Once again, to the great frustration of Democrats and Moderate Republicans like me who did not vote for Trump, the Democratic leadership has botched another situation that will end up further polarizing voters and accomplishing nothing. I hoped after the endless Russian claims, and then Kavanaugh, lessons would be learned. Don't try to "make" things worse than what they already are. Let the FACTS lead. People will find out if you try to manipulate the situation, which then severely damages credibility. We already know trump's a terrible human being that's embarrassing our country. The point is to PROVE that he did something that justifies impeachment.
2
Your point about investigating corrupt acts is accurate, the fact that this only came into scrutiny upon Biden demonstrating in the polls that he would beat Mr Trump in an election held today is what makes this an unlawful act.
We should take a look at people given jobs they are not qualified for, suggest we list all politician-connected positions to see if this is common, on both sides of the aisle, in the cabinet, and in the Whitehouse. If this turns out to be a prevalent problem, then fix it. Meanwhile our elections are being influenced by foreign governments. As Mr Trump said, why shouldn’t he get election help from foreign governments?
As a lifelong Republican, Mr Trump represents the worst kind person that has ever held the Presidency and his lying, ignorance, and abuse of power will come back to cripple the Republican Party.
5
NYT needs to reach out to the several DOJ commenters here and craft an article from it. Especially from any who are willing to go on the record with names attached. They are supporting what is (in my eyes) already clear about Barr, but their support should become part of the permanent record, and details should be brought out too. There is news happening here in the comments section.
10
‘Crazy’ and ‘Frightening,’ ?
How? The transcript was released. It was neither crazy nor was it frightening.
So what we have here is political engineering, orchestrated from Schiff's office.
3
It seems that buying into the fictitious "Deep State" allows one to believe in all manner of conspiracy theories, no matter how far fetched.
Two things:
1) A PoliSci Professor I had (ex CIA, but still a recruiter) unequivocally stated, "If it sounds like a conspiracy theory, it is false".
2) An interview with a Ukrainian big wig the other day, he said,
"It got to the point where you no longer knew what's true and what's not. You (the USA) will be there very soon".
So it goes.
Society played like a cheap violin.
I trust the NYT to deliver the best semblance of Truth.
8
We all have this one big question for the all knowing , all caring, too busy to take our government and constitution seriously GOP and White House , what would you be doing if a democratic president, candidate had had that same phone call, made the same requests of other countries? Taken the same actions. In your opinion what should we do with that person?
10
The House can no longer dilly dally on articles of impeachment the man is clearly unfit for Office and perhaps beyond narcissism mentally ill. This Office holds too much power for this to continue his actions are with out deliberations with others current Syria situation in mind. He can not be Commander and Chief with that power the risk are too great.
If he was Secretary of Interior then perhaps they could recess play with subpoenas the courts this needs a floor vote now. Do we have a Republic or a Monarchy of madness?
12
Those who have nothing to hide will cooperate. Those who have something to hide will obstruct. It IS that simple!
13
What would Trump do if 65 million Americans stepped forward to say:
I am the whistleblower!
2
The GOP are silent when first news broke of Trump call with Ukraine. Now some come out of the woodwork to disagree strongly with Syria pullback. They pick which unpresidential acts he performs to disagree with him. They say he was joking about China request. He isn’t funny, it isn’t presidential. They just show what clowns they are in thinking this is all a big joke. Americans are not laughing. Words matter. We take our leaders seriously. As is said frequently “Do your jobs! And stop clowning around!”
9
Nothing so much as a not so-subtle suggestion for implementing a good old 50's Soviet Politiboro style pusch within our government and military, each time a new regime takes office in our Capital. All that seems to be missing from the fever dream paranoia entailed in this type of mindset, is for the follow-up suggestion from the True Believer faithful that members of the loosing opposite Party and their followers be treated to an extended visit at re-education compounds, before they get back their right to participate in government (But surly, thats being saved in reserve for once the Great Leader gets his second term).
1
The call, the cover up, all shocking. But not at all unbelievable given this guy's track record. What is hard to understand is the loyalty from Republicans in Congress and administration officials putting their entire career and reputation on the line for this President. He is not even a Republican. He is the most unlikely person to deserve such loyalty.
5
Interesting that when the white house released the "reconstructed" transcript they were STILL unable to erase ALL of trump's requests to Ukraine to get dirt on Biden. It's there in indelible print - one wonders how much more is on the actual tape which was moved to the sensitive material server. Can we be guaranteed that there won't be an accidental Nixon-like erasure? Please tell me that trump can't now start relying on the fact that it was a reconstructed transcript of the conversation and therefore not accurate, even though he relied on the transcript to trumpet his "innocence"?
4
I've come to the conclusion Republicans think an American flag lapel pin is bleach.
6
I'd like to think that Trump's name calling will not make an impeachment inquiry go away. Or other witnesses and whistleblowers.
And it is indeed time for patriots who once served in this "administration" to testify to what they saw and heard.
6
I agree that the credibility of the whistleblower isn't relevant now that the contents of the phone call are public. Trump discrediting the whistleblower is a side show. The issue is whether the call is cause for impeachment. From a legal perspective, I think it's very weak argument that a crime was committed. Lack of judgment? Sure. Campaign crime? That's a stretch, and I wish people would stop betting on this angle as a justification for impeachment... it's too flimsy to convince Independents, much less Republicans. As for the revelation that intelligence officers were "shocked" etc., that's a piece of cheap political theatre. Much, much more controversial things have been said on calls with foreign leaders. Unless these intelligence officers were millennial snowflakes, I don't believe that the Ukrainian call caused panic... this sounds like confirmation bias to me.
2
I have a hunch regarding the whistleblower's insider. Who else would have been listening to that phone call and be visibly shaken? This happened back in July when Security Advisor John Bolton almost certainly would have been in on the call. Bolton was later shown the door.
I detest Bolton's hawkish views, but don't doubt he is a patriotic American. He saw Trump operate first hand and has been very critical since leaving the White House. Who knows, maybe Bolton is Whistleblower #2.
2
Trump continues with his bad behavior because he can. He has no sense of any sort of moral compass, or the wrongs of corrupt practice b/c he is completely corrupt. I can only think the GOP knows the folly of this person they helped place in the White House as a craven bid for real politik by an appartchik. They, the GOP, do not need to go to Russia or Venezuela for corruption. Why we have our own home-grown version right here, from Queens to Manhattan to the White House. Debacles political, behavior immoral enough to take away one's breath. Yet Trump remains. Surely the bill will come due. We will all pay as we do now in great and small ways.
2
The coded security server which stored the original conversation can tell you " Cracy and Frightening " conversation other than the reconstructed transcript.
I hope this is one of the subpoena document.
5
"He said the call came in at 2:55, but phone records show it actually came in at 2:56. He's a LIAR, and you can't believe anything he says!"
The Trump "administration" is throwing anything and everything against the wall to see if it sticks.
I'll tell you what sticks. A fork. Into him. He's done.
4
Oh, dear. The President spoke out of turn in his “presidential conversation “ and therefore must be impeached. Give me a break, please children!
3
Out of turn?
The President extorted the leader of Ukraine, demanding he suborn perjury from his chief prosecutor.
In the US, it is a crime for the President to receive things of value from a foreign government.
Trump demanded a foreign government give him something very valuable to him.
It is a crime to extort anything from anyone, and much more to do it by withholding money allocated by a law Trump could have vetoed if he really didn’t want military aid to ho to Ukraine.
What he demanded was the president of Ukraine force his government to create a fraud - based on information a Republican-controlled Congress had when Biden was Vice President.
To back up a lie against a potential political opponent.
The only serious one he hasn’t denounced as a radical, and sees as his current deepest threat.
That’s not ‘speaking out of turn’.
That’s the first time a President faces a charge of “treason”, using a foreign government to undermine the one he swore to defend and protect.
5
Trump and his lackeys think they can evade and avoid, but ultimately the truth will prevail. I have faith. We need to continue to chip away at their lies and obfuscation and not give in to despair. These people are corrupt, and corruption rots from within the way a mold or infection does. They will not prevail.
3
The President of the United States is a repeat criminal enabled by a Republican Senate. It's bad enough that we have this thoroughly corrupt cretin in the Oval Office, but even worse is that we have a Republican Party that literally paves the way for his abuse. America is rapidly becoming a banana republic and will soon, in not already, be beyond redemption. The glorious dream of our Founding Fathers has become an endless nightmare from which we cannot awaken.
3
So much of the President's actions can be explained by what his son once said, that is that they got most of their financing from Russia. If Russia can call in Trump's loans and ruin the family, Trump's appearing to be "Putin's pupit" makes sense. In the same way, Trump's hotels in Istanbul give Turkey leverage over the President. And his family's interests in China also explain his calling on them for help sliming Biden. While we don't have clear evidence that Trump is beholden to dictators and oligarchs, it certainly appears that Trump has let himself be improperly compromised by his business interests.
I would quote the old blues song: "If you gonna eat crackers in bed you gonna have to sleep with crumbs." I believe that the President will eventually find that making nice with dictators will bring him down when he no longer has something they want. When the Democrats regain power and the dictators want something from them, his old friends in Russia, Turkey, and North Korea will sell out the Trumps to gain favor from them. It can't happen too soon in my book.
I would quote the old blues song: "If you gonna eat crackers in bed you gonna have to sleep with crumbs." His dictators-friends will bring him down when he no longer has something they want. When the Democrats regain power and the dictators want something from them, his old friends in Russia, Turkey, and elsewhere will sell out the Trumps to gain favor from them. It can't happen too soon in my book.
1
From a distance, this looks like a similar pattern as the Brexit bonanza. Right wing leaders with only one strategy. To create chaos and disrupt democracy.
If D. Trump wins this impeachment case, there is little to believe he will not take a second term after the coming election. As the swamp is never fully drained, he may very well consider that third one, just because America is willing to believe he needs to finish the job. And he is the only man able to do so.
The slow economy will help to keep America on the retreat.
No world stage, no influence, no gravity, just some friends to do business with. Russia, North Korea, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Turkey and why not Brazil. Europe and China need to slow down, for America to catch up. Tarrifs will have to do it. Whatever the cost. Instead of some great inspiration, a great togetherness in moving forward, America (and Brittain) are paralized in some existential powerstruggle.
To make America great again, and Brittain free, Trump and Johnson are breaking it all down first.
They keep on talking and tweeting nonsence. They attack any and all. Any critic and all whe dare to attack. These guys are simply keeping it going till America and Brittain are ready "to give it all away". Finding itself five years from now. In an autocracy ruled by the selfisch class. A world-wide olygarchy, floating on an anarchistic "free" financial market.
2
The President of United states should be able to speak to any World leader on any subject at anytime. How can any Frank discussion take place if disgruntled partisans can leak such conversations.
Obama's 'hot microphone' comment to Putin about being able to more accommodating after election raises more serious questions than this..Crimea happened soon after and Obama reneged on our treaty obligations to defend Ukraine while denying Ukraine defensive weapons such as javelin anti tank missiles..which trump immediately gave Ukraine
We're now picking gnats after swallowing camels.
8
@Lane
Trump said what he did and did what he said.
Shakedown
Extort
Coverup
Repeat
He is compromised.
He is a threat to the integrity of our election process and to our national security.
He violated his oath of office and our Constitution.
Trump is colluding with foreign governments, AGAIN, to help him win an election.
Federal Statute 52 USC Section 30121 - U S Code - Unannotated 52
Voting and Elections
4
@Alberta Knorr Democrats must be exempt from that law as they employed Ukraine to find old dirt on Trump's campaign team..
1
Now Trump blasts the impeachment inquiry as Democratic partisanship. Meanwhile since he was elected everything he does smacks of partisanship, and the fact that practically nothing is getting done is directly on the Republican Party and Trump specifically for this total kind of disgusting approach. Shaking down a supposed ally to smear a Democrat. Sorry, but 1 & 1 = 2 still and that is how this goes, he smears his opponent, there is pushback, as what he did to the Ukraine was totally illegal (isn't it?) and reprehensibly partisan, and then he goes on the offensive blaming Democrats for fighting together to rid the country of his disgusting partisanship and conduct lower than a thief's.
5
We have transcripts of the call.
We can all come to our own opinions.
This whistleblower nonsense is just that.
More deep state leftists trying to justify an unjustified impeachment.
4
That's factually incorrect. We do not have a transcript of the call. We have a WH memo that claims to be a "rough transcript", however in the fine print, it specifies that it’s “not a verbatim transcript of a discussion.”
The ellipses (. . .) in the #NotATranscript make clear that some things were left out. Why don't you wait to read the actual transcript or hear the actual conversation before you make up your mind?
8
The official who told the whistleblower that what they heard was frightening and crazy needs to find the courage to resign, come forward, and tell all Americans what is going on in the White House. I’ll never understand why anyone is afraid of Trump. If he were to ever be seen in public outside of his silly rallies, he would be mocked relentlessly. He is completely insulated and fully controls everything and everyone around him. He’s beyond pathetic, yet our press allows for all of this.
7
...a White House official called the substance of the July 25 call “crazy” and “frightening” and suggested that Trump may have violated federal election laws by asking Zelensky for a “favor” by investigating the Bidens.
To quote the source known as 'Deep Throat,' in the film All the President's Men, "The truth is, these aren't very bright guys and things got out of hand."
The stable genius and his enablers ain't so bigly smart.
8
common sense says this is politically motivated nonsense
6
@James Allen
Trump said what he did and did what he said.
Shakedown
Extort
Coverup
Repeat
He is compromised.
He is a threat to the integrity of our election process and to our national security.
He violated his oath of office and our Constitution.
Trump is colluding with foreign governments, AGAIN, to help him win an election.
Federal Statute 52 USC Section 30121 - U S Code - Unannotated 52
Voting and Elections
2
When people say this is much to do about nothing, I say tell that to the fighters on the Western front of Ukraine who were killed while Trump bargained for an investigation of his political rivals and refused to even meet with Zelenskyy while Zelenskyy and Russian National's in the Donbass region were fighting Putin's Russian soldiers. Between this and what Trump has done to the Kurds, the entire world knows you can no longer rely on Trump to support our friends. You can only rely on him to support Putin and Erdogan and other despots.
98
Here is what I consider to be the really disappointing part of all of this. Nothing is going to happen. Nothing. Trump will not be removed from office, and in fact the impeachment may bolster his case about a 'witch hunt'.
What Republicans refuse to understand is that Democrats are not outraged because Hillary lost. if John Kasich (for example) were President right now, none of this stuff would be going on. Democrats wouldn't agree with Kasich's politics, but he's a moral man who has spent his life serving the people. Democrats are outraged because a crook has become the most powerful person in the world and Republicans are ok with that.
172
Agreed! None of this went on when George W. Bush was president, despite Democrats' major disagreements with his policies, and in fact Al Gore conceded to him gracefully when all was said and done. This has nothing to do with sour grapes over 2016. His has to do with wanting some decency and sanity and honesty back in the Oval Office, and those plus plus some backbone in the Senate.
35
@Donald S. I agree with everything you said until the last line. "Republicans" are NOT ok with that. Many of us are disgusted. We're also disgusted with Democratic leadership. Do you notice that I did not say "Democrats"? That's because your generalizations are part of the problem. I'm a moderate Republican supported John Kasich, now strongly support Pete Buttigieg, and am disgusted by Trump.
Pay attention to this: Getting rid of Trump is not difficult. Put forward a candidate with strong ethics, intellect, who can deliver a clear message based on a limited number of well-defined policies. "Trump is awful" is not a campaign strategy. Ask Hillary.
6
Almost everything Trump does is "crazy and frightening".
The scariest thing is that some people think what our president has done is acceptable. He can break laws and the GOP says, "he was just joking" or they say but......look at Biden. They spin tales to protect the indefensible actions of this president.
What is most frightening is that some people think Trump has done nothing wrong or they just can't find the courage to tell the truth about this man.
260
@Charna - And how is it acceptable for the President to 'joke' about such incredibly important matters as national security, the integrity of our elections, and foreign countries involving themselves in our elections? None of those things are a laughing matter and the President of the United States' words are supposed to carry weight.
The system is obviously broken when the POTUS is an international laughingstock whose words can be openly disregarded. If the GOP had any capacity for self reflection at all they'd realize how absurd the 'he was just joking' defense is. That's not better!
20
@Charna We better understand very clearly now how vulnerable we are to the minority capable of Strong Man cult worship - and punish very completely the GOP.
Exile them .
7
The most frightening and crazy part of Trump's July 2019 phone call with Ukraine's leader was the fact that Secretary of State Pompeo, and others, just sat there and did nothing while listening to Trump break the law.
1981
@Jay Orchard I expect nothing good from pompous Pompeo after his despicable performance as a Congressman.
116
@Jay Orchard Respectfully, I think the mistake you are making is to assume that Pompeo would even know the law, much less care about upholding it. He may be who he is now, but not that long ago he was Kansas nobody whose business interests were economic sink holes bailed out big time by Charles Koch, so much for MBM.
108
@Jay Orchard , oh no, they did do something... they whisked away the call transcript into a secretive server.
86
Watch the public opinion polls.
When Donald drowns significantly in those numbers, his GOP loyalists will desert him.
Does the Syria situation show this happening already?
5
So, when the SCOTUS makes a decision on abortion and assault weapons and LGBTQ issues should we scream and cry that the outcome is politically motivated and tilted towards what Mitch McConnell wants since all of Trump’s recent appointees to the SCOTUS lean heavily conservative?
3
The current environment that requires the latest, fastest news bits has seriously degraded journalistic professionalism. I understand the industry has to adapt to survive. Most of what I read in the NYT is quality work which is why I subscribe. This article, however, demonstrates the effect on journalism of regular streaming so-called news to grab eyeballs.
2
The whistle-blower wrote a memo describing an official who heard the call as “visibly shaken” by it. Do you really think any of us believe this kind of nonsense? The more you write about Trump the better I like him.
3
@ Chris Andersen
Trump said what he did and did what he said.
Shakedown
Extort
Coverup
Repeat
He is compromised.
He is a threat to the integrity of our election process and to our national security.
He violated his oath of office and our Constitution.
Trump is colluding with foreign governments, AGAIN, to help him win an election.
Federal Statute 52 USC Section 30121 - U S Code - Unannotated 52
Voting and Elections
I’m going to make what I believe to be a fair presumption; the vast majority of adults know the difference between right and wrong. Humans grasp this somewhere around “toddler hood”. Having read a fair share of these comments and having heard from too many elected and appointed officials it is disappointing that they are exhibiting behaviour commonly associated with criminals.
7
Byron York reported this afternoon that the ‘whistleblower’ had a professional relationship with one of the current Democrat candidates for president.
Maybe the NYT can assign some intrepid reporters to look into that.
17
Byron York is a political hack pretending to be a journalist...who can’t come up with any ideas worth publishing in mediums other than tabloids like Fox News.
23
It doesn’t matter if the report is factual and bears out. Ad hominem red herring.
8
@EGD
Fox News has defined itself as an 'entertainment' venue. Byron York is part of an entertainment business; Fox keeps Trump's base stirred up with a lot of garbage non-facts. You might try listening to actual Hearings as broadcast on C-Span. You might wonder why the GOP wants to cut funding for public television, and why it is so in favor of a commercial cable news station.
14
Perfect call. For a criminal doing business the way he has always done business.
8
Bias? Trump's been using that argument a long time, and because he really doesn't get along with anyone, and manages to create a cyclone of trouble everywhere he goes, "the world" is full of bias against him... Then he blames everyone else when called to account. The original diagnosis, narcissism, is accurate.
12
I am relieved that the Dems, and a few Reps, have finally stepped up to their Constitutional duties. Without checks and balances, democracy doesn't work, can't work.
Trump's ignorance of the rule of law, flagrant and repeated abuse of the rule of law, has left America no other choice.
And now, Trump and his administration have added Obstruction to the charges, just like Nixon....
9
Ohhh..."visibly shaken." That sounds bad. Maybe that person should take some time off from politics to meditate or do some yoga. We can't have anyone experiencing stress at their job, now can we?
2
@Fred Rick
Heaven forbid that any government official take seriously the national security of the United States of America.
8
@Fred Rick
Our Constitution, the integrity of our election process, our national security, is not a laughing matter, unless you are Vladimir Putin.
2
Sounds like an appropriate response for anyone of conscience and professionalism who witnessed an obviously mentally disturbed president violate federal law and betray his country.
1
Let's impeach him because he made a crazy phone call that scared people who do not like him.
Surefire case right there Democrats, I bet it will hold up in court.
3
@AutumnLeaf
A lot of people don't like people who clearly commit criminal acts. Go figure.
4
@Autumn Leaf
Trump said what he did and did what he said.
Shakedown
Extort
Coverup
Repeat
He is compromised.
He is a threat to the integrity of our election process and to our national security.
He violated his oath of office and our Constitution.
Trump is colluding with foreign governments, AGAIN, to help him win an election.
Federal Statute 52 USC Section 30121 - U S Code - Unannotated 52
Voting and Elections
He is selling the country out for his personal benefit. That should scare you or any real American. But I guess you are all in for the destruction of our Constitutional government in favor if a corrupt madman,
2
The left is acting as if no transcript of the conversation has been made public. Who cares about the opinion of the so called whistleblower. There is simply nothing scary or frightening about the conversation. If the anti Trump Democrats want to pursue this pointless witch hunt instead of trying to win in 2020 so be it. It will go nowhere and only guarantee the already likely reelection of Trump
3
We do have the September 20, 2019 video showing Biden bragging (at a college in Iowa) about threatening to withhold $1billion from the Ukraine unless the Ukrainian Prosecutor was removed. This was when Biden was VP. Of course Biden did not mention why he wanted the Prosecutor removed. At the time the prosecutor was about to investigate Barisma the firm for whom Hunter Biden worked.
If true that Biden used his office to protect his son by threatening to withhold congressionally appropriated aid (one billion dollars) to Ukraine….then that is a crime and should be investigated by the U.S.
Since any U.S. President has the obligation to investigate possible illegal actions by U.S. elected officials abroad….asking the Ukranian President to continue the investigation is within President Trump’s legal responsibility.
2
Trump's treachery has cast America to wandering, and wondering, in the desert. He is a crook attempting to escape a demise of his own making, and 'We the People', are Trump's hostages.
6
Liberal embellishment of a conversation between 2 leaders. How more twisted van the Democrats get.
3
Embellishment? Let's see the real transcript then. White a house won’t release it because it would plainly show the incompetent, corrupt and illegal acts of the pretender.
2
Since we have the transcript of the call and can judge its content for ourselves, of what value is the opinion of the whistleblower who heard it?
6
Sadly we do NOT HAVE THE FULL TRANSCRIPT
In addition, the whistleblower is in a high enough security position that they have years of experience and training to know what business as usual should be at the international level.
12
While I understand why more people with first hand knowledge have not filed complaints, and sympathize with the risks they would take in doing so, everyone who heard the phone conversation first hand and who knows something about the defense funds withheld from Ukraine must take that risk and some forward. Otherwise, Trump will get away with this as will all his appointed henchmen. McConnell, McCarthy, Nunes et al. will be outliers if they continue to deny presidential malfeasance once the entire story is presented to Congress by a large non-partisan group of government officials.
6
Being a member of a political party is evidence of bias? That isn’t going to leave many unbiased people in this investigation, is it?
9
What is most terrifying about all of this is that after these detailed reports, and so many National Security professionals coming forward to sound alarm bells about Trump's corruption, Fox news and some others are seizing on party affiliation of this individual to discredit the report.
Trump's corruption is making a mess of our government & security and politics is distracting everyone from this. His administration must be removed, and soon.
8
I am beyond being frustrated with Trump. He is undoing the foreign relations this nation has established during my lifetime and I'm 75 years old.
He is aiding and abetting nations that do not wish us well and undermining relations with nations we have been on good terms with since the end of WW II. He is creating a new world order to the detriment of democratic nations. Now he is turning his back on the Kurds, who are probably the most democratically run area in the Middle East.
I simply do not understand why anyone supports Trump and yet he has a large following of supporters. I never thought I would live to see this happen in this country. It is all very sad.
13
Political affiliation of the whistle blowers has nothing to do with why these people are speaking out. Republicans are merely trying to divert attention of the illegal, and unethical actions by Trump. They've been [childishly] attacking those within their own party who dare to speak out against them for years now. Calling these people RINO is a perfect example of this. With thst understood, their using the same tactics towards Democrats is a given. Americans must demand the full truth, not a bias narrative! Republicans are trying to put this president above the law, something NO American should ever accept regardless of their party preferences! We must remember your preference may be in the WH today, but in years to come this will not be so. Setting up the precedence of this president being above the law and unaccountable now, will apply to all future presidents to come, and they may not be your preference!
10
"We thought he would grow into the Presidency. He hasn't. We're sorry."
Republicans, see how easy that was?
7
"The president had clearly committed a criminal act."
Where are those law-and-order Republicans now?
Their silence is informative to us voters.
11
So the fact that the whistle blower was a democrat means his pointing out corruption is less valid?
Perhaps if he was a corrupt Republican( as they all are in the age of the Criminal Trump) he would be believed?
11
Is there any investigation of the political affiliations/activities of those on the call Ukraine who did NOT blow the whistle?
6
The full, real, hidden transcript will be the season finale. And hopefully this horrible show will be cancelled or pulled.
21
If only the translator would resign and testify before Congress about 45’s private talk with Putin. (Remember, he took her notes.) But I’m sure she’d have pretty accurate recall of such a talk. Or they should subpoena her.
17
It's one thing to share such incredible information instead of keeping it to one's self.
However, hopefully the White House official who actually listed to the July phone call between Trump and Ukraine's leader will have the same sense of duty, courage and integrity as the whistle blower and come forward rather than allowing that individual to twist in the wind.
I don't doubt that this official was "visibly shaken" when he or she heard such "crazy" and frightening" statements.
But there comes a time when one has a choice to make - take responsibility and go the distance or remain a coward and "let the chips fall where they may".
7
Trump is so innocent that he just can't have his story told!!!
Attacking the process and not the facts, a sure sign of guilt as any criminal attorney knows.
12
"“The official stated that there was already a conversation underway with White House lawyers about how to handle the discussion because, in the official’s view, the president had clearly committed a criminal act by urging a foreign power to investigate a U.S. person for the purposes of advancing his own re-election bid in 2020,” the C.I.A. officer wrote."
Well, the Department of Justice reviewed the matter and determined that there was no crime. And, as reported right here in the Times on 12 Sept, the review was led by Rosen, because Barr had decided not to participate in the review.
This has become a comedy.
The TImes, historically, engaged in the wildest of conspiracy theories any time the CIA has had anything to say - always claiming that the CIA lied and always looking for coverups and deceit.
Yet, because this particular story from the CIA fits the Times' anti-Trump narrative, the Times is waving it around as though it were true.
There is no evidence that substantiates a political motive; Trump doesn't need anything more than his mouth to defeat Biden, who will not get the nod from the Dems anyway because he is Biden and who would want him for a president anyway.
5
@Objectivist
Trump said what he did and did what he said.
