstrates how frightened and desperate Trump has become. Is this "it"? I doubt it. Guiliani will fall on his sword and take the brunt of it.
Congress and the American people who still have a working brain need to demand Trump's resignation now.
3
i like a man who is not afraid to fight for what he believes in and I'm all for Ukraine investigating a US public servant if our own judicial system won't do it
And ya gotta live a guy who’s just trying to investigate the depth of the deep state. All of the world’s western democracies have been secretly working with our intelligence agencies to hurt this poor beleaguered administration. Except Putin and MbS. According to Trump, those guys are the bees knees. And Kim Jong Um? They’re in love!!
3
@Greg Jones
So what country should we contact to investigate Trump, his family and crew?
3
@Greg,
You’re way out in left field.
The US Justice Dept. works for Trump. They’re fully capable of investigating whatever Trump tells them to, without foreign “assistance.”
But there is nothing on the Bidens anyway. This was just Trump’s attempt to muddy the waters by impugning a political rival by seeking an unlawful collusion with a foreign government.
Why doesn't the news media just ignore Trump and his Tweeter. Then, maybe he'll just go away.
1
Thanks, whistleblower. No, Trump does not need to know who you are. You were and are ethically correct. Hey, Benghazi Republicans, accept your responsibility now.
5
Maybe what infuriates Trump is Adam Schiff's calm demeanor and professionalism. He refuses to get down in the gutter.
5
Let's just add "witness intimidation" to the growing impeachment list.
8
Dear Mr. Trump:
You have always been a loud-mouthed, incompetent weakling, and now you are officially a paper tiger.
The only ones still intimidated by your bleating are GOP pols.
And that won't last much longer.
6
Paul Manafort deserves company, Donald Trump deserves prison.
4
Hey Trump - you're the "King of the Deal", the master of "The Art of the Deal".
I'll make you a deal -- here we go:
You get the identity of the "whistleblower".
Two days after you release the last 40 years of your federal and state tax returns, for yourself personally and the Trump Organization. And the full transcripts and recordings of your calls with foreign leaders, including those translator's notes from your meetings with Putin. And we'll need full access and testimony from the White House staffers, no more bogus 'executive privilege' claims.
Since you have done nothing wrong, and are "completely exonerated" none of this will cause you any problems, will it? And in return, for telling the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, under oath, we'll tell you the name of the "whistleblower".
Because we're sure you are innocent, and you're willing to prove it, right? I won't hold my breath waiting for it, though.
5
To truly protect any whistleblowers and their sources, the investigating committees interviewing them must question them without seeing them. Otherwise the likelihood their identities will be leaked is almost certain.
The current whistleblower's attorneys should bring in three people whose identities are concealed in order to make more certain the specific whistleblower can not be identified.
10
Excuse me Mr President- but YOU are the "whistleblower"! The telephone summary that you gladly gave us gives us everything we need to impeach you. Better watch out though- threatening death to honorable citizens for doing their duty may seem a bit like obstruction of justice...or worse.
39
Trump wants to meet the whistle blower.
Schiff is guilty of treason.
Compared to what gushes out of Trump's mouth 'grasping at straws' would be an upgrade. He really thinks that 'president' means 'ultimate ruler'.
Do we need more evidence? Maybe a few repubs will meet with Trump and tell I'm he's done.
Perhaps not, so the 25th amendment becomes necessary.
November 2020 is too far in the future, and we cannot ignore the possibility of the coward in chief creating a war with Iran for the goal of being re elected. Re election is important so he will be immune from all the fed, state, local charges awaiting him. FACT: No incumbent president has failed to be re elected during a war.
He couldn't care less about our country.
17
Note how Trump loves to talk about himself in the third person, as "the President", and "the President of the United States"—
Especially when trying to elicit pity, or engaging in self-pity.
19
And that's called witness intimidation and witness tampering....
34
Trump should, indeed, get what he deserves: a quick impeachment and an escort out of the WH.
Following that, the New York AG can also give him what he deserves, a stretch in the Big House.
27
Any possibility of getting a court order protecting the whistleblower from White House investigation or other efforts to identify him? Or does the unique authrity of the IGIC regime prevent that?
4
Trump only needs to look in the mirror. He admitted in his phone summary what the WP accused him of. And the White House admitted they squirreled the thing away in a super secure location where people couldn't access it.
No need to meet any accuser when you yourself proclaim your guilt.
8
What is the whistleblower going to wear?
Does he have a stylist?
Who is doing hair and make-up?
I think an off the rack single-breasted blue suit is the way to go. No pocket square. And please stay away from a red or blue tie. This is all about being neutral!
A custom handmade suit wouldn't look right. John Kerry has a great tailor but that wouldn't be right for this occasion.
You have to dress almost as if you're going to a funeral. Nothing flashy. It's all about composure. You don't want the whistleblower's clothes to speak for him. Do you know what I mean?
This is so much fun.
Let's really embrace it and enjoy it. These impeachment inquiries don't come around all the time. They're sort of like total solar eclipses. So exciting. The times we live in.
3
You want to confront your accuser?
Sure. That's what trials are for.
You can't be tried in office?
Gee-shucky-darn. Then you'll just have to wait till you can be tried, won't you. "Sir."
13
the only thing the so-called president deserves is to go to jail. Do not pass "go". Just lock him up. Please
14
If there are any traitors involved in this, they're neither Adam Schiff nor the whistle-blower.
9
Trump sure sounds innocent with his crazy accusations and his burning desire to threaten the whistle blower! Dude, if you did nothing wrong, why are you flailing around and fighting so much? Don't you beleive in the anonymous whistle blower system? Who do you think you're fooling? At least Clinton stayed cool as a cucumber and just denied the allegations. Trump's acting like a guy who really, really wants to be impeached.
