How weird is it that Trump who refuses to be transparent by forbidding his staff to simply testify and tell the truth, now has the audacity to claim the Democrats are the one subverting transparency.
It seems the fellow's goose if cooked....and well done.
Rudy Giuliani should be arrested, and made to talk, “extreme interrogation measures” could be used. This is treason, and should be called out as such. This cannot be tolerated and is a threat to our Democracy. We have plenty of prisons for evil people like this
3
What "experience"?
You dont need any experience as long as you do what Trump orders you to do. All you need is loyalty to the person Trump, not to the US.
1
House impeachment Inquisition continues; closed doors without bipartisan questioning, selective leaks and Inquisitor Schiff leaks his biased take. What could be wrong with this process?
@Truthbeknown
The GOP is invited on an equal basis to these hearings. Whether they choose to accept the invitation or not is their decision. Of course, if they refuse, then what you write might be factual. However they report it on Fox, the Dems say the GOP is there, but very quiet.
Boy, most of the US folks Trump gave huge tax breaks to, make far more than the $50K a month for each Board of Directors that they serve on. Biden's son did not make more than is standard while on the Board of that Ukranian Corporation.
1
Why is Senator McConnell wasting time? He already knows what he's going to do, and the facts don't matter. Why wait for the house to pass articles of impeachment? He could hold the trial right now, get an acquittal on party lines and be done with it. The base would applaud, and he thinks the majority of Americans don't matter. In addition, his master would be delighted; according to McConnell's timeline, he's going to give Trump an acquittal as a Christmas present. What a sorry excuse he is as a leader of the Senate. Our democracy is crumbling as we watch.
3
@Carol
why? These hearings have brought out a wider ranging conspiracy and totally supports and fills out the original complaint. The whole story has not been unwrapped, although there are lots of people in the State dept. who are anxious to tell their part. With a whole story, the GOP has less reason to clear Trump.... well, convince the bulk of American people, anyway.
And once again Democrats snatch defeat from the jaws of victory! How can you fail to impeach when a majority of representatives supposedly agree to impeach?! It’s tough rooting for a team that continually insists on losing.
Why is Senator McConnell wasting time? He already knows what he's going to do, and the facts don't matter. Why wait for the house to pass articles of impeachment? He could hold the trial right now, get an acquittal on party lines and be done with it. The base would applaud, and he thinks the majority of Americans don't matter. In addition, his master would be delighted; according to McConnell's timeline, he's going to give Trump an acquittal as a Christmas present. What a sorry excuse he is as a leader of the Senate. Our democracy is crumbling as we watch.
This reminds me more and more of 1688 in Britain. King James II was more erratic and less popular than ever. Hold tight: the Glorious Revolution is coming soon!
2
Oh who cares , Nancy has made it clear she will never impeach him.
1
Gifter Sondland spent a million of our money to renovate his house.
1
Seeing that the Democrats are holding these meeting in secret, even from their fellow lawmakers, and that the Democrats are leaking selectively to the fake news media Americans would be fools to believe any of it.
And since Americans are not fools this will come back to haunt the Democrats at the ballot box in 2020. Four more years!
@John Gilday : No, you are mistaken. It seems strange and unusual to you that professional people in government are coming forward, that Democrats are being transparent about their process and findings, and that the media are for the most part reporting all this to the public in neutral factual terms. I know it seems strange because this has been in remission the last few years. But there is actually a name for all this. It’s called democracy.
7
Once upon a time on a planet far, far away...
2
No, it’s not democracy, it’s an Inquisition. It is behind closed doors, secret, not bipartisan and with selective leaks. It is the farthest thing from “Democracy”, it is a form of sanctioned mob rule.
In addition to all of the investigations regarding impeachment, Congress needs to add to their list of Articles of Impeachment mental instability. Scary times for all American's.
6
I shudder when I hear Trump is either scared or furious. That's when things really start flying, in the form of chaotic tweets ("send them back") or bizarre decisions, like the pull-out from Northern Syria to distract us from what Trump is really up to.
