If he's subpoenaed, why would Bolton fail to appear? Is he trying still to protect his reputation among Trump supporters in Congress, so he gets another high-level position? I can't think of any other reason he would refuse to testify.
8
C'mon, Mr. Bolton. Do the right thing and testify. Make me think maybe I have misjudged you all these years.
19
Putin knows NATO is not a threat to "Russia" or "Greater Russia" or the Neo-USSR. He was willing to let Americans weasel in and control a large energy sector in Ukraine, leaving the nation hamstrung between the USA and Russia. Hobbling Ukraine plays straight into Putin's hands. THAT is what this is all about. Trump and his republican cronies being used by Putin and allowed to move in on Ukraine.
12
It looks like Bolton is one of the few "secular" guys among the Trump sect who may bring some common sense to the born again Christian mania of Trump's inner circle of crazy men, who seem to be intent on ruining this earth and force feeding us their human interpretation of the Rapture.
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2019/jan/11/trump-administration-evangelical-influence-support
9
There should be no way to resist a House subpoena without being sent to prison.
25
Nixon Trump in 2020!
It's a sad state of affairs when at least 40% of our voters are sadly misinformed about their President. They refuse to believe or acknowledge that he is a liar. They refuse to believe that he is ignorant or dismissive about so many issues affecting our country. His vitriol is often applauded by this group. Most would not recommend their children to be violent yet laugh or cheer the President when he suggests being violent. I fear for the future of our nation.
173
All those years, acquiring an informed distaste for Livingston's vulgar demagoguery in the well of the House on C-SPAN, prepared us all for this exposure of his thuggery in hired character assassination. His politics, all of a piece, can't hold and they will not hold; but how fitting they are, to haul a government down with him.
4
While John Bolton's reluctance to testify seems to fit his contrarian persona it may have more to do with his lucrative book deal. If he tells all now his book likely loses some of its appeal and anticipated sales.
12
Is it party before country for Bolton and the Republicans now? Would they rather subvert the Constitution and Congressional oversight rather than testify to what they are apparently afraid to speak of?
9
Bolton wants to continue to work and be relevant within his circle of like minded groups which includes Fox news. He knows if he willingly testifies his career is over. He will stonewall for the sake of his own vanity and Schiff has already said he will not let Trump run out the clock. As horrified as Bolton seemed to be by what Trump was up to, saving his own relevance is more important to him than revealing the truth about his concern and the "drug deal" as he described this whole mess. So I'm betting Bolton returns to his comfortable perch at some right wing think tank and his buddies over at Fox.
8
@Tardiflorus Well said. We must remember where he came from: Fox, his disdain for the UN, his obnoxious talk. It is more fitting that he not testify and write his book. It will be a huge surprise if he puts country over his right wing career.
5
Let's see if Trump and his detractors will call Bolton a "never Trumper." He has names for everyone. It would be hard for Republicans defending Trump to keep up the farce they have been engaging in if Bolton testifies that Trump held back aid because he expected a favor from Ukraine- the now infamous Latin term "quid pro quo."
4
Isn't interesting that Bolton will likely not appear to testify in the House impeachment inquiry? For years we have listened to the many extreme foreign policy actions he has championed, which he claims are necessary to protect the US.
But now we are in danger from within, from an unprincipled sociopath and he is reluctant to answer questions truthfully for the good of the country. Some patriot he has turned out to be.
Trump is a traitor. A traitor to his office, to the constitution and to the values of this country. Any elected official who does not act to remove this threat is a traitor as well.
I have never before seen patriotism so clearly delineated on a national scale in the US.
18
Sing, Johnny - be good!
3
Issue the subpoena asap
8
If Bolton is so mad, why is he hesitating on appearing?
5
What an excellent summation of events. A superb article, thanks NYT for your invaluable reporting.
75
It remains to be seen whether John Bolton will testify. It depends on what he views as more important to him than his country's reputation and global standing.
Yesterday, Trump’s nominee to be the US ambassador to Russia, Deputy Secretary of State John Sullivan, implicitly broke with Trump when he said during his confirmation hearing before the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations, that a president using his office to solicit investigations into his political opponents would not be “in accord with our values.”
His display of probity has set an example for many others, who have been summoned to testify, that a true public servant has the country’s best interests at heart, not those of their president.
7
The Democrats claim they are not going to delay the impeachment investigation with protracted legal battles over whether subpoenas must be respected. The argument is that such lack of cooperation in and of itself adds to the grounds for impeachment.
I can't say I agree -- certainly the non-cooperation argument is going to have no sway among GOP senators -- but fine. Let's go with it.