9
This is why again it was reckless for the NYT to publish any info on the whistleblower. That info narrows the field, while also allowing this admin's projections, attacks and attempts at creating counter-narrative to gain traction. Worse, it likely inhibits others to speak as well. We need new journalistic conventions and ethics for dealing w this admin.
4
The whistleblower is not the issue. Trump's actions can stand for themselves. If he did and said what he was accused of, he should be held accountable. The identity of the whistleblower is irrelevant.
7
To all folks asking for the invocation of the 25th amendment, no. It would let Trump off the hook for the crimes he has committed. I know it is very likely Republicans in the Senate will not convict, but at least we will have done the right thing.
4
It is incredible that Trump thinks he has the right to bend or change laws "per his needs" as he stumbles along.
- Laws which have been established and lived by long before he became president.
- Laws written by generations of experienced lawmakers who had vision to include instruments in the legislation to protect democracy and freedom.
Trump's demands grow more wacky the more rage he builds up.
This fight is about preservation of democracy as perceived by the hole World, not by Trump! America has been the Vanguard of and example for Democracy a long long time.
How could it be possible that one fraction of a generation of lawmakers should or be allowed to bring down American Democratic principles and governing? No!
4
People wanted to elect a businessman as President, they did, and now we see the results.
Trump has had 30 years figuring out how to bend and push the limits of real estate and financial regulations to get what he wants.
Unfortunately for him, he's finding out regulations such as the Constitution do apply to the president and the consequences are more dire.
He won't get jail time, but the Trump brand will be forever tarnished for him and his family.
10
Look, if I wanted to see a temper tantrum about perceived slights on the daily I would go back into senior care.
If I wanted to see an overblown ego pretend he's right despite all evidence to the contrary I'd pursue a career as a high school teacher.
When did Congress become a high school cafeteria? When did the cast of Mean Girls become more reasonable than our legislators?
1
We have seen this before - Obstruction of justice. Hopefully this time he is not allowed to get away with it. He is again using this tactic only to intimidate the citizen and block him from testifying and create fear on any other person that knows about this unlawful actions and stop them from coming out with the truth. The Whistle-blower did his duty, and the right thing when he denounced the unpatriotic and unlawful actions committed by a public representative, in this case 'just' the President of the United States of America.
4
Trump is enabled. Trump is not "Trump" without the Republican party. The silence of Republicans is just deafening as the loudmouth himself. If the DNC was hacked do you not think that the RNC wasn't hacked also given the multiple points of contact throughout the party and its donor network?
4
If i was a malign actor wishing to mess up the USA, I'd be thinking the target looks pretty weak at the moment.
I wonder if the Republicans have though through how their pandering (appeasing) the very stable genius endangers us all. Maybe they are now laying awake all night like the rest of us have for the last three years.
3
Only persons accused of small crimes like robbery and murder can require that their accuser be revealed. Asking someone for help and clarification is a much larger crime.
Trump "deserves" nothing outside of the letter of the law. The whistleblower brought something to light that his own White House confirmed, and that Intelligence professionals he appointed said was problematic. The whistleblower's role--surfacing a problem--is over. Trump just can't get over that someone would DARE expose his behavior and/or puncture his delusion that he's actually any good at acting like a normal human being (let alone a president).
At this point, he doesn't even deserve respect or deference.
8
Twitter needs to shut down Trump’s account immediately. His statements there are dangerous.
11
I agree. But the CEO would be brought before a hostile Senate committee within 24 hours and the Justice Department would be drafting charges for violating who knows what, Republicans play good victims.
2
Now more than ever is the time to stick only to the facts. Adam Schiff and Donald Trump have already personalized this impeachment inquiry too much by snipping back and forth with each other.
Advice to Adam Schiff, stick only to the facts and don’t get into the play pen with Donald Trump. It’s quite obvious that Donald Trump has no real defense right now other than bullying the American people. When Donald Trump bullies the whistleblower and the legal process, he obviously is disrespecting the intellect of the American people.
Eventually, we, as the American people have to acknowledge that Trump does not lift us up to greatness but tries to undermine our dignity, moral compass, and code of honor by his actions, unrelenting tweeting, and lack of accountability.
The American people deserve better from their President. Let the truth and facts speak for themselves. Let there be light at the end of this joyless revelation.
3
Do we need any further evidence that this President is acting out of corrupt intent? Republicans, are you listening? These threats are indefensible.
8
When tRump releases his tax returns and returns all the money he has stolen from the taxpayers, then he should be able to face his accuser.
The whole point of having a whistleblower process is to protect the safety of the source. Unlike tRump who every day puts his selfish interests ahead of the nations, we still have government employees who are sworn to uphold the Constitution and are willing to put their own lives on the line, unlike bone spur Donnie.
His lies are believed by enough gun owners to put this person's life a risk.
Without a backbone the Republicans are not likely to vote articles of impeachment, this will not stop the landslide win the Democrats must have to sweep the trash out of the WH and disinfect our institutions.
Voting is a privilege not enjoyed by all, and sitting this one out is not an option.
3
WSJ breaking now: Pompeo among other officials on the President’s call with Ukraine’s President. This is explosive.
13
I hope the whistleblower stands up to Donnie and says 'NO' to meeting with him. Donnie probably has a pistol in his pocket, and I wouldn't put anything past him.
2
I thought Schiff's speech was great. It showed a lot of imagination and creativity. Yes, it could have been funnier. I think he needs to work on his delivery. I don't know why everyone is getting so upset? He's not a professional comic. Give the guy a break. This is a House Intelligence Committee hearing not the Comedy Store.
Can't everybody play nice?
This reminds me of the Clinton Era. If only I were that young again. Nostalgia! I love it.
You can't even do the Clinton skit anymore in the White House with the PC Police, sexual harassment, and The Me Too movement running around. It just doesn't play the way it once did.
All is fine. Business as usual.
3
You can face your accuser at your criminal trial.
21
UTTER disregard for the law. No wonder he's constantly trampling the Constitution and a multitude of other laws.