6
My West Point classmate Bill Taylor, USMA, 1969, embodies the West Point Motto of Duty, Honor, Country, qualities that have guided his life of service to this country for the past 50 years from Vietnam to the Ukrainian Embassy. I have no doubt that his words and actions reflected his concern with maintaining the American policy of assisting in fighting corruption in the Ukraine, supporting it's new President, and standing up against Russian efforts to establish hegemony in the area. He should know that he does not stand alone, but that those of us who served with him stand with him, Duty, Honor, Country.
10
I’m watching Rachel Maddow, who is going through Adam Schiff’s letter that refuted the Republican talking points. Where is the Times reporting on this letter??
4
I thought I told everyone not to cooperate with congress. Why don't people follow my instructions?
4
Shadow foreign policy is treason pure and simple. That's why career State professionals and diplomats are so demoralized and quitting. The Executive Branch is thoroughly corrupt. Not good.
11
“You would think there is NO WAY that any of the Democrat Candidates that we witnessed last night could possibly become President of the United States.”
This statement is so ridiculously funny, for so many reasons, that it’s worth spending some time basking in.
4
Only voters who live in a swamp believes that their president will clean the Washington swamp!
2
Pelosi announced there will be no vote on opening of a formal impeachment requirement because like they do not have the votes of in swing districts where Trump remains popular. Schiff should have consulted with his own party before proceeding with this baseless impeachment inquiry.Like Russia gate Ukraine gate is a fantasy.
2
@tmauel Maybe her reasoning is that a vote would set a poor precedent that affirms the Executive branch can define House rules. There is no law or rule now that requires a vote.
Anyway, it sounds like she does have the votes.
64
@tmanuel
Untrue propaganda we are now seeing out of the Fox/troll/bot machine.
Pelosi refused to declare impeachment proceedings until she was assured of majority support.
Pelosi is under no legal obligation to hold a vote in the House at this stage of the game. A vote will be held in the House before an indictment is presented to the Senate.
Schiff, as head of the Intelligence Committee, has no obligation to check with anyone else while doing his job.
Unusual syntax and vague locations are often indicators of foreign trolling. Just saying.
73
@tmauel
Pelosi has the votes for an impeachment. She doesn't want vulnerable Democrats in newly flipped states to have to go on the record supporting impeachment, and she doesn't want to risk giving Republicans subpoena power.
Lastly, there is no requirement for a formal vote on an impeachment inquiry.
Everything you said is wrong.
53
Have we gone from the impeachable offense of the month, to the impeachable offense of the week, and then the impeachable offense of the day?
11
Trump is supremely ill-qualified to be President. The people around him are third rate mediocrities who would not get near a normal administration.
The fact that the chaos has been this subdued is amazing.
19
A shadow foreign policy led by Giuliani who is not even a government employee?
Are you kidding me? The Trump supporters have no problem with a non-government employee, with his own business interests, running a shadow American foreign policy?
This is insane. Isn’t this obviously disturbing, dangerous, and crooked on the face of it?
155
@Ann Have you forgotten "crooked Hilary" ? These clowns make her look like the very image of integrity and honesty.
15
@Martino - No one can make Hillary look like the image of integrity.
@tom harrison Oh yes they can! Too much Kool Aid flowing these days ...
28
Giuliani is feeling the heat.
Trump is the clown.
Such blowhard self-aggrandizement is a clear giveaway.
8
Rudy's coconspirators all in the bag, a good start.
9
Trump sez IG report on Russia probe which he claims to have not seen (tell = lie) implicates Obama in the witch hunt. White supremacy clings to power.
4
Seems like the impeachment inquiry is really snowballing. Trump is scared of the candidates and obviously frustrated by constant mentions of impeachment through the debate. Especially with the internal review of the transcript underway, could be some more guys on the inside coming out.
103
Meanwhile, a tumbleweed makes its halting, desultory journey across the Senate floor as no Trumpublican senator cares about the issues coming to light. At least, not in the way they should. No facts will make these craven suits decry this corruption.
Patriots impeach, Cowards acquit
110
@Michael Well said! "Patriots impeach, Cowards acquit" - should be on a tshirt. I'd buy it.