I hope they will at least strengthen the argument by subpoenaing -- not request, but subpoena -- their entire wish list: Bolton, certainly, and Pompeo, and on and on. Every one of them, big fish or small, even if the subpoena has zero chance of being respected. Why not the ringleader himself?
11
Born Again Evangelicals need to be in the top three who take the fall for the most corrupt and divisive president ever to run the United States. (Or should it be renamed the Divided States now?)
19
While I have no admiration for John Bolton's hawkish foreign policies and statements, and he may have an ax to grind with the Trump administration, his testimony would likely provide even more proof of corruption. By if Mitch, Graham, and the other senators of the silk swamp continue to support a criminal in the White House, impeachment won't be enough to get rid of Trump. It's going to come to the voters in 2020. The United States is better than the Trump Administration.
17
It seems to me that Bolton's real significance, as opposed to other witnesses, resides in the fact that he is familiar to Trump's Foxwatching parissioners as a hard core neocon hawk. But his testimony will be in closed hearings, anf Fox will spin whatever he says in order to discredit the proceedings or twist or sideline key portions of his testimony.
If a tree falls in the forest, and it's not on Fox, does the tree even exist ?
11
The “swamp” that he claimed to drain only has become “swampier” under the Trump administration. Sadly the same supporters who shout affirmations of draining the swamp can’t see the waters rising. Amazing!
15
Somebody wake up Sen Graham. Why isn't his committee investigating the validity of the Ukrainian investigation conducted by Viktor Shokin into Burisma Holdings? Who is blocking his visa to come to this country to testify, and why?
This is the key to the whole impeachment debacle in the House, and here Graham sits with his thumb up that part of his anatomy where only Custom agents fear to probe.
3
@batazoid
Oh, where to start with your fallacious comment.
First, Shokin did not investigate Burisma. He was not doing any investigating. He was a corrupt, do-nothing prosecutor, which is why the United States government, European Union Leaders, the International Monetary Fund, and the anticorruption organizations inside Ukrania wanted him replaced. He was not doing his job.
Second, you really think Senator Graham cannot get a visa to travel?
Laughable.
4
An open plea to Mr. Bolton, this is the time for you to stand up and be the true patriot you believe you are. Leave partisan politics and any residual love you have for Trump at the door and make a statement that Trump can't use the presidency as his personal plaything and flaunt the constitution to enhance his reelection chances. If you let this historic moment pass without making your voice heard you're just as culpable as Trump and should be accorded the same treatment by history.
11
Who pays White House Lawyers?
When I read that it was a White House lawyer who ran the Ukraine tapes to a high security server, I just about choked.
16
Finally, we are beginning to know why it was so important for Trump to gain control of the Justice Dept. through Bill Barr.
Every road, from Putin to Trump, to Manafort and Michael Flynn; to Rudy Giuliani and Lev Parnas, leads to the plots and sub plots designed to relieve the Russian sanctions.
There is only one organization in the world that could have handled the investigation, and Bill Barr is sitting on it.
1376
@rich:
Agreed! And it certainly makes Senator Harris's questioning of Bill Barr back on May 1st even more prescient.
During the hearing, Harris asked Barr whether the president or anyone in the White House had ever asked him to open up an investigation into anyone. Barr refused to answer.
HARRIS: Has the president or anyone at White House ever asked or suggested that you open an investigation of anyone? Yes or no please, sir.
BARR: The president or anybody else?
HARRIS: Seems you would remember something like that and tell us.
BARR: Yeah, but I’m trying to grapple with the word “suggest”. There have been discussions of matters out there- that they have not asked me to open an investigation.
HARRIS: Perhaps they’ve suggested?
BARR: I wouldn't say suggest.
HARRIS: Hinted?
BARR: I don't know.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ktdi_L0rYkk
165
@rich - This is why Trump's tax returns have to be made public.
107
@rich
There is also only one organization in the world that could have stirred up all this trouble, and Putin is sitting on it.
It's not that handsome Tatar pony.
61
Why are sociopaths like all these men in positions of power? Able to destroy us all?
Trump, Bolton, Barr, Graham , McConnell, Pompeo ..
The list goes on and on.
Sick individuals who do not believe in an open and just society, or basic tenets of democracy.
Why do we give them so much power over our lives?
18
It is very beautiful to behold.
This latest official defense of the indefensible being put out by the Russo-Republican Party (I would rather be Russian than a Democrat!) via its print propaganda arm, Murdoch’s rancid The Wall Street Journal:
“So what if Trump asked for a quid pro quo by withholding military aid to Ukraine unless they investigate the Bidens? We all know that Trump is too dumb to execute it.”
So muck love in that party, so much love.