Shakedown
Extort
Coverup
Repeat
He is compromised.
He is a threat to the integrity of our election process and to our national security.
He violated his oath of office and our Constitution.
Trump is colluding with foreign governments, AGAIN, to help him win an election.
Federal Statute 52 USC Section 30121 - U S Code - Unannotated 52
Voting and Elections
7
Matt Taibbi tells it like it is- ‘Americans who’ve blown the whistle over serious offenses by the federal government either spend the rest of their lives overseas, like Edward Snowden, end up in jail, like Chelsea Manning, get arrested and ruined financially, like former NSA official Thomas Drake, have their homes raided by FBI like disabled NSA vet William Binney, or get charged with espionage like ex-CIA exposer-of-torture John Kiriakou. It’s an insult to all of these people, and the suffering they’ve weathered, to frame the ball-carrier in the Beltway’s latest partisan power contest as a whistleblower.
See- The ‘Whistleblower’ Probably Isn’t- It’s an insult to real whistleblowers to use the term with the Ukrainegate protagonist. By Matt Taibbi Rolling Stone Oct 6, 2019; Link: www.rollingstone.com/politics/political-commentary/whistleblower-ukraine-trump-impeach-cia-spying-895529/
5
@Paul :"like Chelsea Manning, get arrested and ruined financially,"
Chelsea Manning wasn't a whistle blower. She released a trove of documents that contained some indications of government wrongdoing.
If I released everyone's checking and savings account records to the general public and evidence of check kiting was found, would that be considered a whistle blower's action?
1
Trump supporters only care that someone in Washington DC was visible shaken, and they could care less that the reason was for national security. Those pathetic folks only care about revenge for their ancestor's loss in the Civil War, over 150 years ago. Their undying support for Trump "the Lyin' King" is undeniable proof that the idea of the United States of America is essentially dead. Just like the Roman empire a century before its ultimate demise, the United States is just a country in name only (CINO).
5
You can see they are scrambling to cover up the obvious quid pro quo in this particular phone call. They have put out 3 reasons for the call in quick succession:
1 corruption (Biden reference)
2 E. U. not paying their fair share (holding back authorized funds)
3 Rick Perry made me do it (exporting LNG to Ukraine)
The reference to cleaning up Russian interference in 2016 election by placing it in Ukraine just hangs our there and is indefensible.
Trump and his backers are in deep trouble. Mueller refused to exonerate him saying you can't sue a sitting president, but he didn't say he is above the law. Congress has stepped in with their constitutionally authorized impeachment power. In addition to obstruction of justice in the Comey firing, he has asked for a "thing of personal value from a foreign power." And he continues to obstruct justice by stonewalling on witnesses and documents.
We're seeing history being made before our eyes. Will the law prevail?
15
Trump has been "crazy" and "frightening" since he started his campaign before he was "elected". And people are just now catching on?
11
Why is it not ok to investigate Biden but it is ok to investigate Trump when they are both "political rivals".
I'm having cognitive dissonance over this. Is there something being covered up
8
@steve
Because trump is the president of the United States of America.
Trump is colluding with foreign governments, AGAIN, to help him win an election.
Federal Statute 52 USC Section 30121 - U S Code - Unannotated 52
Voting and Elections
Plus it is a violation of his oath of office.
He said what he did and he did what he said.
Shakedown
Extort
Coverup
Repeat
He is a threat to our election process and our national security.
He is compromised.
4
@steve Biden was already investigated, for one thing, with a verdict if no wrongdoing.
5
The difference? The impeachment inquiry is NOT asking foreign officials to investigate Trump in exchange for monetary aid.
1
Between cops afraid for their safety and CIA agents visibly shaken, it seems that careers in law enforcement are drawing the most easily frightened and fragile among us.
Does the fact that Schiff tweeted about the whistleblower before the report could have run through its standard processes suggest that there were opportunistic agents waiting for the opportunity to be "frightened"
https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/whistleblower-spoke-to-schiff-aides-before-filing-complaint
3
Once again, you and so many other readers of this article make the same mistake! The CIA agent was not shaken. A Trump White House official was!
17
@James, Trump et al gave them a good opportunity.
2
Sez he (or she).
What a delightful position to be in: Making any accusation he, or she (or the Democratic leadership, for that matter), cares to make on the world stage -- with the impunity of total anonymity!
Why didn't the Dems think of this before???
6
@ Jack Magan
The Whistleblower law is there so that people can safely report concerns about abuse, fraud, waste, and illegality.
3
More anonymity by Obama acolytes within the government trying to put the brakes on investigating wrongdoing or illegalities that occurred during their tenure. Muller has already convicted Trump with the ‘insufficient evidence’ standard, now, anonymous accusers hiding in plain sight speak their ‘concerns’ to the press.
It won’t end until Trump’s second term is over.
6
@jhouse
Whistleblower laws are there so that people can safely report concerns about fraud, abuse, waste and illegality.
Trump said what he did, and did what he said.
Shakedown
Extort
Coverup
Repeat
He is compromised
He us a threat to our national security and the integrity of our election process
3
“Visibly shaken” was he? Poor baby!! We’ve all seen the transcript and I daresay not a person reading it would be “visibly shaken” by it. Unless of course this Intelligence officer saw Adam Schiff before reporting the conversation and those are the words that Schiff supplied to this Democrat “whistleblower”. That makes sense. And this will all come out when this new whistleblower comes before the House Intel Committee. We shall see the truth.... eventually!
18
Strange how so many can’t ‘wait for the truth to come out’, yet cannot find the words to condemn the lack of accountability to the public when they fail to testify when called.
33
Ross Stuart, it’s NOT a transcript. It is a White House summary, paraphrasing to their advantage, the WH staff thought. HA! BTW, Do you believe in the US Constitution and in democracy?
31
The revelations of the second whistleblower should be of immense interest to you. Perhaps the report by a member of the Trump administration who gets a full frontal view of Trump’s activities daily will be insufficient to pique your interest in learning the truth of what really went on... before, during, and after that “normal” Trump call!
11
An anonymous or fictional “official” talks to an anonymous “whistleblower” who seems to be a Democrat functionary. No independent confirmation of anything in the whole matter and no real, responsible, journalism either. Is this third grade? Do we still live in America?
15
Stay tuned for testimony from the whistleblowers. Alas, dear Donald will not be able to stop their truth.
9
I read the call and I found it neither crazy nor frightening - unless for Biden in case he was guilty of corruption. And if he is, why should we hide it?
Why do we care about this guy personal opinion about his boss's phone call? He should get another job if he hates Trump.
20
@Alexgri On what do you base the idea that he hates Trump? Hannity’s rantings? And you have not seen the whole call, only a doctored transcript with Barr’s fingerprints all over it.
32
I don’t hate Trump, I feel very sorry for him and his life full of anger, resentment and blind rage. I do hate how he has caused so much anger and divisiveness in this country. But I find it incomprehensible that you keep characterizing a call whose frightening parts have been censored and scrubbed by the White House. Unlike you or me the whistleblower has the whole story.
20
@Alexgri
Perhaps the whistle blower failed to see Trump's great and unmatched wisdom; odd how the redacted transcripts match Barr's redacted Mueller Report in practice. Those of us who are old enough to remember Nixon, Archibald Cox, the tapes, Senator Erwin and the Watergate Hearings are watching an updated replay of lies from the WH. We wait for the Senate to search its collective conscience, rebel against the corrupt McConnell, return to the practice of good governance independent of big donors. Honest people in Congress must demand to see Trump's tax returns where loans and deposits from Russians in London were laundered through the Bank of Cyprus and deposited in Deutsche Bank, now under investigation in Germany. The money trail was documented by an investigative reporter from New York Magazine over a year ago.
11
I read the transcript of the whole phone call. It was clear, informed, very cordial, and most certainly normal.
14
@Len that is not a transcript of the whole call. It is a “rough transcript” with about 20 minutes missing. And if you find it to be a normal call, I have several bridges to sell you.
36
@Len: Except for the parts that are missing, and are probably now shredded. It was most certainly NOT normal if trump was pressing for election assistance in the form of false narratives about Biden and his son. It is clear in the transcript that/what trump was asking.
22
Read some of the texts provided to congress last week. All in all they and the transcript point out that Trump is anything but normal. Ditto the account which was just that.. a reiteration. No actual recording was made, but a lot of people heard what was said.
14
As has been noted in other comment sections:
If our republic survives this presidency, it will be because the Democrats were able to take over the House in the last election. That may well have been the most consequential (positive) election of our generation.
36
Career government employees obviously don't like the way Trump approaches interactions with governments because he treats it like a business deal, not the way they are used to. Its also why he's been far more successful in getting things done in a short period of time vs. the glacial progress associated with 'career diplomats'
6
@RJPost What exactly has he gotten done that hasn't been a disaster?
25
@RJPost , yes Trump has "accomplished" quite a bit. He's almost complete destroying the country's democratic norms and rule of law. Putin's best investment.
18
@RJPost There is a world of difference between a business deal and international diplomacy. I'm sorry that you don't understand that.
18
As has been noted in other comment sections:
If our republic survives this presidency, it will be because the Democrats were able to take over the House in the last election. That may well have been the most consequential (positive) election of our generation.
20
This is what bothers me - how can Trump be accused of advancing his own political agenda when the person in question is not a nominee and the election is over one and a half years out? If he’s asking for an investigation of corruption to be done by the Ukrainians, why is that a bad thing? So in other words, if you’re even thinking of running against a president, you’re protected no matter what you or your family may have done ! Make sense?
10
@Brian Kenney You cannot be serious! Biden was poised to be Trump’s biggest foe in 2020...so, yeah, there’s that.
37
@Brian Kenney Nope, its the Biden family -Hunter Biden - and Trump wants to implicate Joe Biden in the conspiracy in order to smear his name. Why is that a bad thing? How is this comment even allowed to be printed? Lets say this loud and clear - What he did was against the law. Got it?
27
@Brian Kenney
Ugh, I don’t even have the energy to respond to this comment.
25
I believe the text messages that Sondland was party to well established the nature of the quid pro quo between Trump and Zelenski. Watching Trump try to run away from this reminds me of O.J. Simpson's white Bronco driving down the freeway with cop cars lined up behind it. The guilt is palpable.
42
The official who spoke to the whistleblower said that in his view "the president had clearly committed a criminal act." Yet Attorney General Barr's Justice Department declined to even open a criminal investigation.
As a former Assistant U.S. Attorney who worked under Barr during his first stint as Attorney General in the 1990s, I can tell you that federal criminal investigations are routinely opened with a lot less evidence than an eyewitness reporting he saw a crime committed and a transcript of said crime in progress.
When I got my DOJ job, the Department had at last recovered from John Mitchell. It will take a long, long time for it to recover from Barr, who has thoroughly corrupted it.
2593
@Bryan Thank you for your comment, which is both chilling and interesting. But I don't understand why you think Barr would not be confirmed by the senate if offered a Supreme Court spot. This senate has consistently let the so-called Trump administration trounce our system of checks, balances and laws. Why would they put any checks on a Barr Supreme Court candidacy, since Barr is delivering to them exactly what they want.
121
@al Likewise, recovering from Trump will take a long time, but not as long as rehabilitating the institutions he has corrupted and undermined.
165
@Bryan How much of our taxpayer dollars are going towards the stonewalling and corruption fight? Every day we pay into the system...helping Trump fight his fight. It makes me so sick.
113
It seems pretty obvious to me that the whistleblower had to be a Democrat because from what I can see no Republican will ever object to any of Trump's crimes.
The Republican party has cast aside all of its values to follow a sleazy con man into the most dismal swamp imaginable. We can only hope that enough people see their contemptible actions for what they are and vote them out of office. I for one am not hopeful.
6
Ok, ok, ok , settle down people (quote from marine sargeant in aliens): it’s an impeachable offense. But it’s not going to get through Moscow Mitch’s senate. And any time spent on the impeachment process strengthens trump, animates his “trump till I die” voters and clouds the Democrats running for Prez. So, have the congress take a secret, non binding, “sense of the congress” vote, and have the senate do the same. The results will be obvious. And we can get on with more serious business. Like writing out legislation that brings us back to Pre trump times and then the legislation of post trump progress. And then concentrate on winning the senate and the state houses for the party of democracy. No need to worry about the congress and the presidency, they’re a foregone conclusion thanks to the singlehanded efforts of the grifter/bad clown/carnival barker who, in real truth, is the best thing that has happened to the democrats in a long, long time. He’s cleared the congress, and maybe the senate. If you look at the pattern of republican presidents since Nixon, trump seems like a logical progression. He is truly maga’ing by destroying the Republican Party from the inside. If he starts a network competitor to Fox News that will be more delicious icing on rich ironic cake. I can’t wait for the good that trump will do, all by his little old one term self. Oh yea he had help from facebook, twitter and the internet. Bless his heart. A Great American.
2
@ william collins
I love your optimism.
Please, make it so.
What difference does it make if the whistleblower was a democrat or politically motivated? The crime that the Mueller Investigation was not quite able to prove has been committed again, confirmed by the criminal, and attempts were made by the criminals staff to cover it up before it was discovered. A White House official, presumably a Republican, was so alarmed by this crime that he notified the CIA officer. As one of the few Republicans on the planet capable of recognizing treason and trying to do something about it, clearly this person is a patriot and a citizen , and small "r' republican...
6
This time Mr. Trump's problems are different.
Why do we the people insist that our government maintain meticulous records and accounting of all government business?
Because we know that government is dangerous and can be corrupted by would be dictators, crooks and fools.
The first time around Donald Trump was a merely a citizen and candidate; Records were not well kept and he was surrounded by loyalists and family. There are no written records of the treacherous Trump Tower meeting.
This time, no matter how much stonewalling Trump does, there were government employees around him who he cannot corrupt, and more importantly, there are records that he cannot hide.
The House needs to stop negotiating witness appearances and record requests, and must immediately subpoena everything they need.
2
@mark schlemmer
exactly! that‘s what i have been asking myself for a long time:
when is enough enough for the americans?...
why aren’t there demonstrations all over the us?... do people not care about their democracy?
are they afraid of repercussions or just lazy or tired or simply indifferent?
2
We deserve to know who the person is that is trying to bring down an elected president. Now it turns out this person had professional ties to a Democrat.
5
It is obvious that the CIA whistle-blower who described President Trump’s July phone call with Ukraine’s leader as “crazy,” “frightening” and “completely lacking in substance related to national security” is a either a registered Democrat or perhaps an Independent.
Based on the reactions of GOP members of Congress, if the CIA officer was a registered Republican the call would obviously have been considered “perfect”, with no whistle-blowing needed.
2
What is most crazy and frightening is Trump’s continuing appeal to Americans. He clearly acts like his autocratic friends ignoring the legislative branch while governing through presidential decree, relying on his Supreme Court to back him up. He treats all his enemies with insults and disdain. He runs US foreign policy from his gut, ignoring experts. He believes he is the smartest, most talented, most charismatic person in the world. The notion that this person appeals to Americans as an appropriate person to lead the nation and the world says a lot about us.
4
Who is going to save our republic?
It will only take one person to speak up, speak out, tell all they know.
Consider that, potential witnesses. You have nothing to lose, because Trump will discard you when your usefulness to him runs its course.
Cohen and Manfort are in PRISON, not jail. Jail is the local lock up. Prison is for the big boys. There will be most definitely more to come. And you could be one of them, unless YOU speak up.
Do it for the republic. You owe Trump nothing.
2
My guess is that every call trump makes can be considered crazy and frightening.
2
At some point there will be transparency. We the people need full transparency from the start of this whole Russian story. The people have still not been fully informed and nothing will be right until all the facts are uncovered.
The voting citizens have every right to know what the motivations and accusations are from both parties, what each did or did not do or say, how many years ago.
Until then, nothing can be judged correctly by anyone despite what partisans tell us is "truth".
The US is still a Democracy where the people get to make up their minds, not be told what they are to believe on either side of a partisan debate. Each government branch's role is defined by the Constitution. Neither is subservient to the other and the people remain sovereign, not either of the political parties.
2
@Marcia. So we are not to believe that the president by his own admission asked for a favor from a foreign power to investigate a political opponent until we learn all the facts? What more do you need to know?
2
Sounds “perfect” to me. This lawlessness must be put to an end.
1
A registered Democrat? HE'S BIASED! Even if everything he said is demonstrably true and Trump has admitted to it!
4
This is a story about how two anonymous people felt about a phone call for which we have the transcript.
I'd call it fake news but it doesn't quite raise to that standard.
10
Apparently there are snowflakes working in the West Wing. Or are they moles? In any case, with all of the breathless reports, there is still nothing substantive except the phone call. And that does not justify impeachment and will absolutely not lead to removal. Meanwhile, the investigations into the origin of the Russian collusion farce is moving forward and expanding. And they are being led by smart, powerful bears that the Dems keep poking with a stick. The real wrongdoing is soon to be exposed.
9
@ehillesum- Nothing substantive? Since when has a phone call(the transcript is out in case you didn't see it) asking a foreign country for a favor to investigate the leading democratic nominee in your upcoming election not a crime?
What planet are you living on? The question we like to ask these days is "what if President Obama had done this?".
Sadly, I am certain you would be whistling another tune.
2
@kenyalion. I said there is nothing substantive except for the phone call. So the focus must be on the call and the rest is just noise.
1
There are just an astonishing number of comments on all these current articles, many within minutes.
Good work America, I love you, don't you know me, I'm your native one.
(With thanks to Mr. Guthrie.)
3
Something the 'whistleblowers' have done is increase just how much we have 'normalized' Trump's behavior, whether it be from the first time we were made aware how he'd assault women, exclaiming and getting away with the his boorish, insulting behavior of women, claiming, "they like it", to all that dangerous, erratic behavior he's taken to as he works the rope-line on the south white house lawn.
What we are seeing from this president would have ened the political life of anyone else. This is nuts what Trump's been getting away with, 'baldface lying' in clear sight of the truth, behavior getting a pass as "Trump just being Trump".
16
@merc
Remains, the people elected Trump knowing full well who he was and how he behaved and spoke. He has never been hypocritical at least, never pretended to be otherwise or promised things he would not follow up once elected.
Trump is today who he was during his campaign.
Like him or hate him is every citizen's right, but that usual political hypocrisy from a whole lot of past and present politicians, is something that simply cannot be said about Trump.
2
@Marcia Berg
You're missing how Trump's behavior has morphed into something we've not seen before, mostly him outright, continually lying, shelving the spinning and exagerarating behavior we'd come to 'normalize', truthtelling under the rubric-"Just Trump being Trump",
And this outragious behavior we're witnessing these days was never front and forward befor -like what we've seen these past three weeks. All the electorate had prior to the 2016 election cycle was that scheduled, mocked-up glossy, TV Guide, scripted television persona.
2
Trump is not a brave man. He has ample resources to present his case, but he is afraid to face facts. He welcomed Russian meddling in the 2016 election and has done nothing to prevent further meddling in 2020. He has also invited the Chinese and Ukrainians to meddle in the 2020 elections. He tells so many lies that his lawyers are afraid to let offer any testimony, as we saw in the Mueller inquiry. How much longer can he fool the Republicans?
28
“A White House official who listened to President Trump’s July phone call with Ukraine’s leader described it as “crazy,” “frightening” and “completely lacking in substance related to national security,”
This statement of alarm is quite remarkable because it actually describes the CIA’s own sorry record of meddling into the internal affairs of other countries, the failure of their often unnecessary and malicious acts of espionage which usually backfire on them and serve no purpose, and its history of conducting political assassinations and fomenting unnecessary wars throughout the world. Now, preposterously, they are attempting to portray themselves as the last voice of reason and the best hope for the salvation of our nation and the world. So we have this bogus whistleblower’s complaint and this ridiculous “memo” which supposedly supports it but which oddly echoes John Brennan’s overwrought and self-serving observations and comments that he makes about the President on MSNBC. If we believe all this demented hooey, then we are in great trouble as a nation.
17
@Edward:
Two things can be true at once, Edward: yes, the CIA does have a sordid history of meddling in other countries' affairs, fomenting coups, installing dictators, training torture/death squads. And the whistleblower's complaint is credible. They aren't mutually exclusive. (And by the way, unless you have inside info, you don't know if the original whistleblower is a CIA agent.)
You talk about "demented hooey." This so-called president and his corrupt enablers exemplify "demented hooey." So yeah, "we are in great trouble as a nation." Though you don't appear to see how.
4
@AACNY
Trump said what he did and did what he said.
Shakedown
Extort
Coverup
Repeat
He is compromised.
He is a threat to the integrity of our election process and to our national security.
He violated his oath of office and our Constitution.
Trump is colluding with foreign governments, AGAIN, to help him win an election.
Federal Statute 52 USC Section 30121 - U S Code - Unannotated 52
Voting and Elections
2
An obvious question is whether the president is acting in such crazy, criminal ways at the behest of Vladimir Putin. It still isn't clear whether or not Putin has something over the president. It still isn't clear what they talk about when they suspiciously meet in private.
23
So what we have is an unnamed person who heard something from another unnamed person. Sounds like bulletproof evidence...
19
Herbert, everything in the whistleblower's complaint has been corroborated by the memo about the phone call and the evidence provided by Ambassador Volker. So what we have with your comment is a deliberately misleading, partisan and inaccurate statement about what we know.
8
Yes but .... it fits perfectly with what we know about Trump’s life long pattern of cheating and criminality. Do you really doubt that this second hand info isn’t spot-on perfect?
1
@Herbert
We have transcripts of the call indicating that Trump committed a felony. Please pay attention.
2
Are there ANY Republicans out there who respect the rule of law? Are there any who believe in Constitutional checks and balances? Are there any with the least bit of courage?
....or are they all in the tank for an unqualified reality TV show host? Hard to believe none of them will seize the initiative to save the country, save their party and save themselves.....what are they so afraid of??
24
@Frank Roseavelt I agree with you. Why is this person talking to you in the media, in anonymity? Why won't they come out now?
If you were 'alarmed' then aren't you 'terrified' now? Come out, come out, whoever you are.
2
@Jills
Whistleblower laws are there so that people can safely report concerns about waste, fraud, abuse and illegality.
But you knew that, didn’t you?
Deflect-Distort-Distract
Hey Russia if you're listening I hope you're able to find those recording of Trump's phone calls that are missing.
31
If you think Trump's whiney base is angry - you have have just awoken the Sleeping Giant, the majority American People who want justice to be served against this corrupt president. Check the polls. Check the numbers who out voted him for Hillary. We are the majority and Trump and Pence and Bannon's and Barr's and McConnell's disingenuous ways will not hold us back.
This man must be Impeached!
52
Did any of Trump's so-called advisors tell him that:
1. withholding congressionally approved military aid from a country four days before a scheduled phone call with the country's leader, then
2. speaking with that foreign leader about needing favors related to taking out a political rival, and
3. conditioning the aid, and a requested White House visit by that foreign leader, upon his "promise" to conduct the investigation,
is potentially illegal, immoral, and extremely unpresidential, not to mention a a breach of national security protocol?
Maybe Trump's mafia friends, who no doubt excel at blackmail, can clue him in. "Hey, Donnie, Donnie, you know how we operate on: You take out my main competitor, and i'll have your back and let you kiss my ring?" Well, when you're president, it don't work so well like that. Just take my word for it."
Trump's incessantly paranoid narcissism rivals any character Shakespeare came up with. It is only fitting that Trump's attempt at a Faustian bargain will bring his Presidency into a death spiral.
12
Two sets of opposites: lawful and unlawful, truth and lies, process and distraction, "visibly shaken" and completely unshaken, "frightening" and completely unfrightened. How small and insignificant are the morals of someone in such a high position of public office. The boundaries of executive behaviour are constantly being tested and stretched into uncharted waters. Here is a man who has contempt for oversight and has made America a friend of autocratic dictators around the world. Unfortunately he cannot import their tactics and abusive forms of rule. We cannot embody lawless behaviour. Trump is answerable and will be held to account, somehow.
11
FRIGHTENING AND CRAZY Describe the tenor of the nose-dive Trump's behavior and actions have taken. He has become more of a wild beast than usual, lashing out at any and all, using every means of attack at his disposal, to destroy his opponents. This time, Trump is over matched. Adam Schiff and other House Committee leaders are far more fact-based, fair, objective and professional in their approach to the rapidly increasing evidence of instances of Trump's alleged crimes, than he himself (which comes as no great surprise). Is no one else horrified by Trump's delusional outbursts about his being King of the Jews, the Chosen One and the Anointed, followed by his proclamations that he is a "Very Stable Genius" with a strong knowledge of the situation in Syria. His actions triggered a startling rebuke from Mitch McConnell, that most craven of enablers of Trump. Meaning that Trump cannot look to the Senate to save him from his own worst actions. Trump exhibits symptoms of severe mental illness. The 25th Amendment MUST be invoked immediately, before Trump does irreparable harm to the US.
24
What's even crazier and more frightening is if Congress and/or the Judicial Branch and our right-wing Supreme Court won't allow the prosecution of this extortion, cover-up and obstruction of justice.
20
How much impact would it have if all living, former presidents wrote an open letter condemning this action by the president?
Despite long-held tradition to remain silent, they are our fellow citizens with a unique perspective. Perhaps unprecedented times call for all of us to reconsider our norms. Democracy can be difficult that way.
21
Something smells. And what is worse the stench is not confined to the White House but also extends to the Justice Department and the State Department. When will America learn? It had this problem way back in 1972. Nixon got re-elected - only for one almighty very disturbing mess to unfold in 1973 and 1974, culminating with the forced resignation of the then White House incumbent, but not before the Supreme Court compelled him to had over things he claimed were covered by executive privilege.
Nixon believed a conservative high tribunal would vote with him. Never in a million years. This was about the Separation of Powers and Nixon was NOT above the law, the court decided. Moreover, the Supreme Court decided what the Law was, not the temporary occupant of the White House. The United States have an even more conservative court today, and if Trump truly believes he has them in his pocket, he had better thing again.
The Court - as but one part of the power structure within the US Constitution - will defend its right to decide the Law every time.
This one frankly is a slam dunk. If Trump had any sense, he would go now, rather than put himself, his family and America through what is about to happen.
But then Trump is in gangster mode. He really does believe he is King in all but name. Someone should whisper in his ear: America had a revolution in 1776 just to prove that Americans cannot, and will not be governed by anyone who believes they rule by divine right.
23
One more thing...there was a very interesting article in the newsfeed from Newsweek yesterday about Trump’s mental health. Look it up, it is frightening!
Republicans, for the sake of our nation have the courage to impeach or take advantage of the 25th Amendment!
22
Trump has cleverly built a wall not on our border, but around himself by stacking the courts including the Supreme Court, the Department of Justice and the White House around himself over his months in office. Everybody in the country watched, some ranted against him, some cheered him on, but nobody - NOBODY - stopped him.
He himself sues everybody but the bottom line is that Donald Trump has been denied NOTHING as President of the United States. Nothing. And sadly, I don't see that changing any time soon.