38
Maybe it is high time Americans stop thinking that military service or a West Point education automatically imbues a person with intellect, integrity or other super powers. People who serve are just people. Maybe better at following orders blindly and without pausing to think but that doesn’t make them good, just morally bankrupt in Pompeo’s case.
141
@AusTex
Exactly! He and Barr gave speeches in the past few days and they went on about being Christians. They just say that to get votes.
82
@AusTex Pompeo has certainly diminished himself for the sake of his politics. He was not just a West Pointer, he was first in his class. Clearly he was bright and capable, but seems to lack judgment.
38
@AusTex : "Honor, Duty, Country. A cadet will not lie, cheat, or steal, or tolerate those that do." Pompeo seems to have forgotten the principles and code that were drilled in to him and every other cadet for four years. Shameful!!
34
Two tools in Pompeo's toolbox are outright refusal to comply with subpoenas and disparagement. He tried disparagement when he was being interviewed by PBS News Hour's Judy Woodruff and said she sounded like she worked for the DNC. Ms. Woodruff stopped his nonsense like the pro she is by calmly telling him she was an independent journalist, then continued with the interview. It was a beautiful moment. I'm hoping the mounting testimony from our government career professionals will tank Pompeo's nonsense.
264
It was Nashville’s own Nancy Amons working for a non-Sinclair local NBC affiliate that pinned Pompeo’s ears back and whom he accused of working for the DNC.
21
@Matt Powers
I watched the PBS interview with Woodruff too, and Pompeo said what @MikeT said he did. If Pompeo made the same comment to a Nashville reporter, it's clear it's one of his default talking points when he can't answer a question.
54
@Mike T yes he has used that line twice, once on PBS and once on Nashville TV.
22
New Corruption Game--6 Degrees of Giuliani
8
A “silly gotcha game” /// a perfect describor for the Trump circus. Impeach Trump now.
4
Never had a President during our lifetime work so hard in the Presidency, for his own personal, financial benefit.
Never had a President that could destroy our economy, country and our future in three years, while hurting as many people as he could.
One can only imagine how our country's economy would have been, if he had worked as hard for ALL of US and all of our futures instead, of just himself and his cronies.
18
Mr. Trump's foreign "policies" and the way he has managed his cabinet and administration to carry them out would be alarming enough without privately subcontracting one of the most challenging areas on the globe to Rudy Giuliani and his own subcontractors.
3
Native New Yorkers, especially those of us who were born and grew up in Brooklyn, have always gagged at the behavior of Rudy.
I personally can't wait to read his sentencing memo, and/or his obit.
10
For sure, the now president of the United States [The Emperor]
has no clothes! Greatest thing since sliced bread I say. His wisdom and business acumen is far and above any of us mortals. It must be almost cosmic to be a Republican these days.
8
I have spent time reading the NYT articles that were written prior to the beginning of WW II. It was interesting how the NYT wrote about Germany and the annexing of Europe that was taking place. The dilemma of the Jewish people the ships being denied entry into America. Read the articles about the Civil Rights Movement , Viet Nam., 9/11
We have lived this political insanity before, please read the NYT ,it is insightful , disturbing but a good predictor of where we are going in this country
Trump yelled at Nancy today and we are all going full circle of the past repeating itself. Know your history and you can see the future. We need to get out of this darkness and move into the light and I am not talking about religion but smart common sense.
46
Thank you for your wise words.
8
"[T]he most successful Presidents" with "great and unmatched wisdom" and "the best words" is truly a legend. In his own mind.
16
@Justin Don't forget what a stable genius he is.
God help us all.
6
"The adviser, Fiona Hill, did not accuse Mr. Sondland of acting maliciously or intentionally putting the country at risk. But she described Mr. Sondland, a hotelier and Trump donor-turned-ambassador, as metaphorically driving in an unfamiliar place with no guardrails and no GPS, according to the people, who were not authorized to publicly discuss a deposition that took place behind closed doors."
According to *which* people?
3
@polymath Those people are *diplomats* who are trained, professional servants of the American people and not amateur mobsters like the Trump appointees.
30
@polymath According to people in the room not authorized to speak publicly. The comment on Sondlan is Fiona Hill's. Are you doubting the people speaking off the record are lying about Hill's testimony?