Most corrupt, lying, incompetent President ever.
Impeach!
20
He wants the name for one purpose only: to rail against the person on Twitter. much like the russia investigation, he wants a chance to sway public opinion in the public spheren. And not just about the issues but more importantly (for Dump), to sway opinion on the character of this witness. Being left in the dark is his worst case scenario because it doesn't allow him to scratch that insatiable itch.
4
Adam Schiff is having a meltdown. He is so filled with hatred, his questioning and reiterating a Presidential dialog would be comical if it were not pathetic. He has reached the maniacal phase with grandstand pronouncements that have become sickening theater. More sadly, his incoherence unravels in front of cameras without consequence. California politicians are an embarrassment.
3
Congratulations on typing 57 words without once addressing the matter at hand, which is Trump's improper quest to expose the whistleblower.
11
@Dubious
Now that the House is scheduled to hear his testimony, Trump's actions have become witness tampering and intimidation - both crimes.
4
What a dangerous man trump is, was a real estate developer previously.
But now this man is the President and is threatning all kind of inuendos.
Please Mr. Schiff, do keep the whistle blower`s identity a secret, it is that important for his or her safety !
27
what scares me most about trump when he talks like this "tyrany" "spy" "treason" is that among his fan base are those who have no problem using violence to defend him.
30
Trump supporters and those on the political right are already responsible for thousands of acts of violence and ideologically motivated terrorism since this fraudulent president took office.
3
He wants to arrest his political opponents....?
Horrifying. Its like a bad joke and a nightmare scenario on runaway.
25
From Ukraine and now to Australia.
And Trump’s lackey, William Barr is once again, involved.
Now, when do we hear what Trump and Putin talked about in Helsinki?
26
@Opinioned!
NPR is reporting that Trump either took notes away from translators or demanded that no notes be taken.
Doesn't that just smell of nefarious deeds? The Godfather is sitting in the WH.
5
So Trump "deserves" to know the identity of the whistleblower. Could one of the knuckleheads in his entourage tell him that it doesn't work that way?
24
Isn’t this witness intimidation? Keep digging your grave deeper, Mr. Trump.
31
The resolution of the matter does not depend on the identity of the whistleblower, but on the demonstrable veracity of his/her complaint.
19
@Holli jackson
That has already been established.
2
The protection of the whistleblower is of paramount importance. This man should not be able to lay his hands on and abuse that person. The presidency of the greatest democracy, related to matters of national security, foreign diplomacy, etc., etc., is not conducted by tweets. If anybody could tweet his way out of any charges levied against him, there would be no need for a justice system.
9
If the Democrats are going to vote on impeachment, it now needs to be done with all deliberate speed. Defendants in America have a Constitutional right to a speedy trial. Democrats need to demonstrate the courage of their convictions and vote quickly,
otherwise it will be seen as unfair to Trump and unfair to the country.
3
@David
Congress is not a criminal court.
Trump claims everything he doesn't like is unfair and his moron followers believe him. The House should and will take it's time to make sure they are successful in impeaching this monster.
3
It is ironic that the Democrats would like to have one single simple charge that they could go with to keep it easy to understand. However, every time they pull on one of these threads, the item expands into a morass of illegal activities that requires extensive charts and graphs just to keep up with the timeline, events, and actors. There is no way the ordinary citizen can keep up with the vast amount of wrong doing.
10
Well, some media outlets have proposed that the public has a right to know who the whistle-blower is in order for the public to be judge and jury of this situation as in all things these days.
@ck
To release the identity of the whistle-blower is to put his life in danger.
Trump encouraged antagonism towards the Squad and they received multiple death threats. It will happen to this person as well if his identity is made public.
4
@nora m That was exactly my point.
There is something odd about calling the phone call "perfect ."
Perfect for what effect.
I suspect the President thought he had skillfully got his threat across without literally stating the conditions for the favor.
Perfect? Odd.
13
His vocabulary has taken a sharp contraction, and now comes word substitution. Call it odd, but call it a symptom.
4
Trump just wants to know the whistleblower’s identity so he can attack that person’s character and reputation while also putting that personal in personal danger. All distractions. Don’t think it’s working this time.
13
I wonder if anyone has tried to brief Donald on the whistle-blower act and why this person is entitled to protection. Maybe there is absolutely no one left in his inner circle that would even try anymore. If they have explained it to him and he keeps repeating this behavior, then he's just hopeless and needs to go. He's just determined to keep demonstrating that the law means nothing to him.
9
Normally the whistleblower act would even not apply to this person because he lacks first-hand knowledge of the cause for his complaint, but the CIA removed the requirement for first/hand knowledge just before the complaint was filed in August. Coincidence? It’s known that he is CIA. For some reason the multiple US officials he represents didn’t want to file the complaint themselves. Why not? What brought them together on this issue? What was the context? It didn’t happen out of the blue. There was obviously some strategy involved. For what purpose? Are they supposedly true blue patriots or was there some other motive for their spying on the President during a sensitive phone call where both parties expected confidentiality? Was the conversation bugged? The CIA is good at that. One wonders why they would even need a whistleblower. What was Adam Schiff’s role? Did he coordinate it? Supposedly he was just sitting in his office and suddenly he gets wind of the complaint out of nowhere. Not very likely. These questions and many others need to be asked and answered.
So many questions, yet your curiosity does not extend to the motives of Trump's team to cover up his abuse of power.
10
@Edward. Diversion will not help trump get out of this one. Everything you mentioned is irrelevant as the “memo” of the phone call, trump himself and Giuliani ALL corroborate the contents of the whistleblowers complaint.
Why aren’t you focused on the fact that trump tried to strongarm a foreign official to help get himself re-elected? It’s like you’re claiming “the whistleblower used a pen with red ink so it doesn’t count”. Trump is a criminal!
8
The idea that only a person with first-hand knowledge of wrongdoing may blow the whistle, ridiculous on its face, is nowhere to be found in the law.
