The White House should refuse to cooperate with the witch hunt until formal articles of impeachment of drafted and a full vote is taken to adopt them. The same with the Senate... they should refuse to take up anything from the House until the same happens. Right now, all of this is Mueller Witch Hunt 2, an open ended, one-sided investigation to dig into whatever they want regarding Trump until they find something. This is after a 3 year open investigation found ZERO. This is not how American law works. Let's have a 3 year open-ended investigation into Schiff, Pelosi, Schumer, Maxine, and Nadler, including all of their friends and business associates, and see how they do.
2
I do not doubt Trump's culpability in the Ukraine affair, nor that of Pompeo, Kushner, Pence or other pro-Trump advisers and elected Republicans.
I especially appreciated FEC Chairwoman Ellen Weintraub's clarification about election contributions:
"It is illegal for any person to solicit, accept or receive anything of value from a foreign national in connection with a U.S. election."
"Anyone who solicits or accepts foreign assistance risks being on the wrong end of a Federal investigation. Any campaign that receives an offer of a prohibited donation from a foreign source should report that offer to the Federal Bureau of Investigation."
But Trump believes, as President, he can do as he wishes, and has the full support of Bill Barr at the DOJ on this matter.
He evidently thinks he serves only Trump, not America. He got his current position by writing that Presidents were, in essence, above the law, and sometimes even made the law.
Trump and team are flagrantly breaking the law, but, with Republicans' hold on the Senate, the DOJ and the Supreme Court, can he be impeached?
Trump excels at going to court. He knows that system, and knows how to get out of lawsuits. It has been his life's work, and now he's surrounded by the equally dodgy, who will also fall on their swords for him.
Are there no Republicans who can regard this President dispassionately and know he is bad for America? If so, please step up.
102
@Lilou
Excellent post! But it seems the answer to your question is "No." Republicans have changed since the Nixon Era, having morphed into self serving sycophants bordering on treason. Sad.
18
@Lilo
They don’t seem to care that he is bad for America because i’m Quite sure they know it.
9
Brava!
3
All these emperors strolling around on Capitol Hill buck naked. Republican need not shelve the power of hindsight. It won't work this time.
3
Remember Nixon's VP Spiro Agnew well Pence is the new version. He is corrupt stays at Trump hotels while traveling and lies about it. Pence is so great while governor of Indiana he cut funding to clean the washrooms on the interstate highway. Yes, those Republicans. He fancies himself a future President dream on after Trump is impeached the Republican party will end up on the trash heap. I wonder did Trump ask the Chinese to investigate Moscow Mitch's wife since she had lots of Chinese money and in fact, failed to cash out of a paving company that did business with her agency. Pence does he do anything except paint his hair on each day and stay behind Trump. I love this show Trump, Kushner and the gangster crew are going to get it. By the way if we look around Boris Johnson is getting it and so is Bibi. One thing about thugs and bullies the key is to stand up to them and then they slink off into the home under the rock. Here in Canada the Conservative leader is getting it since he never revealed to Canadians he is a US citizen and has even used a US passport. One thing about the right wing they are all corrupt. Jim Trautman
5
If you read the transcripts in stead of listening to Dems in congress, you'll see that President Trump applied no pressure on President Zelensky. People need to do their our own research, instead of swallowing everything printed by the media.
5
I read the partial transcript that the White House released and it’s clear Trump applied pressure. When a powerful person offers something and then says ‘I want a favor’ you know what it means. And the only person in the world that Trump wants other countries to investigate is the leading Democratic candidate! Pretty clear what’s going on.
45
Or read the transcript...which in the edited form Trump allowed out, is utterly damming.
Your results may differ in relation to gulgged Koolaid, to be sure.
23
Yep... Read the altered "transcript" the trump administration offered - would like to read/hear the actual conversation, however.
The use of the word "though" is interesting after the word "favor".
I am still puzzled as to why the whistleblower complaint — which is far as we know is strictly political in nature, and has nothing to do with intelligence reporting, sources, or methods or the compromise thereof — falls under the purview of the inspector general of the intelligence community. Is it because the whistle blower works for the CIA, and therefore had no choice to but to submit his complaint about what is manifestly a political matter to the bureaucracy under the aegis of director of national intelligence?
Or is the intelligence dimension of the complaint so sensitive that it has not, and likely will never be released to the public?
18
@David H What are you talking about? The whistleblower complaint has been released. You can read it here, in The New Yom Times.
131
The whistleblower worked in national intelligence and reported the incidents to the inspector general for national intelligence. Inspector General not politics, sounds like you are stretching to defend Trump.
129
@David H
Saying something is political to justify illegality is the problem. I would ask that you stop. The fact is, it is illegal. Full stop. If you feel the need to say you don’t think it should be illegal and soliciting aid is okay by foreign governments into our elections feel free to do so. You would think this president would have focused on helping America instead of his conspiracy theories and dividing us with the help of people such as youreself.
235
We certainly need to find out why Pence never went to Ukraine like Biden did at least three times. What’s wrong with him?
7
He's obviously not interested in fighting corruption, which is pretty obvious given that he's Trump's VP.
41
If you want and peach and you have a majority in the house which now consist of far left democrats then you can impeach with no evidence. As a trump supporter I love that trump is trying to dig up corruption and bide this part and there's a lot of corruption to dig up. Everywhere vice president when his son followed literally on the same trip sometimes and made millions. It's called influence peddling you don't sign contracts for it or Lee paper trails but it's obvious this is what occurred. This is the canard the democrats want to use to impeach. Since they have the votes to impeach trump should do nothing as far as responding to anything they want. If they in page it will be a badge of honor when he runs for re election Because he is freed of worrying about impeachment then basically through executive action ram the rest of his agenda write down their throats such as building more border walls really sealing the border and saying the helo with some obscure federal judge saying you can't do it The country that voted for him last time an electoral landslide will do the same next year. He will then have the chance to put in 1 or 2 more Supreme Court justices hundreds of federal judge judges and seal His legacy Nancy Pelosi and/or left wing lunatics zeal to and peach trump only lights the fire in our guts that is the people that elected trump the 1st time to make sure real re elect him the 2nd time
2
Why are the Democrats so polite? Every candidate and every House member considering impeachment should be SHOUTING 'TRUMP IS A CRIMINAL!!!' He is continuing to break laws.
3
The Dems should not bother with all those requests for info from the WH. All they have to do is ensure the driveway from the WH to the coptor pad is kept open. More evidence, leads and confessions will come from that drivway than from any Congessional inquiry.
1
None of this is surprising. I knew something like this would come up in Trump's presidency, because he's too egotistical, ignorant and feckless to even attempt to cover his tracks with a situation like this, or avoid it altogether. My biggest concern is that, in order to try to deflect attention from this scandal, he's going to do some kind of predictably reckless, stupid thing that will put the country in jeopardy. Given his track record, it won't come as a surprise, either.
This is sad and disturbing, but what's the saddest and most disturbing is that this guy got into the Oval Office to begin with.
7
All of these politicians are like children
I’d like to see some solid evidence against the spineless Pence, man of God and righteousness. Then they can squeeze him until he pops.
4
Ask not for whom the bell tolls, tRumplethinskin, it tolls for thee.
2
Pence will be joining Trump in the dustbin of history, and it couldn't happen to a more deserving vape (sic). His claims of being "unaware" of all that was happening around him are either unbelievable, or else make him sound so dumb that his unawareness disqualifies him to be president.
5
I think Trump’s readiness to call on China and Ukraine for “dirt” on the Bidens is an indicator that he DID collude happily with Russia to get the goods on Hillary in 2016.
5
Pompeo listened in the call. Were Pence and Mulvaney far away. They used to just Tea Partiers and now they are part of the Benedict Arnold gang. Imagine that!
1
Surely such a fine, outstanding Christian would never violate his oath of office, right?!!? Plus, he cannot take his wife to prison with him, which would be a real conflict given there are female guards prowling the tiers late at night.
1
The bible states that one should follow the laws of the land. I'm sure then, that Uber-Christian Pence will honor his subpoena and appear willingly. lol
4
In reviewing the transcript of Pence during his Poland and Ukraine trip (After he went to Ukraine) , a question was asked:
Q: Can you assure Ukraine that the hold-up of money has absolutely nothing to do with efforts, including by Rudy Giuliani, to try to dig up dirt on the Biden family?
Pence:
“But as President Trump had me make clear, we have great concerns about issues of corruption. And, fortunately, President Zelensky was elected decisively on an anti-corruption message.....I told him that I would carry back to President Trump the progress that he and his administration in Ukraine are making on dealing with corruption in their country.”
OK Trump and Giuliani were all over the news saying they wanted info on the “Biden Corruption”. How in the world does Pence claim ignorance?
PS remember Pence also claimed ignorance about Flynn even though he was head of the transition team.
4
Pence is a monster of the worst kind — the quiet sycophant who feigns piety and pretends patriotism while silently subverting truth and Constitutional norms. He is just as destructive as his cult leader. We are doomed with this bad actor, just as we are with Trump. Time for an intervention.
4
We'll see if Mr. Purity is really just another Trump shill.
2
Dear VP Pence: Now is the time to decide whether you soul belongs to God or Donald Trump. What does Mother think?
6
We Americans will defend our republic from thieves and villains by God. Justice is delicious and this is but an hors d'oeuvre.
1
Isn't it ironic if both Trump and Pence are impeached and convicted in the Senate, as Speaker, Nancy Pelosi would become the first woman President.
7
On the 18th of October after Pence refuses to respond to subpoena send the House Seargent-at-Arms to arrest him in contempt of Congress.
Republicans are exposed and weak.
Thank God for the Presidential Succession Act if 1947.
Hello President Pelosi!
4
Don't those marines in the picture have a duty to their nation?
Oh, those documents! I never read anything, but the Bible.
2
I always thought that Nancy's husband is standing at the bottom line when it comes to the US presidents. Sadly, I can find myself having been all wrong. Current president entrench far deeper than I ever imagined possible.
He hasn't carried out his duties as the president one single day. Instead, all his time goes for playing golf, staring at a TV-screen, thumbing the gorilla-glass of his cellular phone, insulting US American and foreign institutions and people, jeopardizing the interests of the country and the people by digging ground under the feet of fellow Americans.
Why was he nominated as a candidate for the White House? Why was he elected for the White House? At last the Americans have woken up and decided that he doesn't host the White House any longer. People around the world will praise the Lord once this strange and perfectly unsuitable creature will be booted out to the street.
After a 2 year phony witch hunt which didn't result in a single charge, I think it's only fair that that person is allowed to be President for a full 4 year term without any more harassment
Of course, that person is Hillary Clinton
1
The only Republican with a decent moral compass is Justin Smash - who actually isn't a Republican anymore.
Remember Susan MacDougal?
Remember she went to jail?
They locked her up,for 18 months for cont, they pay and just to mess with her they moved her from jail to jail to jail the whole time.
Lock them all up for contempt
Hold them accountable.
1
The administration should absolutely refuse to provide the Democrats with anything.
The Democrats are using the US Congress to further the parties political agenda knowing that they will never be able to defeat the President at the ballot box.
And the Democrats most likely determined that unleashing the whistleblower hoax would cripple Biden, who as Obama has so eloquently observed, is just another white guy.
Every one of the Republicans supporting the Trump presidency in his collusion with foreign governments to destroy a democratic process in the US is guilty of treason. Impeach all those complicit in seeking to destroy government by the people and free elections.
Pure dribble from the Democrats who still cannot accept they lost.
Actual important news:
U.S. Hiring Steady as Jobless Rate Falls to Half-Century Low
U.S. employers added 136,000 jobs last month, and the unemployment rate fell to 3.5%.
The President and VP have a great opportunity to clear themselves—release the documents! You’d think they’d be rushing to prove their innocence! No? Gee, what could that mean?
So, I guess Republicans will have to be forcibly removed from our nation's democratic institutions. They don't have to comply with any investigations into what they are doing? Wow. Who put them above the laws of this country? Not only has Barr gone rogue but so has Mitch McConnell. Here's hoping they all get dragged out onto the DC streets and put in handcuffs at some point. Hypocrites and criminals.
Is Trump truly forcing a valid impeachment against him or is he doing the only thing, short of a war, that might get him re-elected.
Rest assured, the master strategists of the Kremlin are staying 2 steps ahead of the game; letting Trumps sins hit the fan just enough to cause a big whoo ha but not enough to take him down. Then Trump will offer a sweetheart deal to beleaguered Xi in China on Tariffs and the economy will bust back into prosperity and the down whites will again back Trump.
The only chance of kicking him out of the WH then would be the Miracle from MA, Senator Warren and her Blue Tsunami for 2020. If she does not win it, the Democratic US is toast and welcome to authoritarian rule. Putin plays the long-range strategy, Trump can't begin to coordinate all that has been done for him, Only Putin. Can Putin still rig the next US elections to keep him in office like before? Only time will tell.
Michael Bloomberg said it but his was not the original, “Heaven help us.” Boy do we need heaven now.
So far, so good. What happens now when they still refuse to hand over documents?
In as Vice President Pence constantly talks to Jesus, I wonder if it was Jesus who "blew the whistle" on him.
The president behaves like a mafia boss dispatching his henchmen to intimidate foreign leaders and sell his endless conspiracies, thankfully our country have a real leader in the Speaker of the House, a courageous civil servant truly knowledgeable of the constitution and the laws of the land.
She and the three committees working on the impeachment are our only hope to bring to justice the sinister destroyer we have as the president of the US.
Resist, deflate, deceive... The WH has mastered all those subterfuges, yet the House of Representatives has the upper hand, since it is the most powerful branch of the government.
We the people should shout our support for this legislative body and recognize their ethical and dignified way of conducting the inquire.
At 12:01 am Monday pick up Pompeo ( if back) and the next 2 levels of SoS and incarcerate until compliant.
The movie The Joker just opened. I thought it was all about that person in the Oval Office. He's having a melt down isn't he? Everyday he manages to stand on the White House lawn and spurts out his incoherent rantings and ravings. Must he have all that intention, he doesn't say anything of any importance. He just wants the attention like any spoiled brat.
Considering executive priviledge has been used to obstruct the aftermath of the Muellar investigation, though not used since the 1930's, the House has no other option then detaining and fining those who fail to cooperate involved in extortion. Should the premises be required use of the gym could be suspended, bunk beds for the many cast of characters involved, showers are available and the fast food the White House serves to athletes can be delivered. Technicalities are solved and canaries would sing.
Any Senator who does not evaluate the Impeachment charges with integrity will be called out during re-election. While those running for re-election in 2020 must consider the impact of Trump's ire in their calculation, those who are up for re-election in 2022, and 2024 have a different one. If they believe that Trump will NOT be re-elected, then they do not have to be cowed. Moreover, if he is not re-elected, even if Trump is pardoned by Pence, the state charges will remain and when Trump if found guilty, the Democratic candidate will be able to call the GOP Senator out for being an enabler. It has been said that if the GOP Senators could vote anonymously, Trump would be convicted. The House is now moving forward based on Constitutional necessity, will the Senators obey their oath of office? To be seen. I would not be sure of anything.
Democrats have been wanting to impeach President Trump pretty much from the day he was inaugurated and considering the enormous pressure they are under from the media and the far left impeachment is guaranteed.
Considering that President Trump should not comply with any subpoenas at all and the Democrats can add as many articles of impeachment as they want.
1
So I note that it's now a major Republican talking point that there hasn't been a formal House vote to open an impeachment inquiry. Have they realized that the hearsay argument wasn't going to be effective? Given that very soon there will be testimony from people with first hand knowledge?
There's even talk that the White House will refuse to honor any subpoenas without such a vote. God I hope they make that argument. Speaker Pelosi would schedule the vote in a heartbeat.
Schiff throws a tomato at Trump, he ducks, and it hits Biden. He is dodging the questions and his candidacy is over as his lead went from 24 points to 2. $83,000.00 A MONTH for his son ain’t gonna fly. Plus Bernie is done. Heart attack and older age. All Bernie votes now go to Warren who is surging.
This so called human is shredding every institution and laws which have protected this country for two and half centuries. He will not face any real consequences, as his republican party, judicial system and media are complicit in his raise and all his actions in breaking the law. During the press conference why dont the so called reporters call him out when he lies and show the proof on his face. When he talks about corruption why don't they ask about his corruption and all the resignations due to corruption in his administration and corruption by his family. What is the use of discussing it later in articles and TV shows when the damage of truth is done. An average person like me does not see these shows we just read the headlines and see the nightly news where only snippets of information is provided.
The true nature of an individual comes out when they are in real crisis. All the republicans and others who are defending him had never been for honor or truth or rule of law. All the statements they have made in the past and present are just lies to get themselves elected. It's never about country but about themselves in power.
Breaking of the law is being normalized, saying it's how he deals with issues. If people in power are breaking laws on live TV and facing no consequences it's an example of a decadence in the society. The so called President of the US is an example of leaders who come out a decaying society where wealth is more important than values and principles.
Nixon's impeachment charges included refusal to cooperate with subpoenas.
"The State Department missed the deadline, a House official said late Friday, but department officials were in contact with the committees and lawmakers were still hopeful they would cooperate soon."
Well, won't that show them!
OK, well, pressuring foreign leaders in Ukraine, Italy, Britain, Russia, and elsewhere to get dirt on the Bidens doesn't have particularly good optics from a constitutional standpoint, and so it's understandable that the Democrats (and others) are a little miffed and out of sorts.
But, hey, let's look at the bright side of things here. So far, Trump has only attempted to involve terrestrial (i.e. earth-bound) political leaders in his scams. Things could be far worse, of course, if Trump starts to appeal to extra-terrestrial or intergalactic empires for support.
Think how disturbing it could be to our democracy if Trump enlists the aid of the Klingon Empire, or even the Kanamits (with their motto, "Serving Mankind") would be a step to far. Perhaps Trump just hasn't thought of this option, so let's be careful not to remind him. Mum's the word!
1
The House will vote for impeachment.
The Senate will not.
And, Trump will see that as a "Win," like a two-bit gameshow.
America will be the loser on so many levels but, hopefully, somethings will have been learned once and for all: Exactly who in Washington, regardless of what position they occupy, including the sanctimonious Pence, put Trump before their oath to country and constitution. And, who must go.
1
If only Fox news were to stop broadcasting, so the Trump supporters can see this for what it is.
For some reason modern Ukraine is like the Gold Rush of 1849.
The opportunity for Western business interests to stake a claim has attracted all kinds of interest. Did Trump ever pressure anyone in Ukraine to investigate Paul Manaforte?
“Now we are engaged in a great civil war, testing whether that nation or any nation so conceived and so dedicated can long endure”. Lincoln words, spoken in 1863, apply today.
The battle is between a lawless president and the rule of law.Thankfully, blood has, for the most part, not been shed, but
the issues raised today are as grave as those raised by Lincoln.