12
At what point do the Republican enablers of Trump begin to see the truth and put country ahead of party and power? It won’t likely happen until one of them is caught in Trump’s cross-fire and has to chose between protecting himself or Trump. Even then, they will fall one-by-one for Trump’s stranglehold over the Republicans is exceptionally strong. The hollower his words, the more they seem to resonate with his minions in the party and in the populace.
The Republicans have sold the public for their 30 pieces of silver. They betray their oaths to their esteemed colleges and careers, to whit, Pompeo, Barr and others following orders clearly illegal, against both their military code and the vaunted West Point Cadet Code of Honor which says “A cadet will not lie, cheat, steal, or tolerate those who do.” All of the various academies share this or a similar code. It has a lifetime commitment. History will judge them harshly but the damage their enabling allows is already done and continuing.
They betray their oaths to protect and defend the constitution. So seldom has the very foundation of this country been under a direct assault that perhaps many have never had to really understand what that means. Some of them better learn soon or recovery will be impossible. As it is now, Trump’s hobbling of our system of beliefs, of governance and even of humanity, diminished the US greatly. We are no longer to be admired, pitied is more apropos.
25
This clearly serves the media’s main purpose nowadays - to feed an unending sense of outrage - but we have the transcript. I’m not sure what these emotional quotations add.
Trump was bound to be impeached as soon as the inquiry started. Pelosi can do no otherwise. And he won’t be convicted in the Senate. So in the end we’ll have to save the furor for the actual ballot box.
Final thought - Pelosi has used her official powers to launch this investigation, and drag the country through it, but without holding a vote, purely to benefit herself and other Democrats in the 2020 Elections (she needs a majority to be speaker). Surely this warrants a vote in keeping with norms. Why isn’t this a misuse of power?
12
@Bob
"Pelosi has used her official powers to launch this investigation, and drag the country through it, but without holding a vote"
Think again. The "VOTE" is yet to come.
The INQUIRY is first. The compilation of the article(s) or impeachment are second. The vote on those article(s) comes after the first two.
1
This comment by the official is completely bizarre.
"Crazy","Frightening", and he was "visibly shaken"?
But the transcript of the call has been released to the public. It is so innocuous that Adam Schiff refused even to quote from it when he talked about it in a hearing, and instead had to make up a speech putting words in Trump's mouth to make it sound wrong.
If you can't quote the actual call and make it seem bad, how bad can it possibly be?
16
The WH released a paraphrased version of what they hid in a military secrets computer.
Asking why they did that is of interest to the public.
14
You misspeak when you call it a "reconstructed transcript". It is actually an abridged (or redacted) transcript. And it they were willing to release what they did, imagine what they took out.
26
The Times is out if control with it's reporting on all of this - almost as if it is working for the CIA and Democratic Party. I keep reading these articles and there are just so many unfounded assertions and assumptions, sentence after sentence, without any verifiable, objective evidence to back it all up. Trump is behaving like a boob as usual, no doubt, but there is something more deeply sinister going on here that doesn't add up. Starting to think Democrats and the intelligence community have something to hide in all of this.
13
There is way too much whining and hand-wringing over Trump.
This is not exactly an innocent, virginal country with shreds of innocence forever surrendered. This is a war criminal country and a racist one at that guilty of atrocities involving millions of people both here and abroad. I don't care how violently Trump and his minions swerve off the road of decency and respect, they have not yet begun to touch the damage of the past two generations.
7
Politically motivated? Irrelevant.
Quid pro quo? That’s just leverage. The mere act of solicitation is the crime.
Bias? “Unfair that you reported my crime.” (!!)
This president is the master of distraction. Dems have to stay clearheaded on this.
12
Who cares - Dems keep playing defense. Ask for this, subpoena that! Its time to play offense, spread and light the truth on fire
1. Corruption: Ukraine and Biden - Say that Trump is getting kickbacks from Russia. He has not released his tax returns (using a false reason) and looks like he is beholden to Putin even his attitude to Ukraine reeks of it
2. Nepotism: He goes after Hunter Biden, time to go after Ivanka and Jared - why are they in the white house in the first place? And what is this Jared - MBS relationship?
I am tired of seeing the dems play defense and catchup. If the President and Republicans are OK to be dishonest then its time to get ahead. This is a mud wrestling match - no point standing on a podium and making speeches. Time to get dirty!
18
If the transcript of the call is accurate, this is still much ado about nothing. It’s irrelevant. The only issue is whether the call justifies impeachment.
17
@ehillesum Rt and it don't they the Democrats have tried everything they can very sad thing. He will stand
3
@ehillesum It's not just the call - it is the actions surrounding the call that need to be investigated to decide whether he should be impeached. Specifically, Trump has to provide a reasonable innocent excuse as to why aid was held up - he says he is fighting corruption but is that all there was? But even without that, the involvement of Rudy is reason enough.
Now Trump is blocking the investigation. That also justifies impeachment. No other person has done this before.
The US as a democracy is on its very last legs. Why should (1) the vote in 2020 be real - given Trump's flagrant disrespect for law, why is there reason to think he and his supporters won't cheat? and (2) let's say they mess up the cheating or don't do it and the democrat wins, why would he leave office? Who will make him?
Now, I understand some Republicans felt this way about Obama. But I never had a doubt he'd step down after 8 years. And he did, so all their fears were unjustified. Perhaps the same will be true of Trump, in which case, perhaps the US hasn't fallen of the cliff yet but we'll see.
If Trump isn't guilty, then the senate won't convict. Trump is very likely to be impeached if he continues to obstruct.
Trump is our servant. Obama was our servant. I don't understand why people don't get that - these people are working for us. We're paying their salaries, their lifestyles, etc. On top of it all, if Trump refuses what Congress is authorised to do, then we've become a US Mafia.
11
Are we great again yet?
32
@jeff
We are doing much better than the Nixon stone walling. From that lens, yes, Trump & Co is making America great again.
2
If the subpoenas are ignored, the Dems need to start holding in contempt any refusers. As in jailing them.
36
They cannot attempt to fine, yes, but jailing’s only Bill Barr’s thing.
Though if the promised indictments ever get handed up against the Trump Foundation under New York State law, I can see the State Attorney General asking he be held without bail as a wealthy plane and ocean-going yacht-owner flight risk, and held in Riker’s.
Man who refused apartments to black folks required to live in a prison where they, for no proper reason, make up a majority of the population- gotta love it.
Yeh- a daydream, I know - house arrest in Trump Tower will at least keep him off the street.
2
Are you afraid of the House Impeachment Committee asking, if the released White House ( not a real transcript) transcript, of the call is the highest resolution record of that event? Would you like to see it in its full HD quality if it is available? Or would that be asking too much.
3
Deep breaths, everyone. Read the transcript.
9
@Todd McMurtry I read! them nothing but call two people having read no threatening intent Nothing democrats r the crazy frighten bunch! Pathetic expression of Congress to the world as a nation can't even get along within absurd behavior as the hews reporting it.
5
All meetings and deals between Trump and other countries should be null and void. Trump needs resign and leave the White House. House and senate need to act re his malignant behavior, as it is against everything our country has fought for for centuries.
20
Turkey was guilty of the Armenian genocide, sided with Germany in both World War I (Remember the wholesale slaughter at Gallipoli) and also fights with Germany in World War II but it winds up with what should’ve been part of Kurdistan. The Kurds in the Syrian part of Kurdistan and Iraq are also not united but conveniently labeled terrorists even by the US. Go figure.
Anybody make the connection between the attacks on candidate Biden and the house Republicans constant pounding of potential candidate Hillary Clinton on emails and Benghazi as well as Trump’s incitement even now of the “lock her up” chant at rallies? Remind me of what the picadors do at bull fights.
5
"Crazy", "frightening and "completely lacking in substance" is an accurate description of every interaction, speech and tweet involving Trump. Let alone his policy flip-flopping, the man changes his mind about what he wants to say in the middle of every sentence. He can't speak coherently. He speaks like a man with dementia, and for all the speculation that this is some kind of crafty political strategy to appeal to the working class we're no closer to actually understanding anything he says.
Are Republicans going to wise up when Trump starts telling us he wants to buy the moon? What about when he declares war on pancakes? Does he have to pull a Caligula and send our military to attack the ocean? It would benefit the GOP immensely if they took a stand and pulled the plug on this charade of an administration. Pence would be hailed as a hero for taking the reigns from our word-salad spewing invalid of a president. Give Trump the boot and win back the House in 2020 already.
21
@Ryan R you a perfect speaker? He never claim to be perfect ? None are look at Obama and Clinton's he's did a lot for our country for the better Democrats have tried to belittle him for 3 years whatever they could it's pathetic the public Americans r sick of it Trump his supporters will stand did you forget about Obama be tried to get information on Trump when he was running ? If Trump did anything wrong on that call which I read transcripts I read nothing intent r threating at all
3
Way past time for the Republicans to realize that they are following a criminal who is obstructing justice and should be removed from office right now.
31
FYI, we still only have the William Barr "edited" version of what Trump said in that phone call.
Let's all recall that the William Barr memo version he insisted accurately represented the Mueller Report left out all the worst actions by Trump that Mueller had documented. Barr quashed that report until forced to provide it.
Now we have the William Barr version of Trump's conversation. Given his history of covering up for Trump and lying about it, is there even a minuscule possibility that the worst things Trump said during that phone call are missing from the "memo version"?
Why hasn't the press pushed on this more? You are doing the Republicans' bidding, acting as if the Barr "memo version" doesn't leave out the most incriminating statements. And then pushing the Republican line that it matters one iota which party someone telling the truth belongs to. Why is that only an issue when it is a Republican? The whistleblower told the truth and if the NY Times was blasting headlines every day about the White House still refusing to release the entire transcript to protect Trump and keep his crimes quiet, you would be acting as real journalists.
22
The time is coming when judges throughout the country will hear the White House arguments and shove them right back in their faces . The time is coming when public opinion will be overwhelmingly in favor of impeaching this president who believes he is above the law.
And the time is coming when Republicans in Congress who have sold their souls to this aberration of a man will finally see the error of their ways. In many cases it will be a little too late because they too will lose their jobs.
20
Can I be humorous and ask a germaine question; Do the Russians have a recording of the Zelensky call? They might as Trump deported all the Russian diplomatic spies in the country but allowed the Russian Television down the street from the White House to remain.
5
Please, is there not one republican humane enough to tell Trump the truth?
It's over.
Resign.
25
“Well! I’ve often seen a cat without a grin,” thought Alice; “but a grin without a cat! It’s the most curious thing I ever saw in all my life!”
Alice in Wonderland - Lewis Carroll
2
Crazy? Frightening? Are these CIA “officers” wearing pull-ups? What are they going to do in a genuine spy situation?
It
12
@Arthur Taylor They are right. This is huge and qualifies as equal to or greater than "a genuine spy situation."
4
clearly, he/she is braver and more courageous than most of us.
1
The police rely on informants all the time; these informants may have credible knowledge of who committed a crime withough being there to witness the event. If the information leads to the procuring of more evidence and eventually an arrest, no one ever says that the case has to fall over because the informant wasn't actually there.
This situation with the whistleblower account is no different at all to a police informant who provides information that leads to an arrest.
Imagine if Lindsey Graham was a cop - all the leads in the world and noone would be arrested for anything at all!
6
He nonsense and conspiracy theories need to stop. Americans who love this country and our democracy must call an end to the Trump Presidency. Each new day reveals more of the frightening truth about his endeavors to sell out our security, our allies, our system of checks and balances—all for selfish gain. It’s time to demand loudly and clearly that Congress remove Donald Trump from office and send him to prison where he belongs.
21
I eagerly await someone who was actually listening in on the call - or to whom the call was reported firsthand, to speak up. I pray it happens.
In all fairness, this first whistleblower was not present during the phone call and did not listen to it. And the sources are people with secondhand knowledge of the call.
I believe the report, nonetheless. And I hope someone higher up the food chain does the right thing and comes forward.
12
@SM POTUS already released a transcript of the call.
Nothing more to come from any whistle blower.
8
@Mr Chang Shih An It is my hope that many more whistleblowers join the first - I have no doubt that there much more along these lines to be uncovered.
6
@Mr Chang. Once again.... what was released by the Whitehouse is NOT a transcript but a summary. The document itself states that it is not a verbatim record of the call. It is something they were willing to release and that was already bad enough.
4
"It is illegal to intentionally lie on a disclosure form, but whether the whistle-blower was justified in omitting his initial contact with Congress probably depends on the substance of the interactions."
I'm no lawyer, so can someone help? Was this "lie/omission" the whistleblower told illegal or legal, intentional or unintentional?
9
@Marcia Berg the lie was intentional and illegal
Also lied about having not contacted Schiff's staff.
9
@Mr Chang Shih An You are making absolute statements about matters that are entirely unclear. We - including you - simply don't know yet what will emerge. To call the whistleblower a liar reveals only your ideology - not a truth.
10
@Mr Chang Shih An it was NOT illegal.
4
BIAS by party affiliation does work both ways. If it suspected to be a bias motivation to report, then it is suspected biased motivation in refute. Facts, as in the call transcript, cement the revealed abuse of power.
7
I have only one response to this article and to the various reports about the accusations against Trump, his responses, the statements by lawyers, and the backdrop of all the events of the past three years:
Donald Trump is going to get away with it again.
Where, in God's name, do we go from here?
21
@oldteacher There is a hole with a name that Trump used to describe countries that have people that offend him.
That is were we go from here as long as Trump remains in office.
3
@oldteacher
The USA will get the government it deserves.
5
If one cannot refute the message, then character assassination of the messenger is tRump’s go to defense. He doesn’t deny that he committed this offense, but is attempting to normalize it. It is a betrayal of not just propriety & decorum, but of the core values of this nation. There is nothing normal about asking another country to interfere in our political processes. I am frightened for the survival of the United States as I know it. If tRump gets away with this, then god help us all.
27
"Visibly shaken" does not begin to describe the reaction I have to Donald Trump as he stumbles through his term as President of The United States.
Almost everything he says and does shakes me, and a vast majority of my fellow Americans, in particular:
Minorities (black, Hispanic, LBGTQ), the poor, rural Americans, the less educated among us, and anyone else how has witnessed the likes of JFK, and the Obama administration.
The only people who cling to the Trump vision of America--whatever that is--are scrambling to come out of this administration without appearing before a Congressional Sub-committee, trying to save their own skin, and stay out of jail. Several of them have already failed in this regard.
These are not the brightest and the best. They are most limited and the worst. I can't believe how Ben Carson has lasted this long.
They are not helping the President, and definitely not helping the rest of us.
21
@Action Tank, DC almost 30% of Hispanics voted for trump. Carson is one of the black americans who completely support him.
5
During the campaign, after the election, and well into the Presidential term, the highly
politicized intelligence community is relentless in its resistance to remove a duly elected President. These are activists. With an outsider as a President, when business as usual in DC stopped, the resistance started. How dare Americans elected someone who is anti-establishment?
The whistle blower rule which guarantees a protection is being used as a weapon now. The call transcript is out there, read it without distortion, find if aid was really denied or released after a condition was met. Biden never had a chance against Trump. Democrats knew his past and the liabilities it brought along.
It is a Kangaroo court. Media and Democrats already convicted Trump even before the facts emerged. First call him guilty and then asked him evidence to prove the guilt. If he does not have the evidence, then he is guilty of obstructing. What kind of Justice is this?
14
"kangaroo court" straight from master talking points. he lies, cheats, holds his interests above the interests of this country. He is not above the law.
13
You ask us to read the transcript. But, this we cannot do; what the public has seen is an administration-vetted and edited “approximation” of what was said. As you probably know, the conversation lasted 30 minutes, and the words in document we have don’t make up even 20–spoken very slowly.
The question is whether the actual conversation — and others like it — was, in fact, so egregiously corrupt, or irrational that it made intelligence officials genuinely concerned that that Trump is a danger to the United States?
Or were these officials so implacably opposed to Donald Trump that they, as you charge, clutched at any straw to bring him down?
I think you’re wrong. The intelligence officials I know are square beyond belief, both patriotic and obedient to politicians. They also are not wealthy and depend on their salaries.
These multiple whistleblowers are, at the least, risking their careers to make these reports.
Claiming that they are risking their families and homes just because they dislike the president strains credulity.
This is not a coup attempt. There is something real, here.
15
Nothing in the phone call transcript shows any quid pro quo, Joe Biden was not the focus of the call for the 2020 election but his actions in the 2016 election.
All in all if the Democrats really want to impeach then get on with it, hold a vote on the house floor.
11
@Mr Chang Shih An We all see different things in the reporting of the issue.
And I believe the inspector general's opinion will differ from yours as that official has much more insight to the issue than you or I.
6
So you agree that Trump was trying to dig up dirt, you’re pretending that you don’t know what lever he was using, and you think the Democrats have to let Trump dictate the rules.
Nope.
7
the constitution doesn't require quid pro quo, it is unconstitutional to request foreign assistance in an election.
4
Hardly any of this is a surprise.
At least he's consistent in the way he deals with everybody on the planet.
5
@Postette
Trump throws them under the bus for his own gain.
He does it in front of the world. He does it to everyone except his family, dictators, and white supremacists. Everyone knows it. And his base 100% trust Trump.
3
World leaders may not want their phone conversations with the president released.
7
Would someone tell me how much more of this misery we must endure?
26
It’s appalling how the White House administration is not arguing the facts of the whistleblower complaint, but rather, just tries to discredit and redirect the media while the rest of the Republicans sit quietly to the side afraid of bullying & retribution.
What has happend to the notion of the greater good for our great nation?
32
Either Turkey or the US should be expelled from NATO. The EU should ally with Russia and the USSR should be reconstituted. China can be included in the negotiations.
We are too dangerous at present and must be contained. The Kurds should release all ISIS people men and families.
Note that the US allied with Stalin to defeat Hitler and so the EU and Russia should ally to contain Trump.
Sounds outrageous, well it’s a step better than the current status.
4
@Yuri Pelham
The USSR couldn't produce a toaster to toast bread.
No thanks. I'll stick with liberal democracy over totalitarianism any day.
By the way, is the whistleblower now confirmed to be male?
3
We will learn from this event.. Not discover that the President is a lying scoundrel. We learned that long ago. We’ll learn just who puts their political career above the democratic principles of our nation by supporting and defending his treasonous behavior.
22
The president’s argument that he was immune from criminal investigation was called “repugnant to the nation’s governmental structure and constitutional values” by a Federal Judge on Monday in Manhattan.
31
Crazy? A crime? For Trump just business as usual. his fixers are now either in jail or incompetent, so he has taken to doing the dirty work himself, not that he has any idea that it is dirty work at all. And to his rabid enablers he has sold them a bill of goods that his criminal acts are now the new normal. if the rest of the country goes down this rabbit hole, we might as well change our name to the United Syndicate of America.
25
> In submitting his complaint, the whistle-blower identified
> three facts that could be used to accuse him of
> potential bias against Mr. Trump, the documents showed.
> ... The third indicated that the whistle-blower is a
> registered Democrat,
The Republicans are screaming that the whistle blower is obviously biased. So that makes it so very important that we hear what all the first-hand witnesses have to say.
So why is Trump blocking every one of them from testifying? Could it be because he knows they will verify all of the whistle blower's claims? Or because the additional information they can provide will make things even worse for him?
10
Political intrigue not seen since the early 70's. I loved the 70's, I love America....but these shenanigans ain't making America great again.
25
@Sean Berry
I fully agree!
10
Until the "official" and the "whistle blower" come forward and testify, this is, in my opinion, nothing more than fodder for the media and pablum for Hannity and Limbaugh to spin into something and/or nothing.
I will wait till a formal, open hearing in the House with sworn in witnesses takes place, live on C-Span before I decide who is bearing fans witness. Except I have dismissed much of what Schiff has said as cheap theater.
9
@old sarge It takes an awful lot to get a man to see something that he doesn’t want to see. There are literally reams of documentary evidence already in the public view that support the fact that Trump committed a criminal offense. But I suppose that his “strong” denials are good enough for you.
35
Don’t expect the neat package of witnesses to help you change your mind about Trump. Donald will not permit any witnesses, even those not in the administration, to testify before the House committees. His blocking is of course a hallmark of an innocent person.
9
I think these guys have been demonizing the left for so long that they actually started to believe their own messaging. I wouldn't be surprised at all to find top Republican politicians earnestly (instead of cynically) defending Trump from savage liberal headhunters.
11
Anyone who has had government, business, or personal contacts with Trump describes him as a dirty street fighter who will stop at nothing to save himself. He will betray any official or friend and violate our laws and precdents. He counts on a hard core of venal and frightened Republican Senators to continue covering for him.
Would the requisite number of wavering Senators have the common sense to protect their own interests come Election Day by throwing HIM under the bus?
22
I'm sure Trump made the calls in his "great and unmatched wisdom." The heck with impeachment; it's time for the 25th Amendment.
25
Crazy. Frightening. Visibly shaken.
Give me a break. Who buys into this dramatized nonsense?
Sounds like the ramblings of an emotionally unstable individual.
16
That or a ‘stable genius’ with ‘great and unmatched wisdom’!
20
that one is actually funny
4
@VFO
Many of us were visibly shaken by Trump's performance in Helsinki; we watched the President of the United States trash talk his own Intelligence Agencies while complimenting the former head of the KGB, Putin. A Russian defector was poisoned in a London bar, hospitalized and placed under guard; two other defectors were exposed to a rare State supplied poison rubbed on their door. Trump stood in front of a Memorial to dead anonymous covert operators and trashed the CIA. Trump attempted to undo a ten year Agreement with Iran to not produce weaponized plutonium for sale on the open market. Trump appears to align the U.S. with the Saudis and the Israelis against Iran, thus potentially destabilizing a fragile ME peace. The Saudis bankroll Wahabism; Bin Laden was a Saudi; Trump has serious business interests in Saudi Arabia. Don, Jr. has stated that the Trumps have extensive financial interests in Russia; those interests do not align with the interests of the United States.
3
Some say trump learned everything he knows from his Daddy and Roy Cohn. But I wonder if he wasn't also a student of JR Ewing? Before The Apprentice, there was Dallas.
When JR had a problem, he'd get his crooked detective friend, Harry McSween, to dig up dirt on his enemy, and if there wasn't any, he'd get Harry to put some there. That sounds exactly like what trump and rudy are doing to Joe Biden.
Both trump and JR have Daddy issues. But unlike donald, JR was a successful businessman. He would never have been so dumb as to run for political office where his dirty deeds would be exposed to daylight.
12
The first two paragraphs describes my reaction listening to Trumps first solo press conference, including visibly shaken. Nothing has changed since then in his conduct or delivery, what is surprising is that a whistleblower would denote a particular moment of concern vs an entire illegal disaster.
16
And when Trump says that the intelligence agencies are corrupt and out to get him and the Senate Republicans back him... then what?
11
And then he goes down. No matter what, he’s going down.
1
All this about the whistleblower’s supposed “bias” or what was written on the disclosure form is irrelevant nonsense.
At issue is Trump’s conduct, which has now been verified by the call transcript, multiple witnesses and his own public statements. At that point, the whistleblower could be a stuffed animal or little green man from Mars - it doesn’t matter. (Of course, he or she has actually proven to be quite detailed, reliable and credible.)
Republicans know that the substance of what Trump did and his lieutenants tried to conceal is very serious, illegal and impeachable, so they are trying to distract us by smearing his original accuser. The NYT shouldn’t take the bait, and neither should any of us.
25
Again, the US House has no teeth unless they actually vote on Impeachment. Pelosi again is taking too long. America is already bored with this .. vote and get some court decisions and bring the Administration officials to the table or throw them in jail. Do something!
8
they are actually doing quite a bit investigating Trump's actions. you don't ask a jury to deliberate before you've got all the evidence. more comes out every day.
15
You’re wrong. The House does have teeth. Stay tuned and you’ll see them when the time comes.
2
Visibly shaken, no kidding. Probably left the room muttering to himself, "Witch hunt, witch hunt, witch hunt..."
7
Could it possibly be more obvious to any person of at minimum a fourth grade education that this traitor Trump must be impeached. The ignorance of the GOP and his base knows no bottom. They are a scourge on America and are truly deplorable people. Yes, I am talking about 37 percent of Americans. Hillary Clinton had it exactly right. They are despicable and beyond contempt.
30
Everyone working in government needs to take ethics classes. And pass. Candidates needs to be screened for corruption, taxes, and have a clear understanding of all governments, how things work, and the US constitution.
33
When a Trump appointee becomes ‘visibly shaken’ by the President’s words on a phone call with a foreign leader, we should all be very worried.
62
It will take a generation to recover from the rampant corruption and criminality of the Trump administration...
32
@Craig
Maybe never. The world no longer trusts or respects Trumps USA. He’s the worst of a very bad bunch of Republican leaders.
10
Why is Ukraine so important to Trump and Putin? It's at the heart of Trump-Russia, as I note here https://realcontextnews.com/how-cohens-and-manaforts-ukraine-ties-tell-the-deeper-story-of-trump-russia-and-the-mueller-probe/ Also, as Giuliani embarrasses himself over Ukraine and Biden, a look at Rudy's own shady ties to Ukraine and the Russian mafia https://realcontextnews.com/rudy-giulianis-kislin-connection-raises-issues-for-his-role-as-trumps-russia-lawyer-exclusive-analysis/ And with Trump using his official power as POTUS in conducting foreign policy to target Joe Biden, we may have his most explicit attempt to make govt into his own personal political tool for hurting his political enemies, part of a trend with him/GOP I note here https://realcontextnews.com/trump-gop-destroying-the-pillars-of-democracy/ On impeachment, I believe that Trump should have been impeached some time ago, but practical considerations make this issue much more complicated, as I noted before here https://realcontextnews.com/the-impeachment-of-donald-trump-russias-victory/ And let's not forget the main opening chapter in this whole saga, what I call the Russo-American Cyberwar of 2016. See the big-picture you haven't read about in my take here: https://realcontextnews.com/the-first-russo-american-cyberwar-how-obama-lost-putin-won-ensuring-a-trump-victory/ Trump telling the Russians in 2017 he wasn't concerned about election interference is grossly unacceptable after what happened.
12
What are the trump kids doing this week? No doubt stuffing their tote bags full of the White House silver before their entrance passes are pulled.
37
@farhorizons, if you hadn’t noticed everything in Trump Tower is gold. No one takes junk home.
1
Justice needs to speed up, this Ukraine investigation needs to be handled knowing it can't go past next years election.
Don't ever forget we are just seeing the very tip of the iceberg regarding Criminal Trump and all his associates who are also full blown lifelong criminals.
This is the POTUS who on live TV sided with Putin. Who sided with Kim Jong-il, Mohammad bin Salman and countless other ruthless murderers.
25
Ok, look, I agree that the impeachment inquiry should go forward. In fact, it has seemed tombe for... oh... about 2 1/2 years or so that Trump should be impeached. Seems to me there's plenty of evidence to do that in the public realm, even. However.
It's really irks me that every sound bite related to this inquiry takes the evidence one or two steps beyond the actual evidence, as though Trump literally published a transcript where he said, "Hey, Ukraine, have I got a deal for you. If you open a fake investigation into the Bidens and then publicize it using words my envoy writes for you, I'm gonna give you a bunch of money and sell you a bunch of missiles!"