5
Threatening the whistleblower (a violation of Whistleblower act in itself), bullying the congressional committees with arrest and treason threats, ravings of violence and civil war etc. will all accumulate towards another Article of Impeachment against him for obstruction of lawful committees’ oversight efforts. Let Trump be Trump and the impeachment case becomes stronger and stronger.
13
Yes, the whistle blower is a "spy." He's spying for the United States. If he were spying for Russia, Trump would not object.
21
Isn’t there something called the Intelligence Whistleblower Protection Act that keeps the identity of the complainant confidential?
The guess trump truly believes he’s above the law.
7
The President has statutory authority to declassify anything. Depending on how the statue is written, Trump may know by the end of the day who the whistleblower is. If that happens the acting DNI and IGIC should resign in protest as well as Gina Haspel, the CIA director.
2
Mr. Trump: Please release a verbatim transcript of your "perfect" call so we, the public, can see if we agree if it is "perfect" or if Mr. Schiff's summary is right on.
14
This. Why lock the transcript away in the ultra secret file if it was so “perfect”? I suspect that the real transcript is a doozy and does more that just imply quid pro quo.
4
Trump seems to be trying a strategy we've seen before in which he claims that the methods used to catch him in wrongdoing were somehow unfair or illegitimate, therefore whatever he did wrong should get a pass. He complained throughout the Mueller report that the investigation and the special prosecutor were both unconstitutional. Now he's claiming that any reporting of his wrongdoing within the parameters set by law is 'treason' and those making the complaints are 'spies', therefore whatever they report should be tossed out. Sort of like when criminals try to get off because they weren't read their rights or were entrapped somehow.
7
Trump is the walking caricature of a "mean girl" from the movie. I mean really, aren't men in a patriarchal society supposed to be tough and unemotional? He's proof that men have "those days" too, except every day for him is a day. How could any one be married to, vote for, work for, or even bare the company of someone so self-absorbed with no moral compass, or apparent redeeming qualities? He speaks like a gangster, responds like a mean girl, while being no more than a two-bit criminal masquerading as the best leader the world has ever seen or will ever see. A masterclass in unconscious narcissism.
4
The president as usual, needs to read the law, (or have it explained to him) why whistle-blower's names are kept secret. Trump himself is the best example of why the law exists in the first place.
7
What bothers me as much as anything else is the Trump attack on the whistleblower (WB).
There are two extremely important reasons for WB laws.
1) One is to protect the whistleblower's identity so that he will not be in fear for his safety or his job by reporting potential malfeasance.
2) Less commonly stated is the fact that if WB feel safe reporting through channels, then critical classified information can be kept classified. Release of classified information potentially endangers the US and the lives of covert agents.
So, at this point, why not Wikileaks? If US WB laws can be broken by the President and his whole administration, then the safest path is Wikileaks! If I were confronted with Trump, that is where I'd go and I'd throw in a trove of juicy extra stuff as an additional slap in the face.
Trump and his minions have absolutely no grasp and don't care about the damage they are doing to our democracy, its Constitution and laws.
Impeachment and votes in 2020 to get rid of Trump and every single spineless Republican who supports him.
7
Maybe someone should give the President a copy of the whistle-blower law and a definition of the term?
Is there any law/convention/precedent he doesn't want to destroy?
4
I am learning that my intensity of following news of America's fake presidency over the past couple of years is now causing me to feel literal nausea about Trump's flailings.
Trump lives in a mob-style mentality. This seems extremely dangerous for anyone close to the impeachment process, not just the whistle-blower.
The spinelessness of the Cabinet is epochal: Invocation of the 25th Amendment is the sane resolution to all of this.
9
@gary e. davis
I am so tired. My soul is so tired.
1
@gary e. davis
There's a Cabinet? I thought it was just a collection of hucksters and grifters.
1
Federal law protects the identity of whistle blowers. So would not revealing his / her identity be a federal crime, not to mention an additional impeachable offense?
4
Sooner than later we will all probably all know the identity of the whistle blower. So someone we should be holding up as a Patriot will be eviscerated by both the President and the Republican Establishment, having their life and career destroyed by people with no sense of decency, empathy or true understanding of the fundamental principles of a constitutional democracy, just a desperate desire to hold on to power.
Also what happens when a man who is a sociopath that craves absolute power and has at best a tenuous grasp on reality starts to see his world crumbling around him?
3
Trump just wants a specific person to lauch a smear campaign against. It's the only thing he knows how to do.
8
The more Trump tweets, the guiltier he looks. Given how people like Christine Blasey Ford and parents of children slain by school shooters have been treated by crazy Republican conspiracy theorists, it seems to me that it is of paramount importance to protect the whistle-blower's identity.
It's also clear that Trump has no understanding of how intelligence is gathered. Gotta wonder who was in the room when Barack Obama was born in Kenya who then informed Donald Trump.
4
Dear Donald, you cannot discover the identity of the whistleblower since the object of that activity is for the whistleblower’s name to remain anonymous for his protection. To suggest that you would like to meet him is inappropriate and would jeopardize his privacy and his security. I feel that it would be better for you to have met and been disposed by Robert Mueller and in the future you could volunteer your services and testify under oath before the Honorable Adam Schiff. I am willing to bet you don’t have the courage and guts to do so.
6
I agree 100%, and we should also be able to hear from every woman he has had illicit relationships with in a fair and open forum.
5
Trump's tweets and other spurious pronouncements are solely designed and aimed at his unquestioning base. His intent is to give them scripts so they know what to say and how to think even as the impeachment process closes in on their Great Leader. Trump's threats of trying Rep. Schiff for treason just continues his mental decline into what might be called a deep state of accelerating dementia continues unabated.
4
Trump's comments go beyond disturbing. His blatant megalomania makes him a treat to himself and others. Why his behavior is not outraging to his Republican base only shows they are not thinking. Not thinking is a certain road to perdition.