2
And to think that back in spring 2016 we all thought, “Well nobody would make a worse president than Herman Cain.” How wrong we were.
19
I know that the press is trying to be unbiased when it refers to Trump's "requests that Ukraine investigate" for "corruption". But it should really be acknowledged that what Trump is requesting is that Ukraine establish that there was wrongdoing by the Bidens, either by finding it or by fabricating it. An investigation which establishes that there was no wrongdoing will never be satisfactory to Trump.
27
@Robert Braun
So when is the Trump hotel being built with rooms for the Trump family and GOP minions.
3
The tweets alone should be their own article of impeachment. They are clear and willful deception, and brazen betrayal of the trust of the public.
He must be impeached, convicted and removed from office, or elections will never be fair ever again. How are we to entrust individuals which such power if they are just going to lie to our faces over and over?
163
@KH
Right on, and once he’s gone, we need to close any loopholes he has taken advantage of - like not filing his financial returns.
No one should be able to claim they are above filing such important personal data. In some measure, his claims of being uber wealthy actually propped him up and secured his base constituent’s trust, with them thinking he is so wealthy he is beholden to no one...in reality he is likely to be beholden to foreign entities unfriendly to the US, and we should have been able to check that possibility long before he was ever elected, and any else aspiring for the office will either provide their financial data or not be nominated by their party.
10
The old adage of being able to "walk and chew gum at the same time" has never been so true as of late when we observe the awesome tasks facing our Democratic House. For many committees, it is business as usual. Make no mistake that they are writing bills as we speak. That being said, Adam Schiff's actions and astute abilities are extraordinary. He is peeling off the outer coverings of a foul smelling onion, and soon he will discover for the nation its rotten core most likely made up of the triumvirate of Trump, Pompeo, and Giuliani. Even last night, it was hard to focus on our candidates, but they did their jobs well. Make no mistake, Mr. Trump: Any of these candidates will be a mighty force against your profound amorality and ineptitudes.
184
@Kathy Lollock Very glad the Democrats control the House!
37
An eloquent assessment.
16
@Kathy Lollock
You are leaving out AG Barr
12
Stayed tuned. One of Rudy’s other associates, RICO, could be arriving any time now. Then we can all sit back and binge-watch ‘Let’s make a deal.’
32
It is remarkable how so many Trump officials have so many close contacts with criminals with Russia ties. How many republicans will have to return money from Russia before they start checking where this money comes from. And how is it that Donald Trump seems to support every foreign policy goal of Vlad Putin. Break-up of the EU. Check. Assad's control of Syria with Russian control of a warm water port. Check. The complete destruction of the CIA and FBI forces that were exposing the criminal invasion of our election and their money laundering schemes. Check. The cementing of Russia's control of the Crimea and their current attempt to slice off the eastern section of Ukraine. Check. And the current attempt by Trump to absolve Russia of the 2016 election invasion, ignoring our own FBI, CIA, Justice dept. And the bi-partisan Senate report that proves it was Russia.He takes some wild internet tin foil conspiracy theories off the internet that blame the Ukraine. And of course Trump believes those crackpot theories and of course they are sourced to, you guessed it, Russia.
79
If the State is indeed Deep, then it's obviously been around for a while. Why is it just now an issue for a presidential administration? You never heard any of the other presidents -- Republican or Democratic -- mention, much less complain about a "Deep State." Of course, these other presidents weren't trying to subvert the Constitution like Trump and his bevy of bumblers and entourage of enablers. The "Deep State" was an aide and a guide to these administrations, not an obstacle to wrongdoing.
45
@Citizen-of-the-World There once was a Deep State. It was called J. Edgar Hoover. He had dirt on everyone. Illegal wiretaps all over Washington. But he died, and nobody else has amassed that kind of power.
8
@Citizen-of-the-World I think the key issue with Trump is this: whenever he accuses someone of wrong doing, he invariably has already committed the same offense, or is contemplating it. He is the world's worst poker face... but a great one for telegraphing his intentions. Think about it: fake media, witch hunt, lies, receipt, threats, witness tampering -- he's constantly accused others and yet has done it all and more. So the Deep State is precisely his game plan: corrupt the intitutions of power, buy them off or throw them out, and let the Deep State take over. It's really that simple and very threatening to our freedoms.