We are indeed battling for the soul of our nation. Can we, as Franklin observed, keep our republic or allow it to devolve into a kleptocracy? The answer may rest, ironically, with the party of Lincoln. Where do you stand Senators? How many times can you just turn your back and pretend you just don’t see? Maybe take walk over to the Lincoln Memorial. Think about his words, where they were spoken. What did those men die for? What is Ukraine dying for? What price are you willing to pay to forfeit our freedom and our constitutional form of government?
"Most Republicans remained silent or stood by Mr. Trump in light of the new messages, but a few raised alarms."
Proof that corruption is now the only thing that the Republican party sees as worth protecting. Not the people of this country. Not the Constitution. Not the truth.
The party is complicit in the damage being done to this country by this egregiously corrupt and dangerous President. VOTE THEM OUT. Every last one of them.
There’s no way Pence is innocent in this sordid affair, or Pompeo, or any number of others. Impeach them all. Hold them all accountable.
1
And what happens when the White House refuses to release these documents? Or releases a heavily redacted version, like the Muller report?
I'll tell you: nothing will happen. So long as Republicans control one branch of the legislature, there will be no impeachment AND conviction.
Trump is doing what Trump does. He won't keep quiet or act contrite. Its double down. The overconfident Muelleresque is going to bring Trump down has been replaced with Ukrainegate. Trump is a fool but the Democrats are clearly in a weak spot. The wish to arm Ukrainian nationalists in their ethnic conflict clearly is counterproductive. The NYTs narrative is that Russia is behind the conflict which is exactly wrong. Their neo con heroes in the Obama national security apparatus backed the illegal anti Russian coup in Kiev by right wing nationalists enthralled with anti semitic Stephan Bandera. This whole Ukrainian affair has deranged US politics. Each side in the US looking for Ukraine to provide embarrassing stuff about the other. Little is mentioned that the Ukraine elected Zelinsky to make peace in the conflict. Right wing nationalist Ukrainians have been very angry with this turn of events. The story now seems to be that Zelinsky has been captured by Putin.
How can there be so much proof and evidence, but so little support?
I was hopeful last week. Not so much anymore. Are there no laws?
16
Trump has crossed every line, laying waste in the process any semblance of decency and respect the office of President of the United States of America ever had for the rule of law.
And he should be impeached.
But, as he notes, the process will fail once the is in because Congress will not be able to secure a majority because Republican lawmakers will stick with Trump.
So, all that will have occurred is this - Trump will be vindicated, his support will increase, and he will easily win a second term.
As for the Pelosi Schumer democrats, the Republican-Lite Party, they will be seriously further weakened becoming evermore irrevelant, and their ill-advised rush to impeach will become known as the beginning of the end of our somewhat Democratic Republic.
And anyone presuming that Hunter Biden was making multi-million dollar deals in the Ukraine, and billion dollar deals in China, on his own, is simply trying to hide the glaring fact that none of it would have been possible if Joe Biden, the then Vice President of the United States of America, was not his father.
Even the most obtuse can easily see that every nation and every corporate entity in every nation, would be falling over themselves, to help a close relative of any highly placed American government official, so the quid pro quo is as obvious as the sun at high noon on a clear summer soltise day.
Our government, both parties, is no less self-serving than any other government anywhere, and will always be.
6
@Mel Farrell: Obviously the bad drove out the good because there are no universal standards of conduct.
My understanding of the charge is that it is illegal to ‘solicit’ help whether something is offered in return or not. If that’s the case the question of whether there was or wasn’t a ‘quid pro quo’ is irrelevant and seems like obfuscation on the White House’s part.
7
It was actually frightening to watch trump's south lawn press encounter on Friday. (I refuse to call it a press conference and the media ought to stop giving him this kind of a platform where the reporter's questions are drowned out by the helicopter and trump can stand there and lie and lie). Here we had an emperor with no clothes managing to dissemble and lie and project and now claim that he is the white knight saving us all from (his) corruption with no ability for the press to challenge him in that chaotic setting. I hope that in some better future Congress will pass laws that will require formal press and public briefings directly from the President.
7
@fg: The Republican Congress is a collection of awestruck idolators who believe a God they project onto the whole universe anointed Trump to cleanse something. What, exactly, remains to be seen.
Why aren't people who ignore subpoenas being jailed? Has our legal system totally disappeared?
25
@Siara Delyn
Lack of enforcement does seem to make laws useless.
3
@Siara Delyn
Not totally. You and I would still be sent to jail for ignoring a subpoena over a parking violation. This investigation has no teeth! I predicted this earlier in the week "A Friday deadline? And what happens when they don't comply? A strongly worded letter and an extended deadline?"
Well, they got the letter, and now they have until Oct. 18 to comply. Allow me to consult my crystal ball once more: What then? Answer: More strongly worded letters from disappointed Democrats after partial compliance on the 18th. The crystal ball also says Trump survives this and is re-elected after losing the popular vote by an even larger amount than last time.
The Democrats know the documents will not be delivered. It is a political theater to defeat Trump in the next election. All Democrats want it to get their base to come out and vote. Who do they vote though? Biden is weak and corrupt. Bernie is burned out. Warren and Harris? That is a winning ticket. The sight of these old, tired, and almost dictatorial heads of congressional committees make a very good campaign advertisement. I just can’t wait to vote for these brilliant people.
3
@JustWatching
I can't disagree with the following:
1. The subpoenas won't be complied with, and we all know it.
2. It is entirely political theater, so far.
3. Bernie is fried.
4. Biden is weak.
But there is no evidence Biden is corrupt - which I say only to be nice, I don't want him as president. Warren despite her flaws, would be better than Trump. She favors health care and addressing climate change issues. Bill Weld would also be better than Trump, and I hope he gets the Republican nomination.
If the republicans still put on a fight defending him, it only goes to further show how morally broken that entire party is.
6
Still waiting to see an actual subpoena. Oh wait...a subpoena would give the recipient some available process, think some call it “due process.” Ask yourself what is the process by which the recipients can challenge scope and validity of the subpoena. And if you don’t think that right should exist, God help us.
4
So you’re opposed to denying refugee applicants due process, then. Oh, and Trump’s executive orders attacking California.
Good to know.
1
@Mickey
But why aren’t our branches of government cooperating?
Looks like someone is up to no good and hiding something.
1
When he is gone sooner or later, what will be left? He and Rudy are just not worth everything every soldier has sacrificed for. All supporting this nightmare should be on trial.
3
Extoooortiooooon....
Funny how extortion works both ways. The President is so busy throwing everyone including Mike Pence (who deserves it SO much) under the bus that we are basically at the mercy of young voters and independents to put enough pressure on Republican Senators to indict. And quite frankly Republicans are looking weak. Democrats are looking strong. Even cable news networks are struggling with the spin.
It will be legislative participation by contacting our Republican Senators... (particularly those facing tough elections like Collins, Cornyn, Gardner and McSally), that makes the difference between another stolen election for Trump and his GOP sycophants or even the very real possibility of saying “Hello President Pelosi” before October of next year.
For everyone around the President extortion of a foreign nation’s AID in exchange for interference with a U.S. election is an arrestable offense. What remains to be seen is whose threats have real teeth... the President’s or the Congress? Judging from Trump’s cowardly reputation of false accusations and weak, empty threats there will be witnesses singing all the way to the Senate to the SCOTUS.
Good thing we have the Presidential Succession Act of 1947.
Hello President Pelosi!
4
@schedule 1 remedy
Thank you for your illuminating comment and repeating what I have been saying but most commenters are not grasping , and that is that this whole thing will come down to the PEOPLE letting these corrupt and weak Republican Senators know that their jobs are on the line if they don’t do the right thing and stop Trump from corroding our country even more .
The PEOPLE must make their voices known to every Republican Senator . That our only hope . That’s what DEMOCRACY looks like .
1
So, the IG wouldn't provide the names of those he contacted while investigating the complaint. Charge him too.
Until there is a full house vote to initiate impeachment proceedings, there can be no legal subpoenas. Until then the house is merely pretending. Meanwhile it’s real business languishes. We Americans are livid.
2
Actually what real Americans know is that yes indeedy, Congressional committees have subpoena power to compel testimony and to produce documents.
Sorry. Say, where were you when Nunes and Gowdy were launching about a gazillion subpoenas a day at Hillary Clinton?
I dont believe a full house vote is required to begin a formal impeachment inquiry, therefore this inquiry is valid and so are the subpoenas. they are in contempt of Congress if they ignore them.
As long as they keep planting conservative judges, dismantling the government, closing PP clinics and giving tax cuts to the rich and the religious right, the GOP is happy to support a sac of potatoes. Did I say a sac or potatoes?
2
Here is trump's con, simply stated:
1. trump and family do whatever they want, lawful or not.
2. They get caught, he blames it on the accuser.
3. He attempts to intimidate by sending lawyer thugs.
4. The accused, who was originally the accuser, is threatened.
5. The accused sues.
6. Verbal and other threats continue unabated from trump as he encourages Fox News and others to take up the cries of 'unfair' treatment created by his sociopathy.
7. trump replaces judges with 'his' judges.
8. trump sues back.
9. Cases mount, trump and family continue unlawful behaviors.
10. trump ignores court rulings, stalls, appeals and insults, commits more unsavory behaviors as the cycle of chaos continues.
He now runs our country in the same fashion while living a life of extreme luxury on the tax payer dime. This cannot be fixed and he must be removed and charged with the myriad of financial crimes and others he commits on a daily basis. Enough.
5
See you in court Democrats! These subpoenas have been issued without constitutional authority inasmuch as the full House has not formally voted on an official impeachment inquiry. By proceeding informally, the Democrats are attempting to deprive the WhiteHouse of its legal due process rights available under a formal inquiry. The courts will strike the subpoenas down. The Democrats are wasting time and taxpayer money and are crippling the country’s forward motion. Shame on Schiff. Ditto Nadler and Pelosi.
4
It is going to be interesting to see what all those evangelicals do when they realise Trump has thrown Pence under the bus.
The in-fighting, and finger pointing in this White House will bring it down.....more than anything else.
2
Make Pence come and testify. He is the most compliant VP we have ever known. I don't think Pence knows right from wrong.
1
“They’ll just get their people,” he said of House Democrats. “They’re all in line. Because even though many of them don’t want to vote, they have no choice. They have to follow their leadership. And then we’ll get it to the Senate, and we’re going to win.”... because in the Senate, even though many of them don't want to vote, they have no choice. They have to follow their leadership, me, Moscow Mitch and Lap Dog Lindsey.
The Swamp King's view of democracy, honed in the Putin-Kim School of Diplomacy.
3
If Trump is impeached, and Pence can't take over because he is involved, we all know what that means; President Pelosi.
Just pointing it out.
I find myself slowly finding pieces to the puzzles laid out before us in the news. Remember the strange news item about Pence abruptly leaving Air Force 2 when he was scheduled to speak in New Hampshire? That was July 2.
Per Maggie Haberman on 7/22: “The trip was called off after Mr. Pence was already aboard Air Force Two at Joint Base Andrews, near Washington, with his staff in tow. He was back at the White House a short time later.”
Interesting that in May, Pence is pulled from attending Zelinsky inauguration, then in June congress approves aid to Ukraine, then at some yet as undisclosed moment in July aid gets put on hold, and then we have the fateful quid pro quo call with Trump and Zelensky on July 25. Seems Pence’s cancelled NH Trip fits very nicely into the timeline don’t you think? Do we really believe a trip to a vital primary voting state would be cancelled for as inane a reason as reported on 7/22?
“The answer emerged on Monday, when it was revealed that a former New York Giants player who was expected to greet Mr. Pence at the airport in New Hampshire had pleaded guilty last week to trafficking fentanyl across state lines.”
Seems like telling the NY Giants player not to attend the event would be the obvious solution, not cancelling a trip by the Vice President and his staff.
Read Maggie Haberman’s article “Pence Canceled New Hampshire Trip to Avoid Meeting a Drug Trafficker” dated July 22.
In retrospect, it is illuminating!
Stephanie Grisham, the White House press secretary, said the subpoena “changes nothing” and called it “just more document requests, wasted time and taxpayer dollars that will ultimately show the president did nothing wrong.”
I don't understand, Ms. Grisham. As you and I and every other sentient creature knows, your boss and his goons will never, ever produce requested documents. So, how will said documents "show" that the president did nothing wrong?
4
Is this really the road Pence wants to go down? It's not going to get better, from here on out.
But, lets remember, at the time, no other Republican would take the VP slot with Trump, many declined
Pence, the only one dumb enough to agree.
All the other in the GOP who declined, are keeping mum, though, NOW
I wonder how long it will take for them to turn on him??
I for one, can't wait....
1
Trump and his people are a power all unto themselves. They laugh at these subpoenas. Even if they show they stonewall with their answers and insult the questioners. They have the full support of their Party and their voters in this display of arrogance and lawlessness.
When they basically get away with this behavior it feeds their worst instincts to take more outrageous actions.
If this continues they will shatter our beautiful and fragile democracy into a thousand pieces.
Mike Pence, longtime Bush Minion,,,,is the poison pill planted inside the Trump Admin. And now, like Brutus, Pence will push the knife into Trumps back.
Somewhere out there, the ghost of GHW Bush smiles.
Hmmm...
Impeach and convict both Trump and Pence and who do we get?
Pelosi!
Not bad.
53
However “fast moving” the impeachment process may be, it’ll be years before the Supreme Court decides whether subpoenas must be complied with. They’re in no hurry. Remember, half the Court is run by the bountiful billionaires who run the Senate. the GOP, and the “thinking” of just under half of US voters glued to alternative facts, crazy conspiracies, and democracy as a fiction created by the “deep state”.
36
@John ✅Brews Exactly. Guards should meet Pompeo's plane when he returns from Greece and escort him to prison. Is our legal system gone?
At least some of trumps appointees are honest and have morals. Other should follow suit and come forward and stop supporting trump the unfit president.
24
When I looked at the photo at the beginning of the article and saw one of my fellow Marines saluting Trump, it literally broke my heart.
To think that young men and women on active duty have to follow orders from such a despicable character like Trump is nauseating. Trump has no idea what an oath means, no sense of loyalty, country, or the importance of strong relationships with our allies.
Trump is undermining democracy everywhere by demonstrating our complete failure to vet him properly long before he infected the WH.
It seems to me that if we background check government employees before they're hired, those same rules ought to apply for candidates for congress and, most definitely, president.
79
Everything Trump touches, even Pious Pence, oh my . . .
35
Hey, Iran, if you're listening, I hope you are able to find 30,000 communications from the WH to help with impeachment.
54
In its zeal to defend the most corrupt administration in half a century, GOP leadership is rapidly venturing beyond the point of no return. Thanks in great part to their profound greed and unlimited arrogance, the next generation is more ready than ever to permanently discard grandpa’s political party with a hardy “goodbye and good riddance”.
50
Wonder what Jesus would say to all of these "Christian" Republicans? Pence is the worst. The truth is, the mistreatment of slaves and the rationale for having them began with "Christians." Behave how you will, but don't hide behind your religious beliefs.
47
@Judith Stern It is most questionable whether they are committed to any religious beliefs. Like the Pope and the Cardinals of the "Holy See" have faith on Jesus Christ or then not. However, all of them are wearing rubies in their fingers and ermine robes while hosting the sky high temples of God erected by the sweat and blood of the poor during too many centuries.
So many damning texts that implicate Mr Trump using presidential powers, including his ability to block assiatance to Ukraine approve by Congress or just even a phone call, unless Ukraine worked with him on a totally unrelated personal political issue.
[7/25/19, 8:36:45 AM] Kurt Volker: Good lunch - thanks. Heard from White House—assuming President Z convinces trump he will investigate / “get to the bottom of what happened” in 2016, we will nail down date for visit to Washington. Good luck! See you tomorrow- kurt
12
Pence The Sanctimonious needs to go as well! Preferably to jail. Hiding behind Jesus won't get Pence anywhere, Jesus knows what he's been up to already. I really hope Congress has to opportunity to wipe the smirk off Pence's face and show him the door!
54
Mother shouldn’t answer for Pence.
25
What we are all getting to see in real-time is our POTUS unraveling at breakneck speed.
Pay attention, because years from now you're going to be glad you were a wide-eyed witness to a once-in-a-lifetime spectacle.
25
No way did Pence avoid interfering in the recent Christian schism that occurred not long ago in Ukraine, and right there is how he is shoehorned firmly into the plan to discredit Ukraine’s new president, and smear Trump’s opponents. The Orthodox church in Ukraine now answers to Istanbul not Moscow, and that means Putin loses thousands of supporters he counts on to veil his fraud elections; not even to mention the thousands of right wing Christian supporters in Ukraine who greased the wheels of Russian artillery pieces used in the invasion and occupation of Crimea, and ongoing. Oh, yeah, Pence is involved alright. He and his fulsome piousness fit right into the plan.
20
Thinking Pence is dirty as well or he would have throw those documents over the fence to save himself.
21
I’m heartened that at least one Republican Senator (Romney) is condemning Trump’s actions against Biden. Grassley has also stood up in support of the whistleblower’s right to privacy and that his complaint is important and should be investigated.
Where are the other 51 as the president openly breaks federal campaign laws and is being investigated for serious alleged abuses of power?
The American public needs your response on the record. Should be easy: just imagine it was a Democratic President engaged in these very same activities. The Republican campaign agenda is the very last thing we need to hear about.
At long last will you put our nearly 250 year old Republic first?
656
Your heartening won’t last long. Romney is the fakest flip flopper in the GOP. He is probably as spineless as Senator Olympia Snow of ME. If the impeachment vote landed on the Senate floor, he will inevitably vote NO FOR Donald Trump’s impeachment.
46
@Michael
Unfortunately the Republicans are afraid of donnie the traitor trump. Why? who knows.
Or are they afraid that if they speak out against trump they won't be re-elected? Seems so.
And Biden, speaking in Scottdale, AZ said it was a good idea for foreign countries to look into our elections.
That makes two, now, that must be impeached. Sooner rather than later.
12
@Michael Ron Johnson of WI also is coming out in with information he obtained on the Quid Pro Quo Trump asked of Ukraine.
17
Mr Cowan of Florida, the transcripts when read in the context of other information that had been brought to light unequivocally demonstrate that there was a quid pro quo.
14
Impeachment is a huge and disruptive process. I was opposed until point blank in-your-face evidence of Presidential extortion. Now, like many others who’d preferred to settle this assault on the legitimacy of our constitutional rule at the 2020 ballot box, I say let no stone be unturned in drawing up the articles - not only with regards to Trump, but any other WH officials implicated.
24
Who knew the only wall Trump would ever build would be the stonewalling he would do to keep the truth from America.
25
PRETTY SURE no one from the White House will comply.