6
The whistle-blower's identity and safety, and I would imagine that of his family, are protected by law. Trump and his gang of crooks are seeking to break that law? Why isn't be being challenged on that by his AG or the FBI?
3
Mr. Trump can meet his accuser by looking in the mirror. His phone call summary connects all the dots.
Are we supposed to believe that the elided parts of the summary are exculpatory?
5
@JimInSoCal
One of the problems with our society is that many people aren't reasonable. I think that's exactly the case with many Republicans.
More importantly, never underestimate the ignorance of the American people.
3
Mr. President. You don't deserve anything, let alone to meet said "whistle blower."
This isn't Russia. The rules of the game have been long agreed upon and you can't change them any time you need an advantage, as is done in Russia.
5
He does not deserve anything other than to be out of office.
5
Schiff makes my skin crawl and there’s no doubt he has that effect on almost everyone. That’s why he was chosen to be the hit guy for the coup.
1
@DED
I like him and think he is calm and reasonable and smart. Can't say those things about Trump, thought, can you?
3
@DED
And you know what "almost everyone" feels how, exactly. This is not a coup. The process of impeachment is spelled out in the Constitution. You people get dumber the more desperate you become.
4
I view Trump's interest in the whistle-blower's identity, especially his public pronouncements of interest, are mafia style witness tampering. Add it to the articles of impeachment, please.
5
Are we living in a country governed by the Constitution, the rule of law, and the will of the majority, or in a aristocratic theocracy run by a dictator?
4
Donald Trump is skating on thin ice and I am hearing the ice cracking all around him.
5
Trump with his everchanging stories, versions, complaints has to be talking to himself. How can he imagine that his obtrusions aren’t completely obvious to so many of and understood as the flimsy cons they are?
Donald, you can make as much stuff up as you like, but we are able to read what you say. We hear, see you, even smell you. We’ve heard, seen smelled it all before.
It’s insulting to think he imagines he’s putting one over on us once again. This must be the way he comforts himself.
4
Clearly, Donald Trump is a danger to our system of government. His threatening a witness or witnesses of a federal crime, the very crime he is being accused of, is chilling, to say the least. We rely upon our Constitution and political leaders to protect the country from a megalomaniac like Trump. If we cannot trust the Republicans to uphold the Constitution, then why ever elect them again?
4
trump can not form a sentance WITHOUT giveing more evidence of why he should be impeached. Threating to find someones identy who is protected by law, threating a civil war if hes impeached, threating members of congress with arrest because they dare investigate his corrupt behavior. Clear proof trump wants to be like puttin
7
Nothing would tip the wavering needle of public opinion in favor of impeachment more than the unconstitutional arrest of Schiff for “treason.” Go ahead, make our day.
4
Mr. Schiff has just stumbled upon how to have Trump blow up in public (Twitter) - call a spade a spade. Tomorrow he could call Trump a clown. The day after perhaps describe him as mentally unstable. The day after that call Trump the most incompetent man to ever live in the White House. Just bait the Humpty Dumpty until he falls off the wall - because Uncle Don will bite every single time.
3
Yes, pretty please, try and arrest Schiff. This will end this joke of a presidency sonner than later.
1
Know who else misquotes Trump? Trump. Turn him in.
5
Please, how are Trump’s tweets about treason not death threats?
8
Trump is like a writer for The Onion, about himself.
5
Omg. Did trump just call for arrest for treason of Adam Schiff for merely reading out the description of the call? He is inciting people to violence. Dog whistle for his fact-blind supporters?
5
So this is what it's like to have a totally insane president.
6
Andrew Johnson was known for his mean and crude racism, his primitive and instrumental understanding of the Constitution, sound familiar?
2
Johnson did have two functioning frontal lobes, however.
3
Trump knows what he's doing. Identifying a target for his followers should the 2nd civil war he is advocating erupt.
Much more sinister than it appears. Remember the guy with a gun that showed up at the Clinton child abuse pizza place.
2
As Clint Eastwood said in "Unforgiven" - "Deserve's got nothing to do with it"
3
Trump sticks to the game plan he established in his campaign:
-- "Lock Her Up" = "Treason"
-- Assistance from Russia = Assistance from Ukraine
-- "No Collusion" = "No Pressure"
-- Manafort = Giuliani
-- Hillary Clinton = Adam Schiff
-- Mueller report = Impeachment = "Witch Hunt"
Understand that in pre frontal dementia, the disease leads to violence and self destruction. Expect Trump to set fire to the Oval Office and claim a Democrat did it so he can declare Marshal Law. As you snort in disdain for such bombast realize he will have no control in the next phase of the disease and you won't see it coming. Consider how easy it is for him to launch against Iran. Trump will double down on the lies for all of his days. No moment of clarity will ever come to him or the believers in their millions. You're mired in the belief that a person in the office of the President of the US could be controlled by those around him. You think the citizenry are basically reasonable about right Vs wrong. Nope. Gone with the Wind. The stage is set.
2
"The president said he “deserved” to meet his accuser who filed a formal whistle-blower complaint after a call with Ukraine’s leader."
There's my laugh for the year.
So loony we have to take our laughs where we can, assuming, of course, that no one would be insane enough to indulge his inner sociopath.
2
Trump will make one up no doubt .
1
First he threatens to harm the WB now he demands their outing contrary to LAW
The sooner he is dispatched from public office the sooner the nightmare can end
Btw what happened to yesterday's tall take that HE was the WB
Is he demanding to meet himself?
This is one sorry excuse for a person
4
You can spew non-sense for so long before no one listen to anything you have to say anymore Mr. Trump.
2
Trump also called congressmen and congresswomen traitors for not applauding during his State of the Union.
5
Honestly, is this real life? Can someone please wake me from this nightmare?
33
The only thing he deserves is to be thrown out of office.
33
To allege that Trump and the White House don’t know the whistleblower at this point is a complete joke.