7
Looks like another of Consigliere Giuliani's cash cows has fallen, even though there seems to be no shortage of those. The Don won't be happy.
26
This has the same dynamic as the “Me Too” movement.
4
Yeah! People who are paying attention are getting uppity.
Ugh, it’s like when all those people marched around fussing about civil rights. Such a drag.
...Nevertheless, she persisted...
19
Rudy, do you think that Bill Barr will sacrifice himself in any way to keep you out of prison?
Rudy, do you think that your soon-to-be-ex buddies that have been recently indicted will sacrifice themselves in any way to keep you out of prison?
Rudy, do you think that former Congressman Pete Sessions will sacrifice himself in any way to keep you out of prison?
Rudy, have you noticed that Donald Trump has yet to sacrifice himself in any way for anybody in his entire life?
Rudy, guess where you're going unless you give up Trump.
73
Poll numbers show an increasing majority want Trump to be impeached and removed from office. Also increasing in each poll are the numbers of Republicans breaking away from supporting Trump and joining that majority.
35
@Isabelle They probably want trump to leave office and will opportunistically support impeachment so that they have a better chance of winning in 2020, either with pence or someone else.
I am concerned if this happens, as many people will cast that "at least he's not trump" lazy vote.
Oh, they've been lying in wait. As usual, they let the Dems do the work, and then they strategize accordingly. Don't we have enough to do with cleaning up their messes?---politically, economically, environmentally, socially, etc.---and now we have to use up our Demergy to clean up...the president?
9
At least we now know who some of the ‘Deep State Bureaucrats’ are who are out to get the president.
3
@robert mishlove
"Deep State" must mean "Qualified".
33
@robert mishlove Yeah - people who care about the country.
31
@robert mishlove …..Hmm. You may have heard that the FBI was once out to get Al Capone. When they couldn't get him on murder or racketeering, they got him on tax evasion. The point? Just because someone is out to get you doesn't mean you are innocent and don't need to be caught.
39
Latest update:
Still No Formal Vote to begin the Impeachment Inquiry. When the subpoenas being issued get ignored, where will the dems go for Court Enforcement? When there is a vote, can give us another Latest Update.
5
@GregP
Do you think the administration and the Republicans would behave any differently had there been a vote? Maybe you think Pelosi should do what Ryan and McConnell did - have a vote without time to read any material?
Or how the Republicans in North Carolina did on September 11 - tell the Democrats that no votes would be held during the 9/11 memorial service - then hold a vote.
Face it, the Republicans would complain just as much if there had been a vote, a Supreme Court ruling and a thunderbolt from God. Delay, distract, deflect.
54
@GregP Formal vote is not required, the American people's elected representatives are doing their job per the constitution- apparently a foreign concept to the grifter-in-chief. Obstruction of our investigation is also a crime.
42
Article I, Section 2 of the Constitution states: "The House of Representatives shall [choose] their Speaker and other Officers; and shall have the sole Power of Impeachment." That’s all. Nothing in the Constitution or House rules, require voting on whether or not to do their job—making laws and overseeing exec branch. The language in the Constitution means the Speaker can use her discretion as to how she conducts impeachment proceedings.
39
I object to handing DNC sponsored "debates" over to media/entertainment companies who ask dumb questions.
The candidates mentioned impeachment because they were asked. The candidates were asked questions to generate policy differences to spark more interesting TV.
Why don't the candidates answer questions from voters? Why don't they get a few minutes to explain how their policies would work?
These debates are irritating and they make all the candidates look silly.
34
It sounds like you’re wanting a Town Hall, and there have been several of them.
8
I concur wholeheartedly.
3
@Jason Murray Maybe, but what i really want is mandatory public campaign funding over a six-month campaign season. Politics will never be right with all that money sloshing around.