1
To all who are reading or have read the comments section: Go and see "Where's my Roy Cohn?" the documentary which will clearly show to anyone, who taught trump all of his sordid thoughts and actions! The donald also makes an appearance in this film, (asking Roy Cohn for his help in beating a housing discrimination case in NYC ) but needless to say, never responded to a request for his views on this documentary. Please go and see it!
8
Despite Trumps actions in this situation which looks bad from here. Doesn’t it seem strange that no one in the press is trying to figure out Bidens son credentials and his role in these foreign entities? It Strikes me that he deserves a look in this process. I know I’d like more info on this.
1
Biden’s son is not an elected official of the U S government. If Biden’s son is investigated, so must Trump’ sons, daughter, and son in law be investigated. So must Anthony Kennedy’s son be investigated. That would actually be just fine with me, but might as well go after the major central players first- in this case, Trump, who stood before cameras on national TV and asked the country he is imposing more and more tariffs on, to dig up dirt on Biden; as well as Pence, Pompeo, and Barr, who have now all been directly involved in the Ukraine mess. These people are are so greedy for power they have lost any sense of right and wrong.
1
How about Jared and Ivanka’s credentials?? Plenty of nepotism to go around
Check out an article in the New Yorker that ran a month or so ago
As stated in the article, "Stephanie Grisham, the White House press secretary, said the subpoena “changes nothing” and called it “just more document requests, wasted time and taxpayer dollars that will ultimately show the president did nothing wrong.” If the president has documents that will ultimately show he did nothing wrong, why would he not insist that those documents be provided immediately? If such documents contain top secret information, then provide them within the safeguards designed to handle such information. It is Mr. Trump's stonewalling, obfusticating, and refusal to meet requests that fulfill the oversight responsibilities of Congress that are the cause of wasted time and taxpayer dollars. As usual with Mr. Trump, his actions directly contradict what he says. Perhaps he is not familiar with the old adage, 'actions speak louder than words.'
22
The quid quo pro has nothing to do with impeachment.
It may, however, be part of an extortion prosecution once he leaves office.
9
Sadly, neither the White House nor Pence will be compelled to comply with these House subpoenas. Executive privilege will prevent enforcement, all the way through the DC Circuit and fast tracked to the SCOTUS.
So no documents will be produced. Why doesn’t the House seek to interview Twitter executives about equal application of the Terms of Use for their platform. Then they would kick Trump off Twitter and he’d have more live press conference where he’s certain to incriminate himself. And lose his lifeline to his base at the same time.
Strategy counts now as public support for civil war in Washington won’t last long.
5
Mother is not going to be happy about this. I think she was hoping to be living in the white house.
18
Pence is no fool, he knows what’s going on. Documents should prove that fact.
5
Hard to believe the senate Republicans will acquit this guy just so they can keep their jobs. Boggles my mind. If this were Obama, McConnell’s head would have exploded by now.
15
Is this not the ‘lodestar’ opportunity he’s been waiting for?
1
Dear Diary,
I'm watching Rachel Maddow and Susan Rice is accusing POTUS of selling us (US!) out to Russia, China, and the highest bidders! Wow! POTUS and VPPence are, traitors (?), our Sec State and AG no longer work for us, the US Senate is, well, SILENT, and we are now living through the most volatile and dangerous period in recorded history. And all the while, the WORLD watches the future of humankind fracture at the hands of an insane ten-year-old who didn't live up to his daddy's expectations. Wow!
27
So though all this trumps approval is steady or goes up. Why? Because those ardent trump supporters aren't worried about the loss of democracy, they welcome it secure in the knowledge that they will be the ones doing the dictating. This is how democracies fail. One group decides that it deserves to rule, regardless of the majority and they have the power to enforce it.
14
New York Times, please release an article detailing the process of what happens when subpoenas are defied, and who has the power to enforce them when it comes to determining punishment and all. And what options are available to enforce them.
I think for most of us, being able to understand the whole process would be a lot easier to understand and have faith in, as we may not all regularly follow the inner workings of law.
Not because we are dumb or anything, but because it helps understand the process as we are currently in times that would be considered historic with so much controversy.
19
Umm. That is not a subpoena.
1
Stephanie Grisham, the White House press secretary, said the subpoena “changes nothing” and called it “just more document requests, wasted time and taxpayer dollars that will ultimately show the president did nothing wrong.”
Glad to hear it. Now turn over the documents to prove it.
28
Finally everyone has the opportunity see Pence for the hypocrite he is.
19
Finally? This is the first time anyone has noticed?
Per Pence:
The only thing worse than a fraud is a sanctimonious fraud.
37
Trump is showing his hand by telling the Dems "have the impeachment vote first then I'll show you what I've got as far as documents." The Dems are playing Poker and Trump is playing Crazy Eights. No wonder Trump bankrupted his casinos.
14
.....the White House press secretary, said the subpoena “changes nothing” and called it “just more document requests, wasted time and taxpayer dollars that will ultimately show the president did nothing wrong.” So, if this is the case, shouldn't she be excited about these requests and fully support them if, as she states, it will show the president did nothing wrong? Her statement does not compute.
15
A suggestion for the House of Representatives. If the WH and anyone else refuses to comply with subpoenas, please use your enforcement authority to compel compliance. Alternatively, take the impeachment vote now, you have enough proof.
10
Alert:
Trump has been maneuvering an excuse for a certain loss of the Presidency in 2020. Losing would be the worst possible prospect for the Greatest Winner of All Time. Hence, he did not lose; he was robbed.
*Possible opponent was crooked in Ukraine and China.
*Deep State in Australia was after him.
*The impeachment was a coup.
Meanwhile, as corrupt dictators do, he has been stashing away public funds before he has to go.
We will survive.
8
The problem with such a cynical viewpoint is that feeds right into the GOP normalization of criminality by POTUS as if none o this was really news or as some cynical seen it all Frenchmen are fond of saying "Il n'y a rien de nouveau sous le soleil."
2
That’s nice but when will we see the Democratic Party use the Sergeant at Arms to punish those who ignore the subpoenas?
34
Right after you get up and go vote.
They'll probably ignore the subpoenas. Like good republicans do. The party of law and order.
22
As much as I loathe Trump, I find Pence even more reprehensible and worthy of impeachment. He fawns around trying to seem this true Christian when in fact, if he were, he couldn’t stand smiling behind Trump nor do his bidding. I want them both erased from public office and relegated to history as the first president and Vice President to be taken out at the same time. I am heartened by the speed at which the investigation is moving.
42
When I was in 7th-grade (and I'm pushing 60), I remember my English teacher defining "charisma" in a sentence as, "John F. Kennedy had charisma." It's a definition that stuck. Here's a word that I rarely used in a sentence until V.P. Pence hit the national stage: "oleaginous." "Vice President Pence is oleaginous." I hope something sticks to this horrible man and he spends his twilight years in repentance.
21
Is it moving? Subpoenas can and will likely be ignored.
I am glad the inquiry is going forward and the committees are getting some good information and cooperation. And I am glad that Pence is not being ignored this time. Bring on President Pelosi! Republican protests about fairness and not being allowed to vote on the inquiry are ridiculous. Republicans have no respect for fairness, let alone the rule of law. Any lack of cooperation is obstruction through and through. I wish we could get a court to rule on impeachment rather than that smug cheating senator from Kentucky and all trump's other minions.
10
Obvious next question: what happens when the guilty parties refuse to turn over evidence?
14
There is a substantial body of case precedent, based upon separation of powers, that holds the judicial branch is without power to interfere in internal procedures of either chamber, absent a violation of the Constitution. Unless the current Supreme Court is prepared to abandon long well-established law and rip up the Constitution, then the Republicans are blowing smoke.
9
@Just a Simple Country Lawyer: But Trump says that the Dems investigation amounts to a coup which is treason, isn't treason a violation of the constitution? And when has Donald Trump ever lied?
It seems very likely that 5 well known SCOTUS justices will have no problem defending Trump's defiance of Congress if the rule of law can somehow get past William Barr's justice dept.
1
Let me think about this issue, first "the President of the United States" discovers corruption. The President of the Unites States has agencies such as the CIA & FBI who are more than capable to protect this Nations interest. But 45, the individual who sits in the Oval office, discovers a corruption and calls Ukraine to investigate a political opponent running for the Presidency. Second, 45 announces to the news media that he can ask other countries to investigate corruption in the United States of America. Third, the conversations of 45's actions support criminal activity which were being covered up except a whistleblower brings these actions to the forefront. Next, only a couple of republicans have denounced 45's actions. But, "We the People," are told to believe and accept eliciting help from a foreign country is legal.
We are a Nation of the rule of law and 45 can not change that for America.
15
@GB : A lot of people hope you are right, but it looks far from a certainty.
Besides the latest Trump brayings-- calling on Ukraine on China to interfere in our elections, let's lot forget imploring Russia, "if they were listening," interfere in Ms. Clinton's campaign. Have we ever seen this type of behavior before? Civic erosion. And nary a peep from the Republicans. And you have to wonder, even if it's proven he violated The Constitution, if they'll ever disown him. His slash and burn/ demonizing those criticizing or opposing him I fear may have lasting effects on the body politic. Dismal to contemplate.
11
News events are happening fast. When we don’t understand things our first response is frustration and anger. The stable genius is measured, persistent, and inquiring. The slow witted.....tweet!
I believe it is important to state that it was the House of Representatives that subpoenaed the White House. Saying "House Democrats" minimizes and overly politicizes the action taken (even if it is political.)
24
Notwithstanding the cynicism expressed by some commenters here, I think Romney deserves credit for being a lone voice in the GOP wilderness re a United States president calling upon foreign nations - including a communist country currently engaged in a trade battle with the U.S. - to investigate a political rival. Given the savaging of Trump's opponents by the Trump Tribe, not to mention the fact Romney's niece heads up the campaign arm of the Republican party, he is demonstrating loyalty to this nation over loyalty to his party. Would that other Republicans did the same. Thanks, Senator Romney.
11
@NESCRIBE
I guess Romney read Jennifer Rubin's editorial in the Washington Post asking him to do the right thing.
Funny how the 2 Republican presidential candidates that ran in 2008 and in 2012 had the chutzpah to take on the Donald
5
The President will simply invoke executive privilege and drag this thing out in court. The Senate is already terrified of the base--if they weaken they will have to switch parties. Which leaves the Court. The final bluff will be the specter of physical removal from the Oval Office, which would mean certain ruin for Trump and those around him, and, most likely jail. The base got him elected, he will need the base to survive afterwards. Both stand and fall together. Neither he nor his base would shirk at crossing the Rubicon. The Left has left them with no illusions of what to expect if the Squad gains power. Knowing this, the Court will very creatively give something to both sides, enough to drag this into perpetuity. But this is classic Trump--never more than a hair's breadth from foreclosure and ruin. If he falters now, 50 years of enemies will descend upon him like a pack of wolves. Post-Presidential immunity is possible only with a strong Right in power and he will go nuclear to make that possible.
6
There are two questions. 1. Will the House attempt to enforce the subpoenas? 2. How will the courts react? During Watergate the Nixon adminstration eventually turned over the "tapes". (Except 17 min).
5
“just more document requests, wasted time and taxpayer dollars that will ultimately show the president did nothing wrong.”
Terrific -- if White House Press Secretary herself says that the documents will ultimately show that he did nothing wrong, a person can only assume that the White House would be eager to hand them over. However, Trump has always claimed that he has nothing to hide in his tax returns, and that he would be happy to be interviewed by Robert Mueller, but he's never been brave enough to follow through. All hat and no cattle, as they say in Texas.
Of course,Trump flat out lied in his recent press conference when he said that the White House has already released the word-for-word transcript of his notorious call with Zelenzky. Everyone knows that in fact it was a "memcom" and that there might have been parts of the conversation that weren't included. Didn't they tell Trump? Or maybe he can't remember what happened last week? Whatever it was, I know for a fact that we haven't seen it and I'm really curious to know if the White House left out anything important.
3
So the only person in the GOP-controlled Senate who has an ethical spine is Romney?, and even he cannot say anything but that this action by Trump is “appalling!”
What is really appalling is the partisan stance that the GOP and Trump’s enablers have taken towards the clear violations of the office of the presidency by Trump and his stooges.
They are fine with shredding the Constitution but I hope that most patriotic Americans are not!
15
Please. let's stop kidding each other. The president of the USA has called on China, yes, China, an autocratic, communist country, to interfere with elections in the United States. How can his supporters be ok with this? We have a constitution,a set of values that apply to all of us. It's no longer about him, it's about us. It needs to stop NOW. Where are you Republicans?
22
@sanity
This is all far too complicated for Trump's supporters, apparently. All they want to see is someone who is willing to stick to immigrants, women, and gay people, and that's what they got.
5
Hey, it’s only China. It’s not like he’s trying to start a joint cyber security task force with Russia.
Oh wait...
The line of succession to the presidency, should the president be removed from office, next goes to the vice president. Should he be removed from office the speaker of the house is next in line.
It may be wishful thinking... Yet, it would be Karmic justice if a woman ascended to the presidency after the 2016 sham. Just sayin'...
51
It’s about time! Let’s get this party started.
12
We just all need to stand up. We have no one to blame for our nations demise but ourselves. Help the Democrats do whats right.
21
I refuse to allow myself to just see this as another antic by Trump. I AM outraged, appalled, that there are no Republicans with a backbone, who care about nothing but their political careers. If ever there was a time to stand on principle and say enough, this is it. Sadly, I don't expect they will as they are all morally bankrupt, and we as citizens are nothing more than sheep who blindly believe everything we hear. We will all get what we have coming; I for one-day saw my taxes go down (which I don't need), while farmers and others are "taking one for the team". How is it working out for you?
20
Despite the growing evidence of Trump's gross malfeasance in office and the likelihood that the House will hold a successful impeachment vote, garnering twenty GOP senators to support his removal seems about as likely a bear using toilet paper.
How have we stooped this low? What has happened to this country?
22
@Mike it’s not “we.” It’s the Republican Party.
1
The president of vice, pence, visited Scottsdale, AZ and said the following:
"Vice President Mike Pence said it was in America’s best interest for foreign governments to launch investigations into his and President Donald Trump’s political rivals."
Talk about a trump minion. Yet another Constitution trasher. How can he sleep at night? Maybe "mother" will give him back rubs but only while wearing his pajamas. No skin contact.
So maybe the House should impeach pence first, followed by the impeachment of traitor trump.
29
Why does the White House refuse to hand over documents if they've nothing to hide?
Hmmm.
23
President Pelosi pretty please.
33
Interesting facts:
1) Congressional subpoenas provide "an absolute bar to judicial interference" once it is determined that Members are acting within the "legitimate legislative sphere" with such compulsory processes. There are 3 requirements, which the House has met.
2) Courts generally do not hear motions to quash Congressional subpoenas. Even when Executive Branch officials refuse to comply, courts tend to rule that such matters are "political questions" unsuitable for judicial remedy.
3) Many legal rights usually associated with a judicial subpoena do not apply to a Congressional subpoena. For example, attorney-client privilege does not need to be recognized.
4) Following a Contempt of Congress citation, Congress can do two things:
a) have the offender(s) arrested and imprisoned by the Sergeant-at-Arms of the House (or Senate). The penalty for "contempt of Congress" is not less than one month nor more than twelve months in jail and a fine of not more than $100,000, or ...
b) Congress can ask the Attorney General, Bill Barr, to impanel a Grand Jury and try those in contempt.
6) But, since trying the President or fellow Executive Branch colleagues presents a conflict of interest to the AG, particularly because, at this time, Bill Barr is serving more as the President's personal attorney and envoy, and not as America's Attorney General,
7) It seems prison is the most fair of the two legal remedies available to the House at this time.
21
There are untold millions of U.S. citizens of REAL faith who will be relieved to see Pence's falseness exposed as part of the overwhelming GOP corruption.
29
So the American taxpayer is paying Trump to tweet endlessly, the DOJ to protect Trump and the White House Administration to thumb their nose at the subpoenas that have been issued. We are essentially paying these yahoos to ignore the rule of law. Apparently in the Trump administration crime pays and let’s you hide your dealings with foreign countries on behalf of your reelection campaign. Trump using taxpayer money for his own benefit. No wonder he ran for office.
23
Mr. Pence the Christian's statement: "it does not appear to be a serious request but just another attempt by the ‘Do Nothing Democrats’ to call attention to their partisan impeachment.”
Are these Mr. Pence's thoughts as well? Because if they are it shows him to be an amoral (at best) and immoral (at worst) charlatan of a Christian. Jesus weeps.
This is a tipping point for the Democrats and their investigation. Start arresting those who fail to comply with the power of the House. If law enforcement fails to comply then the American Dream is finished.
22
The suspense over Pence is intense.
23
At this point what they discover will be a bird nest on the ground once access to the trove is finally secured.
Like a dog with a bone, Trump et. al., will fight with the increased ferociousness perceived to be required with an added pinch of unpredictable Trump Crazy left-field possibly off the wall conspiracy-theory, paranoid-based threat.
What’s interesting here is the ethical standards within the GOP. Do they still have any of those?
Will they go down with the ship or at the last minute wake-up and rise up to the hard work of joining in a bi-partisan effort directed at saving the country?
We shall see. This is uncharted water.
14
The way it works; you receive a subpoena, you don't show, a warrant for arrest is issued. You are arrested and face a judge.
30
It would be great if, when a story is updated in a significant way, as this one evidently was, the updates could easily be identified so the reader doesn't have to read the whole thing again.
11
No, every update should be read in context of the entire text, again, repeatedly if necessary.
Even if Trump doesn't get removed from office, this effort will increase the level of scrutiny over all of his actions and behavior and embolden agencies to resist efforts to undermine the 2020 election.
And as he knows...if he can't cheat, he can't win. And he will need to cheat BIGLY in order to win in the face of this ongoing crash-and-burn.
15
Congress was recently elected in a Dem landslide in the mid terms to put a check on an unhinged President. Thus to stonewall the Congress is refusing to share information with the American people who are paying the stonewaller's wages.
29
Again! If you have nothing to hide hand it over. Hmm if I was Pence I would make a beeline for forgiveness before being taken out of the White House along with Trump.
17
What's the problem, Don, Mike, and cadre of Trump loyalists?
Providing the information shouldn't be that difficult if you have nothing to hide.
Your tactics of stonewalling, throwing shade, and ignoring the problem makes it look like you have plenty to hide.
If you want this so-called witch hunt to end, provide the House with what it wants.
Seems like a no-brainer to lots of us.
21
Why October 15th? Why not Xmas day 2019? Mike Pence will never deliver the papers requested by this Congress. And what will the Congress do? Add him to the bad boys list! No toys for Mike Pence this year. But he may retain his job of keeper of the all powerful Trump for eternity, if Trump has his way- but only if he behaves.