6
Trump accusing Mr. Schiff of fraud and treason was completely predictable. This pattern has become quite clear over the last couple of years: Trumps' m.o. is to accuse your opponents of exactly what you're guilty of yourself.
21
Congressman Schiff’s paraphrasing Trump’s telephone memo of his conversation with the president of Poland is a smoking gun indictment of presidential criminal behavior that rises to the level of an impeachable offense. By accusing Schiff of treason, Trump is projecting his own guilt and panic.
The 73 year old Trump is acting like a small child, lashing out blindly against an adult world, one with rules, norms and consequences, which our enfant terrible, play acting president neither knows nor understands. Time to send for the White House nanny to calm him down and restore decorum in the Oval Office nursery.
16
@EDJ
Oops. I meant the president of Ukraine, not Poland.
If this is a witch hunt, it sure looks to me like we caught a warlock. And this is not catch and release.
20
Uh, no. The whistleblower must be protected. I'm not convinced Epstein was a suicide.
21
Trump cannot hire any honest person for anything because all such people know that working for people like Trump jeopardizes their own reputation.
13
Hard to understand all the brouhaha over Schiff “misquoting” Trump. After all, Trump misquotes himself constantly. That’s the way of a grifter. Whatever sells at the moment. For three years what’s sold is “I’m being persecuted. Feel sorry for me.” Feeling sorry for a con man is playing his game.
13
Eventually, Trump will order the Marines to storm the halls of Congress and arrest Democrats.
Hopefully, that will be the end of this, but who knows anything these days?
4
So Trump wants to break the law again. The whistle blower law guarantees anonymity. There are other laws that protect the person from retribution. But he can only see red and its killing him the paranoid narcissist who likes to be on the attack has been outmaneuvered and he's on the defensive. He so consumed with retribution you just know he's going to push people to break the law in order to identify this person so he can skewer them. It's a fait accompli - he'll end up pushing someone who'll blow the whistle again
8
As if President Trump doesn’t already have an army of private lawyers and Barr’s Justice Department working for him personally... amazing that either 1) none of these legal beagles told the President the whistleblower is protected by law, and b) speech by members of Congress is protected by the Constitution. So, either the stable genius who knows more than the generals just ignored their advice and council, or he is too far gone to understand what his attorneys are telling him (except Giuliani whom no one can understand). Trump thinks he can ignore the law, or just doesn’t understand it. Either way, he’s too far gone to function as our chief executive. 25 45 pdq.
Trump "deserves" many things. However, the whistleblower deserves to have his/her identity protected as the law states--especially given the barely-veiled threats (themselves impeachable acts, in my eyes) that the president has uttered regarding this person. Donald J Trump is a menace to our constitutional republic and to the well-being of particular citizens. Let's hope he gets what he truly deserves.
11
Trump is out of control. He needs to be removed from office. NOW!!
13
What we need now to to sit back and watch, don't give him the outrage he is looking for. I for one am enjoying his meltdown and I expect it will get worse as time goes on. His Republican enablers however, should be very, very ashamed. They are the ones that frighten me!
8
REALITY: we all do given the high probability it's another scam
1
He's out of his mind. In free-fall. Having no idea how close he is to crashing, delirious and in denial. I am a Democrat, not watching this with glee, as some journalists have suggested, but with disgust.
7
Trump's every waking moment appears to be an impeachable offense.
The Constitution, the rule of law and the American way all seem like foreign concepts to him.
Can't Vladimir create a little Lilliputian republic somewhere for this tiny, tiny, little man to rule over ?
Be gone, Donald....be gone.....you will be soon enough.
16
Yes tell Trump who the whistleblower and informers are so he can punch them in the face and throw them on the floor the way he did with that famous video showing Trump punching a CNN reporter on throwing him the floor as a "joke" not funny then even less so now. TRump has a lot of unhinged fanatics that follow his every tweet which now has put the whistleblower in risk of his life and this is what Trump has intended and if anything happens to the whistleblower his blood is on Trump's hands.
2
I note that Donald doesn’t have the nerve to meet E Jean Carroll. If memory serves, she’s also his accuser.
9
I said it previously in the "comments" section, and I repeat: Trump is dangerous, and God help the whistleblower.
5
So Democrats have no problem impeaching President Trump based on 2nd hand hearsay, all the while hiding the identity of the supposed whistle-blower?
Really?
3
@Jon Galt, a transcript of Trump's words that totally support what the whistleblower complaint said is not "hearsay." Hearsay is a desperate and ridiculous republican talking point and no one is buying it.
2
@Jon Galt
The law protects the whistle blower. There is no ambiguity there. Trump deserves far worse than impeachment, but that is the remedy available. Trump broke the law. Get over it.
2
When a whistleblower’s hear is fully corroborated it then qualifies as REALITY.
1
"I want to meet this accuser".
Trump's impeachable offense #54: Witness intimidation.
16
Kudos to the democrats for following up on Mr. Trump's treasonous conduct. I wonder how many other treasonous acts has Mr. Trump committed and when will the Republicans develop a backbone to hold him accountable. Otherwise I suggest they change their name from Republicans to "Trumplicans"!!!
I especially want Democrats to try Bill Barr, and Rudy Guiliani. Two of Mr Trump's biggest enablers. They both be behind bars in my opinion.
-Faysal Hawki
4
This is vintage Trump. For 50 years he has gotten away when shady dealings with people by attacking and going to court over and over again. But this time there is no appeal, no higher court, and now stonewalling will just be another crime to charge against him. His money and bluster will not help.
The only problem is if he resigns, Pence will pardon him for all federal crimes. State charges will hopefully put him in jail for life, but getting 12 jurors to convict will be hard if any of his supporters get on the jury.
7
@Ronald Emery
Put him on trial in Manhattan and you'll have thousands of people lining up to be on that jury(and all of them will convict).