Americans are not stupid. We know how to glean inferences from facts. We don't need selectively publicized text messages, we don't need Democratic leadership to telegraph their every move and thought and tell us what to think. We need to know something happened that is being investigated and - to the extent that any of it is public (thanks, Mr. Trump) - we would like to see what we can see.
Everything else is just echo chamber noise. I'm not stupid, ya'll. Give me the facts. Maybe without all the commentary, they'll stand out a little bit more for everybody.
8
Probs time for the US House to vote for official Impeachment, because this is getting tiresome.
2
@GCAustin
Losing patience, are you GC? The president is ordering people to ignore congressional subpoenas — a criminal, unconstitutional offense — and you’re having trouble with the pace of the investigation.
Do you read many comments, GC? The one’s written in support of Trump almost never have any substance or credibility.
10
Time for us to say 'you're fired!'
20
The Trump presidency is as if Jerzy Kosinski wrote a sequel to “Being There”. Chance the gardener becomes president and... hilarity ensues.
5
So much pearl clutching.
4
Funny how Republicans throw the Constitution out the window when it suits them. Soliciting a foreign power to investigate a domestic rival and withholding aid until they commit to do so is an abuse of power.
The GOP would be much more at home in Russia.
23
Say'n it isn't so Mr. President doesn't make it so.
It is clear from today's news that President Trump has no intention of releasing documents nor allow anyone currently serving in his administration from testifying under oath in the House Impeachment Inquiry. I understand his desire to stop the bleeding, if you will, but in middle America it will play out as an omission of guilt.
Mr. President, the ratings are already showing your decline Nationally and support for the Impeachment Inquiry is over 50% who support it. I believe the country has moved on Mr. President and your recent decision in Syria just made a lot of people thinking it's time for you to go.
18
I am shaken, I have been shaken since before the election. The narrative of seeking to commandeer the machinery of government to advance a political agenda that is devoid of any public interest and focuses instead on punishing rivals to the extent of depriving them of their freedom sounds much more like a coup d'etats than a legitimate difference of opinion. This is a national nightmare.
25
So then the issue is not the veracity of the report, which no one is refuting, but rather the political affiliation of the complainant? Only in these bizarre times with its "down is up" priorities. So should we interpret the outrage as the White House saying " a Republican would never report such a thing"? Bizarre times indeed.
7
This isn’t the least bit surprising. Practically everything Trump has done since he announced his candidacy and stole the election has been ‘crazy’ and ‘frightening.’ Lucky us.
15
@H. Clark
Not to mention, impeachable.
Ah, such melodrama. If this whistle blower was so concerned, so visibly shaken, why not come forward right away? I get suspicious of stuff like this. I give more credence to the first one, even though it was based on second hand information. Why is this person coming forward now? Because someone else came forward and now she/he doesn't want to be seen as having done nothing? The NYT should take care, not jump so fast with all the melodramatic quotes because if it was so "frightening" that person had an obligation to come forward, not wait until the story was in full swing.
5
he did
10
If you believe in our republic, you would be shaken simply by the information in the transcript submitted by the White House.
7
The whistleblower did not say they were personally shaken etc. or describe the call as crazy they were describing the state of the person who had first hand knowledge of the call.
7
Watch out, while Turkey mows down our allies the Kurds, Erdogan will be fettered at Our White House.
8
@db2 Feted?
Mr Trump, to use a phrase very characteristic of you from The Apprentice, I think YOU'RE FIRED!
The most famous and highest rating firing in human history. Nobody gets fired like Donald J Trump. There is not an employed bone in your body.
14
The letter from the White House reads like pure projection.
It is gaslighting the country.
Believe your own eyes and ears , not what Trump wants you to think,
13
All the while, I am hearing little from or about the Democrat Presidential candidates. Sanders had a heart attack. Biden won’t explain why his son got a high paying job with a foreign government for which he had no qualifications. Warren is busy explaining her strange minority saga and her changing takes about her childhood. The rest of the Democrats are lost in the noise.
13
@Richard Wright
If I was a US citizen, any willing candidate would fit for the job if he was brave enough to confront the Don.
If you, Richard would be the only one ready to sacrifice your life for this fight, you would get votes including mine, no matter what you got hiding in your closet...
I don't know you but, you could never be as rotten as Trump already was for all to see before his election...
14
@Richard Wright, at least he wasn't given a job at the White House.
10
Tune in on the 15th for the next Democratic debate. Right now the Dems don’t have to do anything. The world is mesmerized every day by a new Trump stupidity like the upcoming slaughter of the Kurds.
Pull up your lawn chairs to watch the Trump parade of bad choices.
4
Let's begin calling them what they are: not whistleblowers, but plotters. There's nothing courageous about them.
22
@Michael Livingston’s Any evidence whatsoever for such a claim? Who is plotting? What is the plot? Please cite specifics.
43
@Michael Livingston’s
A person reported knowledge of illegal acts of a president intending to fix his own upcoming election, which acts also endanger national security. The report was made correctly through an existing official, legal channel specifically created for such purpose. This clearly differentiates a "plotter" from a whistleblower.
Wikipedia: "The Whistleblower Protection Act of 1989, 5 U.S.C. 2302(b)(8)-(9), Pub.L. 101-12 as amended, is a United States federal law that protects federal whistleblowers who work for the government and report the possible existence of an activity constituting a violation of law, rules, or regulations, or mismanagement, gross waste of funds, abuse of authority or a substantial and specific danger to public health and safety."
41
@Michael Livingston’s
Nope. A whistleblower is someone who exposes government corruption, which is exactly what they are doing. Words matter.
46
The whistleblower is a registered Democrat and Republicans think that discredits him? Yeah, like they thought that James Comey, Robert Mueller, and Andrew McCabe being registered Republicans vindicated them.
31
How do you know the person's political affiliation?
6
@Kaari The article reported this affiliation.
2
Elections have consequences.
7
If those consequences are someone who thinks the constitution doesn’t matter, as our current occupant does, then, yeah, no thank you.
8
So do criminal acts.
11
I feel a bit sheepish asking, but when do we take to the streets around the White House and the Capitol for peaceful, loud protests? Who can organize this on a national scope? We are simultaneously losing our democracy and our planet folks. Do only 16 y.o. Swedish girls have the courage to demand positive change?
90
Newsflash: Concerned citizens have been taking to the streets around the White House since January 20th 2017. In fact, there are ongoing protests there every day. It would be great if you, and everyone else who has been sitting it out until now, mobilized some friends and joined the front lines of democracy.
9
@Mark Schlemmer I'm with you! Call it, and I'll be there!
tweets, etc, won't go anywhere. We need physical demonstration.
6
@Bird
Sorry you felt the need to get snarky. You have no idea what I or many tens of thousands of people do and contribute to every week.
My honest thought is that any number of people less than close to or over 750,000 won’t rate a mention. I sure am happy to help with any effort aimed at non-violent, intelligent protest of Trump and his minions.
12
The real key to this matter is whether there was a legitimate concern that VP Biden may have abused his position when he demanding the firing of an official (Viktor Shokin) about to investigate his (Biden's) son. Shokin himself says that in fact he was about to do exactly that. Sure, maybe Shokin is lying now. Then again, maybe he's not.
The prosecutor who replaced Shokin claims to have found no Biden wrongdoing - and the media takes that at face value. But he easily could have been following his government's line - to avoid upsetting the Obama administration.
Here's the real test which any honest observer should ask - if Joe and Hunter were Republican officials in this set of circumstances, would the media and the Democratic party demand an investigation?
Or would they merely say there's no evidence the Bidens did anything illegal, and leave it at that? Anyone who wants a more expansive set of facts might check out this link:
https://thehill.com/opinion/campaign/463307-solomon-these-once-secret-memos-cast-doubt-on-joe-bidens-ukraine-story
6
Wrong. Any concerns about criminal activity would be handled via law enforcement agencies not Trump's personal attorney. Funny how there were no investigations until after Biden announced he was running and doing well in polls.
13
let's get the transcript of the entire call. the pages that were given don't add up to a 30 minute phone call. not even close.
25
Why is this even a story --- the transcript has been released. If anyone was "shaken" by that, they should look for another line of work.
This thing is falling apart because the Democrats did not expect Trump to release the transcript.
Perhaps Schiff should release the transcript of last week's deposition instead of this continuing hearsay and innuendo.
7
@Frank Smith "I need a favor though." I notice you didn't make any attempt to actually defend the words Trump has admitted to.
He released the sort of, almost transcript! Yes he did and it showed that he's trying to rig next year's election.
When Trump was asked if he had called for the Ukrainians to investigate anyone who wasn't running for president he stammered that he'd have to look into it.
8
the president violating the constitution is a story, sorry.
7
@Frank Smith, what the President released wasn’t a transcript.
If you had read it, you would known that- it says it is not a transcript right at the beginning.
Really, people, this is your country, would it hurt to turn off Fox and read from time to time?
16
"Cordial in tone." Per recent comment. Content not presidential. New normal. Twitter in Chief continues to successfully game the system. For a lifetime this far.
3
Note the whistleblower is only citing hearsay
6
Hearsay. Describing someone else’s reaction is hardly proof. Need to get the official who was doing the reacting on the record him or herself. I’m disappointed in the erosion of basic due process.
7
A Trump defender who's an institutional conservative? Now I really have heard it all.
4
Info is on the way. The whistleblower’s attorney is also representing a member of the Trump administration who was grossed out by the Donald’s request before, during, and after the July chat with the Ukrainian president. That staff member was a direct witness to the perfidy.
7
There is no way this circus will continue for another year leading up to the election.
8
Visibly shaken?? Well then the whistle-blower is Hunter Biden!
We all can read the transcript.. it may be imperfect, but it is a far cry from what the House Democrats try to make it sound.
Better paddle back and move on to passing some legislation, otherwise Trump's moniker 'Do-Nothing Democrats' will stick!
12
As in Nixon’s Watergate, the actual recording of Trump’s and Zelensky’s voices will be more revealing than a partial memorandum of the phone call. Was there an 18-minute gap in this recent conversation? Did Trump utter words such as “that would be wrong?” Oops, that was Sondlon. Never mind!
4
The summary provided the public....not a transcript, as the summary has printed right on it...doubtless cleaned up the crazy that Trump exhibits every time he isn’t reading from a prepared script.
13
“Visibly shaken”? Really? Puhleeeze.
9
True, any good Republican should not be affected at all. Trump must be protected at all cost, so silence is golden.
11
@Marylou
There are no good and honorable Republicans. There all rotten to the core.
8
This foot dragging is tired now. Where is the outrage that this creep is totally ignoring the needs of the country in his effort to take full control?
At least Mussolini got the trains to run on time.
27
"Trump’s Ukraine call was ‘crazy’ and ‘frightening,’ [White House] official told whistle-blower."
When will our national nightmare be over?
21
As to possible bias, it is interesting how Republicans see it going only one way- how about pro-Trump officials turning a blind eye to malfeasance in order to protect the President? What about pro- Trump FBI agents’ influence on the course of investigations of Hillary Clinton?
23
When is real action going to be taken? Thisin not about parties. This is about safety. Safety of the population in general and our children's future.
Everything you need is black and white, in videos, recordings and the list goes on . From lies, to abuse of power, to belligerent behavior, blatant bigotry and so forth. - What does it take to rid a nation of a dismal "leader"?
What is everyone so afraid of? Open your yes, look up and face the wind. It reeks of disaster.
21
These whistleblowers are the 2019 equivalent of Deep Throat. This drama will be remembered for a long time. History in the making.
20
This is just like the gap in the Nixon tapes. Where are the missing minutes? That's what we need to see/know!!!
20
@Mike Schwarcz
Explained, at least in part, by translation in real time during call from English to Ukranian and vice versa. Just saying this is a rational explanation for a transcript being shorter than logged minutes of a phone call. This was pointed out by someone on Fox News, sorry.
4
So a memo was written once the public learned of Schiff’s scam with the so-called whistleblower.
Schiff and his Obama CIA conspirators must figure that after each allegation is found to be lies they will come up with another allegation.
This is such a partisan farce that even the Trump haters should be embarrassed and call on the Democrats to stop.
3
Time will tell. All will be revealed and it will end up in the history books.
2
Schiff himself had no contact with the whistleblower. An aide to the Intell Committee was asked by the WB how to file a complaint in the correct way. This contact with the Intell Committee has been used many times and is considered routine and ethical. The WB got his directions only, not a review of the facts ahead of time by Intell. Look it up to see it was a routine occurrence
4
Rupert Murdoch is a yachtsman, a boater. He follows the Seas and whatever way the winds blow. I'm not surprised Fox News was first to disclose contents of the memo. It look's like he opposes Trump now.
8
I can only imagine what the calls with Putin that are in the “top secret” server sound like.
20
@Patricia Bostick Surely the really significant calls with Putin are made on Trumps's private cell phone, with no listeners.
5
I'm guessing that the frightening parts will be found in the ellipses.
5
It say a lot about Americans that seek government positions that the president can be so blatantly criminal and yet very few people close to him have the courage to speak up. If this is the caliber of our best and brightest we deserve Trump and the carnage he imposes.
16
And yet! Pompeo who was on the call did not feel the need to sound the klaxons of alarm! We know how Pompeo is when it comes to regarding facts or the lack of them! Pompeo of Benghazi hearings fame did not sound the alarm. But a number of people behind the whistle blowers are laying out another story! What should Congress do to a Pompeo who is Scrooge McDuck-like stingy with facts? Should we fill the DC jailhouses with these traitors? Or, should we pretend nothing happened and whistle falsetto, while on the way to the bank?
14
It’s astonishing the semblance to organized crime being displayed here!!!
Anybody who tries to criticize the whistleblower by knit picking tiny reasons and got-yous from his/her statement is clearly playing games and admitting the credibility of the accusations, and behaving like typical mob or mafia people trying to coverup something!!!
The way Trump and his people have responded so far shows so much guilt and criminality!!! Everything has been proven to be true so far, and efforts to denigrate witnesses who’s testimony has all turned out true so far suggest criminal guilt.
Add to that the new efforts today by Trump to block witnesses like Sordland, and you have really typical organized crime behavior!! It all really stinks of criminality and points to the current consciousness of guilt, and official criminality. This is so rotten, anybody interested in even a shred of justice would really suspect very serious wrong doing by Trump, to say the least!!!
20
What are you waiting for gop? There’s a clear and lawless threat occupying the whitehouse. He just made decisions which will destabilize the Mideast for decades to come for reasons no one understands. If he is not compromised he is surely like it. Remove your President, gop. Do it now.
14
Maybe Trump should be the one who is; "visably shaken."
8
They are all trapped on Trumps lie.
It will be impossible for any of them to fulfill their oath without turning on each other.
They all know what each other know.
12
Let me cover a few things about why there is so much resistance to any effort in congress to unseat Trump.
1. Trump controls the purse strings of the RNC - he decides who does and who doesn't get funding for reelection.
2. The 2020 election is still rigged in a way that will allow Trump to retain his office through the Electoral College
3. The Democrats don't have a candidate strong enough to unseat Trump given his base and those beholding to him
4. Given another 4 years Trump will pack the supreme court with conservatives and will get much of the legal system changed to his liking.
5. 2016 will be remembered as the start of the "Republican Century"
Now you ask, why are these republican senators and congressmen clinging so hard to retain a job that pays $174K/yr? That's not a lot of money to trade for your morality. These people were morally corrupt when they got into office and they're not going to let go of the power and prestige that the job confers, and, because they can't make a living outside the confines of congress.
Look at the last two speakers of the house: John Bonner is a pitch man for the marijuana industry, Paul Ryan just got a job with a Fox spinoff where he is one of 7 voices working under Rupert Murdock's thumb.
The Typical congressman has no real life skills. They're street smart hoods, for them $174K is the golden ring. And because of that, my friends, Trump will prevail in 2020 and long after.
10
@William
Everything you say applies equally well to Democrats even Independents in Congress for years and years.
1
Guess you’ll need to move out of the US since you are surrounded by crooked politicians. Trump must look like a hero to you.
It's sad and tragic to hear concerns that the whistle-blower's political affiliation could fuel the trump defense. Really? Facts, evidence, documents and testimony notwithstanding, the "president" and his men will lie, deflect and delay, no matter what.
13
@Harold J.
The Democrats have all they need to stop now, bring a vote, declare articles and vote. As to political affiliation, the opposite side is reporting that the first whistleblower (the only one in my opinion) also acknowledged he/she had some professional working relationship (possibly trivial) when clearing the air before talking to the IG.
1
What can we expect from Trump - a man who cheats on his taxes, his wives, his golf game... His family motto should be " Quod spiro ego mentior". Lying is just part of his MO.
That lawyers like Barr. Giuliani, Sekulow - not to mention Pompeo - will contort their spineless selves to cover up for this man tells us how debased our political system has become.
It shoul be obvious by now that under Trump American foreign policy is for sale to the highest bidder, Putin got in on the ground floor and financed Trump's campaign.
I am sure that when Trump sent Kushner to shake down the Emiratis and the Saudis for cash Jared was careful to say "if anyone asks, remember, this is a contribution, not a bribe - and there is no quid pro quo."
Mohammed bin Salman was heard saying that Kushner was in his pocket.
12
Of course the Ukraine phone call was "crazy" and "frightening". Donald Trump is crazy and frightening. I'm sure most of his phone calls could be described using the same language. I hope Melania never has to talk to him on the phone.
7
@Don M: Melania, if she is smart, should not walk, but RUN...far, far away...but trump probably crippled her with a prenup that gives her nothing if she leaves him.
4
@Elin Minkoff Melania and the world have enough stuff on this deplorable that I think she could over ride that prenup. He'll be in prison after he's kicked out of office anyway.
2
“This is a developing story.”
And NYT, I will he glued to every minute of it.
3
Is this referring to the same call of which a transcript was released by the White House?
@Howard Curlett
No transcript has been released by the White House.
What was released was a memorandum of the telephone call, not a word for word transcription such as a court reporter makes during a legal proceeding.
The memorandum—this is noted on the document— has ellipses that are not customary in such documents and does not include the standard use of [inaudible] when transcriptionists cant’t make out words because of over-talking, etc.
It would be useful for you to read any of the many articles published about this memorandum before you comment publicly.
3
". . . the whistle-blower’s political affiliation and the other facts, should they become public, could fuel arguments from Mr. Trump and his Republican allies that his actions were politically motivated or that his political views colored how he assessed a string of actions he heard about from other government officials and then summarized in his complaint."
True patriots are guided by their conscience, integrity, an honest sense of right from wrong, love for democracy and this great nation rather than party affiliation.
It's difficult to see a similarity of a true patriot and various members of the Republican party who continue to support and believe everything their leader says. Even their silence makes them complicit in his nefarious deeds.
18
You think the CIA analyst was motivated by undiluted patriotism? Sorry to tell you, there is no such thing and there are no such people. Let’s be grown ups, shall we?
4
@David H
It was CIA operatives who verified that MBS ordered the murder and dismemberment of Kashoggi; their information came from the Turkish consulate. The fact that Trump chose to disregard his own Intelligence Agency is beside the the fact; he also disregarded the Agency intel in regard to Putin. Finally, Trump stood in front of a memorial wall dedicated to anonymous CIA agents who died in covert actions and trash talked the Agency in front of a gathering of Agents he demanded be in attendance. Trump is a petty, vindictive small man whose vision is limited to financial gain while in office. The latest example is forcing our military to give up comfortable digs in the UK with affordable rooms and pubs, near a convenient airport. He has forced them into a remote failing resort, with discounted rooms, very expensive food and drink, and no pub in which to gather and visit. He purchased this loser from Saudis. His D.C. hotel violates the Emoluments Clause despite the flimsy cover of his daughter managing it. Trump has a history of bankruptcies and shady loans from Russian oligarchs, which is why he hides his tax returns. He is the same grifter who cheated poor people with bogus Trump U degrees, Trump steaks, unpaid Polish workers on his Tower, and unpaid creditors who invested in his failed Atlantic City casino. He will cheat the United States of honor, dignity, financial integrity, and loyalty to old allies. He is corrupt, incompetent and dishonest.
1
The whistleblower himself or herself is supposed to think the call was "crazy" and "frightening," not someone else she may have been influenced by.
1
I am impressed that a "White House official" could at this point in time be shocked and shaken by Trumps moves. Where has this person been in the last 3 years? How has he (betting it is he) been so blind to Trump-style maneuvers?
8
Why don’t Schiff and co go after the top secret pass word protected original trascript. Why settle for the White House sanitized version?
11
For the simple reason they don’t have the clearances to do so.
3
@David H and DG: I bet it doesn't even exist anymore; it was probably destroyed.
5
Members of the Intell Committee do have the clearances, but they just don’t have the password to Donald’s secret server where hot documents get buried.
3
America, if you're listening, i am sorry to inform you but your democracy is beginning to crumble
25
On the very night we all learned that Trump was going to be the President I endured a gloating e mail from one of my brothers, a Trump supporter.
After some back and forth between myself and 3 siblings I wrote, "Trump will leave the White House in a straight jacket or handcuffs".
I ended the e mail "Enjoy the Apocalypse" !
36
White House staff were "visibly shaken" by evidence Trump was violating his oath of office. Republicans in congress shrug. Who are the traitors to the Constitution?
33
The worse thing about this was the whistleblower didn't rat Trump out as much as his own people did. Remember that White House staff when to this whistleblower.
10
None of this makes any difference. Mark my words, the Republican party, Fox propaganda, and Russian intelligence have ended democracy in the United States of America.
30
@Filmore ... but that wouldn't have worked but for widespread stupidity and greed among the American populace at large.
(Just check out what's on 500 channels of American TV or the comments on Facebook).
10
Trump is a complete madman. He is an embarrassement to our great country. He has split us apart. Time to rally together and remove him from office. Stop the arguments between parties and get something done. Put all evidence out there for an independent committee to decide on. Stop all the politicking and follow what our constitution says. Just my opinion.
28
Americans need and deserve to see the full written transcript of the Ukraine call, or we need to hear an audio recording of the full telephone conversation. The excerpts alone are enough to start an impeachment.
15
When you have two whistle blower accounts corraborated and declared credible by this admin's Intel IG, a transcript from the situation room, txts by those involved, and an investigation by this admin's DNI head, thats obviously a serious allegation. The DNI takes two weeks to verify, interview and corraborate before it reaches the level of referral to the House . The House has as it's sworn duty the obligation to proceed with the proper remedy, in this case an impeachment inquiry. None of this can now be credibly termed "heresay" or without due process safeguards. Rather, these constitutional safeguards upon our system, these checks and balances, are the envy of the free world. The House shall investigate then vote if the Senate should vote to aquit or not. Notice the multiple layers of accountability from Intel, IG, DNI, House & Senate. Hardly an "Inquisition" as one commenter claims. I seem to remember the Obama admin handing over documents on Benghazi, and his Sec of State testifying for 11 hours straight, not unconstitutionally blocking congressional oversight in a fit of panic. If the President's defenders had any spine they'd insist he stop disrespecting our vaunted system with his whining and stonewalling. But I won't hold my breath.
19
We need a hero with nothing to lose.
15
@Ellen
Or a heroine 😁
4
Dear NYT:
If Rep. Adam Schiff plans to impeach the president based on this overblown hearsay complaint, we should be able to learn the whistleblower's identity, view the whistleblower under rigorous cross examination, and be provided source materials sufficient to assess the credibility of this"whistleblower" and his anonymous overly excitable sources for ourselves.
The whistleblower statute does not grant an absolute right to anonymity, or to avoid cross examination. It protects against retaliation on the job, period.
This credulous, partisan treatment by the Times and other media is almost worse than the Steele dossier. Maybe the CIA whistleblower was involved in setting that in motion, as well? This smells of a CIA coverup.
The call transcript itself remains the most probative evidential source in this episode, and the "favor" does not arise to the level of impeachment.
We cannot rely on sensationalistic descriptions of classified materials -- or conclusory statements such as "crazy" and "visibly shaken" -- especially given the hostile framing by the The Times and other liberal media.
Nor is it appropriate to give any credence to an anonymous "white house official's" legal judgment that "the president had clearly committed a criminal act by urging a foreign power to investigate a U.S. person for the purposes of advancing his own re-election bid in 2020,” as the C.I.A. officer wrote.
9
@Jorge there is a whistleblower law. You, like Trump, suggest that law be broken. You advocate lawlessness. Why?
15
The whistleblower is not anonymous to the inspector general who agreed that the complaint was valid and egregious. The whistleblower is only anonymous to tRumps henchmen.
11
@C
Jorge did not advocate lawlessness.
1
Heresay is all we’ve got so far, and it ain’t no smoking gun. More like a nerf gun.
5
Patience, patience. The Kurds are now Trump’s shiny object... shades of Khashoggi. Let them eat cake.
2
The full transcript of that fateful phonecall (and others with Putin, too) must be released by those who declare themselves innocent of a perfect conversation. If not them, then it will take a village and basket of non-Deplorables.
12
Quoting from the article that should be resolved by a Constitutional article;
"The inspector general, Michael Atkinson, handed the two-page memo over to Congress last week. A person familiar with its contents described it to The New York Times. Fox News first reported details from it. Neither a lawyer for the whistle-blower nor a spokeswoman for Mr. Atkinson immediately responded to requests for comment."
It seems as though FOX News was acting on behalf of the White House to control the damage from the claim because you know people always believe the first story they hear, and the White House knows it and uses it.
I failed to view the memo if you published it. Would you be kind and repost it? Thank you.
4
Let's assume everything the whistleblower telling is true and examine whether there is any crime or abuse of power by asking the following questions:
Is it OK for Trump to ask Ukraine to cooperate in the investigation of Obama and his Vice President for suspected misuse of security agencies during 2016 election?
Is it OK if Trump ask to add former Vice President's suspected corruption, as well, to the investigation?
Is it OK for Trump to ask to investigate suspected corruption if Bidden was not a presidential candidate?
Can Trump use leverage of American money to force cooperation in these matters if Ukraine refuses to cooperate?
In all the instances listed above, we think Trump's and any president's actions would be OK and there is noting to impeach. But his haters may think otherwise. So, it appears to be an issue to be decided by politics and in the next election. If Democrats find political benefits in impeaching Trump, they will do it, otherwise they will wait for the election. They should know that Trump won't be removed from office and consider whether it is worth to put the country through an impeachment process.
4
In short, NO it is not OK to ask foreign leaders to investigate political opponents. Ever. If there is real concern, that is why we have a domestic multi-billion dollar federal intelligence and law enforcement apparatus. Trump didn’t go to his own agencies because politically motivated investigations are ILLEGAL!
13
None of those things are ok - unless you despise the Constitution, of course. Not everything comes down to opinion, there is such a thing as reality.