8
trump is now saying that going after Biden is not political and that he has a constitutional right to do it. I'll believe that when pigs can fly. Trump, why now, three years and not a peep until Biden announces for the presidency? Trump, why hire a fixer, someone like Giuliani who is your personal lawyer and political stooge? The President is not the ultimate law of the land especially when he coopts the Justice Department to do his bidding. Trump, now that you are out in the open about the use of foreign influence and presidential power, why don't you tell us all. Release your tax returns, reveal your communications with Putin and tell your base what your own self interested political aims are?
29
@just Robert
Trump has no constitutional right to investigate anyone. That is the job of the FBI.
4
good tactic by one of his people BUT too late.
As usual the dirty democrat party is seeking to somehow establish what one of their own freely admitted he did while vice president. And they are, as usual, not in the slightest interested in corruption when it comes from a democrat. (As usual, they cook up excuses that are as phony as the Mueller hoax: excuses like two fact checking organizations have said that Biden didn't do anything improper, fact checking organizations that are as reputable as this paper.) And all of it to somehow slide by from actually engaging in the electoral process and letting the people speak.
1
For a Trump supporter to refer to 'the dirty democratic party' should make it to the top ten list of ironic statements in the last several years. The Democratic Party is dirty? Good thing we have the never made a deal he didn't try to weasel out of, tells so many lies a day that it is uncountable, contradicts himself on a regular basis, changes his story as to what happened and on and on President. Hopefully the Democrats will get themselves as clean as the Don in the years to come.
6
@Len
Len, the people did speak. They turned the House back to the Democrats.
7
It is a game of chicken...vs ostrich.
Congressional Democrat chickens -trying as of very recently to become the impeachment hawks they spent the last 2 1/2 years wanting desperately not to become- now hope that the Trump White House and its wall of Congressional GOP head-in-sands-of-denial ostriches will start to crumble.
The Congressional GOP ostriches, eyes so deep into and full of sand that they are nearly totally blind to reality, pray that the Congressional Democrat chickens will demonstrate their time-honored talents at quivering and caving, and thereby stumble in their unfamiliar role as chickens playing hawks.
It is the wobbly stumble-prone versus the denialist crumble-prone.
This is not a proud time for the elected and recently appointed officials of the US federal government, or for the voters and non-voters who have so unwisely paid such little heed to the two-party causes of these nest-feathering officials coming home to roost.
4
I read this to mean than Mr. Pence has been implicated. Whether or not he actually is by his own actions or is just the latest victim of Mr. Trump's mob tactics or gaslighting, I care not.
16
House committee chairmen, on behalf of the people:
Move swift and sure—
That Trump be exposed, removed—
And our democracy endure.
17
It's just like "All The President's Men" all over again, only even more of Trump's enablers will be charged, tried, convicted, and go to prison. Thank God that the Democrats won the 2018 congressional elections, or all Trump's crimes would have been covered up by Barr, McConnell, Nunes, and the rest.
28
I find it interesting how we all assumed our democracy was so solid, that a bad actor in one branch of government would be checked by another. But it turns out it all depends on trust, on the assumption that elected officials actually want to uphold the constitution. Now we have one political party (a minority one) who have conspired amongst themselves to subvert the constitution by failing to apply that check, no matter how egregious the behavior. They are busy stacking the courts and play the slow processes of judges to their advantage. The only way out appears to be through the ballot box, but they have subverted that too through gerrymandering, voter suppression and rank misinformation delivered nightly through a captive media outlet. It is indeed a sorry state of affairs.
34
Make no mistake, this is a fight for the "heart and soul" of the country as it was founded by our ancestors and those who have sacrificed for all of us. If Trump can ignore the rules of law, and the concept of co-equal branches of government, them the US has become a different form of government. The Constitution and related founding documents mean nothing. It will be time to move to Canada...the US no longer exists.
18
Sounds to me like Mitt is thinking that he could be the Republicans’ 2020 presidential candidate after Trump leaves office (before the end of his first term). They could well need someone with name recognition who isn’t tainted by the current administration.
11
Congress, even if you don't respect the man, respect the office, separation of powers, and decorum as you conduct your investigation.
Mr. Fandos nailed it when he pointed out that Congress is requesting "documents and communications that are highly delicate and would typically be subject in almost any White House to claims of executive privilege."
"Fishing Expedition", "Grandstanding", and "Witch Hunt" pop into my mind. Don't give Mr. Trump such an easy justification for using all three.
2
Can you say, “President Pelosi”? Can’t wait.
59
ALERT to all Democrats and their staff: Watch out for James O'Keefe fraud set-ups. You know he's got to be up to something nefarious.
9
The whole Trump-Pence administration is corrupt. The Republican Party is corrupt. Vote them out!
115
@Mari
I agree. A lot of corruption in the Republican Party. The posers in the offices of the US Senate, and just plain strange characters in the House. Vote them out. Then we can deal with their backers like man of the cloth Reverend Jeffress!! As Brother Michael Stanley once said, "The Lord uses the good ones, and the bad ones use the Lord." If there is a god, this president and his greedy, grabbing women by the whatever crowd will be in a world of hurt. Until then, the Democrats need to go on the offensive and keep their own people honest and focused.
Pence will never be President.
55
Oh, to see Vice Pastor Pence get grilled and pilloried by female members of Congress! Without his long-suffering wife by his side!
124
@Ross: "...Without his long-suffering wife by his side..." Of course, we must recall that his wife is called "Mother" by Pence. Let the analysis begin!
12
@Ross Perhaps “mother” will convince Pence to seek forgiveness and salvation due to his transgressions with Trump and convince him to resign.
Well, we can always hope.
9
Romney had a brief attack of morality.
56
@Imperato
That won't last. By Monday I expect he will issue a mea culpa, claiming he was out in the Utah sun too long, leading tours of Bears Ears for the CEO's of mining and drilling companies.
9
@Imperato: You are right, but also considering factoring in the humiliation DJT inflicted on Romney is that sham-dinner-interview for Secretary of Sate, a position Trump had no intention of offering to Romney. How does that saying go about revenge? Best served cold...
5
@Imperato
Well, politicians are people too.
Yep. Gotta impeach Pence too. Trump and Family just Grifters. Pence and his ilk even more dangerous than his Con Man boss.
72
@David Katz That is my dream that both Trump get impeached and removed form office. Then we'll have President Pelosi!
9
Crooked Spiro Agnew got nailed before crooked Nixon. History repeating itself.
71
It was important because they knew Nixon’s time was up.
This is gonna be a disaster. Plenty of people would rather self immolate than have a Prez Pelosi as nice as they would be.
@Alex Lets hope that Trump's visualisation of a civil war does not repeat itself. I wonder whether he would be a Confederate or a Union man. I guarantee he would not be on the front line with those darn pesky bone spurs flaring up again
1
I mean, who really believed that Pence wasn’t just another sleazy opportunist like the rest of these guys?
These people are just in it for power and money.
159
You know where the Pence family money comes from?
Hint: not from selling the church candles.
6
@Grove
Not really. They aren't bright enough to "opportunize". They just love being close to the seat of power, no matter how corrupt.
1
@grove not just power and money. They are placing reactionary judges everywhere including the Supreme Court. They want to undermine America, it’s incredible how these traitors have followers (but I feel that way every time I see a statue to the traitors in the war on southern slavery or roads named to honor them. We have never dealt with this honoring people who hate America and now we have elected them.
This imbroglio will be drawn out over many months, and that is not good news for the Democratic Party. Especially now that the Ukrainian government has announced that it will be launching investigations into the Ukrainian companies with which Hunter Biden was involved.
9
The Ukrainian government did not say they are opening a new investigation. They said they would “audit” the previous corruption probes, which means they are planning to look though the documentation and will likely say “we are satisfied that this was properly investigated at the time.”
8
@David H ..... Trump and his enablers are in the quicksand now. They'll sink slowly, but the weight of their crimes will doom them.
Call me cynical but I think Mitt Romney sees a path for himself to the White House.
57
@Haynannu Well, he has his victory speech all ready written and unused from 2012. He’s ready to go and anxious to use it. I thought he was planning to run when he got back into the Senate.
2
@Haynannu When he was governor he favored health insurance reform
@Haynannu and wow he looks good compared to the current occupant. And that’s scary.
The Donald needs Pence to stay clean so he can pardon him.
43
@EW Actually removing Pence would perhaps make it more appealing to impeach and remove Trump. Trump would have to select another VP, (lord help us on that selection,) so Pelosi would not become President. I can’t see Senate Republicans doing anything to put her in office.
1
@EW The very stable genius did not think of that as he threw Pence under the bus.
In 2018, we learned that Trump had an interpreter's notes destroyed after one of his meetings with Putin. Democratic officials had wanted to subpoena the interpreter at the time. Of course, trump's Republican lackeys, determined to protect and enable trump at all costs to the country, said no, and that was that.
The revelations of the whistle blower complaint puts into question every conversation trump has had with foreign governments. How many other communication records have been destroyed or moved to more "secure" systems in order to politically protect trump?
Democrats now have subpoena power, and it's good to see them using it. They are the only ones trying to minimize and limit the damage trump's corruption is causing to our country. With Barr's justice department now acting like trump's personal lawyer, and Mitch McConnell's dirty partisan tricks, they face an uphill battle. Still, Democrats are the only ones trying to keep a check on this out-of-control administration.
This is why we vote in 2020, up and down the ticket. Elections have consequences.
106
All I can say is an honest man has nothing to hide. So why are our leaders playing hide and seek with the truth about, like, everything?
93
Will Pence dispense with the suspense and have enough sense to turn over the evidence? Nonsense.
60
@Jay Orchard
About as much possibility as him and a moose, sitting in a spruce, watching a caboose, and drinking juice.
3
Pence is surely involved in the extortion racket and its cover-up.
He was on at least one phone call with Trump.
Meanwhile, Peter Navarro tried to cover-up much of the story on CNN this morning with typical Trump talking points. The more he shouted, the more foolish he sounded.
39
The Republicans refused to bring President Obama's nomination for Supreme Court for a vote and now they want to cry about pricedure.
74
Senate, where are your John McCains? America is in desperate need of courage and leadership.
Had late Senator McCain lived, I can only imagine that this would have been his moment to seize.
67
@Norman Sorry, but McCain would be putting his finger in the wind, just like the rest of them.
@Norman
If McCain was still alive he's be marching in lock step with the rest of the congressional regressives.
My hope: both Trump and Pence get impeached and we end up with Pelosi as president.
124
The prospect is more than enough to refreeze the already frozen Senate Republicans into ignoring whatever impeachment investigation the house comes up with.
14
President Pelosi does have a nice ring to it.
85
"House Requests Documents From Pence in Impeachment Inquiry
Chairmen of three congressional committees in the House impeachment inquiry requested documents from Vice President Mike Pence about “any role you may have played” in a pressure campaign on Ukraine."
I think it's 100% sure that Trump has involved Pence in these doings. I have read that there were a dozen Whit House people listening in on the Trump phone call to the Ukraine president. I have not seen a complete list of that dozen, but it would be surprising if Pence was not one of them.
16
Pence, a fellow of infinite jest, of most excellent fancy. He hath borne Trump on his back a thousand times.
Where be his heterosexual gibes now? His Biblical quotes? His regressive tax plans? His flashes of tie-breaking merriment that were wont to set the men-only table on a roar? He doesn't make Trump smile anymore. You need to go to his room and tell him that no matter how many lawyers he slathers on, he’s going to end up under the bus.
66
If all goes well we'll have President Pelosi. One can only dream.
44
Pelosi would not ask for documents this early if she didn't already know. As she said, Intelligence is her wheel house.
95
@Tom It is said a good trial lawyer knows the answer to the question before it is asked..
4
One can only hope.
If it's hard to imagine the GOP Senate would vote to remove Trump, it's even harder to imagine they would remove Pence and pave the way for President Pelosi. This is getting interesting, especially since it seems Trump is trying to take Pence down with him.
30
When Trump is impeached, he will resign rather than face a Senate trial. President Pence will pardon him.
Will the House and Senate confirm a new VP per the 25th Amendment before Pence gets impeached?
{munches popcorn}
9
@Max Pardon hm as Ford pardoned Nixon? Perhaps but Nixon did not have a bunch of alleged sexual assault victims awaiting to pounce on him with state charges.
6
Normally, if a witness or defendant doesn't show up to a hearing or trial the ruling is based on whatever information or arguments are presented. Congress has long had ample grounds and evidence to impeach Trump and remove him from office as it is. His refusal to cooperate or present a credible defense and his ordering of other witnesses not to cooperate is in itself an abuse of power, contempt of Congress and grounds for impeachment. The House should present the case for impeachment and Articles of Impeachment, which would include all the worst parts of Trump's misconduct beginning in 2016 or 2017 and vote to impeach. If Senate Republicans don't have the courage or ethics to hold a real trial and vote to remove him from office, that's their problem. If Trump does not show up and present a credible defense he forfeits the trial.
22
Speaker Pelosi should think about this investigation of Pence very carefully. At least she should do no more than slow roll it. While it is a longshot that the Senate will convict Trump, it is not impossible. Trump is in full implosion mode. But the Senate will never vote to make Pelosi president.
5
@James Ricciardi
The senate doesn't vote to make anyone the chief executive. It happens by default.
1
@Moehoward I know that, but if they impeach Trump and Pence the Senate will never convict them. If they think Pelosi will impeach Pence after Trump is convicted, then they will never convict Trump.
As the impeachment plays out in the media the polarization of both the left and right continues to galvanize voters. Whatever the outcome the current situation facing the US is the undermining of what is truth and just how deep does the corruption go. I just know if Trump gets reelected it's the end of what was once the largest democracy on the planet.
20
@Susan India is the largest Democracy on the planet. But point taken and technically you are correct because before India became a democracy, America once was indeed the largest democracy on the planet.
4
I know what you’re trying to say, but India is the largest (i.e. most populous) democracy.
Any impeachment focus on Pence makes me uneasy. Getting the Senate to remove Trump from office will hard. If GOP senators think Nancy Pelosi might get into the Oval Office, all will be lost.
In fact, I think there are GOP senators who would vote to remove Trump in order to make Pence president. Pence has his flaws. But he is rational (in most things, except religion), and less likely to drag down the economy and the country’s standing than Trump is. I should think the constituents of several senators from farming states would love to see the back of Trump and his trade war with China.
5
The ever expanding conspiracy involving Ukraine that has already ensnared the President, the Attorney General, the Secretary of State, a number of diplomats such as Kurt Volker, and yet unnamed National Security Council lawyers now is about to include Vice President Mike Pence. The extensive corruption of the Executive branch revealed in over a week is simply staggering as it is frightening to our national security based on our Constitution and its "rule of law." This is like Teapot Dome meets Watergate with the very existence of our democracy hanging in the balance. While it seems a near certainty already that the House will vote on articles of impeachment, the Senate Republicans so far seem unmoved and unwilling to accept the corruption and its threat to the nation. One can only hope, as with Watergate, that their loyalty to the nation will ultimately overcome their fear of and loyalty to Donald Trump as each day a new Republican Senator speaks out.
23
Hopefully the President stands up for what is right. He should not give anything to the inquisition until they Vote for the inquiry. Pelsosi has said "we don't have to vote". The matter isn't whether you can or can't, it's whether you should or shouldn't. It is immoral and underhanded to stack the deck preventing both sides the ability to address witnesses and present evidence. Pelosi and Schiff want it this way because they can control the narrative, which is the only way they win. If this goes to court, the judge will force the Vote, and they Dems by that point (months from now) will have nothing to move forward with.
1
@Nielson reviewer "It is immoral and underhanded ... " LOL! That's rich coming from the right wing. What would be right is a President who didn't get himself in this predicament to begin with. How about a President who didn't call on foreign powers to trash his American political rivals. How about a President who didn't lie every time he opened his mouth -- more than 12,000 times in three years and counting. Imagining that this President would "stand up for what is right" is absolutely HILARIOUS! God, I love Republican delusion!
Immoral? Underhanded? You’re applying those words to the Democrats as you defend Trump & cronies? You’ve got to be kidding...
Wow. If only you would apply your sense of right and wrong to the idea of a sitting president using the powers of his office to collude—yes collude—with foreign governments to get dirt on his political opponents. Incredible.
The one beam of light here is Mitt Romney, openly condemning Trump's acts. Sorry if it's only wishful thinking, but if only 19 more GOP senators were to hop on board, maybe we could get through this impeachment tunnel and out of this Oval Office nightmare. At least I can dream!
12
He is as guilty as his boss. The innocent veneer he presents is so far from the truth. Let's hope he is impeached or if he chooses to resign instead that would be as acceptable as well.
15
If the news media and Congress want to convince the American public that impeachment is necessary and deserved, they need to make the message clearly. I've noticed the NYT and Congress using terms that are not clear to the average public. As an example of what I am getting at, I led a Navy technical publication writing team for several years. Those publications contained highly technical procedures for maintenance, troubleshooting, and alignment of sophisticated computerized detection and weapons systems. Other than the highly technical terms applicable to those systems, the official standard for all other writing was to conform to what was then a ninth grade level English standard. My duties as the lead required me to ensure all our products met that English standard. One of my writers was an arrogant engineering master who liked to use big words and convoluted sentences well beyond that standard. One day, I ran across a word in one of his documents that was clearly not understandable in the context of what he was writing about. When I called him on it, he pulled out a 7-inch thick Webster's dictionary to find that word and there, under the 23rd definition of the word, was a more common 5 letter word better describing what he was trying to say. I had to force him to use the shorter word. The same holds true for Congress and the media. Choose your terms and wording more carefully so the public reader does not need a dictionary to understand your message.
11
@Angelsea
"One of my writers was an arrogant engineering master who liked to use big words and convoluted sentences well beyond that standard."
That's pretty arrogant on your part.
You ever think that this guy just thought this way, and it had nothing to do with arrogance. People give me a hard time, sometimes threatening and screaming about using "big words" and that "They don't even know what that means." hat's because of their lack of vocabulary, education and intelligence. use certain words because that's how I think, not because, as they obviously feel, that I'm trying to make them feel stupid.
As in "Arrival", a linguist may save our planet!
This is what happens when some one pursues the office of the Presidency as a PR stunt. At some point, we as a people, need to define more stringent minimal qualifications for the office that goes beyond being born in the US, age and not having been convicted of a felony. Relevant experience might be one of several criteria. Surely, having no relevant experience ( as in none , other than a history of making shady deals) should disqualify a prospective candidate. Further, multiple filings of corporate or individual bankruptcy might be another consideration which would bar a person from running. ( That disqualifies a lot of people from obtaining a mortgage or other forms of credit...surely the same standards might apply to the highest elected office in the land where billions of dollars are doled out annually). Then there are other concerns, such as verified instances of sexual harassment, sexual assault, hate speech or domestic violence. Prospective candidates could be vetted by an independent committee comprised on Democrats and Republicans. The committee, could in consultation with Congress and the state legislatures flesh out and agree upon the criteria.