We hold these truths to be self-evident, that Donald J. Trump is badly unfit to hold the office of President of the United States of America, that he has absolutely no knowledge of, or interest in upholding, its laws or Constitution, and that his sole ambition is the pursuit of his personal Happiness and Wealth.
11
Mr. Trumps behavior doesn’t worry me in this situation. His psychological make-up is obvious to anyone who observes him with an even partially objective eye. The greatest danger to whistle blowing and to our democracy in general are the Republicans who, due to their professional political self interest, enable the president’s behavior and go along with his dangerously inappropriate and often illegal and unpatriotic behavior. It’s as if they have given whiskey and car keys to the president and turned their backs on the consequences.
10
The person who should have serious concerns for his safety is Trump.
4
@Harry
Federal prisons are fairly safe.
1
It appears that Trump's outrageous remarks about the whistle-blower and Mr. Schiff are an ill-conceived (and desperate) attempt to provoke the ire of his supporters, some of which are vigilante-inclined, armed, and truly dangerous.
As the public face of the impeachment inquiry, perhaps Mr. Schiff needs additional security in the face of these frightening threats?
6
Yeah, well I 'deserve' to see Mr. Trump's tax returns as a voting citizen.
May he be gone soon.
18
“deserved” to meet?
Again, one is left wondering whether the POTUS is playing intricate strategic games, or whether he actually has little idea about governance.
4
@H Jensen The latter.
Hasn't anyone noticed that when Trump is guilty of something he generally turns around and says, "I know you are but what am I?" It's as predictable as it is puerile. The only crazy thing is that he keeps getting away with it again and again and again.
6
Surely one of the Republicans on the committee is going to tell Trump who the whistle-blower is after his testimony. And surely Trump is then going to post that person's personal information on Twitter immediately. And when that happens, surely Trump should go to jail for violating that person's protected status and intimidating a witness.
8
@Mike Surely he will do all that, but surely the Republicans will have his back.
Our President clear does not understand the need to protect the anonymity of "whistle-blowers" and he is now equating the lawful actions of a chair of a Congressional committee with "treason." Every time he opens his mouth or tweets he is making the case for impeachment for abuse of his office stronger and more convincing.
6
For the love of Heaven, Trump’s week long tweet tantrum is more unneeded proof that he is manifestly unfit to be President
The President of the United States spends days fuming online about his grievances & tweeting his rage & his bizarre conspiracies
In just the last week he has declared that Speaker Pelosi is no longer Speaker, Adam Schiff is both insane and must be removed from Congress and a traitor who must be fully investigated
And that’s when he isn’t alternating between making demands that he get to interrogate the whistleblower with blatant calls for violence against his enemies, either by execution or by civil war - and this week is not the first time Trump has suggested Americans should kill Americans to keep him in power. He has tweeted his expectation that police, the military & ICE will turn against Americans in his defense
Trump is not mentally fit. In any normal family, a man in his 70’s, acting like Trump acts, would have already had his car keys taken & his family would be hiding the bank info & hiring a caretaker for grandpa
Time to snap out of it. We don’t have to keep living inside Trump’s insane world
Trump needs to be removed from office
12
Instead of tweeting furiously and pouring bile on those tasked with upholding the law, Trump would be well-advised to take a deep breath and be the statesman, since if he’s done nothing wrong, he has nothing to hide. Schiff is a master of protocol and rectitude. To debase those in public office doing their jobs just shows Trump’s contorted priorities: pathetic feeble attempts to cling onto power and seemingly to engage foreign governments to interfere in elections. This administration is in its waning hours. The constitution must be the winner here, not the incoherent, panicking ramblings of the mob boss, whose henchmen are rapidly leaving the sinking ship.
4
I hope the POTUS never learns the identity of the whistle blower. First, ratting the individual could damage efforts of the intelligence community to keep our country safe. Second, the last thing this country needs is a president striving to undermine and destroy the career of a civil servant. If the POTUS is innocent then, well, he has nothing to worry about anyway.
3
No, Donald Trump, you don’t deserve anything. Our nation does, however, deserve a competent, rational, composed, intelligent, empathetic, and educated President.
I cannot wait for this national nightmare to be over. It is outright exhausting.
19
This is literally a presidential harassment. That is, our president is harassing people trying to do their jobs to carry out laws of the land.
10
So let'd add "doesn't understand whistleblower protection laws" to the very large and growing list of things Trump doesn't understand about how government works.
13
"Admit nothing, deny everything, demand proof, and make outrageous counter accusations. And if all else fails, discredit all opposition."
I believe this is taught to overseas employees of a certain government agency.
Trump has taken it to heart.
11
Isn't this against the law? The Whistleblower Protection Act, to be exact?
11
Trump wants to know the identify of the whistleblower? That's exactly why there's a law to protect whistleblowers. Oh, wait, I forgot - Trump is above the law.
13
Republicans supporting Trump's demand to face the alleged whistleblower should be aware of the 1982 Intelligence Identities Protection Act: revealing an agent's identity is a punishable offense.
Exposing an intelligence agent who may have been recruiting foreign assets will also place any former foreign friends or known acquaintances of that agent in their own government's cross-hairs, and endanger all future operations of that nature deemed essential to our own homeland security.
4
Trump retaliates by smearing an opponent-currently he is frustrated that he cannot get his hands on any information to use against the whistleblower.He does not understand constitutional limits or even moral restrictions.He has lived his life straddling the line of legality.He will easily step over that line to retaliate against a whistleblower.Congress must be on guard to prevent this and protect a patriotic American.
8
The threats of treason and arrest against Schiff, white hours aides who leaked info, and the whistleblower are a direct attempt to silence anyone from testifying unfavorably against him to the House. This sort of chilling effect on speech is precisely the type of conduct prohibited by whistleblower laws and could be contempt of Congress and obstruction of justice by impeding in their investigation.
4
Witness tampering, intimidation? No he doesn't need to spell it out. His preferential mode of communication is well-known to be signalling.