23
Let the loud mouth keep up his rantings, rallies, tweets and foul language. If he can wiggle out of getting impeached and convicted, then he can continue to do the same right through to the 2020 election. Meanwhile, the Democrats will go about their business of nominating a solid 2020 ticket. Reminder to Democrats: No matter what, win PA, MI and WI in 2020. Focus!
70
As long as impeachment remains a partisan venture it will be as bad a joke as Trump himself has been since being elected. I don't think rural america cares about what goes on in the rest of the country or the rest of the world, they will continue to soak up Trump like he's some kind of dangerous drug.
12
@john fiva, unfortunately, since the majority of Republicans are lockstep behind Trump, the impeachment is going to have the optics of looking partisan; however, what you read in the papers should illustrate that something is indeed very rotten in Trump's Denmark.
12
@john fiva Time and time again I ask myself what is wrong with rural America.
12
@john fiva
Doesn't matter what rural voters think. They're not the ones impeaching. The House will be doing that. They know full well that the Senate won't likely convict. That's not the point. Rule of law, and taking on the Constitutional duty of oversight, are what's motivating the House.
(Hint: Trump IS a dangerous drug.)
17
There are clear indications of corruption among multiple White House appointees and cabinet members. Now, Vice President Pence has joined in the obstruction conspiracy by refusing to honor Congressional subpoenas. This flings open the door to a simultaneous impeachment of both Pence and Trump, as well as for the rest of those maneuvering to stay in the shadows of Trump's one-way code of loyalty. Whether or not the GOP Senators honor their sworn oaths of office, and even if some of their "leaders" get pardoned, all the rest of those guilty of aiding and abetting Trump's corruption and obstruction will eventually be convicted and jailed. The sooner they realize that, the better it will be for them and the country. FYI - Whistles are far cheaper than phone calls made from prison.
42
What if both Trump and the Veep get impeached AND removed? Does that make Mitch McConnell president? I wonder how quickly he would rally the republican votes for that in the Senate
4
@Snow No. If both are impeached and found guilty it makes Nancy Pelosi president
68
@Snow
It makes Nancy Pelosi president.
41
My favorite line from the debate was Warren making a comment about “Whoever the Republicans end up with as a candidate”
Trump and Pence have both committed impeachable offenses. Time to call up some minor leaguers...
68
@Corbin Skip the minor leagues. These aren't even beer league players.
4
People can and do go to jail for defying supeonas. Maybe it is time to haul some folks in front of a magistrate too compel either compliamce or incarceration.
55
@Jack
People CAN go to jail for ignoring subpoenas. Alternatively, a Judge could rule that since there has been No Impeachment Vote the subpoenas are moot. Courts usually make those kinds of decisions based on precedents. Is there any precedent for beginning an Impeachment Inquiry without a Vote? With one? No one is going to jail for ignoring these pieces of paper. That's all they are.
@Jack Congress needs to be enforce violation of subpoenas to appear and/or produce documents. Congress itself has the inherent right to enforce and jail noncompliance. The time is ripe for opening the jailhouse door for Contempt of Congress.
8
@GregP - A judge, who has read the constitution, would realize that there is NO requirement legally of any kind for a vote. Just because some people chose to have a vote in the past when none was required does not make it a law.
12
President Trump's compromised, servile relationship with Vladimir Putin lies at the root of the Ukraine scandal, as well as the snowballing disaster in Syria. Although the House Democrats are attempting to frame the impeachment inquiry around a limited set of actions relating to Ukraine, the facts are inevitably going to lead back to issues raised in the Mueller investigation.
The thing that ties it all together is going to be the thing that explains why a malignant narcissist like Donald Trump still will not place himself above Putin. Trump does not consistently show deference or respect for anyone except Vladimir Putin.
Trump fears Putin. All these investigations will eventually intersect on the reason why Trump fears Putin.
81
Quit calling it a “shadow foreign policy.” Foreign policy had nothing to do with this corrupt enterprise to enhance Trump’s electoral prospects and enrich criminals.
35
@Daddy Frank Agreed - Perhaps the term "Shadowy Fauxreign Piracy" would be a better descriptor.
10
Sorry Trump, it's been nearly three years on the job and you still don't pass muster as "appearing Presidential." You are slow to learn, it seems. Most people I know would vote for anyone on that stage last night rather than endure further corruption, immorality, cruelty, and petty lying from you.