A tougher criteria might protect us all in the future from another episode of such an unqualified person being elected POTUS.
809
@Harley Leiber Agreed! A cashier at a retail store goes through a more stringent vetting process than the POTUS. Seriously - most jobs today require a complete background check, drug screen, credit check, and more. Why not a better process for presidential candidates?
144
@Harley Leiber Very thoughtful and appropriate though in all likelihood difficult to implement.
35
@Harley Leiber At some point, we as a people, need to define more stringent minimal qualifications for voting.
Surely people who voted for Trump should be disqualified.
23
So now they are going after Pence - and then, who else?
This is exactly the mistake Joe McCarthy made when he started going after George Marshall; before you know it, you only have enemies, and ultimately, you become the target.
I would love to see Trump sent back to the Real Estate industry, where his kind fits right in, but I strongly suspect the whole "Impeachment Thing" is going to go bust.
Considering how out of control Trump is, the Democratic Party need a removal strategy that is really viable. Botching the 2020 election will leave us in a terrible way. Did we learn nothing in 2016?
54
@Peter Zenger
No worries, they are only going after criminals. So who else? How bout all of them.
117
@Peter Zenger
Going after anybody and labeling them communists was the mistake McCarthy made. He was probably the one that kept Linus Pauling from being the first to decipher the structure of DNA by preventing him from going to a conference where Rosalind Franklin was presenting her x-ray analysis.
It is rather unbelievable that you compare these very valid impeachment proceedings with the McCarthy dark scare. Considering how out of control Trump is, now is the time for impeachment. And then after he is made to leave office, jury trials and justice for his numerous crimes. Not back to the real estate industry crooked business as usual.
We did learn something about 2016 and that is Trump colluded with a hostile foreign power to get installed as president, has obstructed justice and is now doing the same thing all over again.
And yes, the GOP is in a very bad way. I agree.
206
@Peter Zenger, I'm sorry but you're looking at this the wrong way. They should go after all guilty parties. This is not a witch hunt. Don't lend that dismissal any credence with the McCarthy comparison.
Remember, Robert Mueller's investigation resulted in the following: 34 individuals and 3 companies indicted; 7 individuals took guilty pleas on multiple charges; two individuals have been convicted through trials; another is awaiting trial (the remaining are outside the US); there have been a total of 199 criminal charges.
And the media--and his sycophantic GOP supporters--still allow Trump to spread the whole "witch hunt" canard.
After a two year Benghazi investigation: no charges.
155
The real story is Romney. He makes the other GOP Senators look worse than usual which hardly seems possible.
Trump will attack him mercilessly.
The Repubs thought party affiliation would shield them from Trump’s radioactivity but the opposite is true: they are closer to the reactor than the Dems and the public .
The Repubs will never be able to scrub the contamination . They are poisoned , and the the individual and collective deformities will reveal themselves soon. They have no one to blame other than themselves.
512
@JL
Republicans only work for the rich anyway.
The country needs better people.
48
@JL , oh please. Did you ever watch the Iran Contra hearings? This is what they do.
6
@JL Sasse spoke up strongly about the China contact. Don’t be fooled by appearances. Trump’s support in the Senate is paper thin. At a certain point they will throw him overboard with alacrity before he drags them all down. The same thing happened with Nixon. His solid support evaporated overnight.
23
"Republicans accused Democrats of not giving them a chance to provide input on the subpoena."
Seriously? After the 2-year-long Nunes fiasco the Republicans have now had their eyes opened and claim that they have a right to input as the minority members of the committee.
They should have input, but the naked chutzpah for them to claim that right after their term of supine obedience to the Trump brigade is up there with the guy who murders his parents and then asks for leniency in sentencing because he is an orphan.
628
@WJG I think their input should be considered, and evaluated in the light of objective evidence. If that input is contrary to reality, it should be rejected.
1
The text messages do more than call Trump's claim of no quid pro quo into doubt. After reading these messages from Bill Taylor, acting US Ambassador to Ukraine, there is absolutely no doubt about it in my mind at least. He said, "I think it's crazy to withhold security assistance for help with a political campaign." Sondland's attempt to go on the record to the contrary just reaffirms that Trump is running our State Department like a mafia organization. It's appalling. It's alarming. It's a serious crisis of unparalleled government corruption made exponentially worse by the fact that the Trump campaign is literally blasting out millions of texts, paid media ads, social media posts, and emails trying to discredit the whole episode and raise money off of it -- and it's working. We have a very, very serious problem on our hands.
1366
@Brannon Perkison ...unfortunately there are millions of Trump supporters that fall in two categories: those that are trying to save face and willingly complicit in these crimes and those that are just plain stupid and will believe anything Donald says.
Not sure which is worse for the Country.
127
@Brannon Perkison
We have had a serious problem and the trolls and Fox News continue to lie and gas light. That organization is a cancer upon our society feeding fascism into our daily lives.
121
After reading the text messages, my biggest question is which crazy conspiracy-theory Trump was extorting Ukraine into investigating.
That Trump was withdrawing foreign aid in an effort to extort Ukraine into doing things for his political gain is pretty much spelled out in the text messages as clearly as anything is ever spelled out in text messages.
55
I see where this coup is going. Impeaching both Trump and Pence then leaves Pelosi next in line for the Oval Office. Subtlety is not a Democratic forte obviously.
5
No one can match Trump’s subtlety, can they?
40
@John Doe
Coup? The Trump house of cards is falling all of it's own accord.
50
@John Doe, you’re welcome to apply. Either way, this is going down.
22
Democrats lament the fact that the Republican Senate will need sixty-seven votes to convict Donald Trump.
People should be more optimistic. Donald has demonstrated an unparalleled disposition to make things even worse.
There is hope.
10
Of course it is risky to take up the cause of Impeachment, and perhaps to some degree, Trump is egging them on. But when a President invites foreign governments to "investigate" political rivals, privately or openly, it is incumbent on the House to do what they must. The line of what is acceptable is getting dangerously close to the cliff.
12
When a citizen ignores a subpoena, the police comes to his residence and takes him into custody.
Is the President not a citizen?
17
@Daniel Messing. Absolutely, but the problem is that the chief of "police" is henchman Bill Barr.
2
“the President of the United States is using the power of his office to solicit interference from a foreign country in the 2020 U.S. election.”
That is the key phrase, the sort of comment on the evidence that Mueller refused to make.
It is top of the document.
I'd like to know what role Schiff or his staff had in writing or editing that document when shown it before it was submitted as a whistle blower complaint.
To what extent is it their own words and edit being sent back to them, a political hit piece rather than a whistle blower complaint?
So sure, quote those words over and over, and ask what role Pence had. But also ask what role Schiff had.
2
@Mark Thomason
There has already been a public response to the suggestion (accusation) that Schiff knew what the complaint contained!
Please read ALL the news that is being reported rather than a chosen selection.
4
@Mark Thomason : Of course you could just ask whether the accusation is true? Isn't that at the heart of the matter?
2
Read more. That’s been explained in detail.
If the impeachment inquiry fails and Republicans with their vote against impeachment becomes the norm for the acceptance of foreign influence in our elections, Democrats should immediately go after all foreign documents implicating Trump and Pence. Turn around is fair play as Alex Kingsbury implies in today's NYT article about the implications of Trump's seeking help from foreign powers to win an election which in itself is an admission by Trump that the Mueller report was correct,. Our country so proud of its sovereignty will be open to the highest bidder seeking to sway our elections. Pence and trump have more to fear from this as their dirty laundry is laid bare for all to see.
7
Subpoenaing Pence doesn’t mean they’ll try to impeach him. It means they need information, which is totally fair.
18
Good.
And there should be only one response should Pence fail to comply...he should be ushered to jail. Immediately.
There is only one way to prove no one is above the law...by proving it.
20
As much as I dislike Pence and his politics I think it would be an incredibly bad idea to try to impeach him along with the President. Sure, go ahead and completely tarnish his name, but don’t impeach him.
The reason I say this is because Nancy Pelosi is third in line for the presidency after Pence and id Democrats for Pence out it will look Significantly more like a Coup to on the fence Americans.
2
@Dundeemundee
One might also construe it to be exactly what the framers had in mind in this situation.
6
Maybe we were a little short-sighted when we said it was perfectly fine and proper for the last president to ignore congressional subpoenas.
Trump pack strategy, learned from Roy Cohen: deny, deny, deny, attack, attack, attack, stonewall, stonewall, stonewall.
Did not work out well for Roy Cohen.
11
Pence publicly said he sees nothing wrong with the phone call in which Trump extorted Ukraine into interfering in our election on the behalf of the Trump Pence ticket. We've seen only their summary memo about it. How much worse is the real thing? We are already aware of a number of illegal actions (e.g., violations of the whistle-blower law) and unconstitutional actions (e.g., using public resources and positions for private gain). According to Trump, Pence himself met with and called Zelensky. In fact, it looked like Trump was also threatening his own evangelical base. How so? He was telling them that he would happily throw Pence to the wolves, if they were to abandon him. We must assume Pence like any number of others was part of the conspiracy to hide these many calls, between Trump and the leaders of other countries, which coerced other nations to interfere in our elections.
7
A big thank you to Adam Schiff! So glad the Democrats are finally fighting back.
28
They want both Trump and Pence. Then Pelosi as Speaker of the House will become President. The elites will be dancing in the streets, in their gated streets, that is. They will need their gates and their guards because it will be the start of the Second American Revolution.
@Edward The right's morphed the definition of elite into anyone with a brain and ability to think critically, while the power elite used to be those who were born rich, educated in prep/boarding schools and eventually married a wealthy spouse to produce elitist children who would be groomed for prep shools, and carry on the legacy of their elitist parents, eg. Trump, Wilbur Ross, Steve Munichin - basically Trump's administration.
And isn't it rich that a draft dodger beats the drums of civil war to his base? You don't have to be a member of the modern day elite to see the irony in that.
7
@Edwa
I dont live in any sort of a "gated" community. My closest neighbors are often very wild--- bobcat, raccoons, chipmunks, bears, snakes, moose. So please to not lump all of us who are worried about our country as "elites". If by "elites" you mean people with some sort of education- any kind-- or have normal curiosity to educate themselves on issues, then I guess many people who don't live behind gates qualify. Meanwhile you are seeing an administration flout EVERY law, and you would very much like that to continue, out of some sort of oddly misguided worship of a man who paints himself orange and lies as easily as he breathes, or sniffs. All so you can feel superior over others of different races, religions, education, disability, or political party, so called "owning the libs". How--- disgraceful!
The second American Revolution is already underway: addressing a tyrant.
Do you remember when a couple of years ago on July 4th, NPR radio read aloud the Declaration of Independence.?
I' m a US citizen, live close to half the year in northern NY State, and I was there on that wonderful, inspired day. Trump supporter went berserk, outraged that on the holiest of holidays, NPR was having a go at their fearless leader. Ignorance is not bliss. It gets everyone into big trouble.
Impeaching Pence, if it can be done, would be a mistake. The Republican led Senate will never allow Nancy Pelosi to become POTUS.
@CGC Remove Pence first. A new VP gets appointed Then Pelosi will not be next in line. That is what you have to do.
This is what happens when the iron vise of a criminal racketeering investigation closes in on the mob boss.
Trump is the drowning man using Pence as a flotation device.
Lest anyone tell themselves this is not serious, here is a short list of the federal offenses Trump and many of his cohort may be liable for:
- Violation of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act. Any attempt to influence or extort a foreign official, or to influence his/her official action;
- Extortion (as in of any individual, using bribery or the threat of some negative outcome for that individual);
- Defrauding the United States. The solicitation of a foreign national to engage in an effort to influence the 2020 election, or to solicit a thing of value as a donation, i.e. dirt on a political opponent;
- Conspiracy. Acting with others to do any of the above;
- Wire fraud. Using the telephone, texting, or using email to further the conspiracies and illegal activities. Trump spoke to foreign officials apparently from the Oval Office telephone.
- Honest Services Fraud. Not enough is made of this: Trump, Pence and all public officials are fiduciaries. They have a legal duty to put the interests of their constituents before their own. When they do not, they cheat their oath.
- Racketeering. See the R.I.C.O. act, which then-US atty Rudy Giuliani used against the Mafia during the 1980s.
The only question is whether the rule of law survives these gangsters, or not.
14
I honestly cannot understand how some of the comments still support tRump.
Have Republicans thrown aside their moral compass?
They support a President who:
-Is an adulturer.
-Speaks of imprisoning anyone who contradicts him.
-Vilifies Hispanics.
And, the list goes on...
There were a few things I once agreed with Republicans on, but now I dissociate from them completely.
14
Categorize and Appendicize Trump's High Crimes!
"President Trump will impeach himself." No he won't. Presidents don't impeach themselves. You have to build a
case to the American People.
The Democratic Leadership (and corporate media) are building the wrong case.
Pelosi is correct that you cannot impeach on character flaws or bad policy, but only on High Crimes and Misdemeanors. But she is incorrect that we should be focusing on one case at a time.
If a little old little keeps killing people by accident, how many die before she is a serial killer?
While Pelosi is chasing one High Crime at a time, Trump is attacking ALL of the Constitution at the same time.
Builders think at a different scale than most people. Most cannot fathom the size of Trump's ambitions.
We have to get ahead of this curve.
It is the overwhelming PATTERN of anti-Constitutional acts and words that makes Trump a danger to the Republic.
Trump is not interested in his job description. He fires those who try to make him follow it. Trump has backed himself into a corner, where he can either leave office and get indicted for obstruction of justice, or make himself president for life.
Trump is the president the Constitution was designed to impeach. He governs by whim, like a king, because he cannot imagine hie is not above all of the rest of us.
Watch the end of the first presidential debate, when Hillary went into the audience to shake hands and the Trump family floated around like a royal bouquet.
1
If Trump is so concerned with corruption, as he claimed when inviting China to investigate Biden, why doesn't he turn the lens onto himself, his family, and the corrupt, pervasive nepotism that has defined his presidency to date? Why isn't anyone talking about this?
7
So Trump and Pence both get impeached, and so next in line for the presidency would be Speaker Nancy Pelosi...wouldn't that be an interesting turn of events?
3
Democrats willingly throw Biden and family to the dogs to to construct a barely colorable argument that a President may not request an action from a foreign government, if that action includes an individual who is running for office. Who get the shelter here, the corrupt Bidens. Very interesting. It won't sell with the American people.
1
Look at his face. Vice President Pence is giddy at the prospect of achieving the Presidency. He doesn't care how he gets it. ...but he's pretty sure that he'll get it.
@EJ McCarthy
We should all be afraid of this potential.
2
Three words bear remembering and repeating re: this new House charade:
No. Subpoena. Power. Say it all together now, they have “No subpoena power.”
1
It seems strange to me that Trump (Make America Hate Again) would call upon the evangelical Christians to support him when he seems to be breaking all 10 Commandments. We are supposed to pray for our leaders and I do. I pray he would resign!!!
5
I just saw an excellent piece today on BBC Worldnews, John Dean speaking to a gathering of people enraged by the latest revelations, followed by a right-wing artist speaking to a gathering of enraged Trumpists.
So I think the battle lines are forming on impeachment and the political case will be made to the general public over the coming months. It will take some months for all the evidence to be gathered and heard because courts will need to weigh in on congressional subpoenas not being complied with. So I for one will breathe deeply into a paper bag and ignore the daily barrage on impeachment. One is presently either for impeachment or not, and I’d like to ignore all the predictions and pundits. All that matters is whether we change our minds between now and whenever the Senate gets to vote on this issue. Just breathe deeply.
The committees should have a subpoena ready to go for Oct.15-16 if the requested documents are not turned over by the requested date. No more delays--be proactive and prep for delays.
8
You wonder if Karen Pence is even speaking to hubby Mike now. His decision to join team Trump has to be one of the worst decisions in the history of mankind and his troubles have only just begun.
35
@Patrick
I think Mother has to do what she's told. Isn't that the Evangelical way?
1
Watching from afar (actually am; this is the tragi-comedy worthy of aShakespearean screenwriter) - I am trying to recall the name of a young American woman who was jailed within Trumpian times for leaking governmental confidential information; first name Honor or Truth or something akin. She has served more time and likely done more good, albeit breaking the law, than your Commander-in-Chief will do/has done.
And today I played a seven minute video of a six year old Guatemalan child paying as it said, for the sins of her father. Detained in Michigan, separated from her family, five month duration and now suffering from PTSD. Yet, the narratives - of both that young American and that child- slip away under the barrage of Trump stories that show how illegality is now normalized... in my view, both those stories to which I allude are Trump related.
World Press Photography; check it out. I use it as a teaching tool and pray for a better outcome north of the border as our Election Day comes.
12
Her name is Reality Winner; she got five years.
1
When will the televised hearing with Acting Ambassador Bill Taylor be? We need to know about the many phone calls between him, Ambassador Sondland, Rick Perry, Volker, Guiliani, etc., etc.
5
Hey, we may have a "two-fer": 2 impeachments over Trump and Pence actions to personally pressure Ukraine to dig up dirt on Joe Biden and his son Hunter in exchange for the release of US military aid.
Nancy Pelosi assuming the presidency may no longer seem a far-fetched idea.
But let's get back to Trump. The evidence is clear: Trump committed impeachable offenses by asking foreign governments to interfere in the 2020 election for his own political benefit. Here’s how we know:
- The call transcript showed Trump, in his own words, extorting a foreign leader for personal political gain.
- The whistleblower complaint is damning for Trump, no matter how much he much he tries to distract from the facts it reveals.
- Trump’s public statements. Yesterday, on the White House lawn, Trump stood in front of the cameras and encouraged Ukraine and China to interfere in the 2020 election.
- Newly released text messages between State Department officials show a coordinated effort to compel Ukraine to investigate Trump’s political rival in exchange for foreign assistance and a White House meeting.
It’s time for House and Senate Republicans to choose: Will they grow a spine and stand up for our democracy, our Constitution, our governmental institutions, and rule of law or will they continue to sell their souls, tick their heads in the ground, defend Trump at all costs and be complicit in enabling Trump's continuing offenses to our nation.
What's it going to be Republicans?
22
@Eugene Gorrin
I’m guessing they will sacrifice the country.
After all, Republicans have been doing that since Reagan at least.
They really never cared about the country.
6
My level of disgust has reached depths that I did not know exist. My anger burns like a cauldron. Everything is riding on this.
Here is what I want:
I want every single person who cares about our democracy to do something right now. Call. Your. Congressman. Tell them the following:
"What Donald Trump has demonstrated in the past few days is really basic: he is a danger to American interests. He cannot be in charge of our foreign policy since he has demonstrably shown he is using our foreign policy as his personal weapon."
Then hang up, and call the Congressman one district over. Call your Senators. Call Republican leadership.