Tomorrow, Friday, the “party of patriots” might try the “guilty but insane” defense.
6
its simple...Bolton didnt and doesn't want to be a part of the "drug deal". He's already telegraphed his intentions and wont be cast in history with this lot.
The Republican red line draws near.
6
I disagree vehemently with much of what Mr. Bolton advocates, but he is at least honest and a patriot.
3
@anonymous - For the love of all that is holy will people please stop parroting the line that he's a patriot!
I have family members who were injured in the senseless wars he helped get us into. Patriots don't send their fellow citizens off to be maimed and killed for no good reason.
12
So Bolton will not appear "voluntarily". Good strategy. Wait for the subpoena and then testify.
I personally do not agree with Bolton's hawkish approach to Foreign Policy but I do not dispute his Patriotism. I firmly believe that he will give honest answers under oath.
1
@alan
I think we need to wait to hear what Bolton has to say. And if he, in fact, testifies.
2
It was indeed a 'perfect' phone call.
In Trump World, it represented a perfectly conceived and planned attempt by the US President to shake-down a foreign government for his own benefit.
The only problem was that its execution ran headlong into US patriots who were and remain determined to respect their oaths of office to uphold the constitution.
He will throw those how failed in the execution under the bus but he will not be deterred, as he sees no reason to be. After all, in Trump World it was and will remain a 'perfect call'.
4
But if he testifies, then he can get even MORE money as both a Fox analyst as well as a special guest with Rachel Maddow. C'mon Bolton, might as well milk this one for everything you can. Yeesh I'd pay big money to hear him repeat first hand the comment about Guliani being a 'hand grenade'.
Get out the popcorn-this is startin' to be good!!!
3
Perhaps if he's threatened with a shave?
That mustache belongs in the Smithsonian, with the caption:
“This mustache was once worn by an early twenty-first century militarist who longed for nuclear war. His favorite movie was Dr. Strangelove, and he longed to ride astride a nuclear bomb while wearing a cowboy hat.
“He despised every international institution ever invented, and looked for any opportunity to foment conflict and sow fear.
“Fortunately for mankind, his terrible fantasies were never realized. Instead, he played a major role in toppling President Trump with his damning testimony to Congress in 2019.
“Sadly for him, but good for the Smithsonian, Bolton was forced by Chairman Adam Schiff to shave his monstrous mustache befor his testimony. Schiff believed that such a large and ponderous ‘stache would be a distraction, and the republicans agreed.
“So for the love of his country, Bolton agreed to shave, and donate his ‘stache, in one piece, to posterity.
“ Today, Bolton is known as a clean shaven patriot. But for most of his life before 2019 he was known as a kook on a mission.”
8
@Space Needle: Hilarious! Thanks for adding some levity to this operatic tragedy.
1
I'm guessing Bolton's lawyer wants his client to have the cover of a subpoena so John can say he was forced to appear. That's okay with me, as long as he spills the beans.
11
I would not be at all surprised if John Bolton was
a whistleblower; or perhaps ...The Whistleblower.
5
@Carol B. Russell
I'd be surprised. My guess is Fiona Hill. And if so, good for her and thanks for being a patriot in a nest of treacherous vipers.
4
I could have forgiven this arrogant and supposedly nasty man for those traits, had he shown some allegiance now when it would count and willingly testified instead of being partisan to the end. As with all the leaders of Trump's team, alive or dead, he chooses to shaft the Country and his fellow citizens in this way. I dislike him today as much as Pompeo, DeVos, Giuliani, Mnuchin, Barr and the rest of the people Trump has surrounded himself with. And I hope he loses in the future due to this nasty defiance when it would help the country to hear "willingly on his part" from him.
3
Trump must be removed: he can't tell any truth.
And the lies keep coming....
Trump's deception last week was focused on his conduct toward Ukraine and Democrats' related impeachment inquiry. Deep breath now: He falsely claimed he had released an exact transcript of his July phone call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. He falsely claimed he did not ask Zelensky for anything on the call. He falsely claimed people aren't talking about the call anymore. He falsely claimed the whistleblower complaint about the call was "totally wrong." He falsely claimed the whistleblower alleged he had made seven or eight mentions of a "quid pro quo." He falsely claimed the whistleblower has vanished. He falsely claimed Democratic Rep. Adam Schiff was the whistleblower's source. He falsely claimed Schiff had spoken about the call at a committee hearing before, not after, the release of the rough transcript. He falsely claimed Schiff's committee comments were illegal. He falsely claimed Republicans aren't allowed to ask questions in Democrats' impeachment inquiry hearings. And he falsely claimed those closed-door hearings are unprecedented.