45
The most important change that must happen is Trump supporters or semi-supporters need to see the impeachment issue in simple terms.The issue breaks down to a simple question. Does any President, have the right to ask (or blackmail) another government for help against a political opponent?
That is the power Trump has claimed. He has never said he didn't ask for help. He's said is that he can do whatever he wants and his call with the Ukranian president was 'perfect.' He followed this by publically asking China to investgate Biden, cementing his clear view that this is his right. So the question is, are Americans willing to let a president use his power (and taxpayer dollars) to hand out favors to other governments, or not, based on how much they are willing to help him/her get re-elected?
If you say yes, then Trump and all future Presidents will be able to sell foreign aid, meetings at the Whitehouse, weapons deals and anything else, based on if that country is helping them win elections.
It seems to me no one would think this is a good idea.
I put it this way to one of my Republican friends who is a fan of Tucker Carlson, so low information and furious. But put this way, even he could see the problem. "No, of course the President can't sell or blackmail other countries for help against political oponents," he said as if I was the crazy one.
It's really a simple question that apparently even rabid Trump supporters can understand. Try it and see.
39
@Concerned
We already see the Impeachment process in simple terms. Democrats, and the Deep State that serves them, vowed loudly and clearly on the day after Trump was re-elected that they would not rest until he was Impeached. Mueller had years and millions of dollars and found nothing so now you roll out a whistle blower using the tried and true Kavanaugh playbook. Can't get any simpler than that.
@GregP
The word "simple" certainly applies to Trump supporters.
13
@GregP
For starters, read the Mueller report. "Found nothing" is embarrassing as well as incorrect.
18
Large number of witnesses. Thanks for the summary. The "hard" evidence like text messages, the number of people coming forward, what a story of a web of corruption.
Fascinating, but would feel better if it was not real.
Too bad none of it will matter to the GOP Senate who declines to honor their oath of office and defend the Constitution.
If America re-elects this man, we will truly elect the government we deserve.
17
After the spectacle that Devin Nunes made of himself by turning his investigation of the well documented 2016 Russian election interference over to the White House to run, the Democrats are fully justified in the precautions they are taking. Clearly at least some of the Republican Members are putting party above their Institutional Oaths of Office.
42
Considering how many members of his cabinet have simply ignored subpoenas why should anyone ever honor one anymore?
9
@Stephen The ones who choose to comply are motivated by their love of the United States and their respect for the Constitution.
8
@Stephen Because a Congressional subpoena is a legal compulsory request. If they fail to honor it, they risk being fined or jailed for contempt of Congress.
9
@Stephen because some people actually seem to care more about our country than the insane demands issued by their commander in chief.
6
Well gosh Mr Trump, glad you brought up who was president in 1929 when the stock market crashed - Herbert Hoover, Republican. Who was president for the 6 years before that? Calvin Coolidge - Republican. And before that Harding - Republican. Who saved us and restored our economy? A democrat.
Thank you for reminding us that Republicans crash our economy. And who was president for 8 years before the 2008 great recession? Bush. What about the Reagan Recession?
Clinton balanced the budget. Obama started an economic expansion in 2009 that continues to this day - or did. We'll see. Trump is doing everything in his power to tank it after only 3 years.
Are we seeing a picture here? Democrats restore and build the economy and Republicans tank it, repeatedly for the past 100 years.
Trump - you deserve impeachment if any "president" deserves it, it is you. We know from the Mueller report that you stole the 2016 election and was installed on a minority vote. We know that you are occupying the white house illegitimately. You were not duly elected and your corruption and narcissism is so deep that you couldn't not commit more impeachable offenses.
Pelosi was right when she said you would impeach yourself. And you did!
310
@Larimer lady Agree. Every Republican President brings recession. Why do people think they are so great for the economy?
35
@Mary Whenever DJT takes credit for our thriving economy, I marvel at how well it's doing in spite of him. Just think about how much better it will be once a democrat sits in the oval office.