Call as though our democracy rides on it because it does. Call as if our children's future is riding on it, because it is. Call as though we are at war. Call as though your life depends on it. Call as though your home is under attack.....because it is.
If we don't stop this now, today, the stench will be the least of our problems. The erosion of our norms will be permanent. The destruction of our democracy will be closer than ever. Nothing good can grow from here if our response to such blatant treason is to yawn.
We can't do anything about who Donald Trump is, but we can do something about where he does it, preferably far away from the People's House.
40
So many office holders just like Pence were admittedly in the know, and yet to bring all these foul doings lately going on to the detriment of America's allies and to her reputation of tough but fair dealing required the courage of an unknown - Office holders just like Pence who swore a solemn oath before witnesses to protect their nation. Disgusting.
14
Mother will not like this.
27
Drain the Trumpian swamp. Let's see what lies at the bottom and go from there.
13
Ever seen that show “Designated Survivor”?
5
"Republicans accused Democrats of not giving them a chance to provide input on the subpoena."
That's rich. Republicans are doing everything in their power to slow and discredit the impeachment process. However, when the shoe is on the other foot in the Senate, you'd better believe the same Republicans are nothing but expedience and non-examination. Blasted hypocrites.
15
@Andy
GOP has GOT to go.
Vote Blue - for the children's sake if nothing else.
3
Trump doesn't pretend to be anything but vile and corrupt - or as he wants people to think, an artist "of the deal." Pence is the complicit fake Christian, all too wiling to use bogus piety to hurt people as he acts as Trump's key accomplice.
13
Vice President Pence, do you believe that President Trump would offer you up to the Senate for impeachment in order to get himself off the hook?
If you are guilty of impeachable offenses, then you should be impeached and removed from office.
If, on the other hand, you're going to be the sacrificial lamb put forward by Trump to fall on your sword for Trump, then perhaps you should consider turning on Trump before he has the chance to offer you up for political sacrifice.
Time is short for you to make up your mind about this.
Trump and his jackals are circling you as I speak.
17
Birds of a feather. . .
Apologies to birds.
12
And Pence's office just told them no chance... Now what?
3
@Patrick Hasburgh
Then they all go to jail until they comply with the subpoena.
1
For all his religious non-bending morality, Pence has plenty to “splein”. The briefing book for his recent trip to Poland would be nice. His copy of the Trump telephone call to Zelenskiy, would be another as would be the briefing prepared for his aborted trip to Zelenskiy’ take of office (for which Rick Perry was sent instead - talk about corruption that Trump endorses)
3
Hurry up Congress your two week recess is next week ,Our part time Congress pretending to work for the American people.
Schiff, Schumer, Nadler, and no I’m not picking on the Old Testament crowd, just had a long weekend for the Jewish New Year,Happy New Years, what a fares our government has turn into, with the help of the MSM news cartel, all of them.
3
Why bother with elections when we have Death Star Trump International.
5
Will Mike Pence, Mr Tobacco, ever change that beatific expression?
10
@Mama bear
It is the expression of not having a clue, not one we see on his boss's face because he is so clueless as not to have a clue that he is clueless. The enormity of Mr Trump's EGO does not allow for consideration--I use the term lightly--for anything else.
@Mama bear
Will Mike Pence, Mr Tobacco, ever change that beatific expression?
It's a feature, not a bug. Part of firmware 1.1
@Mama bear No, he will not. It's an Indiana thing. The Hoosier state. Which means, "Who's your friend?" requires friendly expressions.
Pence to congressional Democrats - NOPE, my boss says you are not real - sorta fake, maybe treasonous. I believe him. But, hey, I believe that Jesus Christ will come down from the heavens real soon and reclaim America as the Holy Kingdom of Trump.
By the way, the Senate repubs believe him, too.
8
See what happens when you dance with the devil, Mike?
36
The 24-7 boot licking is about to get very sticky for sycophant Mike Pence.
22
Golly, I wonder if Pence will cooperate with Congress?
Because subpoenas have been working so well so far.
20
@Sad Citizen
I think they need to re-administer the Oaths of Office.
The ones they took seem to have worn off.
1
Can the Inquiry get the original, full transcript of the July 25th call with Zelensky? Surely this transcript will provide more proof of Potus wrongdoing, much like the Watergate tapes that sealed Nixon’s fate.
Here is the law, which you can read for yourself:
52 USC §30121. Contributions and donations by foreign nationals
(a) Prohibition
It shall be unlawful for-
(1) a foreign national, directly or indirectly, to make-
(A) a contribution or donation of money or other thing of value, or to make an express or implied promise to make a contribution or donation, in connection with a Federal, State, or local election;
(B) a contribution or donation to a committee of a political party; or
(C) an expenditure, independent expenditure, or disbursement for an electioneering communication (within the meaning of section 30104(f)(3) of this title); or
(2) a person to solicit, accept, or receive a contribution or donation described in subparagraph (A) or (B) of paragraph (1) from a foreign national.
(b) "Foreign national" defined
As used in this section, the term "foreign national" means-
(1) a foreign principal, as such term is defined by section 611(b) of title 22, except that the term "foreign national" shall not include any individual who is a citizen of the United States; or
(2) an individual who is not a citizen of the United States or a national of the United States (as defined in section 1101(a)(22) of title 8) and who is not lawfully admitted for permanent residence, as defined by section 1101(a)(20) of title 8.
Paragraph (a)(2) makes soliciting (asking for) an illegal donation a violation of the law itself.
Just asking for the donation ("asking for a favor") is a CRIME.
33
@Joe From Boston
Exactly. Which is why the "just" in your "Just asking for the donation is a crime" also belongs in air-quotes.
There's no "just" about it. Without accountability, we have no justice.
It's time the Dems played the hardest hardball ever unleashed in DC, because if this crime spree passes unchecked in the way all of the others have...we're done as a nation. Nothing can stand if everything is negotiable.
They have committed crimes. This is not a matter of debate or of finding a smoking gun. They --in their very own words-- provided a blazing howitzer. Now hold them accountable.
3
Read "Piety & Power: Mike Pence and the Taking of the White House" by Tom LoBianco. It's just fascinating. But Pence would not give the author any interviews for the book, nor are there any photos. But there's still a lot of good info in the book.
8
My prediction is the White House, VP's office and Pompeo's State Dept. will stonewall the release of any documents. This could set up a court fight that may go on for months.
8
@Mark McIntyre
My prediction is that they will all be removed from office. And possibly end up in prison.
2
To keep the spotlight so squarely on this whistleblower is a mistake. Take him or her out of the picture and the level of high crimes committed by this President remains crystal clear. Yes, politics is a dirty business: Biden, the Clintons, the whole lobbying apparatus in Washington ... bleh. Yes, we knew Trump came into office with a rich history of stiffing partners, abusing women, discriminating against black tenants, lying, cheating, and running his public companies into the ground. Shame on us. But to now let him thumb his nose at basic laws and constitutional oversight to achieve the l'etat c'est moi status he so envies in his dictator pals is too much. Amid our tribal partisan hatred, we seem to have lost our ability to distinguish between right and wrong, to see the existential threat this man presents to basic human decency and the American way of life. I hope this is one instance where we don't allow the President to gaslight us into accepting that all is well.
1052
Now if only facts mattered to our Trumpublican friends...
76
@NewAmerican
I don’t see democrats dividing us as people akin to republicans. Trump divides us at every opportunity.
This isn’t tribalism as much as it fascism to alienate groups of people and attack them to gain power. See Fox Mews Tucker Carlson etc for examples of calling large segments of society dirty or attacking all liberals as dirty and corrupt and attributing all poverty in America to them.
I see an open hand from most democrats but if you keep punching them in the face they have no choice but to retreat to safety and defend themselves. This is the greatest problem with Trump and republicans with the aid of Russia spelled out clearly and identifying right ring groups they could use to achieve this. Aka NRA.
This isn’t really tribalism. This is racism 101 by a specific set of people in power and a propaganda network called Fox.
If Fox and right wing extremism wasn’t so prevalent this tribalism would cease over night. They are not equal. The question is how do we open our hand to the people who have proven daily now they are more interested in force and harming the rest of us?
107
Very well articulated!
38
Maybe I've seen too many lawyer shows on TV, but when people are held in contempt of court, they are usually ushered into a jail cell to cool their heals until either the Court relents or they agree to the terms of the subpoena.
How can it be any other way?
47
@Clyde Laws are for little people. Well, they're really there to punish little people. Pence is not a little person and he will be able to carry on regardless. Yep, a bigger fish may decide that he's littler, but Pence is just too big to face any real consequences. The party may turn on him, but he's holding a get-out-of-jail-card, so he's really not too concerned about Pelosi's demands, after all, Pelosi is littler than Pence. But in the end, this apostate will face the wrath of his greatest fear, a vengeful Jesus!
4
@Clyde Trump had his own TV reality show. So TV is clearly NOT reality. But neither is this unreal unraveling of our democratic process.
Although I realize this is very unlikely, but, if both the President and Vice President are removed from office, then who takes up the torch? "Acting President" McConnell?
I'd note that Trump used the term"absolute right" in reference to himself earlier today, so maybe he just passes leadership to his first born son, like a good emperor would.
14
@Will it goes to Pelosi then. You have been warned.
3
@Will
Nancy Pelosi!
7
@Will The next in line after POTUS and the VP is the Speaker of the House. #PresidentPelosi
9
As much as I completely disagree with all of Vice President Pence's policy and "moral" stances, I've figured that if he became President, he at least would not be working on Putin's behalf. I was mistaken.
38
@Jeanettebp
Mike Pence was originally Donald's trump card.
- "If you get rid of me, you'll get this guy."
The problem for Mr. Pence is that he is complicit in Mr. Trump's high crimes and misdemeanors.
2
This is a red herring to protect Pence, who obviously is the whistle-blower. Who else has such access to the secret dealings and so much to gain?
10
@james haynes I feel the whistle-blower is Pompeo.
1
@james haynes
Naaaah. Pence is not the whistleblower. He is Mr. Trump's scapegoat.
1
As the stories unfold about the impeachment investigation, there continues to be more and more "fall guys" turning up. (The term "fall guys" refers to individuals who have been gullible victims.) It appears that the President is surrounded by many fall guys. They all behave as though they have been spooked. This is another line of inquiry that needs to be addressed. Who is the intimidator?
6
@Michael Edward Zeidler
Mr. Trump's enablers are all going doing. And some of them will go to prison, like Manafort, Cohen, and Flynn.
Mr. Trump will throw each and every one of them under the bus, in a futile attempt to save his own hide. It's what he does. It's like the Fable of the Scorpion and the Frog. It's in his nature.
Everything Trump touches dies.
Good riddance.
3
It is very important that the pressure is kept on Trump and everyone associated with him. Trump should have been impeached long ago.
12
Pence is not Mr. Clean. Just ask folks in Indiana how his family's business benefitted from taxpayer dollars for an environmental clean up. The days of being the "teflon" veep may be over.
39
I'm not so sure there's a single person in the Trump administration who is honorable.
Watching Trump and those around him as well as his base, I can understand how people become duped and dictators rise to power.
28
Romney could end up being the savior here. He should round up a band of Republican allies to vote to impeach, then run himself for the presidency. He would be hard to beat this time around after saving the world from Trump.
(In advance of the negative replies, I am not saying I want this to happen; I’m simply saying it would be a smart play for Romney.)
33
@Mr. Mark: I guess it will tell us if Romney thinks more of his Mormon faith or his Republicanism.
If nothing else Mitt Romney is giving Republicans an alternative leader they can rally around. They certainly need one.
35
@Vanessa Hall - Mitt should primary Trump.
I am dumbfounded by the GOP involved persons who try to use a claim of not having enough time to “prepare” for depositions or to supply information requested. When a citizen is accused of murder and he is holding the smoking gun and a bystander recorded the fatal shot, they are handcuffed and taken away to the cooler. They don’t get to have time to spin a story. I am concerned that Trump set a precedent by not appearing before Mueller. If someone works for the government, and a government entity issues requests and/or subpoenas, it is a no brainer. Hand it over or go to jail.... no counter-suing or stonewalling. It becomes clear that Barr must go so that the DOJ can resume honest policing.
22
Romney is and always was an opportunist; it's a sad state of affairs when his is the only voice of reason and integrity in the GOP.
8
@Owen: We can barely hear him whisper “troubling.”
3
The Trump administration will brush off all requests for documents as if the Democrats were flies.
For that matter, with the Justice Department, the Supreme Court, and the Senate sewn up, Trump and his henchmen are wearing Off! and aren't even swatting.
This will not end well. The United States is in trouble. Indeed, it is in mortal danger.
13
Republicans seem a little confused. The oath they took was to protect and defend the Constitution. Not protect and defend Donald Trump.
30
Before the reactionaries and the radicals get going on this, let's just remember what happened:
-Russia hacked our election
- A lunatic won fair and square based on the rules
-The lunatic, for some unknown reason, didn't want to admit that Russia skewed the result.
-Mueller showed that the lunatic and his people didn't work directly with the Russians to skew our elections.
-The lunatic has now, in a totally different way, tried directly to skew our next election with the help of Ukraine.
No, the dems are not reliving the debacle of Nov 8, 2016. No there is no conspiracy against Trump. He did nothing wrong in 2016 though he may have obstructed the investigation about it. Conservatives can just drop the notion that dems want to remove a duly elected president. We just want to remove president who breaks the rules that govern his office.
All that matters to his impeachment is what DJT has done as president since Jan 20, 2017. And it is all pretty bad. This latest, however, is actually unforgivable.
11
As I read this article, I noticed that... request, requested, requesting, asked, and asking were the only words used to describe the actions being taken by the House committees for their demands. Reminds me of the famous words of Elliot Ness, "We request that Al Capone come down to headquarters so we can arrest him. Also, we are asking him to bring his tax returns for the previous five years."
5
"Republicans accused Democrats of not giving them a chance to provide input on the subpoena." Hilarious! Like they sought "input" from the Dems when they jammed through the 2017 tax scam bill? While#MoscowMitch holds up truly important House bills by laughingly calling himself the Grim Reaper, where House bills go to die? When trying to repeal the ACA? For that matter, what about when the ACA was was up for debate, Obama bent over backwards to get the GOP on board with one major concession after another, and we all know how THAT went. Trump isn't the only insane GOP in our federal government - they ALL are.
14
Next week's headlines will include disclosure that secret negotiations are currently under way to have Trump's great friend Kim Jong-un, affectionately known around the White House as LRM (Little Rocket Man), head up an international panel to exhaustively investigate Joe Biden's connection to Ukrainian corruption. Other respected international leaders under consideration for the panel include Rodrigo Duterte, Matteo Salvini and Nigel Farage. LRM is understood to be on board with this initiative now that he fully understands that his nick-name is a term of endearment based on Trump's deep (but unreciprocated) fondness for Sir Elton John.
Later in the week Trump is expected to announce formation of the panel. He is expected to praise LRM's unique qualifications for the job, pointing out that no one in the world has more intimate and thorough knowledge about how corruption works than dear Chairman Kim.
5
Congress is wielding the hammer of Truth on Mr Trump and his gang of seemingly clueless sycophants. Soon, Republicans in both Chambers will realize the travesty of this Administration is over and unless they abandon the sinking schiff named Trump, they will be swept away as so much chaff on the threshing floor of Truth.
2
With He Who Shall Not Be Named’s reputation with the truth, the fact that he says “there was no quid pro quo” is good evidence that there was. However, let’s not forget that Mr Biden did say “ I’m going home in six hours and if that guy isn’t fired by then, I’m taking that billion dollars with me”, and, Biden Jr was working for a Ukrainian company which makes him guilty of stupidity (probably brought on by excessive greed) if nothing else.
@Max However, VP Biden was speaking on behalf of this and our close allies and not for himself or his son's personal interests. It was open, above board and understood. In fact, it was against the particular interest of his son since it was that oligarch that was NOT being investigated as he should have been by the prosecutor Joe Biden was pushing to be fired.
To put Biden's message on the same level as that of DJT holding up military aid for his own personal interests is simply dishonest.
1
I agree Putin must have dirt on Trump; however, Putin is too smart to be fooled in a telephone call. Trump is not so intelligent, so it would be good to hear those conversations. We have to learn the truth. At this time we are dependent upon "Independent Reporting" and thank the NYTimes.
5
Funny, the stock market finished up.
@Sam
The impeachment is already baked in. Get it over with so we can end the tariffs and the trade wars. Markets dislike uncertainty and instability Who would not want a magic wand to make the markets move up and down with a wave or a twitter storm.
romney knows the truth and its contagious.
2
Mike Pence is just as guilty as his boss, both Trump, and Pence need to be impeached.
12
Can you say President Pelosi Ten times fast? How sweet would it be if Trump had to hand it over to Nancy? Crazy yes, but a girl is allowed to dream.
29
Once again the Democrats shoot themselves in the head - the only way impeachment ever works is if Pence can replace Trump - no other way Senate GOP crumbles unless he evangelical base decides Pence is a better option - with no Pence, the GOP will fight to the death rather than accept an interim President Pelosi. My god, it is so obvious that Trump is trying to incriminate Pence so as to protect his right flank in the Senate and deprive his base of any acceptable option to him. Yet the Democrats walking right into the clearly marked minefield ....one has to wonder what kind of strategic brains the Democrats have or lack as impeachment is a political exercise and that means compromising by allowing Pence to become POTUS and not taking both Pence and Trump down to the woodshed. Yet the Democrats seem destined to fail now that they are investigating Pence. Needless stupidity of the highest order. Every time I see some hope the Democrats manage to snuff it out.
3
@American Akita Team
The Republicans are no not likely to impeach Trump in any event so it makes sense to pull out all the misdoings by the Trump administration and damage their ability to serve another term. Pence and company included.
Pence refuses house committee orders. He is subpoenaed. Barr determines this violation of the law to not be a violation of the law. Lawsuits ensue. The Boof Kavenaugh Supreme Court brings down a verdict. Sound familiar?
If "It" has sufficiently gutted and corrupted Justice, Intel, and the Supreme Court, we are truly in a zombie apocalypse.
All the while, banana-republicans silently count their lucre.
7
This is becoming some witches' brew! It took a long time in Trump's presidency for something like this to finally emerge and get Pelosi to move, but we're there now. I'd like to say that it's truly sad to watch Trump slowly but surely fall apart at the seams, but in fact it gives me hope that the nation will regain its footing. I'm personally rather jovial when I see Trump's mental deterioration on display because I know the psychiatrists are going to be invited on the various shows to discuss what they see.
Trump made a huge mistake when he ventured out of his cocoon in NYC and made for D.C. That made him the world's biggest fool. He's done a lot of damage that the Dem POTUS will have to clean up (at least some of it), but I'm confident that the NYState AG is going to strip Trump of some/much of his wealth while prosecutors go to work to strip him of his freedom. No Moscow Trump Tower for him or his corrupt family. But first: a toast to Pelosi and Schiff.