7
@Alex E So you're totally fine with the next POTUS using the full power of the US DOJ, Intel Community, State Department, & amassed taxpayer largesse to investigate Trump and his kids, yes? Throw in that POTUS's personal lawyer & party sycophants as well. They'll fly around the planet on our taxpayer dime, rooting out "corruption because "people are saying...". Every Trump will be under the microscope in every nation they do or did business in, with every investor, bank, fund, leader, or donor they brushed up against. Ad infinitum. Foreign policy will rise and fall based on these investigatory "deliverables". And you'll not only be fine with it, you'll be pleased to help fund it, yes? Good to know. They can start looking at the Trump family's massive debts to Saudi Arabia, UAE, China, Russia, & Deutsche Bank and their effects on policy. Or how Ivanka got awarded lucrative & rare Chinese trademarks a day after Trump made trade concessions, & still more after she sat next to President Xi at dinner. Or who, how, and why Kushner finally got bailed out of his real estate debt at the 11th hour. Maybe we'll learn how these 2 "advisors" really made $82 MILLION last year while working in the White House. Glad you're on board.
6
I ask the NSC staff patriots to leak the actual call transcript and this issue will be settled once for all. The leakers will be doing a great service to this Nation. When the executive branch has criminal intents and won’t cooperate with legal subpoenas, it is the right thing to do, and the Nation will pardon and reward you in time.
16
If there was ever a time when more people like this whistleblower need to come forward, it is now! Speak now or you will live with the shame of having done nothing, and who knows what the consequences will ultimately be.
16
Yeah. We’ve seen the transcript.
There was nothing “crazy” or “frightening” about it.
5
@JQGALT ...I get it. You have seen the transcript, but you didn't read it.
6
@JQGALT We've seen notes comprising a third of the call. You have no idea what happened during the other twenty minutes.
6
Actually the Whitehouse released a summary of the call. They are hiding the word for word transcription. Why? Because they know it will be doomsday for DT.
10
Is the new slogan: they go low, we go lower, except with a better vocabulary? The media circus around this presidency has been awful. Trump gave us a script for a reality show and every news outlet created their own show.
2
The emperor wears no clothes.
Bell the cat, already!
4
What is really 'frightening' that our "president", "vice president", his "cabinet" and his party support creating single party autocracy on the Putin model.
20
It is past time for the 25th amendment. The joint chiefs and the generals have to come out together and say that they can not follow orders from this mad man. Think of all those videos of the brave Kurdish women fighting ISIS, we can not let them be massacred.
15
Had clearly committed a criminal act.
4
If there was such an egregious violation of the law, why weren't the "officials and lawyers" screaming out loud immediately? Where are the patriots in this crowd....apparently not so much.
8
They did! This only happened a couple weeks ago!
4
Yet another "crazy and frightening" attempt to save his marginal life from the jaws of the New York district attorney’s office when he looses in 2020.
However, this one is different and far more deplorable . There is a country called the Ukraine who is fighting for it's life to keep it's national sovereignty. Now this sinister guy 'who would be king' is tangling the promised funds for military aid, all to 'get dirt' on a guy that makes him nervous.
18
Trump tried to discredit the "whistleblower" account of the phone call. By releasing a White House Memo 'transcription' that essentially confirmed everything the "whistleblower" was concerned about. And now Trump is vigorously blocking anyone from testifying, blocking subpoenaed documents from being delivered, and stonewalling every way he can.
And yet Trump maintains that the call was "perfect" and that he did nothing wrong. Fox "News" and the conservative propaganda engine are cranked up to disseminate "alternative facts" and generally muddy the public's awareness any way they can. Republican legislators are crawling over each other to lick Trump's boots more fully, with so few exceptions that you wonder if any Republican has -ever- read the Constitution.
Why is Trump trying so hard to hide all this? What is Trump so desperately trying to hide? What is Trump afraid of the public finding out?
This is not the behavior of a "truly innocent" and "completely exonerated" person. Trump is guilty, guilty, guilty -- and all his actions just confirm it.
30
I believe the Republican party is going to rue the day it decided to throw in with Trump; and then stand by as he worked to dismantle our alliances and our democracy. If only the 'sane middle' had held and worked together, i suspect they could have neutralized any anger from his base with calm, factual reasoning. And they could have made the case: "Look, would we be doing/saying this about a President from our own party if there weren't serious concerns?"
Now they are cowering. Many are 'quitting.' Some will go down with the ship. But the smart money would have put their own party's reputation and long-term survival ahead of fealty to this cretin.
13
Mr. Trump will go down in history as the second President who tangibly corrupted the highest office in the land. What he doesn't share with Nixon is the ability to know when it's over, and with any shred of dignity step aside for the good of the country. His refusal to co-operate in any way with the impeachment inquiry is all about ratings for his future TV network, nothing else. His naive world of corrupt, brassy braggadocio has no place in the country's highest office - it never did. As someone who spend 18 of 32yrs proudly becoming an American Citizen I can tell you I wonder why every day thanks to this abomination of a human being. We are beyond politics at this point - the very survival of the sinuous fabric of this country is at stake.
16
What is more ominous is that none of the officials, the heads of gov't who we now know had a ringside seat to this crime reported it; the former WH staffers, and gov't officials who have commented that these revelations mirror their own experience going back to before the inauguration never exercised their duty to uphold our Constitution.
They all knew it was a crime, yet they never spoke out against this administration and it's leader.
They are the real traitors.
15
Release the full transcript. Now! Not the annotated 20% that still painted a terrible picture.
15
Congress should get the word for word transcript.
13
More anonymity by ‘single source’ Obama acolytes within the government trying to put the brakes on investigating wrongdoing or illegalities that occurred during their tenure. Muller has already convicted Trump with the ‘insufficient evidence’ standard, now, anonymous accusers hiding in plain sight speak their ‘concerns’ to the press.
It won’t end until Trump’s second term is over.
3
@J House Congress should get the facts before you or I go over board on speculation.
7
@J House Trump, and only Trump - make no mistake- is the one guaranteeing this will now follow our (world-envied) system of due process safeguards through his admin's IG, his admin's DNI, the House with their inquiry, their vote , and the Senate's vote, if need be. He put us here. He has shown he has no qualms about any of it. Refuses to follow the law, as clearly stated in the Constitution: to solicit election help from a foreign govt is illegal . He called for it in 2016, said he would take foreign help to ABC news, and, as soon as Biden went ahead by double digits against him, implored tiny Ukraine, and then openly, big bad China, to investigate his newfound rival as well, on live TV. This is what is known as soliciting help . As his own kids profit in China and Saudi Arabia due to his position. Literally no one on planet Earth actually belives Donald Trump is an objective, selfless corruption fighter on behalf of the U.S.. The very idea is beyond comical at this point.
10
The white house obviously released a highly sanitized summary of the phone call, and locked the real thing up in a safe. Their tactic is an obvious attempt to get out in front of a potentially indictable situation with the standard trumpian dodge of 'Oh it's no big deal, just me being me.' This Trump character has all his life gotten away with lying and deceit, so a criminal attempt to solicit a foreign power's interference in the 2020 election fits perfectly, basically it's what worked in 2016. And it sure seems to take a lot of courage for those white house staffers to understand their trump loyalty oaths don't mean they can ignore every criminal act.
12
After witnessing how Trump operates when "asking" a foreign country for "a favor" and then blocking a US Diplomat from speaking to the House, I think it's a fair assessment that most of us are left "visibly shaken" and "frightened" by his "crazy" presidential behavior.
25
More anonymity by Obama acolytes within the government trying to put the brakes on investigating wrongdoing or illegalities that occurred during their tenure. Muller has already convicted Trump with the ‘insufficient evidence’ standard, now, anonymous accusers hiding in plain sight speak their ‘concerns’ to the press.
It won’t end until Trump’s second term is over.
1
@J House ...It is tiresome and juvenile to use the argument. Why don't you look at what they did. The case in front of us has absolutely nothing to do with what anybody else did or didn't do. This is about a sitting President abusing his power.
12
Trump repeated the crime on national television. There is no doubt he is guilty -- we are all eye (and ear) witnesses.
13
As Zelensky is a fellow Television actor in Ukraine as Trump is here, is anyone considering the Manafort aquaintence with Russian Television as well? A recent report indicated Trump's lawyer Giuliani has communicated with Manafort's lawyer. Manafort was just a few miles from me and is now in Western Pennsylvania where he was moved to another prison there. Within the last weeks, a murder occurred at the federal prison near me presumably after Manafort was moved to the west. Perhaps my claims of Television industry election rigging are correct? Maybe you could consider the background and investigate.
The information reported (e.g.fully documented text messages linking Trump to the Ukraine issues) points to a very solid case for impeachment. In fact it's hard to see how impeachment can be avoided while upholding the constitution. Either the constitution stands for something or it doesn't. In addition, blocking witness statement is obstruction of justice so there are now at least two grounds for Impeachment. Abuse of power and obstruction.
US democracy is at a critical juncture and it's not clear whether the constitution will survive this test undamaged.
The reason for pulling out troops in the Kurdish regions should also be investigated in this regard. The fact that it should cross Trump's mind that he has 'Great and unmatched wisdom' should raise questions about his stability and suitability for office. What sane person would tweet this to the world? This raises the question of whether he can be relied on to make rational decisions regarding national security? Why pull out troops at this point in time given that this has a significant potential to start a major conflict. Could it be that the most sure fire way for Trump to distract from the impeachment enquiry is to start a war that the media then focuses on? This might explain why now.
Deeply deeply concerning. That said. If Trump is impeached the US constitution will have survived "probably the greatest challenge ever" ...as Trump would say. It would start to rebuild trust in the institutions of government.
9
I'm glad someone.... someone in the WH was finally "visibly shaken" by the behavior of this so-called President. Many of us in the country have been shaken and anxious, given the harm he's done to our country and it's norms and institutions, since Trump rode down the escalator to announce his campaign. It will get worse, before the last chapter is written.
11
We are witnessing a Presidency akin to what might well have transpired if the demagogue Gov. Huey Long of Louisiana had been elected in 1936 amidst the Great Depression. Long talked a great game and had a broad following that was mostly unconcerned by his self-serving treachery. FDR was justifiably concerned about Long’s appeal and the threat he posed to our form of government. Trump supported by his cohorts and sycophants are racing the country toward an authoritarian future.
“It Can’t Happen Here” is not just a title of a jarring novel by Sinclair Lewis. Be not complacent in this dizzying time. We are not far from teetering on the edge of a steep slide into authoritarianism.
16
Back in the day there was a bumper sticker relating the the Nixon re-election campaign " Four more years or 5 to 20."
It did't stay on my bumper long before it was ripped off down in Huntsville, Texas where I was at the time, but I had replacements!
8
This leak strategy is brilliant: Don't just Deep Throat this to the MSM -- provide sustenance to the right as well.
Just about everyone agrees that getting Fox News buy-in is critical to the long-shot odds of gaining Republican support in the Senate. What better way than to provide it with some of that mother's milk of media, the scoop?
And then, in case Fox might not play it straight (just a hunch), also provide it the Times for serious reporting.
Simply brilliant. I hope the strategy continues.
1
There is a political vision behind all this, or has Trump completely lost control of himself? In the second case, please do not promote the impeachment procedure but remove Trump from the office under the 25th amendment. ASAP.
5
Isn’t it time to demand a psychiatric evaluation by a non partisan physician? And explore the possibility that Trump may now be beyond neuroses and have entered the realm where the particulars of the 25th Amendment with the caveat that Pence be censured/impeached and the line of succession to the presidency be enacted lest our democracy and Republic crumble into ashes.
9
@Mountain Dragonfly
Impossible scenario.
Is Trump's psychiatric condition impaired enough to make him mentally unfit to serve as POTUS? Absolutely. It has been that way since long before he ever ran for President.
Has there ever been an actual attempt to use the 25th Amendment to remove a POTUS on the basis of mental impairment? No. Such a turn of events would require most of Trump's closest associates to openly defy a man who is renowned for his vindictiveness while forfeiting a position of power. While I like to believe that every person has some conscience, I have not seen any reason to believe that the majority of his GOP base is ready to abandon him. Not yet, at least.
A POTUS can only be removed via a House impeachment vote followed by a conviction vote requiring 2/3 of the Senate. Since Senate conviction requires 67 votes, all it takes for Trump to survive is the votes of 34 GOP Senators. It will be difficult to convict, but we still haven't seen the worst evidence, I'm confident.
1
@Doctor B
Trouble is, by the time he gets impeached, or un-elected, he may have destroyed the total world balance of power, our economy, and our form of government.
2
We should all be frightened. Trump does not believe in the rule of law and is effectively obstructing Congress’s constitutional checking power. We are heading toward a dictatorship form of government abetted by Republican lawmakers. I am disheartened.
10
Commenters keep using the adjective "criminal" to describe Trump's actions. I want to point out that whether or not they were criminal has nothing to do with whether they are an impeachable action. Something does not have to be illegal for it to fall under the rules for impeachment.
9
Here’s my prediction: Trump will resign. Pence becomes president and selects Nikki Haley as his vice president. Pence announces he will not run for president. Haley becomes the nominee. Given the incredibly weak slate of democratic candidates, Michelle Obama throws her hat in the ring before the Iowa caucus. Haley versus Obama. Next president of the United States: Nikki Haley.
As to why Trump will resign — it has little to do with the current Ukraine situation. Trump, with his ego and narcissism, wants to be remembered as the president who was in office during one of the greatest stock market runs, lowest unemployment in 50 years, and strong economy. With the probability of recession in the next two years becoming greater and greater, he would rather step aside and be able to take shots at the next person in office blaming them for the downturn, while continuing to brag about how great it was while he was in office.
1
You’re forgetting that Pence can’t have a woman VP; he’s not allowed to be alone with any women other than his wife per his religious beliefs. Trump will never resign, by the way. Resigning is for losers, and being seen as a loser is his greatest fear.
4
Glad to hear there was at least one official at the White House who wasn’t lining up to get some of that delicious, delicious Ukrainian Gaz money just like Pauley Manafort got.
33
Talk about an Inquisition: secret accusers; a raid mob and give control of the whole process to a modern day Torquemada with no due process safeguards. Yes I to fear for our Democracy; most especially after reading so many hysterical and ignorant comments as posted here. Who would have thought we had such an electorate.
7
@herbert deutsch
FYI: You must be too young to remember Nixon. Impeachment IS the due process safeguard to prevent an out of control executive branch.
Trump has to be held accountable. That's in our Constitution- which Trump has zero regard for.
11
After the 2016 I have a lot of doubts about the electorate.
3
Who would have thought? Look at the results from 16!
2
I feel less safe everyday this lunatic remains in office. Whatever impending catastrophic event that occurs will be the fault of everyone in government who sat idly by while Donnie diaper pants smeared poopy all over the oval office and whatever is left of the constitution.
46
"Iran, if you're listening, I hope you can find President Trump's missing tax returns. There will be something good in it for you if you do!"
Signed,
Tit Fortat
70
This is what happens when you run the US government like a Mafia Business.
93
As Bill Mayer said, "If Donald Trump hasn't made you crazy, then you are crazy"
55
If tRumps latest tweet from crazy town doesn’t scare the bageebies out of everyone in congress and senate, then this country is truly doomed. In his “great and unmatched wisdom”??? He’s gonna blow up Turkey, BLAM??? He sounds like His buddy Kim Jong Un . Is this what republicans want?
73
More hearsay.
4
Obviously not a lawyer or even a student of law: hearsay evidence is admissible evidence ( sometimes) as is circumstantial evidence.
7
More hearsay? Wait for it and give it a few more days for more to come out. Although I have a feeling that anyone who thinks it’s hearsay now will probably never be convinced no matter what evidence there is.
4
Who needs evidence when you have admission? 25 45 and step on it!
7
What more do we need? Impeach!
20
@KH
Substantive evidence?
The memo of the phone call released by the White House clearly does not contain much of the conversation. Other reporting today has indicated the translations being done were in real time. So out of a 30 minute phone call, what was released is approximately between 1/3 and 1/2 of the call.
I doubt that any other document of the conversation exists. But I wonder if those who listened to it will ever describe what really happened. Because it must have been far worse than what has been presented.....and what has been presented is bad enough.
1126
@Stana King - He probably did quite literally say something along the lines of 'nice military aid you got there, be a shame if something happened to it.' All this screaming about no quid pro quo (not that it matters, asking for foreign interference in an election is an impeachable offense in itself) makes me think that there was, in fact, a very explicit quid pro quo. It's always projection with Trump.
172
@Stana King There's probably a verbatim record of it that's been locked away.
74
@Stana King The WH approved transcript is being treated like gospel, when it should be referred to as the alleged transcript.
152
I think it's important to keep stressing that the Biden conspiracy Trump keeps talking about doesn't exist. The reporter who originally investigated the Hunter Biden situation pointed out that Joe Biden was doing the right thing, and at Obama's request. It's a made up conspiracy -- and that's the part of Trump's behavior that makes it so "crazy."
it isn't just that Trump is pressuring an ally to do something he wants. (That's fairly normal.) It's not even just that he's pressuring an ally to investigate a political opponent. (That's illegal.) It's that there is no basis for the investigation. So he is basically saying to our ally, "Come up with a nonsense lie for me and get evidence for that lie, or you won't get the 400 million dollars in military support against an invasion."
He is drawing even foreign leaders into his circle of crazy. I feel bad for the poor president of the Ukraine after that call, too.
1350
@RVC none of this makes any difference. Mark my words, the Republican party, Fox propaganda, and Russian intelligence have ended democracy in the United States of America.
44
@RVC Thank you. It should be obvious to everyone- Trump wasn’t “asking” for an investigation- he was demanding that “evidence” be manufactured. THIS needs to be recognized and be part of the public discussion.
65
@RVC Glory hallelujah that's true!
7
How is it that White House staffers understood the gravity of the president's call to the Ukrainian president and knew the call was criminal in intent, yet Senate and House Republicans are completely oblivious of presidential wrongdoing and seek to manufacture alibis for their wayward Chief Executive?
This White House official at least knows right from wrong, something his boss knows nothing about nor his clueless enablers.
1434
@silver vibes Because Senate and House Republicans are corrupt.
188
@silver vibes Trump could care less about right and wrong. As he sees it presidential privilege dictates that anything he does is alright since he is president. Republicans have learned not to speak up or be verbally dismembered. And apparently the almighty tax cuts are worth everything: who needs honesty when you can have tax cuts.
62
@silver vibes
45's Senate & House enablers know full well what's going on and that's their crime. They seem to care more about themselves than upholding our constitution and integrity.
109
Crazy and frightening? How much crazier and more frightening could it be than any other of the darkest events over the past 3 years?
Or how much crazier than what's going on with Barre traveling around Europe to rewrite history through conspiracy theories?
This is simply a no way out situation. today I read a really ominous post by someone questioning if this president would have a chant, "Four more years!" or "president for life."
I'm only half kidding: if an uncovered phone call is crazy and frightening what about all the calls we've never heard about? And what happens if this man continues to go unchecked?
1524
@ChristineMcM
My biggest fear is Trump as a lame-duck president. I shuddered when I read your remark that said four more years..
can you imagine? And as I like to say; who's left to even be in a new administration?
63
@ChristineMcM
Yes, two U.S. cabinet members are traveling around the world at our expense—yours and mine and the rest of the American taxpayers—in an attempt to discredit the U.S. intelligence community and a part of the U.S. Justice Department in their findings that Russia—all the way up to the Kremlin—interfered with the 2016 U.S. presidential election on a massive scale. After today’s release of the second part of a multi-part report, Barr and Pompeo are also seeking to discredit the findings of a two-year Republican-led Senate Intelligence Committee.
And still we sit at home with our televisions and electronic devices to entertain and distract us instead of going to the streets like the people of Hong Kong whose continued fight for democracy goes unaided. We can’t even muster a message of encouragement to them. We Americans, who scream and shout about democracy as a revered status to be sought don’t make a peep to help them in their struggle.
Oh, and let’s not care about the Kurds who are doing our dirty work in Syria and just want a place of their own to live in. That right is reserved for our friends, “democracies” like Israel.
The stage direction in “The Fantasticks” instructs: “The MUTE hands her a mask — a plastic mask of a laughing-hollow face that is frozen forever into unutterable joy. This mask is upon a little hand-stick, so that when held in front of one’s visage, it blocks out any little tell-tale traces of compassion or horror.”
“The mask! The mask!”
168
@ChristineMcM : If this "man" continues to go unchecked we will no longer be living in a democracy. Lawlessness at the executive level will become written in stone. As it is now, we are well on our way to completely morphing into a Fascist dictatorship. trump and his crew of miscreants call all the shots: They defy subpoenas, they will not testify, they will lie, they will obstruct justice...and they simply thumb their noses at Congress. All this is against the law, and if it were one of us breaking these laws, we would already have been incarcerated, in contempt, until we obeyed the law. But to the trumps, pences, conways, barrs, lewandowskis, mcgahns, pompeos, giulianis, etc., of the world, they are privileged characters, and it seems that no law applies to them. They are ABOVE THE LAW. Because if they were not above the law, some consequences would have ensued to punish them, or to detain them unpleasantly, until they decided to follow the law. But we see no such attempts to make them do so. It is no wonder that they keep on committing corrupt, outrageous, and even treasonous acts. So I guess we can expect these criminal traitors to go unchecked. And the insane trump will scream for the heads of Pelosi and Schiff to be brought to him on a platter...and you can guarantee that he will have his followers chant "four more years, and president for life." And he and barr will start locking up anyone who criticizes them, and stage public executions. Do not be surprised.
75
Trump and his enablers all know with chilling certainty that if the true record of his phone calls - including and especially those with Putin - become public, he will be hounded from office by anyone with an ounce of patriotism.
22
“The official stated that there was already a conversation underway with White House lawyers about how to handle the discussion because, in the official’s view, the president had clearly committed a criminal act by urging a foreign power to investigate a U.S. person for the purposes of advancing his own re-election bid in 2020,” the C.I.A. officer wrote."
It is clear that the impeachment action is not a partisan "witch hunt." The intelligence personnel who were concerned (and that is an understatement, since two of them have placed their careers in Trump's crosshairs by blowing the whistle) are career professionals in international relations and intelligence. They were not hand-picked by Democrats. Trump is now crying "spies!", but that is more of his gaslighting of America and character assassination.
The White House Lawyers are in trouble. Any discussion between said lawyers and career intelligence professionals who will have said that they were disturbed by Trump's call and his possible criminality *should not* have led them to sequester the transcript of the call in an inappropriate, limited access system. That move constitutes concealment of evidence.
The elected coterie of Republicans in Congress needs to get off the partisan bandwagon. Clearly, Trump's own, unforced behavior is what got America to the impeachment investigation. Evidence of a crime clearly exists.
19
Introduce the Articles of Impeachment already! The evidence is clear. Every day we wait more damage is done.
10
And just remind us all, please. This was the very same call to the Ukraine president that the first in his class at West Point, Harvard Law graduate, master of ceremonies at the Benghazi hearings, former congressman, former Director of the CIA, current Secretary of State, and evangelical “It’s a sin to tell a lie” Christian, Mike Pompeo was on? You know, the one he expressed bewilderment over but then acknowledged he was on when he knew he was exposed. Old honest Mike.
Apparently, Mr. Pompeo is quite comfortable violating the oath of office he has taken on multiple occasions promising to uphold the Constitution and defend our country. He also is quite happy worshipping the orange calf, his personal savior, Donald J. Trump.
I wonder how all the officers at CIA feel? I wonder how the career diplomats and foreign service officers feel? We have at least 2 whistleblowers who have put themselves in harm’s way and risked an enormous amount personally and professionally to defend our country. I admire them more than I can say, truly. What heroes.
And as for Mr. Pompeo, he can stroll the prison yard with his friend Donald, inshallah.
25
When do we get the actual full transcript of the call? Why does this article mention it as a 'reconstructed' transcript instead of a redacted or partial transcript? The full transcript was inappropriately placed on a special secure server. When do we get the full transcript? Apparently a house member had his staff read the transcript in a slow voice and it took about 10 minutes. The call was supposed to have been about 30 minutes. Where is the rest? Why isn't the media explaining this every day?
15
What Trump's Republican thugs forget is that there is a huge informal safety net to protect and aid any government servants of repute who come forward and tell the truth. Does anyone really think that if Yovanovitch spills the beans and the Republican demonize her that there won't be a safe harbor somewhere? It's all going to unravel for Trump and the Republicans. This latest obfuscation gambit of Graham is hilarious. Giuliani is insane if he signs on for it. He will be under oath. Harris will force him to admit crimes or he'll take the 5th.
5
And now what? So we have a crazy person for a President. Do the Republicans care? Nah! Its business as usual.
4
Everything trump does is crazy and frightening.
5
Someone, preferably a Republican, show me where in the Constitution it says a President is not subject to the law. Bill Barr, you want to handle that question ?
10
@Enough Did we ever think the day would come when we missed Jeff Sessions?
1
When the Supreme Court receives some of these impeachment related issues to resolve, will they follow the Constitution or prove they are Trump "yes" men, which a lot of us believe.
10
Isn't this enough? What more is needed before it is understood that the president is unable to fulfill his duties and measures must be taken to remove him from office? From "visibly shaken" to utterly terrified to "it is too late to take action here" is happening very quickly.
8
If/when this administration ever leaves office, I'm certain we'll find that whatever malfeasance we learned about during its term was just the tip of the iceberg.
We've known Trump has conducted inappropriate and ill-tempered phone calls with foreign leaders since his leaked Jan. 28, 2017 conversation with Malcolm Turnbull, and his call with Enrique Peña Nieto the following month. Does anyone honestly believe he was a model of decorum between then and his solicitation of foreign assistance for personal gain in July 2019?
I'm not an attorney, but I'd like to know if there are grounds (how can there not be?!) for congressional Democrats to request, at the very least, Trump's calls with Putin that are stored on the extra secret server. You don't have to be a genius -- stable or any other kind -- to know there's a trove of incriminating dirt just waiting to be unearthed and examined.
15
Mr. Fandos, exactly what does this mean: "Little, if any, of the...complaint has been disproved"
Has ANY portion of the complaint been disproven? This could be crucial to determining credibility.
3
“The official stated that there was already a conversation underway with White House lawyers about how to handle the discussion because, in the official’s view, the president had clearly committed a criminal act by urging a foreign power to investigate a U.S. person for the purposes of advancing his own re-election bid in 2020,” the C.I.A. officer wrote."
What is the role of the White House lawyers? to protect mr trump? or are they there to protect the Office of the President? I know we now have an Attorney General who seems to be more intent on protecting trump, than protecting the rule of law, so I suppose I shouldn't be surprised that the WH lawyers were conspiring to cover up a crime by trump. Shouldn't that be illegal? When can we start chanting "Lock them up?"
7
This of the beginning of the end of the Trump presidency. He has committed crimes witnessed by multiple sources which ultimately, even Republicans can't defend. His continued and now public abuse of power has sealed his fate. I can't imagine a scenario where Trump could defend himself in debates and be on the Republican ticket with this downward trajectory.