3
Why doesn't mr. trump simply release the phone call in its entirety?
If he were innocent, the call would prove it.
The only conclusion is that it is damaging.
Attacking the whistleblower lends further evidence of his guilt.
8
As others have pointed out, the identity of the whistleblower is no longer relevant. All of the information has been admitted by the White House as true. They are just trying to spin it by calling it a "nothingburger." The letter provided information concerning actions. The information is now proven credible and reliable. It is not based on hearsay, but on reports related to the whistleblower's official duties by other Federal government employees in the regular course of the performance of their duties. That makes it official information. This is not a trial, and the information is sufficient upon which to base an investigation.
6
We as a society must end the imperial presidency. All power gathered under one authority is tyranny.
We most move from loving wealth more than “liberty and justice for all”. Our liberty is far more precious than all the wealth in the treasuries of mankind.
We must also value the public education and root out ignorance as best we can. From ignorance Tyranny finds fertile ground for influence.
5
Golly!
Trump is making the case against himself and AG Barr in a great tantrum.
Dangerous, our head of state, unpatriotic, and eager to emulate his BFFs the dictators who are able to jail, torture, and kill their opposition.
Eager to start a civil war as well. And how any religious authority could think encouraging civil war if they don't get their way is the way of Jesus passes my understanding.
9
Without wasting too many words on the dangerous madman with nuclear codes in the WH, I wonder if all the Republicans have gone mentally and physically blind? How can ANY lawmaker tolerate what the sham President is doing to this country, this democracy?
The President is behaving like an unhinged, medieval king. If Republicans need a king, please move en-mass to Saudi Arabia and leave this country alone.
17
Now might be the time for Twitter to delete Trump's account due to incitement to violence.
19
@Bruce Michel
Seriously, I was just thinking the same thing. Hasn't he violated their rules? I don't want to see anyone die defending our democracy against this man-child tyrant.
3
25th amendment, anyone?
15
Trump likes to posture as a gangster: threatens witnesses, lawyering up, bragging about relationships with construction industry and mob, etc. Maybe he should consult with Takeshi69 (sic) about enhancing his GOP street cred.
5
Trump should pursue treason. Then he might have to learn exactly what it means in the law books and not what it means in his circle of cronies.
6
Exactly! I mean, where's the hyphen? Where's the "liddle'"? Where's the misspelling of description? If we put Schiff on trial, Mexico will pay for it . . .
The dignity of the United States of America is already paying for it. Dearly.
5
Right! Let’s arrest Adam Schiff. While we are at it, Nancy Pelosi and what about Charles Schumer.? Let’s get rid of all of the normal people in government and let two unhinged, elderly men, namely Donald Trump and Rudy Giuliani, run things. They can arrive in a clown car to save our government since they are turning this into a circus.
I think Trump is looking at his last days in the Oval Office and is panicking, lashing out, even mentioning civil war should he be impeached.
Get real, Mr. Trump!
12
What I find so absurd is that Trump, who first released the "transcript" admitting to the charge of pressuring a foreign government to aid him in a re-election bid, is now denying all of it and calling those who read it treasonous! He is absolutely insane with his pathological narcissism. In other words, if he does it, it's gotta be OK. Anytime now, Republicans!!
8
If the conversation with the Ukrainian leader was so "perfect", why hide it in secret servers? If it was so perfect, deranged Donald, then release it!
10
I love the smell of desperation in the morning! Keep tweeting, little Donny!
12
Once again Trump is projecting: if he fears he committed treason, he blames someone else for doing it. If he lies, he call someone else a liar. If he is corrupt, his political opponent is corrupt. And the list goes one. And Republicans who still defend Trump are un-american, un-patriotic. They are willfully blind to the actions of a sad human being, who needs urgent treatment. And should resign.
7
Old Southern saw : A bite dog always hollares first.
2
An important thing to remember. Toward the end of Nixon's presidency, he still enjoyed a 24% approval rating. You can scroll down to view the graph.
This was a little more than a generation after deposing Germany's lawfully elected fascist dictator.
Democracy is not an instinctual behavior. It's hard work, requiring the voting populace to use what reasoning ability it has to battle a default "big chief build fancy pyramid" sort of mentality.
https://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2019/09/25/how-the-watergate-crisis-eroded-public-support-for-richard-nixon/
2
Thoughts that come to mind:
Detached from Reality
Lost his marbles.
Attack is the best form of defence.
5
America, we have a problem.
12
If lying to Congress was treason, Trump should have been arrested his first week in office. Oh wait, laws don’t apply to him? Or maybe his entire presidency is a parody.
6
Trump's lawyers -- if he has any real ones -- and sane ones -- should be developing a plan that will allow him to resign before all of the skeletons roll out of his closet instead of just this latest "warm body" that is the residue of his "wanna be" mob boss extortion call to the president of Ukraine.
6
Why does he want to know his identity? This is real Mafioso material.
15
Trump has become the embodiment of the dictator in Woody Allen's 1971 moive "Bananas". . .scene - the new dictator changes the official language from Spanish to Swedish and instructs all citizens to wear their underwear on the outside of their clothes. Mad as a hatter our Trump.
9
Just add it to the list.............
2
U.S. needing bipartisan,fusion repairing, treasonous ending 2020 National Ticket.
2
TREASON!!?!!! For reading something wrong. Crimes against the state?!?!? The president is NOT "the state"!
From what ive seen, this man will not concede if he loses an election, and he will not leave office after his term/s? Our Republic will fall to bi-partisan pride and sheer hubris.
I dont want the commander in chief of the "strongest military in the history of....any history" to have even an inclination of hyperbole in his speech. When the Republic is at steak, our way of life is on the chopping block! The man means what he says, can we cannot afford anything else to be the case?
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Republicans used to be the party of "personal responsibility".
They have now become the party of perpetual victimhood.
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It's called paraphrasing, Mr. Trump.
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