13
It is very beautiful to behold that within the first 24 hours of this sordid affair, Trump implicated Pence and Giuliani implicated Pompeo who then implicated Graham.
Amazing how being in front of a live mic does wonders for these cast of clowns.
20
Let's thoroughly review Pence's role, he would not be any better than Trump. Wash that corruption and treason right out of our hair!
6
Dear Pence the Pious:
“You shall not spread a false report. You shall not join hands with a wicked man to be a malicious witness."
Exodus 23:1
(I thought this might help you.)
25
President Nancy Pelosi... I like the sound of that...
13
From the news releases to date it would appear that Pence as well as Barr, Giuliani and our present secretary of State are up to their necks in this swamp. Shall we have to impeach them all and arrest Giuliani? What a mess.
6
So Mrs. Pelosi may yet inhabit the White House...
8
One more log for the fire.
2
Mike Pence. The smirking, pious, co-felon. Go team.
11
I think Pence is conflicted
Our VP
Who art in DC
We’re harrowed be thy name
Subpoenas come to you
As they will to Donald
Give us this day
Our dose of lies
Forgive us our skepticism
As we forgive those
Who’ve stepped front and center
Deliver us from evil
For America is our homeland
Amen
7
Darn right.
1
They can draw up subpoenas to find out what Spanky had for lunch, but until they test the limits of their power with fines and jail time they won’t get any info.
3
Ducks in a row...
1
There is no threat to Trump’s presidency. With the groundswell of support from his base the Republican majority in the Senate will never find him guilty. And it takes a 2/3 vote to do so. This impeachment fiasco is a waste of time and money. The House should get back to the real business they were elected to perform.
6
@JrpSLm
Part of the duties of Congress includes oversight of various aspects of our government, including the Executive branch.
So, the House is just doing its job.
And if you're so concerned about Congress not doing its job, you should also be complaining about McConnell, who won't let anything happen in the Senate (and has obstructed it starting 10 years ago, whn Pres Obama was elected).
And if you don't equally castigat McConnell, then you're nothing but a partisan hypocrite.
13
@JrpSLm This self-serving, conspiracy-chasing fiasco is a waste of time and money. The President should get back to the real business he was elected to perform.
Not to mention, it's illegal. :)
2
@JrpSLm Actually, the House has been working -- it's the Senate that refuses to do anything except sit on its hands.
7
Can they do a 2 for 1 impeachment of Trump and Pence at the same time? Or do they need to do separate ones? If the latter, do Pence first and then Trump so there's no chance of Pence taken over for an ousted Trump and issuing pardons.
31
@Maxy
I believe they would have to impeach Mr. Trump and Mr. Pence separately, per the Constitution.
1
Did you know Romney’s father ran and lost the republican nomination for President to Nixon.
2
@New World
Mitt Romney and his father are honorable Republicans and conservatives. I happen to respectfully disagree with them on many policy issues (or else I would probably be a Republican). But they are honorable men who seek to serve our nation and uphold the Constitution.
Where are the rest of the honorable Republicans?
Where are the Howard Bakers and the Barry Goldwaters when we need them?
1
Republicans' continued support of Trump is unconscionable.
84
The impeachment inquiry is illegal and out of order if congress does not vote in favor of it. If congress continues the inquiry Pence or any other official of the Trump government is not obligated to comply. The democrats should carefully investigate the Bidens and the corruption within their party before some one like wikileaks exposes the truth about the dirty dealings of the Democratic party which thinks it is holier than thou.
4
@Girish Kotwal
How many "alternative facts" can you post in a single post?
The Constitution states
The House of Representatives shall chuse their Speaker and other Officers; and shall have the sole Power of Impeachment.
The Constitution does not say that there has to be a vote before they can ask for information and documents. You made that up.
6
@Girish Kotwal
No, it is not illegal. First there is an inquiry. Then there is impeachment. Then there is the part that apparently won’t happen under the complicit Senate Republicans—but we can always hope—removal from office.
3
@Girish Kotwal 'holier than thou' is a very low bar to hurdle at this point, so yeah, they are. Are they saints? Nope. I'm all for holding all elected officials, regardless of party accountable. So should you be.
3
Amazing that only one republican has any sort of integrity. I’m amazed republicans are willing to trash our country and ideals in order to further a political agenda. I am beyond disgusted.
37
I so very much want to see Mike “I’m a Christian first, a conservative second and a Republican third” Pence dodge this one.
His boss threw him under the bus (“ask Mike Pence “). Loyalty, for Donald Trump, isn’t a two-way street. Pence is about to discover what the rest of us knew: that we saw through his charade from Jump Street.
46
@Red Sox, ‘04, ‘07, ‘13, ‘18 It strains credulity to believe that Mike Pence was not involved in, or at least aware of, the corruption of the last three years of Trump. His sycophancy is is disgusting to watch. Under no circumstances must Pence pardon Trump if Pence survives the scrutiny.
4
@Red Sox, ‘04, ‘07, ‘13, ‘18
I have no empathy or pity for any Trump supporter who gets thrown under the bus.
Trump's MO has always been "ME ME ME" and has never, ever taken any responsibility when something goes sideways.
All of this blind support and so many of these knuckleheads don't see the train coming right at them.
4
@Red Sox, ‘04, ‘07, ‘13, ‘18 Pastor Pounce and Mother will be the caretakers for the Trump dynasty
Attacks on the Constitution by the president including:
Putting Trump's interests ahead of the interests of We the People.
Ruling by WHIM, LIKE A KING, instead of faithfully executing the law.
Calling for violence against citizens without reference to law or due process.
Demanding private loyalty from public servants who swore an oath to the Constitution, not Trump.
Accusing his critics of being "treasonous."
Asking foreign countries to interfere in our elections.
Obstruction of Justice, a Federal Felony that requires no underlying crime.
Obstructing the investigation into foreign attacks on our elections, while praising our attackers.
Accusing the entire U.S. Intelligence Community of being "treasonous" with no credible evidence for two years.
Taking payments from foreign governments.
Saying he would use information from foreign governments in our elections before calling the FBI.
Saying "the Press is the enemy of the People," like Stalin.
Making up fake executive privileges to avoid Congressional Oversight.
Claiming only he can "fix" the entire judicial branch which he has no authority over.
Making personal attacks on judges hearing his cases.
Questioning the Citizenship of political rivals.
Claiming he can end birthright citizenship.
are all High Crimes, by the thousands.
Democrats need to use the Inquiry to explain how these attacks constitute a clear PATTERN of attacking all of the pillars of our Constitution to end ALL checks on his power.
Spend a year doing it!
26
@McGloin
It's fact, that he has committed all these crimes and more. We have a treasonous puppet to Putin defecating all over the White house.
But no, the Democrats should not take a year to impeach him for his lawless shenanigans or abuse of power. They need to wrap this up quickly, write up ironclad articles of impeachment, and vote to impeach by the end of this year.
1
I'm sure the GOP will get right on cooperating with House oversight. "Party of law and order."
10
@By
They should consider it. The Trump bus has left the building and Trump will run over every republican in sight and pull them into his web. They had their escape with the Mueller report and should have taken it.
A general comment: It is a free press, with The Times a crucial part, that will preserve our democracy again and again. What brilliance on the part of our forefathers!
19
At last, Mitt Romney made a clear statement, worthy of George Romney's son.
12
@Stanley Brown Watch Romney closely. If the GOP wants to survive 2020 Romney would be best at top of the ticket, a real threat to the Democrats in 2020. GOP will dump Trump .
1
Pence has always struck me as a devious, creepy man.
If evidence shows he conspired along with any of Trump's obvious wrong doing's, I'd gratefully begin to believe that the wheels of justice might at last be starting to move in the right direction again.
25
If Nancy Pelosi ends up becoming president until Jan 2021, I swear I will start to believe in god and devote myself to her service forever!
64
Hey China, if you're listening, maybe you can find Donald Trump's missing tax returns. I love Wikileaks.
53
I know it’s unrelated to the Ukraine but why haven’t the Intelligence committees subpoenaed Rex Tillerson? He was the only other person besides the interpreter who sat in on Mr. Trump’s first meeting with Mr. Putin.
26
How much more light needs to be shed?
8
@MSB
Enough to fry the troll gas lighting army.
Poor old VP Pence. Trump was supposed to lose in 2016, you see, and Pence was going to ride the wave of national publicity he garnered by being on the ballot all the way to his own run for president in 2020. Well, the Deplorable Electoral College scuppered that plan, and now he's stuck in a precarious position where he's willingly humiliated on a daily basis. When it was first announced that Mike Pence was running with Trump, I commented in these pages that "I can't see how Governor Pence will ever recover politically from his association with this sleazy lunatic". That comment still stands.
31
"The wheels on the bus come off and off. Off and off. Off and off."
Mr. Trump and his mal-administration are going down. Put a fork in him. He's done.
16
Instead of shooting someone on Fifth Avenue, Trump may ask Putin in public to investigate the Bidens. I am sure he has already done so in private, and got disinformation that fueled his Biden-mania, but that is classified
6
Not too long ago David Brooks of the NY Times voiced what he said was a serious concern that if Donald Trump were to lose the election, he would refuse to leave office. Well, we haven't had to wait for the election to see exactly how Trump would run amok and violate the Constitution left and right to keep the Oval Office. All that was needed for Trump to begin acting like a drowning man grabbing at anything floating next to him in the sea of his delusional world to keep his nose above water was the results of polls indicating he was going to lose to Joe Biden. My warning for all politicians who think they can use moronically stupid maneuvers to save this drowning ignoramus of a president is this – which I learned myself years ago when I attempted to save a small drowning boy: If you have not been trained in the art of safely approaching someone who is thrashing wildly in the water (as Trump is now for all to see), when you get up to him, he's going to latch on to you and take you down with him. You BOTH will need to be saved.
19
@Albert Yokum Fortunately, the FBI are permitted to enter the Whiter House uninvited. They are the only police force that have this right. Sadly, I think that Trump may well have to dragged bodily from his bed and removed. His days as president are numbered.
This is the United States of America.
This is real. This is not a dream.
This is a mess.
I miss the USA.
28
Trump, Barr, Pence, and Pompeo have given us the best early christmas present ever! And their criminal scam unraveled faster than WeWork's IPO.
7
Forget the Ukrainian smoke screen. You want to impeach trump?
Take a vote of the full house on impeachment and then subpoena the un redacted Mueller report , the same day.
One hundred pages of redacted evidence.
Ukraine is a diversion. Pay attention.
12
Let's go after Pence too and try to annul the whole election
6
@Michael Livingston’s
If Pence has done anything illegal or unethical, then he desrves to be impeached and removed from office. Removing someone who has done something wrong doesn't "annul" the election; he got to govern until he got caught breaking the rules.
That's not all that hard to comprehend.
Just imagine a Democrat doing what trump is and has and will be doing. Remember for a moment the utter meltdown they had under Clinton for sex. The GOP the party that nothing is to hypocritical for them.
22
Romney is now speaking out against Trump's handling of Ukraine, but he won't do anything about it. He was the one who rushed as fast as he could to eat frog legs with Trump and talk about a spot in his administration. He flips and flops.
Pence's aides were on the call Trump made to Ukraine. Pence knows everything and participated in the scam. Impeach him too.
14
@Jacquie Romney is infinitely more electable than Trump and certainly Pence. Watch him closely. He is very well respected in the GOP.
Donald Trump is an international embarrassment.
20
Who ever thought I’d be applauding Mitt Romney?
11
Even republicans know Trump's behavior is beyond the pale. Romney and Amash are the only two so far to stand up and say it. What is wrong with all the other republicans? Are they emeshed in the crime or are they too cowardly to stand up to an obvious criminal and traitor?
22
@kay Simple. The GOP in the Senate want to see what their constituents think before committing themselves.
OK Mr. Pence,
Show us how religiously honorable you are—
And tell and document the truth.
21
Barr, Pompeo and now Pence?
Oh, oh, oh... No quid pro quo, they said.
Sure, sure. I see now that’s the wall they’ve been building this entire time. Don't you see?
But Pence said, “Foreign Donors, and certainly, Foreign governments cannot participate in the American political process.” and what does he do if any of this is true? Insert foot in mouth.
Bravo, Sir. You are yourself Impeached!
Corruption 101, indeed.
7
Pence danced with the devil and got what was coming to him.
12
Trump operates just like the gangs that I have seen in El Salvador, if you want to be in his orbit, he makes you participate in his crimes so that you can't flip and report him because you are now dirty as well.
19
Now think about this delicious thought: If Trump was impeached and found guilty, and Pence was impeached and found guilty, our next President would be......Nancy Pelosi.
12
@DrG Exactly. Which is why those purported 30 Repub senators who would vote to convict in secret ... would do no such thing.
Ohh Boy, the whole presidency is falling, Trump, pence, Bare, Pompeo... All getting impeached... STOP IT ALLREADY, otherwise we end up with president Mitch McConnel... And if that happens we gonna miss Trump, cant imagine a bigger and more corrupt person in the GOP
2
It is the Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi who would be next in line, not the Senate leader Mitch
@sami not McConnell, Pelosi, speaker of house comes next in line.
Finally Karma is coming home to roost for all the dirt Trump did to others over his lifetime including his manipulation of White House staff who blindly did his bidding. . Lock 'em all up!
10
@Rodrian Roadeye Over his lifetime, Trump has cheated and stiffed countless hundreds of ordinary people, including contractors. Can you imagine how they felt as Trump informed them that they would not be paid for their work? Some went bankrupt. Yes, karma is real. What goes around definitely comes around. I am old enough to see this happen in real life. Trump is done.
1
"In addition to speaking with Mr. Atkinson and requesting documents from Mr. Pence, lawmakers were expected to subpoena the White House, and hinted at other requests. A significant subpoena deadline for the State Department to hand over similar material in its possession was also scheduled to arrive by the end of the day."
Please keep the pressure on and the subpoenas coming.
Between those ongoing measures and the likes of Mitt Romney "condemn[ing] the president’s public comments on Thursday inviting China as well as Ukraine to investigate the Bidens." perhaps more Republicans will re-think who and what they should be supporting.
I've never been a fan of Romney, but I applaud his courage in speaking out publicly about his condemnation of Trump's public comments.
Hopefully that momentum will continue to build.
103
@Marge Keller
Makes you wonder if Mitt Romney is the only forthright Republican left in Congress. Contrast his comments with those of right wing hardliners like Reps Jim Jordan and Doug Collins.
2
@Marge Keller
Don't give him too much credit. Remember his flip-flop on health care and don't forget how he made his money, by buying businesses who are on the ropes, load them up with assets and then declare them bankrupt.
3
@Marge Keller Watch Romney closely. He is influential in the GOP, infinitely more electable than Trump.
2
Pence lost his soul as soon as he agreed to be Trump's vp. If he truly believed his comments yesterday about ensuring that public officials and their families don't benefit from being in office, he wouldn't have stayed at Trump's hotel in Ireland, over 100 miles from the actual meeting( how much did that cost us taxpayers???), and he would have denounced Trump hotel in DC, the meetings at mar-a- lago, and ivanka and Jared's job 'perks.'
267
@MK he sold his soul waaaay before that
17
@MK: You really think he had a soul before that? The citizens of Indiana was kicking him to the curb before Trump rescued him from obscurity. His fake Christianist schtick was well on display before 2016.
19
@MK
I think there are a lot of folks from Indiana who think he lost his soul while governor of that great state and were relieved to see him go.
21
As each hour goes by, you see the noose tightening around Trump, Pence, and the rest of the administration. The idea that the GOP, conservative media, conservative donors, etc. stand united, with Trump, is equally appalling.
This scandal continues to mushroom to the point that it is hard to keep score. So, far Russia, China, Ukraine and Australia; possible more foreign countries could be involved. Then, there is the IRS whistle blower reporting issues of blocking a routine audit of Trump's and Pence's taxes.
We know that Trump will try to block requests that have been made today. And, that will result in obstruction of Congress. There will be no question that he committed an impeachable offense. If anyone stand with Trump, after that, and they are either elected officials or appointed, deserve to join him in being removed from office.
198
And the UK. He brought it up with Boris Johnson
6
@Nick Metrowsky
I wrote the above, before the title of this article changed, that the House is seeking documents from Pence. Folks, this may be heading into even newer territory, impeachment of a president and their vice president. If, what the Trump Administration is nota Constitutional crisis; it ought to be called one.
6
@Nick Metrowsky
I heard they targeted Warren as well. All his corruption talk sure involves a lot of his political opponents.
4
I will admit to more than just a bit of schadenfreude at the way this is unfolding.
87
I’m feeling absolute jubillation! It’s way past time to get these crooks and monsters out of the White House.
2
@Von Jones I wonder why?
It is being reported that the "whistleblower" failed to report his contacts with Schiff to the Inspector General, which is a felony. Enjoy the rest of the downhill ride and accompanying humilation.
9
@Susan Marie "reported" where?
3
Probably not true, but it doesn't matter, President Pelosi can pardon them.
6
@Susan Marie
Hmmm... but that doesn’t change the facts of the complaint. If I break the law and it is reported, it doesn’t matter who or how it’s brought to the attention of the police.
The informant’s actions or even his motive is a separate issue. I still broke the law and also need to be held accountable.
2
I hope someone is looking into the huge discrepancy between the length of the released "transcript" and the length of the conversation it purports to represent in full.
The handful of ellipses certainly don't make up for the difference, and they would be inappropriate marks for the omitted parts.
42
@cbum Perhaps because, during that conversation, they chose to eliminate words and phrases that were spouted ad nauseam and in mind-numbing vacuity. Trump's pattern of lingual loitering seems not that he endeavors to make a point but rather, that he is affected by a limited vocabulary. If I were transcribing the conversation, I may have done the same, if for no other reason but to save paper.
We don't even need an investigation anymore. Trump has said the transcript was "word for word" and has since publicly called on other countries to interfere in our elections as well. Quid pro quo, would be nice, but is totally unnecessary to impeach. IMPEACH!
61
@KH - Last night on the FOX News website, Judge Napolitano laid out the reasons for impeaching Trump now.
https://www.foxnews.com/opinion/judge-andrew-napolitano-trump-attacks-presidency
1
@KH
All that’s come out also shows unequivocally that Trump was doing a quid pro quo!
Plus, there is the wide-ranging cover-up on a host of matters.
Other than Sen. Mitt Romney (UH), all other Republican members of the US Congress are either complicit in Donald Trump's crimes of corruption, or are incredibly naive.
I hope that they are proven to be in the latter category.
36
@Joe Miksis: I don't hold Mittens in such high regard. Remember, this is the same guy who eagerly ran to have a very public dinner with Trump with the promise of a Cabinet position angling in front of him. Only to get so publicly dissed by Trump as well. I'm sure he's setting himself up to be the next Great White Hope for the Never Trumpers and those who quit the GOP out of disgust.