Trump did his job to
1) damage the environment
2) offend and hurt our relationship with allies
3) help his cronies in the fossil fuel industry
4) wreak havoc on the world economy
5) order the commission of criminal acts upon illegal aliens and their families
6) ignore foreign assaults on election integrity
7) tarnIsh the presidency and affect it's relationship with historically apolitical government agencies
8) damage the public's trust in the intelligence and federal justice apparatus
9) undermine the collection and use of scientific and statistical data to form government policy
10) wage war on American states and a Commonwealth--California and Puerto Rico
11) support G7 policies at odds with other members, including the re-inclusion of Russia
12) undermine the effectiveness of our national defense by stripping resources from the DOD to build a border wall
13) invoke racism and bigotry in his rhetoric
14) damage the U.S.'s reputation as a refuge for persecuted people
15) relentlessly attack Obamacare
16) undermine federal protection for the rights of LGBT people
Time to step down and withdraw to Mar-a-Lago.
13
@Victor --Which of your list of items is an impeachable offense?
I don't understand why at least several of the unnamed white house officials who were so shaken by the events have not publicly spoken about them, or at least come forward voluntarily to testify to the house committee? What are all the niceties that prevent this?
5
If Trump is allowed to “not cooperate “ and McConnell decrees him not guilty before an impeachment trial occurs, don’t be surprised if the people on the street stop obeying traffic rules or paying their taxes.
Organized societies run on a compact. If the rules only apply to some then the compact will break.
9
The Emoluments Clause states that no person holding a United States Office "shall, without the consent of Congress, accept any present . . . of any kind whatever, from any . . . foreign State." So quid pro quo or not, extortion or not, bribery or not, accepting a gift of help from a foreign government for a personal political gain, even without anything else, sure looks like it violates the Constitution. Surely someone with "great and unmatched Wisdom" would understand that? Even Barack Obama did something that raised an Emoluments Clause question, although in his case a determination was made that accepting the Nobel Peace Prize would not be considered a violation. Those were the days.
5
Could Mr. Trump's comments on the whistleblower be seen as witness tampering? It certainly seems to me that his comments were meant to intimidate.
8
@Bill Bidwell: trump absolutely sought to intimidate the whistleblower. Now he is on a jag to impeach Nancy Pelosi, and to arrest Adam Schiff for treason. Pure, unadulterated insanity. trump has decided that he can commit any crime, and if Congress looks into it, as is their job, they should be impeached, or be imprisoned for treason....trump projects his own crimes on others. trump is off the wall----he is so sick, so deranged, and so rotten with evil, arrogance, and sociopathy.. trump needs to be locked away from normal human beings, as do so many of his sycophants, and it is not even clear whether their place of incarceration should be a prison or a mental asylum. Perhaps a stint in both is required, although it is doubtful if these kinds of dictatorial, cruel, narcissistic, sociopathic, disordered personalities can be rehabilitated.
2
At any given moment, Trump's level of intelligence does not demonstrate the necessary cognitive ability to adequately interpret complex details necessary for thorough understandings of matters at hand. Therefore, one must wonder who feeds him the information, and why, on which he acts. Who provides his narrow bandwidth the stimulus to move on Biden's son? Is it the same source accessed for the Clintons? Or the birth certificate for Obama? Or military action in foreign lands?
4
The silence of the Republican lambs is deafening. Some Republicans in Congress will survive but only because their constituents are no-information Fox viewers. Even those who do survive will never live down their infamy. There just isn't a patriot in the Republican Party.
7
Just to confirm that the document describing the phone call is a memory document and not an actual transcript of the conversation. Is that correct?
1
@Mark Oops, I see that it was on first reference called a reconstructed transcript. That works for me.
Welcome to reality. A witness felt disturbed followed the rules laid out for reporting wrongdoing. To prove him wrong withhold documents and pull down witnesses at the last minute, is that the plan? Deny information exonerating the President a curious strategy. Or a dubious strategy.
3
So this whistleblower didn't actually hear the call? So this whistleblower is "whistleblowing" their opinion of another official's temperament after hearing the call?
No wonder Trump is attacking the whistleblower's credibility. This is what the impeachment hangs on? Good luck...
1
Actually the second whistleblower is prepared to add the meat that you demand to the bones. He witnessed the nefarious act by Trump first hand. Trump wants him silenced, probably by force. He has to move very cautiously as Donald has openly declared war. Trump is quite willing to sacrifice our long term allies the Kurds, but any mortal who “outs” DJT transgressions he views as a traitor, a candidate for a firing squad.
3
We can't yet tie trump to the stake without
the complete unedited transcript of
the phone call. He knows that. We know
that. He will do everything to make sure
we don't read its complete text (and there
are surely others...)
Does this now begin to resemble
more clearly the 1974 tapes?
It is then clear that a committee be
appointed as the House Impeachment
Committee with all powers invested by
the Constitution to investigate if Articles
of Impeachment should be composed against
dear leader. We don't yet have this,
and the absence is clearly playing to trump's
advantage.
He either cooperates with such a committee
or he doesn't. But he has no constitutional
leg to stand on (at least if one is not alito, thomas,
kavanaugh, gorsuch...) not to cooperate.
Enough with the playing around with
the semantics of whether there is such a
thing as an "impeachment investigation"
that is occurring now. Tie everything
into a single committee and let its
members issue the subpoenas.
If no trumpican votes to set up such
a committee, that does not make such a committee a
kangaroo court whose actions
can be ignored.
Is there a valid/coherent rebuttal to this that I am
not aware of?
2
The author of this report states that: “The whistle-blower, who had no firsthand knowledge of the events...”
The whistleblower’s complaint says “I was not a direct witness to MOST of the events described.” (Emphasis added with all caps).
Doesn’t “most” mean he was a “direct witness” and has “some firsthand knowledge” of SOME of the events?
7
@Jim Kindrake --That is one conclusion.
Again, mostly hearsay.
"Official told whistleblower"
Just read that and listen to yourselves inflate dead end House Dem hysteria. Second hand, non factual, hearsay. Is supporting them truly worth sacrificing every scintilla of your integrity and common sense?
@JBC: The memorandum of the call released by Trump himself backs up the whistle blower's account of the call. Testimony by Volker and text messages between Volker, our ambassador to Ukraine and the ambassador to the E.U, all back up the account of the call and the high level pressure put on the Ukranian president. Trump himself admitted to asking the Ukranian president for an investigation into Joe Biden and his son. The White House issued a statement that the digitized account of the call had been moved to a code word protected server usually reserved only for highly classified information, although the call didn't contain anything that could typically be considered classified. With all the corroboratibe evidence uncovered so far, the whistle blower's account and whether his information was first-, second-, or even third-hand is irrelavant. All of his information has been borne out and more is coming out almost every day. Your focus on whether or not the original complaint wasn't first hand information is a sign of your willful blindness when it comes to Trump breaking the law.
4
@JBC--the facts and evidence can be verified or refuted by the sworn testimony of those present and the prompt and full disclosure of documents.
Your last sentence is not related to the previous sentence. I think you will struggle following the evidence. Better leave it to the professionals.
@JBC Just because it is hearsay does not mean that it is non-factual. And, the original whistle-blower, by his/her own account, has SOME direct knowledge of the actions detailed in the complaint.
1
Everyone that comes in contact with Donald Trump is ruined. He is like a bad infectious disease that spreads by his mere touch. He is a cancer that consumes his host from the inside - you can see it happening to our government.
His instincts on everything are completely wrong, and his sole calculus behind everything he does is based on wherher it enriches him (materially or emotionally) or his family.
A severely pathological human being. Truly everything he touches dies.
12
......maybe 3 Republicans will defect from "Crazy Daze Trump" before the end of the day - decency has to start somewhere. They could start a revolution.
2
We need Hillary Clinton now more than ever.
5
@Mike Boyajian
That was Nixon's campaign slogan in 1972
"Nixon Now More Than Ever" was on pins and bumper stickers everywhere.
@Mike Boyajian
Respectfully disagree. We need another democrat or independent in the WH.
2
“ Crazy “ and “ Frightening “. What a coincidence, a PERFECT description of Trump.
Seriously.
33
He of great and unmatched wisdom is terrified. Some perverse trait in his makeup keeps him standing upright while babbling nonsense. He is the most mentally ill person I've ever seen in public life.
Republicans, how could you do this to the country ?
63
@Enough How could his voters do this to us? The bigger problem is that many of them still approve of his behavior.
10
Because they (Individual-1 and Republicans), seized upon the deep hatred that has never abated since the Civil War. They carefully exploited the feeling among Red State voters (Christian Conservative hypocrites) that they are persecuted, and that the "uppity educated" and "brown others" are to blame for their inability to get out of the rut of low and lower middle-class existence.
10
@Enough
"Republicans, how could you do this to the country ?" I keep asking that question of friends--over and over. Are they paid off? Threatened? Both?
2
It looks increasingly obvious that the ellipses in the memo of Trump's convo with Zelensky represent verbiage that was edited out because it would visibly shake other readers.
25
These officials in the White House thought a crime had been committed and none of the people who directly heard it came forth until the first WB heard it? I’m glad they come out now but, what is wrong with these people?
22
@Sean Casey junior See current New Yorker cover (Oct. 7, 2019) for a clue: Trump and Guiliani in process of tossing a bound, cement-boot wearing Uncle Sam off of a bridge.
The witnesses and whistle-blowers know that they are dealing with utterly corrupt powerful people.
2
I think it's time for a massive rally in DC, while trump and Congress are in town, to demonstrate in numbers and noise that a majority of Americans want this liar and probable criminal out of our White House.
33
@say what
YES.
2
@say what: Take your kettles, pots and pans and wooden spoons with you and bang him out of office! Drown his lying noise in cleansing clatter!
4
@Anna
I will!
1
The transcript read like a lot of Trump's interactions.
1. Intro and mutual ego stroking
2. I do this for you
3. I want this from you
4. Word salad
5. Goodbye
25
It is so concerning that the Republicans upon the urging of the President have organized into a dangerous crowd of thugs to intimidate the whistleblowers. I see them actively engaging in a form of intimidation that could have fatal results. These are LAWMAKERS! My GOD! Have we stooped so low to mimic the practices of deadly dictators??? This is just too far. This is beyond the pale! If ever there was a place for a moat with alligators and snakes it's around this White House.
50
Well, even the WH staff knows Trump has committed a criminal act. (or two, three.....)
15
Ok, ok, we get it already. Enough. It was obviously wrong and undoubtedly illegal for probably 50 reasons. We’re tired of hearing @ it. Now we want to see what the authorities are going to do @ it. Is this a functioning democracy governed by rules of law, over all people, or not? Does our system work or doesn’t it? We’re waiting, we’re watching and we’re voting.
16
@Michael C
Suspect it will finally come down to the Supreme Court. Will they, unlike Republican Senators, stand up for the constitution. That will be the final test.
"Mr. Trump has sought to discredit him because his account was secondhand."
That's hysterical coming from the guy whose favorite pet phrase is, "people have told me".....
Recall that he used that phrase to say windmill noise causes cancer, that Muslims were rejoicing in NJ over the 9/11 attack, etc. The list is HUGE!
25
@Kathy: Yes, that’s what many people are saying... 😉
@Kathy
Don't forget: 'People have told me...SIR...' (insert lie here)
Everything that has gone down this week and it's only Tuesday??? That's crazy and frightening in and of itself.
I'm almost scared to read tomorrow's headlines.
13
@Marge Keller
Don't be scared. Be mad as hell and let's let everyone in Washington that we are!
1
@say what
Good point.
A reconstructed transcript full of ellipsis is exactly why we need to investigate. For starters, What's the official length of the call compared to the reconstructed transcript.
Who besides me thinks it's pretty obvious that the "transcript" was heavily edited before release?
16
@Mike Schwarcz official length is ~30 min; you can read the partial transcript in < 10 min...
1
@Mike Schwarcz official length is ~30 min; you can read the partial transcript in < 10 min...
@Julio, well there you go. No wonder he always calls it a "perfect conversation". I think he should call it "perfectly edited".
Is visibly shaken a legal term? Is crazy a legal term?
Does anything of this 'hot air' mean Trump wil be impeached?
Second grade journalism that appeals to our emotions is below the standards of a once great newspaper.
Moving forward to November of 2020, my wife and I will be volunteering for Biden or Warren in a swing state while knowing we may be stuck with Donald for another four years. The NYT like the DNC is paving the way for him with articles like this.
10
@Jon
Unfortunately, cranky immature Democrats are potentially one of SCUMpf's greatest assets in 2020.
@NRoad: It is republicans who are cranky and immature...and those are the kindest things that I can say about them.
And, yet, only one person privvy to the call had the integrity to come forward. Shameful.
18
If you read the article you will see that it was the white house official, more likely a Republican than a Democrat, who was visibly shaken. The fact was reported by a cia officer.
Spinning this as partisan is getting harder every day, isn’t it!
21
And let's remember that whoever this White House official is, he or she must be an appointee of some sort, not a career civil servant that Drumpft so loves to malign. Then think about it: it must have been someone in Drumpft's circle who is high level enough to have listened in on the call and who found it "crazy and frightening," not some "deep state" operative that the Drumpftists keep talking about.
20
Yeah, Fox, Trump house organ, ran a report but then true to form, spun it to invent some fiction to cast doubt on Shiff. Fox, talking point outlet for Trump and Republican lackeys.
4
what i find incredible is the depth of cowardice that runs through D.C. 5-year olds are running the country.
10
@bbradley: Sociopathic 5-year olds...the kind that set fires, run with scissors, and hurt defenseless animals.
If the Executive insists that the Congressional Impeachment is invalid, then it will automatically become a grave Constitutional crisis. We the People need to make them aware this this is OUR government, who must answer OUR questions truthfully and openly.
25
@Kevin
I phoned my Republican Senators and representative today to protest their refusal to stand up to Trump. Hope other readers are going to their phones as well. We can at least try to urge Republicans to behave like Constitution-supporting representatives.
2
I hardly think White House officials are “visibly shaken" on a daily occurrence. The fact that this individual was should be considered alarming and noteworthy rather than dismissing his or her reaction as something less than a fluke.
18
It is beginning to become clear that the call to Zelensky may, indeed, have been initiated at the urging of energy secretary Perry to discuss issues relating to liquified natural gas. Once on the phone, however Trump seems to have veered off into a stream of conscience as he has often done. Although this theory is purely speculative on my part, I find it to be very disturbing. If accurate, it means that he has no filter, no self-control, impaired judgement and possibly a badly failing memory.
13
@Judy I'm not sure it was a stream of conscience as I'm not sure he has one! (Perhaps you meant consciousness, although he seems to be lacking that too)
3
@Judy if only Trump had a “stream of conscience “!
1
On point. thank you
One might think the unfolding of this crisis is somewhat Shakespearean, but the only tragedy is what Trump is doing to the United States. All those in the GOP are and will be forever stained by their fealty to this president, and by their abandoning of the fundamental ideals of this Republic.
Some might think that it is more akin to Dr. Strangelove, but it is in no way comic. It is deadly serious and it is dangerous.
20
This will be dragged out long enough so that it becomes a referendum at next year's polls. The idea by the Democrats that they could have a swift case brought forward against Trump, who is nothing but the shrewdest of survivors, is a pipe dream. He is dirty, and completely off the rails, but Trump's instincts will get him out of any mess. The smart thing would be to let this go by, and use it in the election against him, and hopefully remove him from office via the ballot box. Meanwhile, it seems both parties will do what it takes to keep him from throwing the Kurds to the bloodthirsty Erdogan.
3
Trump just asked a foreign power to investigate a potential Presidential nominee. If we wait till the election we will have allowed Trump to influence the outcome.
5
@AW
Exactly. There is no walking away from this for Democrats in the House.
1
Let this by? You have got to be joking.
So not just those rogue, deep state, Hillary-loving intelligence officers, but a reputable White House official thinks the guy is crazy, frightening and a traitor.
For those of us old enough to remember 1974, the same sick feeling of dread approaches. We wait out the hours and the days, but this man's time is up. However it happens, the end is near. I wish I could say I pity his Republican lackeys who've done nothing but clean up after his messes, but I don't, so I won't.
27
"Crazy and frightening" are exactly what you get when you give nearly unlimited power to a malignant narcissistic sociopath. What is absolutely certain is that once a boundary is crossed, it is only a matter of time until another, more egregious one is crossed. Like every predator, Trump grooms his victims to accept more extreme levels of abuse and to redefine deviancy downward. We are all being conditioned to accept this as normal. Time to flood your representatives' and Senators' offices with calls and emails to let them know that it is not acceptable and Trump has to go.
28
“Crazy and frightening”: a succinct summation of Donald Trump’s presidency.
17
I would draw attention, just in passing, to Trump's boast of his great unmatched wisdom (re: Turkey, not Ukraine, but, you know....)
Has anyone listened recently to the humorous braggadocio of the Wizard of Oz, circa 1939? If a POTUS has to have a mentor, this one seems to have found his.
Time to draw back that curtain, Dorothy.
15
@Bryant Avery: The second I saw that tweet in which he referred to his great and unmatched wisdom, I immediately thought of the Wizard of Oz - a small, frightened elderly man in Way over his head.
1
Pretty tame stuff - for a dictator from the Idi Amin or Robert Mugabe schools of diplomacy. No wonder the unnamed White House official found it frightening. What’s more frightening, of course, is the number of steadfast Trump supporters who will call the whole thing a “nothing burger” or “fake news” or other things in that vein and roar epithets about anyone who isn’t as deluded as they are. I think this will be my last comment in this forum. I’m sounding to my own ears like a broken record, and there really isn’t much left to say that hasn’t been said and isn’t repeated a million times a day, to about as much effect as a big fly buzzing around an angry rhinoceros, to the delight of the audience of hyenas observing the whole thing play out.
12
The opening paragraph in this article could easy serve as a template for any one of a number of "crazy" and "frightening" interactions Trump has had with world leaders.
Let's play Mad Libs. Death of a Democracy Edition:
"A White House official who listened to President Trump’s [pick a date] [pick phone call or meeting] with [pick a nation] leader described it as “crazy,” “frightening,” and “completely lacking in substance related to national security,”
What did you pick?
Trump choosing to believe Putin over our own intelligence services? Maybe Trump selling out the Kurds to Erdogan? Trump trying to undermine another election, this time with Zelensky? Trump playing the mark to Kim? Maybe the one where Trump ignores that MBS ordered the torture-murder of an American resident and WaPo reporter?
Almost endless options to choose from with more added every week.
And the craziest and most frightening thing of all, is that this disaster of a President will get over 60 million votes on November 3rd, 2020.
15
We are learning that in addition to allowing Trump to shoot someone in the middle of Fifth Ave., Trump's supporters will allow him to openly commit treason.
22
Please Republicans. Stand up with us and save the Republic.
Trump is getting crazier and more dangerous. He's now betrayed our allies in Syria.
How much more blood do you want on your hands?
12
The fact that this monster got elected (though I argue, illegitimately), and the fact that he is still in office after all his crimes and transgressions is truly terrifying. Where are the patriots? Where is the sense of urgency? This is a dark, dark time and I fear our once proud nation will never fully recover. In the meantime, this cruel and ignorant man continues to inflict pain on countless Americans, and to the very system that made us great. Shame on the Trump voters. Shame on right-wing media. Shame on the GOP. And ultimately, if we let this continue, shame on us all.
17
My God, the United States is rotting before our very eyes. What an epic tragedy.
27
What continues to be “crazy" and “frightening" to Democrats remains to be viewed as a "witch hunt" and "fake" to Republicans.
10
Extortion, his normal and hyperbolic "art of the deal."
10
Really anyone in the administration defending Trump’s conduct on matters of policy, security of the country ought to be held accountable. This is the most despicable behavior in the politics of the country. We have lost our standing in the world. Our words don’t mean much to our allies. Trump is taking down the country by burning it to the ground creating all kinds of fires through the power vested in the office of the presidency.
16
The reality show "The President" continues. To retain ratings, it has to have daily explosions of surprise or outrages. I don't think Trump is planning for a second term (he wasn't planing for a first). He is simply whipping up his "Trump" brand name and preparing to monetize it (selling Trump ties, wine, steaks, condos hotel/resort rentals, golf outings, etc, etc.). He just need something to "unfairly" kick him out of office so the monetizing can begin. He never had interest in anything but raking money in for himself - sacrificing himself to save the country - are you crazy.
11
If anyone reading this heard their boss - I don't care if it's Tim Cook of Apple or the manager at the McDonald's - doing something on a phone call that breached known protocol and recognized norms, for the institution ("The meat is tainted? We'll take it anyway for a better price.") touching on illegality or immorality…
You'd be shaken too.
I know I would.
And, then, what to do?
Without jeopardizing your job.
We're lucky the government has a whistleblower provision to check scoundrels.
Like one Donald J. Trump
Lifetime criminal.
16
Will we even recognize a "normal" presidency any more?
10
From the article
The document provides a rare glimpse into at least one of the communications with a White House official that helped prompt the whistle-blower’s formal complaint to the intelligence community’s inspector general detailing a broad pressure campaign on Ukraine.
This from the national paper of record. A second and third hand account of the feelings of an anonymous person's feelings about a phone call for which we have the transcript. I'd like a little news with my news.
3
@Brian Thanks for the trenchant critique. (Insert eyeroll here.)
1
Someone, please, take the nuclear "button" away from this very stable genius.
12
Since there is nowhere to leave a comment regarding Graham and Giuliani, and since Giuliani is at the heart of this I will use this forum to make my voice heard, How Dare Lindsey Graham who first and foremost took an oath to not only the constitution but as a practicing attorney to do all in his power to get to the truth, one need wonder what type of litigator he really was, to bring in a tainted Giuliani knowing Giuliani will not abide by the rules of telling the truth and nothing but the truth so help me God, had Giuliani not been broadcasting to the world many inaccuracies then people would have wanted to hear from him, but now I will use Matt Gaetz and Donald Trump's words, it is Lindsey Graham conducting a Kangaroo court, whatever Lindsey Graham is dealing with, there is no shame in saying he misses his friend and mentor the Late Honorable John McCain, that he needs a private outlet be it with a psychologist/psychiatrist to help him deal with grief, absolutely not a disgrace, to try and replace this deep friendship with a sham relationship is very disturbing, if he is looking for a father figure, Trump isn't it, to watch many decent Republicans put their tails between their legs, to try not to hang their heads in shame is truly a sad sight. Of course, there are Republicans who are feeding off of Trump in order to preserve their power, do they think they can't get better than this Corrupt Person, Another Republican President will never happen again truly this can't be
5
We all know this is just the tip of the iceberg...
7
The “White House official” needs to step up and self identify. That’s what a true patriot would do. Nathan Hale got hung in Revolutionary times, but he’s remembered centuries later as an American hero. I’m not suggesting the whistleblower will be executed (but I would not put it past the Trump Administration to suggest it...oh, they already did), but make himself or herself public. Put a face to the accusation. A very hard decision because mud will get flung and fury will sound, but in troubled times like today, only courage will prevail against our bullying, cowardly and treacherous president.
5
@Pietro Allar What difference does it matter who the whistlelower is? What counts is whether his claims are proven accurate.
With the crazies that have already killed or tried to kill inspired by Trump, the whistleblowers would be crazy themselves to disclose their identity.
The House needs to move quicker. Start putting people in jail for not obeying subpoenas. This is a national security matter and the president and his minions are lawless. It's time to impeach.
10
I hope Trump followers come to the realization he is simply using them. That’s all he does...uses people.
10
We have become a society which is intolerant of some while going overboard for others.
The black/whte divide is the most obvious and one from which many of our troubles stem, but a greater divide is fostered by some followers of almost every religious faith who claim to be doing their particular god's will.
Elevating religions and the institutions behind them has taken our nation down a path which handed control of non-sectarian matters to those who tout an unseen divine leader as being the font of their wisdom.
For all his posing Mr Trump is not a man who follows the precepts of any religious faith, but, as he offers an agenda which is weighted to those who believe in the supernatural, he and all his warts are accepted without question.
Far too many people, angry and frustrated that the world they controlled for so long is on its' last legs, accept his dishonorable manner and incompetance. Their frustration and anger clouds their judgement and leaves them unable and/or unwilling to see that he, and those with whom he has surrounded himself, have no interest in governing beyond the opportunity it provides to add to their bank accounts.
I trust we not only elect a woman to the Presidency in 2020, but also that he and those who have abused their time in office are prosecuted, fined and jailed .
4
We no longer live in a democracy.
8
New sheriff in town: new ways of doing business.
@Paul O
Old ways, you mean. Look up Mayor William W. “Billy” Cottrell of Cedar Key, Florida.
1
@Coyoty
New with respect to the "sheriff" before him – Obama.
This has gotten way out of hand.
Get the cards on the table. Bring in former Cabinet members, also, and let’s get some testimony going here.
My goodness - Watergate was easier than this and Nixon’s damage was a lot less. John Dean - help!
This country deserves better. We have a madman at the helm. The world is watching with dismay. What an embarrassment.
18
When you've dedicated your life to service of the country and its security, that's how you'd react. If you're out for yourself and to make a few books, you'd say hey, no big deal.
7
"Crazy" and "Frightening" best describes various members of the GOP AND their leader.
17
I’m not sure why the whistleblower has any further importance. trump already released the main course, the White House transcript of himself actually shaking down the Ukrainian president for dirt on Biden. And withholding military aid to prod the offence along. Anyway, it’s done. What more do we need to know??....oh ya, maybe trump should release the actual recording of the call..his own beautiful words in his own beautiful voice. .that, I’m sure would clarify everything.
4
I would be visibly shaken taking an order directly from Mr. Trump at a fast food drive thru.
7
There have been so few laughs in the comment sections lately. Thank you.
"Crazy" and "Frightening?" Sadly, two more adjectives to add to the growing lexicon describing President Trump and this administration. And along with all the other descriptors regarding Trump (criminal, unconstitutional, illegal, shocking, irresponsible, immature, outlandish, etc.) Mitch McConnell and his senate. will accept and ignore. Please add shameful to that list too.
8
If you know it's a crime, helping to cover it up is also a crime. This appears to clearly "impeach" the White House lawyers and other knowledgeable persons who were in on the call. They didn't just say silent, they took actions to conceal what happened. Only the whistle-blower saved himself. It is so, shameful to see that not only Trump, but also his administrators, are above the law because, regardless of what the courts say, no one will enforce the law on them. This is making convictions of other people who extort or ask for a bribe look like prejudice. Law is for the poor and powerless, then. And almost all of those involved defy Congress, rendering it powerless too, by the sheer mass of their obstruction and cover-up. Anybody else, and a court would just issue a warrant for their arrest. One poor man gets put in jail for oversleeping and being late for jury duty, while these guys go scott-free. And what is so infuriating is that such a mass of obstruction is so blatantly indicative of crime. The more Trump orders them not to cooperate, the more of a "guilty" sign he hangs on them. And then our lovely Ring Wraiths in the Republican Party circle the wagons around it all. Oh well, "The arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends towards justice". (Abolitionist Theodore Parker)
8
Say it ain't so. Our president has emphatically stated to us Americans that it was the perfect conversation.
Who to believe? Who to believe?
It just keeps getting uglier. We still have only seen the tip of the iceberg. Trump's defenders look sillier with every passing day. Will any Republican show some conscience and a backbone?