15
@ Isabelle
Unfortunately, the next Democrat in office will have to repair the economy and do the hard work necessary to bail us out of our Republican-induced trillion dollar debt.
14
Will be interesting to hear if Pompeo has had time to finally read the whistle blower’s complaint, the one against his direct boss that implicated him, or if he’s still been “getting busy” with other things like co-ordinating Giuliani’s shadow foreign policy campaign.
Likely he will look extremely uncomfortable, as he should be well aware that a lackluster performance will get him a trip under the Trump bus.
Expect extreme obsfucation, attacks on “the process” of impeachment, and promotion of various conspiracy theories.
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@Troy
It is almost impossible to believe that Pompeo would not have enough time to read a relatively short complaint. I read it carefully in fewer than five minutes.
So either he is as incurious about actual facts as Trump or he is too busy watching Fox and planning his party at Trump's hotel.
Or he's lying.
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When someone like Mike Pompeo offers ridiculous defenses to Donald Trump’s probable impeachment, it shows that he’s obviously not clever enough to understand that by doing this he raises suspicions about himself. This is surprising coming from someone who has lived and worked within the intelligence community.
The Ukraine scandal is only part of the reason the president should be impeached; the bigger reason is that he has obstructed justice repeatedly by willingly withholding information. Even a blooming idiot could understand that this is an impeachable offense. Mr. Pompeo’s advisers should caution him not to appear like a moron in front of the American people.
We’ve already been insulted enough by arrogance and stupidity for 1000 days.
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Mike Pompeo has looked really, really nervous these past few weeks. I’d say he’s up to his eyeballs in this worsening scandal. May he kiss his aspirations of the US Senate and eventual presidential run goodbye.
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@Raydeohed
I am hoping he won't have to worry about rent and the US Govrnmt. will give him a small room in the worst jail in the country.
Trump sees weak Democratic field?
Not as weak as the Republican field, the only candidate with a chance of winning the nomination being a goofball who has been unable to learn the basics of the job of President in three years of on-the-job training.
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@WJG
Do not underestimate the strength of his support.
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@gratis more accurately, do not underestimate the willingness of the Republican Party to cheat, steal and lie their way into another electoral college victory. They can't win by popular vote -- that's clear -- even with suppressing the vote and purging voter rolls.
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Please keep going; investigate. Trump works very hard to cover everything up. Fine and Jail Giuliani for not working with Congress. Trump has set up a Dictatorship . Save our Country;plz.
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Nixon had the “Plumbers” unit for dirty tricks, and CREEP (The Committee to Re-Elect the President) to assure victory for Nixon in 1972 at all costs. They broke laws, covered up their misdeeds, many were sent to jail, and Nixon was forced to resign rather than face certain impeachment.
That whole scenario is beginning to look like a scratch operation compared to the massive illegal re-election campaign clearly run straight out of the Oval Office by Donald Trump.
Then, in 1972, the House and journalistic investigation was a matter of working from the bottom up, starting with the Watergate burglars, and climbing finally into the White House itself.
Now, by contrast, we are starting not just with the White House but with the President himself. The phone call to Zelensky was an invitation to a foreign power to interfere in a free US democratic election, clearly an impeachable offense. So now, it is a matter of working our way DOWN from the top, to uncover the layers of deception and intrigue which add to the crime already known.
Then, the Nixon gang worked its dubious dark arts domestically.
Now, the Trump forces have spread the field to include foreign policy, drawing in other nations into the dark arts of Trump campaign politics.
Trump is not imitating Nixon. Trump is setting a new, impossibly high standard for infamous and execrable conduct unbecoming the Presidency.
Then, even the GOP came to see Nixon’s crimes.
Now, well, we have Mitch. Fade to black.
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@Paul McGlasson
Even at the last, Nixon had his supporters. Days before he resigned, he met with Republican Congressmen, who (allegedly) urged him to stick it out.
While the Watergate investigations were calm and professional, it wasn't long before Republicans were willing to forgive Nixon his sins and welcome him back to the role of "senior statesman."
Even before Reagan was elected, Republicans were shaking their heads, moaning that it was the White House staffers who led Nixon astray.
The corruption of the Republican Party has a long, sad history.
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