1
@Sheila
Romney is the last nearly ethical Republican standing in Congress today. I was a Republican for 40 years, until the Neo-Cons, Tea Party Evangelicals and converted Dixiecrats took the Party over. The GOP today is the "Know-Nothing" Party of the 1850's. They too were uneducated, xenophobic and hostile to non-white immigration. History is repeating itself.
Am I clueless or are they? As I read the description of this document, it seems to be saying to Pence, "If there's any goods to get on you, hand it over." Good luck with that.
22
@dutchiris
They're building an obstruction case that will envelope Pence as well as Trump. It's not naivete; they know what they're doing.
They ask for the goods because they have the goods. They want to see if pence will lie and obstruct justice, or come clean and confess his sins.
1
@dutchiris That's what subpoenas are about--they legally compel the recipient to provide all requested information, whether or not it is harmful or helpful to him/her. "Sub-poena" is Latin for "under penalty."
Maybe he (they) are guilty. The Congress or courts will decide. What I want to know is just why these people can just ignore subpoenas ...from Congress!
I couldn’t do it. Most people who read this couldn’t do it. So, why do these people get a free pass.
Do laws mean nothing in this nation anymore?
173
@Patrick alexander
Because if Mitch McConnell and to much power with the executive packing the courts and justice system. We are dependent on brave civil servants at this point to risk their lives and report abuses of power and corruption.
3
Once again, we’re given the mushroom treatment...kept in the dark and fed leftovers. If Watergate hearings were conducted like this, Nixon might still be president. Sure, national security concerns, right?
13
The Presidential nominee from the Democratic party should run with Mitt Romney as the VP. It is about time these patriotic lawmakers show that they can reach across the aisle and Make America Civil Again.
23
A request has been sent to VP Pence for documents, should be interesting.
8
"Republicans accused Democrats of not giving them a chance to provide input on the subpoena."
Translation: "Democrats aren't letting us delay this process for as long as we can."
94
@Andy
Yeah, the and Repubs were sooo inclusive when they ruled the House. Karma is a you know what.
3
The test will come when Dems are faced with issuing arrest warrants and enforcing them, or folding. That will really be a defining moment in the future of this country.
38
@Rick ...isn't the problem that the congress has to ask the DOJ to do the actual arrests?
@proffexpert Yes, but if Barr is recused, voluntarily or otherwise, the next down the line can order arrest warrants. Trump's is a house of flimsy cards, starting to come down now.
1
@Observer ...thank you. Here's hoping.
Thank you Senator Romney for your statement. I hope you are working behind the scenes with other Republican Senators who are as appalled as you and I are. I hope that Republican and Independent voters who remember being taught how the Constitution and federal government were supposed to work understand how serious the situation is and take your words to heart.
319
@John Senator Romney shows himself to be more of a Christian than Pence. If i had a spiritual problem I would go to Romney for advice. Pence exists in the land of the lost. A land where Judas reigns. No positive advice to be found there.
3
@John
Romney needs to do more than make this sort of namby-pamby statement. He needs to stand up and say, "I will vote to convict when the House sends to us in the Senate the articles of impeachment."
Anything less is as useful as sending Thoughts and Prayers © ® ™ after a tragedy.
20
@John ..what happened to the Conservative Party?
2
In case anyone missed it, the House is not required to find a quid pro quo before it can impeach. That’s all Trump’s narrative. And we’ve had enough of that.
1159
@Julio Wong
It’s also illegal to ask for the favor. No quid pro quo needed.
80
@Julio Wong
Exactly. News reports should state that fact when quid pro quo is introduced in a story.
Also, each time the Biden connection is mentioned, the story should include something that states the allegations have no merit.
94
@Julio Wong
Agreed. But many Republican lawmakers said there was no explicit quid pro quo as a way to dismiss the whistle blower complaint and the transcript.
Now there is, in the texts, in black and white. House Dems will want to talk about what's not in the texts, especially with Taylor who voiced concerns.
Republicans should be running out of excuses for why and how they can defend this president.
49
Do you agree or disagree: If you have no problem with a republican president using the office to investigate political rivals, then it must follow that you have no problem with a democratic president using the office to investigate political rivals.
134
@George S
It's not like he wore a tan jacket, for gosh sakes.
15
George S - AGREED!
I also agree that right now the sun is shining and some clouds are lazily drifting by, yet that is as irrelevant as is your distracting comparison.
RIGHT NOW we only have one president, and he has abused the office through his actions. FULL STOP
Now, should that happen again with a future president, then those actions and that person should also be investigated. (Didja notice I didn't mention which party. IT. DOESN'T. MATTER.)
Hope that helps.
4
@George S
You’re confused. They have no problem with Republicans doing it. They won’t let democrats do it. They have weaponized morality as a tool against us.
The truth is they want you to bow down to them and their will. That is exactly what Trump represents. They are telling you that you can’t dk those things but they can.
That is what is going on. That is the purpose of gas lighting.
3
My guess is that the Inspector Genera was interviewed privately since he had other circumstantial evidence and knew of other people involved in the Ukraine Trump scandal. Congress likely did not want to burden him to respond publicly, thus becoming a new target of attack of the right.
The Republicans being involved in giving feedback right now, would likely take away from the investigative end of this impeachment hearing. Currently, Republicans prefer to "fiddle as Rome burns" and unfortunately are no longer, for the most part, standing up for democracy with the exception of a few brave souls. If you think this is how the general conservative base feels, you are wrong. Check out the conservative paper still defending constitutional freedoms that is waiting for the Dems to impeach Trump: thebulwark.com
7
Given Trump's fixation with the "Ukraine involvement in the 2016 DNC hacking" conspiracy theory and the fact that it has been in his head for a couple of years (probably fed to him by Russia), I wouldn't be surprised if the previous Ukrainian administration, Poroshenko and his aides, was pressured to open "investigations" about it too. Maybe even about the Bidens. It is worth investigating the Trump administration's behavior towards Ukraine in the last few years. It will be interesting to see what former Ambassador Yovanovitch has to say.
31
@r
Dreading, however, the right wing smear of Yovanovitch. as Trump already frighteningly foretold in the call summary. In addition to calling her a "bad" ambassador (contrary to all other opinion) in his typical thug manner he said "she is going to go through some things." Hmm, she is woman, so I'm sure she will be subject to some especially sexist bile from the Groper In Chief.
Thank you, Senator Romney, for a breath of fresh air.
54
Trump is truly a clear and present danger to US constitution. Clear and present danger was a doctrine adopted by the Supreme Court of the United States to determine under what circumstances limits can be placed on First Amendment freedoms of speech, press, or assembly.No one has a right to say something that would cause a clear (= obvious) and present (= immediate) danger to other people. As an example, the freedom of speech protected by the First Amendment does not allow a person to shout 'Fire' in a crowded theater. Now Trump is shouting on public forum and TV that journalists are corrupt and foreign countries should investigate only his political rival for corruption. Trumpido should be removed urgently with a speed of torpedo. I call upon the US congress to say out unanimously and loudly that ' Unfit president is FIRED!'
17
Is it just me, or is Romney positioning himself as the savior of the GOP for when Trump and Pence are out, they can run him again for the White House?
167
@chris If you want to see Romney's stance against the offenses of the Trump administration as some kind of 'self-serving' posturing-go ahead. To you then, anyone Republican or Democrat is only acting in their own self-interest when pointing out 'wrongs' in government or society. Don't know where that leaves the country or you specifically? You must only 'follow your leader' regardless of any critical doubts you may have?
4
@chris
Possibly.
Or maybe he's just trying to do the right thing by upholding the Constitution.
Either way, he deserves credit for doing the right thing.
34
@chris could be Romney is positioning himself, but still, as another commentator said it is still a breath of fresh air to hear a Republican speak out against trump.
32
Donald Trump has impeached himself. It is illegal to solicit or accept foreign aid for a U.S. election. First Mr. Trump did this with Ukraine. Then he doubled down, and openly did this with China.
Mr. Trump thinks the rules don't apply to him. He is trampling upon the Constitution (which he took an oath to uphold) and the Rule of Law. He is openly daring our government to call him out on this high crime and misdemeanor.
Either we are a Nation of Laws, or we are a failed state and a third-rate banana republic.
Arguably, Congress needs no more evidence, documents, testimony, or hearings. The crime is out in the open, in plain sight for everyone to see. And each and every member of the House and the Senate can go on record as to whether they support the Rule of Law, or defer to the rule of a single man. It is really that simple.
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Correction he did it first with RUSSIA !
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@MidtownATL I agree on all counts. The value of the investigation now is to find out who knew and drain them out with him.
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@MidtownATL
Trump thinks that doing things out in the open will cause people to doubt whether they are actually wrong in the first place. After all, if it was wrong to call on a foreign country to investigate a political opponent, why would he be doing it so unabashedly? That's his MO. Blast through with no shame, no guilt, no apologies, and people will doubt their own feelings. He did the same thing with Stormy Daniels and the Access Hollywood recording.
It's just another form of gaslighting.
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Republicans on these committees could not care less about doing their research but instead choose to believe wild conspiracy theories circulated by fringe.
The Republican party does not care about truth. The only thing they care about is staying in power by any means necessary. Its clear now. Republican approved executives (Barr, Pompeo) are infact the deep state thats eating America away.
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As it stands right now this is a waste of time because Trump will not step down no matter what they find, he will force congress's hand to use physical force to remove him and I don't see that happening.
He is the most belligerent person in this country for someone that never served it.
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@BTO
If Trump and Pence are both impeached by the Senate, then Nancy Pelosi becomes President. (At this point it is not likely that the Senate will turn against the Trump administration.) But, in that scenario, Speaker of the House Pelosi could order law enforcement, or even the military, to physically remove the President from office and the White House.
@BTO
Disagree. Support for impeachment grows the more that is exposed.
We have an election next year, and despite his protestations a couple weeks ago (which I notice have gone quiet), this is not helping his re-election bid.
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Documents and conversations that are evidence of crimes are not privileged, except by the 5th amendment. Hard to believe Trump or any witnesses will invoke that, but some of them might want to consider it. As to other conversations and documents, there is no privilege to plan to commit a crime, not even attorney-client, much less an amorphous "presidential" privilege. And a cover-up is a separate crime of course. As to sensitive intelligence information, the House Intelligence Committee has full powers to see such documents. Simply put, there is no basis for the White House to withhold anything related to this investigation.
Also relevant, of course, are documents which show a consistent pattern of conduct, starting with Michael Flynn's offer to sell nuclear technology to the Saudi's for his personal profit, moving on to actually providing that technology, to China's grant of merchandising licensing privileges to Ivanka, to Qatar's investment of $500 million in Jared's company, and all of Trump's attempts to support Russia. Democrats will be very busy.
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@Eero Yes. And if this inquiry takes more time than people want, well, real justice is not instantaneous like coffee, soup, apps, texts, etc.
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@Eero
"Michael Flynn's offer to sell nuclear technology to the Saudi's for his personal profit, moving on to actually providing that technology, to China's grant of merchandising licensing privileges to Ivanka, to Qatar's investment of $500 million in Jared's company, and all of Trump's attempts to support Russia."
Emoluments Clause.
This was precisely the type of conflict of interest, particularly in regard to foreign entanglements, that our Founders feared and sought to prevent in the words of the Constitution.
Their wisdom remains relevant today. The only question is, are the American people and our representatives wise enough to see this today?
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Why hasn't anyone been held in contempt of court for not responding to a subpoena? An impeachment inquiry should give congressional committees more power to enforce the law.
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That would require the assistance of an “independent “ Justice Department.
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@Emme Esse
If Barr interferes call it obstruction and add to the list. Fight.
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Exactly my thoughts (and common sense).
It is absurd that these are voluntary issues in any way. Just as it was an asinine farce that Trump could refuse to sit down with Mueller:
Mueller: It is “vital” to have Mr. Trump’s deposition.
Trump: No.
Mueller: Gee, ok.
Can you at least provide written responses?
Trump: No.
Mueller: Ok, have a nice day!
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Credulity has never been a Trump family value, and so we elect him President, just for giggles. How stupid is that?
What this country needs is a License to Vote, where one must demonstrate, to an examiner, that one's IQ is more than that of a doorknob. We do it to obtain a Driver's License, do we not?
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@Rupert Agree. President Trump is the political equivalent of the Boaty McBoatface debacle. Seems the country did it for the lolz.
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I understand your frustration as I share the same about the fitness of Trump’s supporters to make an educated choice, but setting such a test is anathema to democratic ideals.
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@Rupert
You can’t do that though. It allows people like Trump to declare who passes the test and who doesn’t. We also know the wealthy will subvert it, bypassing it and use it. And the bigoted will use it to target ethnicities to deny them representation and a voice.
What we need is more participation and representation. Our government isn’t representing us because it wasn’t made for this amount of people. We should not have representatives trying to listen to 250,000 people. This would likely have considered absurd by the founders and the people easily ignored by averages.
Democracy and representation has costs and isn’t inefficient nor should it be. How many people are to many to represent before their voices are lost. With actual representation our individual voices can be heard and we can be directly connected. That’s not possible in this current environment. And an IQ test or license won’t fix that lack of representation.
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Trump soliciting a foreign power for help in winning an election?
“A dog returns to its vomit.”
OT Book of Proverbs
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How many seconds before trump starts attacking Atkinson via twitter?
Then Romney.
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@J. Prufrock Romney? Now, that is what we're waiting for, something to goad Romney into leading the charge to get Trump out of the White House and out of the Republican party. Why else did he seek the senate seat for Utah?
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Great reporting - it seems to me that ignoring subpoenas is how this administration rolls. When do the House committees start calling in law enforcement? What happened with Hope Hicks, Don McGahn and others after they blew off their subpoenas? And Corey Lewandowski CITING "executive privilege" when he never worked in the White House? If this is allowed to continue, we will never get to the bottom of these well-meaning inquiries.
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@Karen Cormac-Jones
"Calling in law enforcement" would be calling in the Federal Marshalls Office. The Federal Marshalls are part of the Justice Department. The Justice Department is controlled by Barr. Do you think that Barr would suddenly and startingly cooperate in this matter and allow the Federal Marshalls Office to enforce Congressional Subpoenas aimed at his Administration?
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@Karen Cormac-Jones
"ignoring subpoenas"
It's comparable to hiding one's head in the sand.
That's kind of how this group seems to operate.
If they don't see something, it doesn't exist.
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@Karen Cormac-Jones Who is "law enforcement?" I think that ultimately they all work for Barr. How dirty is he?
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How has Trump so far managed to restrain himself from giving a nickname from the prez's mental world of 1950s cartoon and television characters to the appointee who was critical to pushing the impeachment process into motion? Perhaps when details of the hearing emerge, he'll have a new friend for Mr. Magoo and Mr. Peepers.
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And the wheel keeps rolling. . .I hope and trust that the House and Senate can bring this quid pro quo to the correct and legal solution. I saw a bumpersticker today that said, "My dog is smarter than the President of the United States." How woefully true.
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The problem is actually that the dog’s more decent.
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But strangely, their mange is the same...to quote a phrase.
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@mormor. maybe the bumper sticker went back to the reign of Bush the Second of That Name.
1
Mr. Atkinson could be one of the last ethical men left standing in this administration. Let's hope he can keep it that way throughout this sordid affair.
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Trump will stonewall; GOP will back Trump. America has fallen so far; so fast.
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@Ray Sipe
Maybe it has fallen ever so lightly that we didn't notice and every so often a big glitz would happen which we treated as a once in a lifetime occurrence.
Once we treated the money gods as more important than the welfare of the people, we began the long descent. Tricky Dick, Regan who treated the rich businessmen as his god, W who began the longest war with a lie.
What do all these men have in common? Right wing culture that dismisses the good of the people and instead worships business. Maybe it's time to reverse it?
6
Mr. Atkinson seems to be a person of integrity. That can't be good for Trump.
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Trump inviting a foreign power to interfere in a US election....again?
“As a dog returns to his vomit, so a fool repeats his folly.”
Book of Proverbs
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@Paul McGlasson - The trouble is trump and his minions don't see criminal behaviour that they got away with as folly. They saw it as a successful campaigning strategy and were willing to see if the GOP would allow it again because they have no real strategy for winning the election fairly. After all trump faces jail if he loses the election so why not try corrupting our elections and foreign government relations which don't naturally serve criminal enterprises.
I'd be very interested in knowing the content of the conversations between Putin and Trump. Certainly Putin would have been interested in/advocated withholding aid needed to fight Russian insurgents in Ukraine.
Is Trump acting at the behest of Putin and if so, why?
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@Mama bear. Putin must have major financial or sexual dirt on trump, is my guess.
trump is apparently compromised.
Helsinki said so much by not saying anything.
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@Mama bear
This one worries me, too. I have been reading the Mueller Report a few pages at a time, and by chance I began reading the Manafort section in the first part of the book. There it all was: the Ukraine Peace Plan promoted by Manafort, with Crimea annexed to Russia, and perhaps the Donbas region as well.
What a slick set up that would be: Trump becomes President, Russia gains control of a large swath of Ukraine AND is absolved of the takeover by the creation of this "Peace Plan" which is really a hard sell for Ukraine, and which then allows for the lifting of sanctions, all the while Trump is dangling protection through the sale of arms to President Zelensky in a trade for dirt on his 2020 political opponent. Talk about playing it forward!
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@Mama bear Personally I subscribe to the belief that the Trump organization is beholden to Deutsche Bank, and that the Deutsche Bank money came via Russian oligarchs, with the knowledge of the Trump's, as to the origin of the funds.
The behavior of the German based bank ,in regards to multiple defaults of theTrump organization over the years, is suspect at best. If these allegations are true, it would be more than an embarrassment, and can explain Trump's sycophantic behavior towards Russia and Putin.
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Can someone explain the purpose of having witnesses in the Ukraine scandal testify at a closed door hearing instead of testifying publicly or instead of having the transcript of their testimony released to the public? As we have already seen with Kurt Volker's testimony, each side makes public statements about what the closed-door testimony showed or didn't show and the public has no way of evaluating the accuracy of those statements (other than utilizing the working assumption that Republican members of Congress, taking a cue from their leader, are lying about it).
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@Jay Orchard Believe it or not, there ARE laws about protection of information in investigations, and there's likely a LOT of sensitive and classified information lying around in this case.
Remember, if it's available to the American Public, it's available to everybody else, too. Including our enemies. This is a necessary step. Even if it has its downsides, those drawbacks are heavily outweighed by the benefits.
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@Jay Orchard Your point is well-taken. We citizens must be informed to participate fully and wisely in our democracy. However, some information is too sensitive to be made public. Our own security depends on it kept secret -- very secret. Our representatives are cleared to use such information for their decisions on our behalf. Heaven help them if they breach that trust.
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@RS5 Remember . . . If it's available to the American President it's available to our enemies too.
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