5
So Trump was “crazy” and “frightening,” and had “clearly committed a criminal act,” on a call with numerous people and yet we have ONE whistleblower... perhaps two.
Are the tax cuts worth it guys?
Is rolling back environmental protection and worker’s rights so important that you are willing to let a crazy man remain in the White House?
I don’t see anyone else breaking ranks yet.
I guess the answer is yes.
An empty, howling void has replaced whatever soul the Republican Party has ever had.
13
Can't help but hear that Patsy Cline tune in my head after reading this article,
"Crazy
I'm crazy for feeling so lonely . . .
Worry
Why do I let myself worry?
Wondering
What in the world did I do..."
A foreboding sense of doom continues to loom over my entire being.
5
@Marge Keller
Very rarely, it’s GOOD to live in the middle of nowhere.
Best wishes.
2
‘Crazy and Frightening’
How history will write this chapter of America. (If we survive.)
5
Trump, our marshmallow dictator, wants to act like a tough guy - he fires off bombastic tweets, and ominously broods as he criticizes, demeans and smears his opponents and warns of civil war. If his "style" becomes acceptable, our next dictator won't be such a marshmallow. The dictator after Trump will round up the opposition leaders, take them out back, and shoot them in the head. Ala Saddam Hussein or Joseph Stalin or Kim Jong Un. If we let Trump fundamentally change our democracy into a kleptocracy & cult of personality, the next dictator will be more brazen, and the murders of intellectuals, leftists, lawyers, whistleblowers and other "enemies" of the state, are sure to follow.
7
Where is that White House official? Where are the other White House officials similarly silent as they watch this ongoing attempt to destroy this nation?
I am sickened by the cowardice of those who are in positions to watch what's happening, but do nothing to stop it.
8
"Trump’s Ukraine Call Was ‘Crazy’ and ‘Frightening,’ Official Told Whistle-Blower"
Yeah, but, like our 'president' says, they were perfectly 'Crazy' and perfectly 'Frightening.'
Just because he does't know what the Laws are, does that mean he must still Obey them? I find this hard to believe. He is, after all the President.
3
Trump's actions -and their consequences - are the responsibility of the Republican party. They're playing the long game - to keep power long enough to secure the courts for their corporate backers. Shameful, dangerous and destructive.
8
We Americans are lucky to have a few dedicated, patriotic Americans who are still in attendance in the Trump White House, and who are willing to tell Congress how Donald Trump has been committing "high crimes and misdemeanors". Such individuals are certainly in the minority. Almost all of Trump's close associates are clearly chosen based on fealty and sycophancy to Trump, and their corruptibility.
6
Decades of depraved, illegal and immoral behavior on the part of a well-documented, widely known conman, and everyone is shocked that he's behaving in an entirely unhinged fashion? The truly disturbing part of all this is how we've all been subjected to a normalization of deeply abnormal and irrational behavior, it reveals a dark underside to our country that is no longer deniable.
9
We are only at the WHAT tip of the iceberg in this initial Whisteblower litigation. WHY was potus advocating for Ukraine’s president to submit to Putin, had to talk to the Russian president. Is that why the Putin transcript/s are locked up as well in the super-secret server? Was a promise made to Putin? Again, Russia’s agenda is being pushed for no good reason. Let’s focus on why potus is doing what he’s doing. That helps in dismissing most all of the other noise tied to attacking the investigation.
6
From Putin’s mouth to Trump’s ear.
I hold a doctor degree American university doctor of education, learning disabilities.
Through experience it states Trump is left-handed! This kind of person cannot handle direction. He requires people through strength.
When he loses, he gambles. The people around him are wrong, except him. That shows him power!
And what you have written is a perfect example of people listening to him, and then with a gamble, they cannot testify!
I doubt that Lindsey Graham, Mitch McConnell, Marco Rubio and the rest of his defenders are at all surprised by these latest revelations. No one knows better than they do what kind of criminal Trump is.
I'm so angry at these people, so frustrated. But most of all, I deeply disappointed and saddened that so many in the republican party have traded away their honor in exchange for power.
25
Something is rotten in the state of this country, beginning with the highest office and extending through the party-controlled Senate.
16
These are disturbing and frightening times, but the knowledge that some people are still willing to speak up is a bit of comfort. If those supporting Trump had even a modicum of backbone they would put country before party, heed the words of these whistle-blowers and the countless instances of behavior and actions unbefitting of the presidency that have taken place in broad daylight, and remove him from office.
7
First of all, subpoena the actual transcript from the classified server. That would either prove a "perfect call" or that the President of the United States is actually guilty of treason.
Secondly, Trump remaining in office after these revelations presents a national security risk and the potential for an ongoing conspiracy to steal our election. We know he asked for political help from China and Ukraine. But he doesn't even need to ask any new countries for help at this point because it is universally understood that he will gladly accept favors from anyone.
11
Meanwhile Republicans carry on as usual repeating nonsense from their weekly talking points on their index card. Republicans do not care about the national security of the US or anything else except keeping their seat warm for 2020 and beyond. It is hard to decide who is the most deplorable, Trump or the Republicans.
10
Methinks the reason POTUS tRumplethinskin is so outraged by Rep. Adam Schiff's caricature of the conversation is that it is much more representative of the conversation than the partial transcript that was released.
10
This account by a White House official is all the more alarming because the people around Donald Trump are inured to his outrageous behavior.That a White House official would find the call frightening speaks to special threats in the call.We have only seen a summary-the entire call is locked away in a secure server.We need to see the call just as the Watergate investigators needed to have the infamous Nixon tapes!
8
We have to hope that the impeachment inquiry currently being conducted by the House will gather enough momentum that this currently anonymous official who was present on the call and was badly shaken by it, and others who were present, will feel safe in coming forward, either anonymously as additional whistle blowers, or better yet, by resigning and openly testifying before Congress. Such an act will take courage, but Congress must make sure the witnesses are assured of their personal safety. It's easy to see why so far, they do not feel safe.
20
We have all been frightened and visibly shaken for the past three years now.
53
I grew up in an Asian country where party meant little as politicians constantly changed sides to benefit themselves. I live in Canada now and am appalled at what I see down south. Outright lying by politicians on TV, manipulation of words and terms to draw illogical conclusions and blatant disregard of the law. I don't understand why citizens are not protesting in the streets against this unbelievably obvious destruction of justice and, worse, cannot believe millions of citizens are somehow convincing themselves of the innocence of a president who is behaving so unrighteously. It's so mind boggling it's difficult to believe this is actual reality in the United States.
41
@Niz I don't understand why citizens are not protesting in the streets against this unbelievably obvious destruction of justice and, worse, cannot believe millions of citizens are somehow convincing themselves of the innocence of a president who is behaving so unrighteously.
In regards to the latter half of your statement, I feel most American's agree with you, and are as repulsed by trump and his administration as you are.
In regards to the first half of your statement, just after the election I attended so many anti-trump rallies, town halls and anti-gerry mandering rallies in Wilmington and Raleigh. That was in 2017. Then in 2018, there was endless phone banking, canvasing and fund raising for the 2018 elections. Because you don't see massive protests on the mall in Washington does not mean American's don't care, we care. But there is a sense that our system of checks and balances can work right now, that congress will do it's job and impeach this president (which does not folow that the senate will convict,) but it is a step in the right direction.
2020 is one year away. I feel trump will lose by a landslide. He will be little more than a footnote in history as the president impeached for abusing the integrity of the office he swore to uphold. In short, he will be remembered as the bum that he is.
2
The White House official isn't the only one who sees Trump's behavior as crazy and frightening. The whole world is watching intently as he goes deeper and deeper into some personal state where he has become King, and his power is boundless.
The courts may be considering whether a sitting president can be investigated for criminal activity, but Congress knows that it can act under the constitution to remove him from office. We need to remove him from office now.
41
@dutchiris
It was good today to hear a judge (regarding opening Mueller's grand jury evidence to the House impeachment committee) ask the House lawyer if lying to the people was an impeachable act.
7
THE “Chosen One” creates FACTs, by twitter;
transmuting, non chemically, from fictions and
fantasies. HIS and of others.
THE “Chosen One” creates realities.
Which his minions live in while
others pay rent.
As well as many other harmful
implications and consequences.
THE “Chosen One,” dealt a flawed hand and
a bad personal deal needs to be dealt with if
democratic norms, values, laws, ethics, civility,
and many, many people and systems are to be
protected from BEing violated. Traumatized.
WE the People need to...
3
Any of the Republicans who are going around trying to justify Trump's behavior should just stop and think about this for a minute:
The corrupt nature of this phone call shocked enough people to lead to multiple whistle blowers to risk coming forward.
Administration officials took actions to hide this phone call, knowing how damaging it was.
There is no way to spin this as acceptable behavior. This simple message must get through to Trump's defenders:
ADMIT THAT THIS WAS WRONG!
37
Deceive, divide, destroy. It has been the Trump strategy from the beginning.
17
This is not normal. It isn't normal for the President of the United States to call himself a "very stable genius." Repeatedly. It isn't normal for the President to refer to his own supposed, and indeed, hypothetical, "great and unmatched wisdom."
It isn't normal to threaten to destroy an allied country, NATO member Turkey, if they do what the President just told the Turkish President they could do.
It isn't normal to call respected senior members of Congress traitors, or call for impeaching them, as if that was a thing under the Constitution. It isn't.
I disagree profoundly with Mr. Trump's behaviors and statements. I can't offer an opinion about Mr. Trump's policies or beliefs, because he blows every which way with the opinion of the last person he talked to, or the last thing he saw on TV or some crazed internet trollery.
Donald Trump is manifestly unfit for office. These past few weeks he's eclipsed Richard Nixon and even the madness of King George and is saying things every day which are not only manifestly untrue, and self-contradictory, but which one sees and wonders where does this end?
Mr. Trump should not have access to anything which could be harmful to himself or others, much less nuclear weapons and a military which spends as much as the next ten military powers combined.
It is time, long past time, to remove Mr. Trump from office by legal means, whether that be by the 25th Amendment, Impeachment & Trial, or the ballot box. The sooner, the better.
121
@Henry Edward Hardy
There is a variant of porphyria that can turn the skin orange (I had a patient with this type of porphyria once). Maybe it's the same madness as King George's. Start with a Watson-Schwartz test as a simple low budget screening.
4
@Henry Edward Hardy Thank you. So succinctly and articulately put. I agree wholeheartedly with what you wrote and have all my fingers and toes crossed that your final paragraph comment actually happens.
10
Republicans have known from the beginning that Trump was unfit to be the leader of the free world, yet they keep backing him, apparently because they feel they can use him to give them what they want: lower taxes on the wealthy, a roll-back on environmental regulation, and cutbacks on anything the federal government subsidizes.
Since the New Deal, they have been attempting to do away with any sort of protection for average citizens including unions. Every time I hear the daily shocking news coming form the White House, I hold the Republicans squarely responsible. They are spiraling the world into chaos, and appear to be sitting back gleefully while they are doing it.
I was raised in a Republican household, but I have zero respect for today's corporate hooligans (a word much too mild for their betrayal of our democratic ideals).
32
Well said. You have only to add the influence of the Koch brothers to have a complete history.
3
@Manuela Very well said!
3
" Fox News first reported details from it. "
I thought it odd that Fox News would or could be a source for any useful information. Sure enough, the link brings you to the rabbit hole of their latest deflection having to do with the fact that the whistle-blower contacted House Intelligence staff first. In their world, this disqualifies the whistle-blower report, and I assume all the subsequent White House confessions and texts that confirm the report.
It is sweet and kind of the Times to credit and flatter Fox as a news source. That link is proof that they are not.
10
“Veered outside the bounds of traditional diplomacy,” you write, Mr Fandos. There was no veering, we are left looking at skid marks. Plus it seems slightly surreal to read “diplomacy” coupled in a article about this President’s actions.
5
@Ambroisine
Where is the "grandstanding - the whistleblower is anonymous and needs to remain so!
1
@Peter Swift I didn’t invoke grandstanding. All I said was that it’s absurd to consider that President Trump might have a diplomatic bone in his body and that the author was soft-peddling. And I totally agree that the whistleblower(s) must be protected. We have no beef here, I think.
3
The clear lesson that we now have about Watergate and the cronies surrounding a corrupt president is that we cannot afford to allow them to get near government again, once they're released from prison, community service, or whatever we decide happens to them. No more Cheneys, Rumsfelds, and Barrs.
The need to lose their licenses, their reputations, and their ill-gotten gains.
In addition to running down the people who have enabled Trump to lie his way into the highest office in our land we will have to rein in the imperial presidency as well. Trump has shown us that our checks and balances are weak and ineffective. The transfer of money from the bloated Pentagon to his border wall is a prime example.
Finally, we have to restore the control over the news so that organizations like the ones owned by Murdoch and Brietbart are nothing more than entertainment. I would go so far as to propose that the Murdochs are persona non gratis here in the US but I know that's not going to happen. There are other ways of changing their behavior, though.
The US has to get money out of politics so that politicians aren't so easy to buy.
30
What about all the other staffers who have been visibly shaken by witnessing all the other crazy and frightening episodes involving this president?
Why has it taken nearly three years for anyone with the guts to speak up? What happened to the discussion about invoking the 25th amendment? Why don’t these staffers, as well the members of Congress who are afraid of losing their seats care enough about our country to do something meaningful to restore order to our government?
It’s truly frightening to contemplate how many choose to turn the other cheek when the United States is disintegrating before our very eyes.
27
Man, do we need term limits for Congress! It’s the only way to remove (at least some of) the self-interest that is causing senators and representatives to put their own interests above those they are meant to serve.
18
@L. Hoberman The President is acting like a dictator and you're worried about Congress? Check you priorities if you're not a Trumpist Brown Shirt.
1
The bleachers are full and the train wreck is occurring before our eyes. A quick news update on the iPhone provides the expected next collision.
The success, and indeed the viability, of future generations will be less affected by a leader brandishing blue or red than the irreparable damage caused by narcissistic incompetence at the top.
Honor and integrity matter! We need to call it out when it doesn’t exist and appreciate it where it does.
7
"The whistle-blower, who had no firsthand knowledge of the events he described, wrote in his complaint that he spoke to “multiple U.S. government officials”..."
The logic of the White House position is easily deciphered. It admitted to a minor offense in an effort to avert a major calamity.
The initial whistleblower did not personally overhear the Zelenskyy call but reconstructed it from conversations with others. So any damage that could be imposed was limited by second-hand access, which both undercuts credibility and dissuades providing more than a bare-bones outline.
So instead of the usual barrage of denials and counterattacks, the White House surprised everyone by quickly releasing its own summary of the Zelenskyy conversation, which largely followed the contours of the whistleblower complaint.
Why this meekly un-Trumpian response? Well, a pregnant hint lies in the fact that the more complete first-hand summary of the Zelenskyy conversation was improperly buried in a high security computer where it remains hidden from view. It is not far-fetched to speculate that his hidden record contains some dynamite language that deeply and unequivocally implicates Trump in a bribery or blackmail offer to Zelenskyy -- one that makes the sanitized version released earlier look like mere child's play.
If the second whistleblower was indeed a first-hand witness to the July 25 conversation, that could mean that the tawdry details hidden in the computer are about to be exposed.
14
I think we're going to have to look to Hong Kong for our example of democracy in action--it sure ain't happening in the Senate. Time for every good American to be carrying an IMPEACH sign.
20
@teach But Obama is already out of office.
1
Criminal Trump is going down one way or another. Ideally, he'll still be eligible for prosecution when he does.
10
This is a very sad and scary event communicated by Mr. Trump. I don’t believe anything close to this took place in all of American history. Waiting for the next election is way too late.
8
"the president had clearly committed a criminal act by urging a foreign power to investigate a U.S. person for the purposes of advancing his own re-election bid in 2020,”
While some may characterize that as "crazy" and "frightening", what's really crazy and frightening is that the president doesn't seem bothered nor phased that what he did was illegal. To him, it was more of "just another phone, asking for a favor."
This guy clearly cannot or does not differentiate between right from wrong, legal vs. illegal, and yet he remains in charge and in power.
The fact that the majority of Republicans don't seem to mind what Trump does or doesn't do is also “crazy" and equally “frightening."
24
Seems time to put Barre and Pompeo - and the other minions - on the actual Trump payroll or have them draw their salaries from the RNC/Re-election Committee. If Trump is using his appointees to federal post as personal assistants, then he should carry the cost, not the taxpayers.
39
"“The official stated that there was already a conversation underway with White House lawyers about how to handle the discussion....."
Those lawyers and officials must come forward and give testimony before Congress to further corroborate the whistle blower's account. Some senate republicans will undoubtedly persist in their defense of the indefensible, but perhaps it will embolden those who have been cowed into silence. Surely even they will come to realize what is at stake.
26
I thought I had a lot to say- until I realized that I had no words adequate enough to describe this kind of untethered craziness. I'll leave it to the whistleblowers, journalists and other truthtellers to find the right words that will help light the way forward. Peace to all and Shana Tova.
46
Here is what I believe is the most important for voters to consider as we head toward 2020:
If Trump did so many bizarre, undiplomatic, divisive and corrupt things when he still had the goal of being re-elected to another term, what do you think happens when he no longer has to placate voters?
And I ask people who say they support him because their stock portfolio increased in value these past three years: what happens when the trade war with our largest customer and creditor grows?
33
@Jean
The 3 billion dollar payout to farmers going under because of the trade war with China is even larger than the auto industry bailout after the 2008 crash. In spite of that, many will lose their farms, in their families for generations.
And who's going to pay up that 3 billion? We are. The taxpayers will foot the bill. Add to that the huge tax breaks given to already wealthy people, and you have a massive amount of money that not only feeds our huge deficits, but is another transfer of wealth from the middle class to the rich.
What "little, if any" of the whistle-blower complaint has been disproved? Perhaps, I'm not looking hard enough, but I haven't seen or heard any of it being disproved. What exactly is that phrase referring to?
17
Trump scares me, but even more so, his supporters.
We are living in very troubled times, and I shudder to contemplate how this will all end.
28
@William I do believe that we are seeing "active measures" being executed on an accelerated timeline. He was trying to remove obstacles for the two reasons that Russia is sanctioned. Nullifying Mueller report and This peace deal the Ukraine just signed. We need to stay very engaged because we do not know how much of the military is currently aligned with him and will step in if he's removed. It almost appears when you factor in world events of the last several years that they are planning a totalitarian regime coalition across the world. Our republican leaders must stand up for democracy. Republicans themselves must call their elected leaders to insist they stand up to Trump.
i wonder what the burden of proof will be for an anonymous whistleblower to be "visibly shaken"?
can that be vetted?
1
The anonymous whistleblower was not shaken. A Trump White House official was.
4
@flaart bllooger The whistle blower is NOT anonymous. His identity is known to the IG to whom the event was reported. And the IG vetted the complaint with a number of other officials. The LAW protects whistle blowers from retribution by shielding their identity. To intentionally “out” a whistle blower is a felony. The law was created for instances exactly like this one where the perpetrator of the misdeed wishes the whistleblower harm.
One of the most challenging aspects of this impeachment process is the idea of removing a President from office for behavior that is completely consistent with the type of behavior that got them elected in the first place.
The people who voted for Trump gave him a mandate to be outrageous, tell mistruths and defy the administrative institutions that uphold American democracy. The country has been living in a state of continuous contradiction ever since.
26
@Kieran - Don't forget that Trump is in office only due to the quirks of our Electoral College and the fact that most states award their electors "winner take all" instead of proportionally. Trump *lost* the election's popular vote by nearly 3 million votes. He has no mandate from the people.
1
@Kieran
That is the worst reason for electing trump I've ever heard. So you expected him to tell lies and go against everything our once great country stands for.
The great majority of the people voted for Clinton. traitor trump was elected because of the out-dated and un-democratic electoral college. Time to get rid of it and let the majority of the voting citizens decide who should be the POTUS.
And calling lies "mistruths" is a real misnomer. Call the what they are-- -LIES!
There was a scene in the movie the "Big Short" where Steven Carell watching a major US bank fail in real time just stands up and says the word "boom" . BOOM
118
@Sam Thank you for that Urban definition.
WH: THUD
1
Here’s my prediction: Trump will resign. Pence becomes president and selects Nikki Haley as his vice president. Pence announces he will not run for president. Haley becomes the nominee.
Given the incredibly weak slate of democratic candidates, Michelle Obama throws her head in the ring before the Iowa caucus.
Haley versus Obama. Next president of United States: Nikki Haley.
8
Not bad, not bad at all.
I of course would vote for Michelle, but I could live with President Haley more than any Republican I can think of at the moment.
Not bad at all.
1
@Pragmatist in CT
The same Nikki Haley who threatened retaliation if countries did not vote with the US at the U.N.? That Nikki Haley?
6
@Pragmatist in CT In your dreams...Pence has let it be known - for years - that he has wanted to be president since his youth. He'd walk over Trump still-warm body to take office.
There is one thing that "might" come true: Trump resigns due to "health concerns". He'll never admit he's done anything wrong.
4
Sadly the Senate Republicans remain firmly behind him.
48
@Bruce Price Let’s see if they follow him as he jumps out of the plane without a parachute
1
@Bruce Price
Most of them are as corrupt as the President is.
1
@Bruce Price Trump's abandonment of our Kurdish allies in Syria is the first "shot across the bow" which portends the shattering of Senate Republican support for the president. Stay tuned for more to come.
1
It was perfect, ok. Perfect extortion. Couldn’t have been better. Better than any extortion call he’s ever made because this time he used his great unmatched wisdom.
297
@RLG
Bravo and hysterical!!!!
8
I've yet to see any mention, in New York Times stories or other media reports, as to whether there is an actual recording of this phone conversation. If so, and this was, in Trump's words, a "perfect" phone call, perhaps it's time for him to share it with the world.
53
@Ken Picard I agree. If the new defense is “he was just joking”, then why put the record on a secure server? Why not just share the humor? Oh wait, the joke is on us.
4
@Ken Picard - No recording (it's been mentioned in national news reports that recording calls stopped with the Nixon administration) but there could very well be a word for word transcript on that code level server.
7
@Ken Picard Since Watergate, the WH does not record the calls; instead, relies upon transcribers. I think it is time we bring back recordings.
1
Can the President, the Commander in Chief, be Court Martialed? For conduct unbecoming, if not malpractice?
35
@S.Starr
Interesting question. As Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces, can he be court martialed? He's never served -- until this role -- and he's clearly not actually "serving".
4
@S.Starr No but he can be impeached.
1
@Marian The only one Trump serves is himself.
And yet at least 40 percent of this nation will vote for him.
40
@Mixilplix
And yet, that's not a majority.
Get out the vote, and get out and vote.
3
@Mixilplix If the New York Times, et al. continue their attempts to rewrite reality to the constant benefit of the left through November 2020, the percentage will increase exponentially. Despite what the coastals believe, regular old Americans ain't stupid. Example: your Elizabeth Warren spin of earlier today. Keep it up!
@Mixilplix Only 25% of the voting populace voted for him last time. Turn out was 50%, and he got slightly less than half the votes.
1
"that there was already a conversation underway with White House lawyers about how to handle the discussion because, in the official’s view, the president had clearly committed a criminal act by urging a foreign power to investigate a U.S. person for the purposes of advancing his own re-election bid in 2020"
This is not White House counsel's job. WHC is there to protect the Presidency, not help cover up the President's illegal behavior. Let him consult with his own lawyer, Rudy Giuliani, for that.
60
How many of us have known Trump to be "crazy" and "frightening" since long before day 1? When will this nightmare end? I fear it will take decades to repair the damage Trump and the GOP have wrought. And I emphasize the GOP's role, because not only will they not stop defending Trump's utterly indefensible behavior, Trump is the natural product of a political party who has long opposed basic democratic values and refuses to acknowledge the legitimacy of the opposing party. The GOP is the party that refused to let a Democratic president appoint a supreme court justice, just for one example, who can't win elections without suppressing votes, as another. Yes, White House staff understood the gravity of Trump's criminal behavior, but because they are Republicans, they do nothing about it. Goodbye America, nice knowing you.
201
I've understood trump for exactly what he is since I first became aware of him back in the '80's. I never voted for any Democrats until the last (2018) election, in which I voted for the straight Democratic ticket. Now I find that there is no reason to vote for ANY Republican/traitor candidates; only infinite reasons to vote for Democrats as a way to vote against ALL Republicans/traitors.
10
I am starting to wonder which remedy would be the most expedient. Impeachment, or invoking the 25th Amendment.
Trump is *unquestionably "losing it", and there is precious little evidence that he *ever actually "had it" !
131
But honestly what can be done? Trump and his lawyers just refuse to cooperate and command that no one in the White House honor requests for testimony, materials and ignore subpoenas. They just block everything. What if anything can be done?
4
I go with the 25th.
2
Forget about the 25th amendment, the cabinet is majority controlled by trump cronies/bootlickers. Impeachment is the only way to "at least" make a stand for law and order. The Senate can expose themselves as trump toadies/bootlickers/crime enablers by failing to convict following the House impeachment and the voters can do with that as they like. At least we'll all know who is an American and who is a traitor. Some of us are already clear about that.
10
Now everything Trump does is suspect. What is he personally gaining by abandoning the Kurds?
50
Trump has two towers in Turkey and his business there depends on Ingratiating himself to Turkey’s leader. And it allows Putin to steer Middle Eastern policy including energy. There is an interview on Breitbart in which Trump is asked if he thinks Erdogan is a good partner and he replies that he has a conflict of interest in answering because of his business there.
16
@Stevo He has said on TV before that he has a conflict of interest due to Trump hotels in Turkey. He is just protecting his business interests there.
5
He's just following Putin's orders - and by doing so avoiding Putin's wrath - remember that Putin holds kompromat on trump which is the bottom line of Putin's control of trump.
4
"already a conversation underway with White House lawyers about how to handle the discussion..."
And the conclusion was to hide the transcript away in a secure server used for extremely sensitive information on national security.
The "Perfect Call" had to be locked up.
94
@cretino
right
nothing to hide.
4
It's well past time to invoke the 25th Amendment, even if that will deprive us of a certain stable genius' "great and unmatched wisdom."
43
Normal people just don't say things like that about themselves.
3
@Rich Invoking the 25th Amendment would require the participation of the very henchmen Trump has surrounded himself with. That's even less likely than Republican Senators actually acknowledging Trump's illegal and repugnant behavior.
3
Trump has caused irreparable damage to the reputation of the United States and the institutions he swore an oath to protect.
118
@Character Counts I disagree. As citizens and voters, we have done tremendous damage to the reputation and institutions of the United States. There is plenty of blame to go around.
2
President's Trump's supporters don't care that he broke the law, and the GOP Senate is never going to acquit him. What happens when Trump claims fraud if he loses on election day in November 2020 and asks for the military's support?
32
@AdAbsurdum The Senate will definitely acquit him and not convict him.
1
@AdAbsurdum
the military will take back the people's house by force. if he dies in the process so be it
he'd be squatting on federal govt propertry.
Clearly this new whistleblower hasn't been set straight by the GOP. Trump was only joking, he didn't mean it, he didn't know any better, it was just an unfortunate mistake because he doesn't have a lot of experience with the machinations of the federal government... It's so heartwarming to hear the acceptance and forgiveness the GOP are willing to show neophyte Trump.
If he had done something truly insane, like wear a tan suit or ask for Dijon mustard, it would have been torches and pitchforks. Thank God for the moral compass of the party of family values!
100
Ever since Trump strolled down the escalator in 2015 announcing his candidacy, every single thing he has said or done has been frightening....
60
The rest of us have been visibly shaken for the last three years.
116
I’ve literally aged palpably: both visibly and psychologically. I was aging really well up until 2016. The constant anxiety this madman and his fascist cohorts have inflicted on millions of us is utterly outrageous and we should be financially compensated in emotional damages. (I deserve a Beverly Hills neck lift at this point, at the very least.) in all seriousness, can we collectively sue Trump et al for the profound trauma the GOP has caused the innocent people of this nation?
3
Eventually, this will all lead to a defining moment in US history, It will be interesting to see what it takes for everyday Republicans to finally understand how their words and actions will be remembered. History will note to what lengths they were willing to go to put party above country.
70
@Mford
The republicans don’t care about history or consequences. They are incapable of what I learned to call “delayed gratification.” They will always go for the immediate reward or pleasure even though it will have future negative
results. That’s how you can make sense of their refusal to act on everything from climate change and fossil fuel to gun control or impeachment. They’ll always go for the immediate gratification of re-election or group safety. Sad.
4
Not much new here. What’s needed is an avalanche of folks with direct knowledge to come forward. Numbers will not only make the case stronger, they will add some level of protection to the individuals. One or two whistle blowers are vulnerable to attack and discredit.
126
@Larry Jordan Once the investigtion starts, the avalanche of folks with direct knowledge will come forward, or be approached. It always starts with one brave individual.
40
Numbers didn't matter for the 18 women who accused Trump of various degrees of sexual misconduct.
7
@Larry Jordan This is playing like a reality tv version of The Emperor’s New Clothes.
3
Congress ~ time to play hardball. Let's subpoena witnesses from the start (no more agreements to appear), move to contempt if they do not appear ~ or subpoena the person who will not let that witness appear and ask them why they directed that obstruction. And assess personal fines for contempt. Hit these guys who are no-shows and refusing to produce documents in the pocketbook. We'll see how far loyalty to the president goes when it becomes personal and financial.
262
Have the Sargent at Arms of the House arrest the person who defies the subpoena and make it criminal contempt with jail time after the conviction.
22
@MOB why can't they subpoena the secret server? Certainly members of the Gang of Eight have the clearance to view the contents....
15
@MOB ...and don't forget that the weakest part of the human body is...the pocketbook!
8
Everything we know about the whistleblower is hearsay. Hearsay is not admissible in court because it is inherently unreliable. What you know about the whistleblower, according to credibility experts, needs to be viewed with a jaded eye. If you are taking to the bank what you have been told, you should know that that bank is very shaky. The whistleblower is not going to testify and his complaint is inadmissible. If you think the case against Trump is strong, you need to remember that there isn’t much evidence.
7
@michjas this is not an ordinary court and an ordinary trial. The rules of evidence are not the same, and the presumption of innocence is not a given. This is a political process, similar to a civil case, where the preponderance of evidence ends being a significant factor.
25
@michjas
His call for China to investigate Bidens the other day leaves very little doubt.
Not sure where the information about the whistleblower(s) not testifying comes from. I expect that more people, including the ones that were on the call will come forward.
18
@michjas Impeachment is a political process, not a court of law. Normal legal rules do not apply.
7
Time for the 25th Amendment. The event reported here was already enough. Trump's go-ahead to Turkey puts the matter beyond dispute. Serious impairment, a risk to international stability.
50
Voters who sent Trump to DC to "shake things up" are getting what they asked for: There is a growing list of officials "shaken" by what this President says and does. Lindsey Graham is "shaken to the core" by abandonment of the Kurds.
Trump has also just pulled the US out of the Open Skies Treaty that allows NATO to track Russian troop movement just as they are massing at Ukraine's border with Belarus, which shakes me up, personally.
Hearty congratulations to the GOP election machine. Bravo!
86
@Susan Watson
Trump has so blatantly done Putin's bidding from the very beginning that it is truly scandalous that the GOP keeps going along. Are they all traitors, then, or are they just that easily bought with his tax-handouts and cutting of social and environmental regulations? I guess that makes them traitors to national security, in any case.
7
@Susan Watson He hasn't pulled us out of the Open Skies Treaty but is seriously proposing this. Nothing has been done--yet. Just the thought of this underscores the charges of treason against our chief executive. You have seriously got to wonder if he isn't Moscow's puppet. If so, impeachment couldn't come sooner. Our Republic is in danger with this present administration, many of whom are looting our coffers before the big fall.
5
The most frightening aspect to me, in this whole scandal, has been the disbelief about facts and unconditional support from the President's core base. And he has been wielding that power like a savant over many Republican lawmakers, who want to speak out, but are scared of being the target of the President's anger and subsequently losing support in their own constituents.
Mr. Trump has committed numerous acts that would have gotten any other President kicked out of office. And although his removal and/or prevention of his re-election is necessary, the scariest part of this is the undying support he gets from a significant portion of the society. All this need of corroborating, and re-corroborating the same piece of knowledge multiple times stems from the need to convince that core base of his wrongdoings. But I am afraid I feel that they are beyond that. All Republican values, at least on paper, of caring for the middle class, respect for troops, civility in the society, responsible fiscal decisions, strong American foreign presence and policy, have been trampled on by Mr. Trump and yet, he is yet to lose any support from his core base. At this point, it doesn't matter how many whistleblowers corroborate the original story and the sequence of events, it's not going to change their mind.
81
He *could* shoot a person in the middle of Fifth Avenue and some members of his base would still be loyal.
3
As has been noted in other comment sections:
If our republic survives this presidency, it will be because the Democrats were able to take over the House in the last election, and turn the tide. That may well have been the most consequential (positive) election of our generation.
112
After reading this article, I have concluded that the transcript of the call between Trump and Ukraine’s President that was released by the White House is incomplete. It is missing the part where Trump used his power over Ukraine. The complete transcript or whistleblower must provide the American lawmakers with the factual accounts. Clearly the White House is looking to coverup and control the narrative, which is meant to throw off investigations, shape public perception, and cover up any wrongdoing. Not to sound naive but why would honest people do such things when working for the American people?
21
@Dom Maranski
The transcript itself says it's incomplete, and not verbatim.
2
@Coyoty Yes, on the very first page.
1
"...the president had clearly committed a criminal act by urging a foreign power to investigate a U.S. person for the purposes of advancing his own re-election bid in 2020,”
Coverage of this transgression continues to emphasize the purpose of the call as it relates to the president's re-election in 2020.
What continues to get lost in such framing is the more simple, and actually more disturbing truth that the president of the United States was asking a foreign government to investigate an American citizen.
Were Ukraine to decide to allege that the Bidens committed a crime, would our president endorse extradition of the Bidens?
That's where the logic points.
Impeachment is far too mild an accounting for this disaster of a president.
42
Crazy?
Who comes to mind when that word is spoken?
20
Get the full transcript!! There's more incriminating material in it
33
Please stop with the “somebody said” reporting. This is ridiculous.
5
Since the information was contained in an official whistleblower complaint written by a veteran cia official, it seems highly likely to be accurate.
22
@Ian Plus, we've got a partial transcript released by the WH. We can see that with our own eyes.
1
@Florence You prefer the "lots of people are saying it" variety?
2
Trump needs to be gone, YESTERDAY!
32
GOP says: emoluments don't matter, lying doesn't matter, paying off porn stars doesn't matter, obstructing justice doesn't matter, saying exactly how you grab women doesn't matter, fomenting hatred and racism that leads to violence doesn't matter... as long as we get our tax cuts and supreme court justices! However, pulling out of Syria is totally over the line.
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@Curt Coker
I don't understand why this is, if someone would be kind enough to 'splain.
1
@Curt Coker
At least there's a smidgen of hope for the GOP since they finally found their red line!
3
@Joan Bee Progressive Yeah, they found their red line 8,000 miles away in a region that the vast majority of Americans don't understand.
1
Trump is compromised. He is a traitor. Everything he does benefits Putin and himself, not the Untied States of America.
Time to face reality.
329
@Tracy
Follow the $$$. Just remember NO BODY LIKES Trump. So why are so many officials covering up for him?
16
If this 2nd whistle-blower doesn't bring down Trump, nothing will. And it's crazy that Fox News broke this story....
35
@YHB318
Save your breath. There will be a 3rd, a 4th, maybe an army of nameless, faceless "whistle blowers". Frankly, I seriously doubt, that even the first is not a robot.
@YHB318 If you read the FOX article, the slant and gist of it is clearly different than this article's. Although they ultimate do clarify certain things and attempt to report truth, there is a lot of obfuscation because they repeat a lot of false information before they get around to it. Their readers don't have the bandwith to read through it.
2
@YHB318
Is this true? Just searched YouTube for their breaking it and I only see a report on Fox that "The NY Times Reports a 2nd Whistleblower."
Fox, is that you?
Finally, NYT, a headline that gets to what it feels like to be an American during this presidency.
45
Crazy, frightening, criminal. Doesn’t that sum up Donald just perfectly? Time to end the charade.
What profiles in courage in the GOP will be the ones to force him to resign? How about you, Senator Romney?
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@NJLatelifemom
I’m afraid you’ll have to show Romney “what’s in it for him?”
Somehow I doubt a chapter in a future book is nearly enough quid pro quo for him.
2
"....there was already a conversation underway with White House lawyers about how to handle the discussion because, in the official’s view, the president had clearly committed a criminal act by urging a foreign power to investigate a U.S. person for the purposes of advancing his own re-election bid in 2020." Can we please impeach this guy already? What a disgrace.
79
@Tony And, remove. It is time for mitch to forget about his wife's USG job and stand up for once to honor his oath to defend the constitution against all enemies, foreign and domestic.
3
When guilty you usually follow up with non cooperation. Makes sense right? If innocent, you're incensed and will forward any information the Dems want. And if vindicated guess what? You win in 2020 by a landslide! Legal and political its a win-win.
But the criminal occupying the WH doesn't see it this way. More info exposes to be what is true. A traitor....and Mr. Trump, you especially know what we do with traitors?
65
"the official" - James Mattis? John Bolton? Mick Mulvaney?
It's a fairly short list. Congress needs to find out just who this was and get 1st person testimony.
16
@Bill They stonewall and don't show up. So, how the heck can Congress do that?
looks like Barr can come back from his hunt to find someone to disprove the Russian investigation. Trump was asking Ukraine to create one, so he can invite Putin back in the G7.
What a punch of dishonesty in this Administration.
27
@Peter barr is actually lookin for the WMDs that bush could not find.
1
These words pretty much some up the feelings expressed by most people in the US who believe that almost everything Trump does is “crazy,” “frightening,” and “completely lacking in substance..."
Most Americans are all "visibly shaken" by his irresponsible policies, inane rhetoric and narcissistic behavior.
What is frightening is how 40% of Americans (and 90% of Republicans) aren't alarmed, shaken or scared by his extremely dangerous nonsense
336
@BMD I suspect that many are shaken by the extent to which they allowed themselves to be snookered by their
"Savior President." Many turned to him because they felt they weren't being heard or counted. Being so vocal and public in support, makes it much more bitter-pill painful to say, "We were taken; we were wrong."
8
@Steven Pons Maybe we should ask that the records of the conversation be declassified and released from the super secret server where they hide his crimes. If there was nothing wrong why did they go to such lengths to hide it?
23
Mr. Pons — your education apparently didn’t improve your listening skills or make you more honest in your argumentation. Biden did not “admit to using his office for personal gain” in the video you reference, he took credit for prompting a change advocated for by the the American government and almost all of its European allies. Please improve the quality of our public discourse by holding yourself to a higher standard.
23
There was a Star Trek episode where Spock defending Kirk. who is on trial for a trumped up charge (no pun intended) postures that if he is on a planet with positive gravity and drops a hammer he does not need to see it fall to know that it did.
Point being, all of this was totally predictable and could not not have gone any other way. What is remarkable is that the GOP knew it too and could not stop it. All their continued efforts is spitting into the proverbial wind.
What is most sad is how much real damage has been leveraged, both physically and mentally, to our world.
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@mr
I am reminded of the Star Trek episode with Trelaine, the man-child wreaking havoc with the crew of the Enterprise. Acts just like this president.
1
@mr. Spot on Star Trek reference. Brilliant sci-fi. Terrifying reality.
A patriot is someone who upholds and defends the Constitution against all enemies, foreign and domestic.
150
Who would have dreamed that “domestic” would mean not commies hiding under the bed, but the president, the attorney general, and the secretary of state?
5
It's clear from this report that congressional investigators need to get their hands on the full 'transcript' of the Trump Ukraine phone call. Because the summary released by the White House wasn't "crazy" or "frightening."
30
@RRM Agreed. Who believes for a second that the released reproduction wasn't a significantly prettied-up version of the real thing?
12
@RRM Disagree. To those attuned to the proper boundaries of diplomatic conversations, what's in the summary is both crazy and frightening. But the full transcript may well contain more insanity.
13
My increasing sense of doom tells me that nothing...NOTHING will be convincingly WRONG enough to discredit this man who is holding the White House (us) hostage. The hostility coming from the White House is (and I hope will be found to be) criminal.
59
People who work for Trump -- in the White House -- recognize the "crazy," "frightening," and "completely lacking in substance" nature of his behavior.
Yet the vast majority of Republicans in Congress are willing to look the other way, make excuses, remain silent, and do anything but act to retain their positions of power.
They are spineless cowards who put their own political interests ahead of the well-being and security of the nation. They all deserve to be out of jobs.
155
@William Keep in mind, they're doing what they figure they need to to get re-elected. The base (on the conservative side -this time) and their chokehold on American politics is the real issue.
Sadly, that problem can't be addressed until a more reasonable president is elected, if then.
3
@William When you say they "are willing to look the other way," the other way is Fox News, Trump's official propaganda arm. It's as simple as that. If and when Fox News throws in the towel, the Republicans in Congress will then try to squirm out supporting Trump.
4
@William
The 'silent majority' aka tight-lipped Republicans may be out of a job if the silence continues. This is not a partisan issue.
5
This is what bullies do. They force themselves on weaker targets, violating decency, justice and rights. Trump did that with women. He’s doing the same with the Ukraine and the Kurds. Communist China is doing the same deity the NBA, the Philippines, Taiwan, Hong Kong, the Uyghers, Christians, the Falun Gong. The list is long. Many of us have fought bullies and we know what is required.
31
Welcome to the 4th dimension
21
The anonymous whistle blower heard this from an unnamed official.
I get it. In that context anything goes.
3
@waldo Did you miss the part about the Inspector General performing subsequent interviews and getting corroborating interviews about the complaints?
48
@waldo Ah, yes. It is not important that the claims have been verified -- what is important is that the claims were made anonymously. Facts have no relevance -- what we must discover is why those facts were disclosed. What turncoat dared report the President's duplicity?
15
@waldo The transcript of the call confirms that they had
reason to blow the whistle. It does not matter that they are unnamed or anonymous; Trump's own words support the complaint.
10
Nausea. Dread. Shame. These are my primary feelings almost every day since the election. I’m more than ready for this nightmare to be over.
383
Nausea and dread sum up my daily feelings nicely. I try not to feel shame because we are better than this. We just need to remove the malignancy in the White House.
6
The sheer number of people who have been close to this President who have resigned in disgrace, in horror or in handcuffs is remarkable.
How anyone can believe that there is some sort of competence or normalcy in the West Wing is beyond me.
783
@Mark Marks
Clearly you have not met my mother.
45
@Mark Marks
Trump didn't conjure these people out of thin air; they already existed and their rottenness preceded him. The one revelation of this Presidency is just how many incompetents, rogues, knaves, and chameleons there are in positions of power in this country. Yeah, a real meritocracy!
11
@arusso and the relatives of many ofter American citizens. Saints preserve us.
3
Just because one whistleblower's knowledge of Trump's wrongdoing may have been second hand doesn't make it any less serious. Ever hear of second hand smoke?
207
Just because Schiff heard someone say that they heard someone say that they heard someone say that they heard Trump say something, doesn’t make Schiff wrong. But what did Trump say? Meanwhile Schiff could finally release the secret information that he kept from Mueller, that Schiff has said many times, proves Trump was colluding with the Russians. Why won’t he release it? Maybe it implicates Democrats in wrongdoing.
@Jay Orchard That and the fact that the WB report was deemed "credible" and "urgent" by Republican trump-appointed IC IG and the Republican trump-appointed DNI.
And trump's partial "memo".
And trump on the WH lawn admitting to it and doing it again in front of rolling news cameras.
6
Good comparison, thank you.
1
Such a clear and concise way to put it: "...the president had clearly committed a criminal act by urging a foreign power to investigate a U.S. person for the purposes of advancing his own re-election bid in 2020,”
Amazing that the GOP and Trump sycophants are arguing that this is not a criminal act, that they are okay with the President, working from his White House office, in a phone call arranged within the structure of the executive branch that should only have to do with the business of the nation, pushed for election interference by a foreign government.
154
@Wayne Cunningham, great comment and not only using the oval office for campaign smear tactics, but urging Ukraine to work with the attorney general of the United States (who, almost scarier, is perfectly okay with this).
5
@Wayne Cunningham Not only amazing but really quite frightening.
5
Now this person knows how the rest of us have felt since election night: visibly shaken. Nearly three years of this so far!
168
Oh I don't think it's appropriate to say "Little, if any, of the whistle-blower’s complaint has been disproved." That doesn't belong in this story. Whistleblower complaints are meant to lead to investigations, they are not final reports or criminal charges whose importance is dependent on their accuracy.
45
@Dubious
Except, since Trump admitted it, it's safe to say the whistle blower complaint hasn't been disproved either.
7
@Dubious The WH itself released a truncated transcript of the meeting that shows Trump clearly using the power of his office to ask the Ukraine to investigate political rival Biden. Trump didn't ask the Ukrainians to investigate corruption, he asked them specifically to investigate the Bidens. And that transcript covered only 10 minutes of the 30 minute meeting. God knows what else Trump said. Moreover, Trump later confirmed he had one this and said he was proud of it. AND, the WH has produced no counter-evidence.
So far, it's pretty crystal clear.
1
@Dubious Exactly. And what "little" has been proven wrong?
And then "crazy... frightening...." We don't need to dig those out of THIS conversation.
"in my infinite wisdom" This is Narcissistic Megalomania https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Narcissism Under ordinary circumstances the guys in the white coats and butterfly nets would be calling. Seems like no chance the 25th Amendment will be invoked though.
2
The enablers have to stop enabling. If an insider knows it is wrong, it is their duty to come forward.
148
@Suzanne Moniz
Except, they are all grifters, and hangers on, they are expecting to get something out of the experience of working in the white house, even if it is a giant Cheeto.
5
For nearly three years now, Trump has acted as president of himself, serving only himself and his interests.
I doubt this Ukraine call, with Trump pushing for outcomes that help him directly, is the only time this has happened. And just because Trump is saying this out loud now shouldn't confuse us.
By the way, we still haven't seen the entire transcript -- this is the White House version -- and there doesn't need to be a quid pro quo, there only needs to be solicitation.
Can we please speed up this impeachment process before Trump does even more damage to America?
459
For someone who just tweeted to claim "great and unmatched wisdom" Mr. Trump shows little ability to recognize what others easily identify as criminal. I'm also reminded of his Cleveland acceptance speech (of which we do have the unreacted transcript): “Nobody knows the system better than me, which is why I alone can fix it.” Just begs the question which "system" he knows and which he wants to fix.
Well, Congress knows how to fix this - if only the Senate did, too.
108
@Martin--Mr. Trump is suspected of not having both oars in the water. If, as appears the case, he suffers from delusions of grandeur, then it would not be surprising if those delusions were to grow while he occupies the world's most powerful political office. And as the delusions would grow, so too would horror of the shame to result if they were to be disproven. Given Mr. Trump's record of repeated failures in business (real estate, airline, casinos, etc.) and the revelation of the fraudulence of his claim to be a self-made billionaire, each new threat to his would-be legend raises the ante. By now, the stakes are pretty high and the measures of containment are looking desperate.
10
@Martin
"... I alone can fix it..."
That is the key horrific Trump statement that spells out his dismissive attitude of experts who are militarily, economically, historically, educationally, ecologically and diplomatically superior to his minimal "bully on the playground" knowledge of government.
3
@Martin Perhaps fix is meant to be interpreted as "the fix is in" -- that is, something is rigged
3
Because Trump's credibility is zilch, who would any normal person believe? Because Trump's base have an emotional attachment to him, will this move the needle on removing this dangerous man from our highest office? But even if reason doesn't prevail over irrational emotion in the end, I think you have to do the right thing.
28
@Bill Agreed. Trump has 12,000+ confirmed likes to his credit, and says things like, "my great and unmatched wisdom" (which many of us thought was a SNL comment for a little while). Why would ANYONE believe him now.
5
@Bill
His cult isn't normal, they believe the story of how Trump was just rooting out corruption wherever it exists, you almost expect him to rip open his shirt and go running off to the nearest secure phone booth, and emerge in some cape with a big C (for the word corruption, not what readers think, appropriate sure) on his chest. After all, who but Trump knows the ins and outs when it comes to corruption.
1
Did any of you think this would not happen?
If that is the case then you are truly delusional, even more so than Mitch, or Linsey, or Marco, or any of those that show up at the rallies.
102
And in these comments we will have yet more indignant supporters of the Orange God King wailing about partisan attacks on their hero. Wake up and smell the coffee, people - this guy is corrupt, and incompetent, and only in it for himself.
505
@PeteH
For being labelled 'corrupt' he must have accepted payments in return for political favours.
Can you name any?
@waldo
sounds like a purist definition of corrupt to me.
8
@waldo
Nope sorry. The corruption was in offering something of value- $391 million for "investigating" Hunter Biden and an invitation to The White House
23
“Crazy, frightening, and completely lacking in substance . . .”
What better description of Donald Trump could one ever find.!
1104
@pneaman -- "Crazy, frightening, and completely lacking in substance..." -- At first I thought this was a description of the Senate Republicans .... but now I see it is also about Trump. Thanks for clearing up my confusion!
19
I want to know what phone call transcripts between Trump and foreign leaders are on the secret server?
390
@Vsan23 I want to know the content too.
21
@Vsan23
For your information, these 'secret servers' exist in each and every country to allow leaders make the unpopular, yet necessary calls. And that principle goes back to before the telephone was invented.
@waldo -- Are you saying it's the butler?
10
Electing a second-rate reality show actor to run the country, and now everyone seems surprised by his actions. Let’s all vote in 2020 like our livelihoods and perhaps our lives depend on it.
1666
@Mark
You could not be more on target.
40
@Mark: My question still remains - was he really elected, or was he installed? 77,000 votes is a really close margin for error.
95
@Mark
If at all we have fair elections in 2020.
20
Why this continued focus on the whistleblowers? The transcript released by the White House contains affirmative, incontrovertible evidence that Trump solicited foreign assistance in the election, which violates federal law. Trump's blocking of witnesses is incontrovertible evidence of obstruction of justice.
Impeachment count 1, violation of federal law. Count 2, obstruction of justice. What more do we need?!
Every day this goes on the GOP attacks and disinformation grows. All that can conceivably come from delay is confusion.
899
@Todd: You asked "Why this continued focus on the whistleblowers?" The GOP strategy is deflect, deny, distract, especially when they're wrong, which is pretty much 100% of the time.
75
@Todd Not even a transcript — what’s been released is the cleaned-up summary that Trump and co felt comfortable releasing.
But I agree with you that the facts are all out, and we don’t need to rely on whistleblower testimony.
35
@Todd - people on the right are continuously posting that the call transcript actually exonerates the President. I don't know what world they're living in, but I think we need someone in the GOP to explain it to them...
53
Well, nothing will come of this, Trump is going to reelected in 2020, and I'm glad I moved to the Netherlands this year to avoid more ongoing madness. You're welcome to join me over on this side of the Atlantic.
16
@Bill Scurry I'm afraid that we can run, but cannot hide, from authoritarianism's creep. We saw this in the 1930's.
15
Bill, running away isn’t going to help any of us. I love my country, and I’m doing everything I can to stand up for what is right.
17
@Bill Scurry I want to go!
2
Let the American Public see all the phone transcripts that are secretly stored away. If they are of no national security concern, then we should be shown all (without edits!).
97
@Matt586 We need to remember that what the White House released were a summary, not a "transcript."
5
pbjorling,
'Reconstructed transcript'. Shorthand/euphemism for 'made up'. Which is even worse.
1
It is very disturbing that the Republicans seem to be sticking with their "nothing to see here", "nothing illegal" "but Biden" talking points.
70
@Low Energy, Sad: They've got nothing else because they know they're wrong, he's wrong, and his orange behind will be impeached and the GOP will have no choice but to convict, thereby giving away the 2002 election. They've already done that, they just don't want to admit it yet.
3
I am I am happy that The whistleblower is reporting on the improprieties corruption and criminality of the Trump administration. however my question is where are the principal resignations of top officials? Where are the condemnations in public? From the Democratic side of The ledger I have these questions; where are the subpoenas? Where is the charging of inherent contempt? Where is the Sergeant at Arms busily arresting and detaining those who defy Congressional subpoenas? where is my republic where is the democracy that I've come to love and I thought was built upon a roc solid foundation and now it's sad to see it was built upon and ephemeral Sandcastle that may never have existed
42
@r. Pangloss
The subpoenas are all in the courts where Barr, Trump and cronies have sent them to delay any release of information. Trump is not the only crook, he has lots of help.
3
@Dr. Pangloss Yes, exactly!
We should all be frightened, including our senators. Wake up, Congress -- it's time to act.
137
Republican
Integrity
One of these things is not like the other.
60
That's an oxymoron!
6
SN,
Excellent. Thank you very much for that trip down the Sesame Street Memory Lane.
This call may not have been totally perfect.
564
@JB Actually, not even semi perfect.
7
@JB
Its beauty is doubtful, also.
17
@JB I love understatement.
5
Why do Republicans fail to see the danger in allowing the President to get foreign powers to help him win elections? Iran just reportedly tried to hack into Trumps re-election campaign. What if they had uncovered illegal, or even just embarrassing, information and used it to blackmail Trump into dropping sanctions or "giving" them Iraq? What if the Chinese decided they want to get a Democrat elected and steal or just make things up about Trump? What if criminals start hacking Senators, finding evidence of affairs and start selling it to the highest bidder? Shortsightedness today will come back and haunt them tomorrow (literally).
41
@Patrick: They know, they don't care, period. Power is the end goal, always has been, always will be with these amoral spineless jellyfish.
12
@Patrick
Or even if the Chinese wanted to give his family members some patents or loan them money to get out of a bad business decision?
6
Trump’s presidency is scary and frightening. Every single day.
137