20
Trump's actions prove that no matter how inflated an ego, the Dunbar number (150) like the speed of light can't be violated.
After that the interaction with strangers needs the support of a much larger system for information input, storage, processing and output. Trump manages and governs at the chimpanzee level of decision-making.
What we are witnessing are the life and times of alpha primate inside the human zoo that passes for the White House.
6
It should be interesting to see whether the reporting by the Times about Mr. Bolton and whether he will testify, will have the effect of ensuring that the pressure upon him becomes so intense as to make him prefer contempt and possible jail, to actually telling tales about the biggest bully in the district.
I think that reporters and the people who compose this paper on a daily basis, have little understanding of the effect of the publication on other media, as well as on foreign governments which tend to see it as the most reliable of too many bad and unreliable news sources, that become ever "worser"(sic) by the day.
2
Just a couple of thoughts from the outside:
How many American people who voted for Trump as President will believe he is being impeached for the right reasons?
How many Americans bother to read about Trump's decisions?
How many Americans take the time to read and analyse his very serious and questionable decisions that affect the rest of the world?
The NYT and other great newspapers in America employ the best journalists in the world. But they won't make any difference if the people who voted Trump in as President don't bother to read them.
187
@Anna
Sadly, Anna, you've homed in on a problem that's arguably even a bigger one than Trump: an American public that's intellectually lazy and credulous to the point of stupefaction. Not the whole electorate, of course; but enough to make the ascent to power of another Trump, or someone worse, much too possible.
70
@Anna Many Americans would only know about these things if it appeared in the middle of a sports game or some mindless reality TV garbage that fills the void in many citizens empty heads.
59
@Anna Agreed. Absolutely true. But we as the majority that still value our Constitution and do not have a cultish worship of a megalomaniac will push forward revealing the truth. The majority of us will demonstrate what many have known from the start - that Trump is con man gangster figure who must be removed and ultimately jailed.
In a few years, most of the people who voted for Trump will be quite quiet about their previous support for him. It was this way with Nixon.
We're going to be OK.
45
As a US ambassador, Ms. Yovanovitch could have continued to serve or been dismissed "at the pleasure of the President" at any time. If her alleged ties to the DNC and so forth were real, Trump could have asked her to step down. Instead, she was PRESSURED rather than fired because either she knew too much or Trump did not want to call attention to the shady situation in Ukraine by out and out firing her. Most likely both.
7
Whatever each citizen believes, we do have every right to be amazed at the complete turnaround of so many concerning Bolton in particular.
Not long ago, the same who now want so desperately to hear what he has to say (and take it for the truth?) adamantly stated that nothing this man said could be trusted, that Bolton represented a threat to humanity, a madman et al..
Is this part of a desperate desire to hear any words that might be interpreted to support the current hypothesis and interpretation of events?
Personally, I can't wait for public hearings and far more information from all who have something to say beyond what we have been "leaked".
Then, each citizen will be able to decide for themselves, keeping in mind that fundamentally important part of our system that has served us all so well for so long: "innocent until proven guilty".
20
@Si Seulement Voltaire Bolton is highly organized and logical and he is committed to American sovereignty. Bolton also has an agenda which includes regime change in Iran.
When Rubio and others in Congress who spoke out against JCPOA were unable to provide Trump with an answer to how Trump could exit JCPOA Trump turned to Bolton who provided a plan to exit JCPOA and exert maximum pressure on Iran to drive regime change. The assumptions were that Iran's economy was already in a tailspin and massive demonstrations were taking place against the regime. More pressure and discrediting of the leadership that had negotiated JCPOA coupled with international isolation was expected to result in a relatively peaceful revolution. Bolton's assumptions were disproven. His earlier push for attacking Iran alarmed many. Bolton did not support Trump's bromance with Kim and was very concerned about Putin. Giuliani's "drug deal" in Ukraine tipped the scales along with Trump's failure to follow thru with the DPRK and Iran and the outrage of negotiating with the Taliban excluding the Afghan government.
So Bolton quit and got fired.
Bolton can be counted on to stand for U.S. interests and American values. That is the issue with the Ukraine affair.
21
@Si Seulement Voltaire
Most of us who worried about Bolton thought of him as simply too hawkish - a man too willing to lead us into conflict.
I wish I could have been with Bolton - to hear his reaction - when Trump stood beside Putin and reduced himself to a puddle of dictator worship in Helsinki.
I always worried about Bolton's policies. But I never thought of him as a crook. Now he can place himself on the right side of history - be a hero, even....
28
@Si Seulement Voltaire I believe that this open prosecution is intended to do what journalists can't - rub the noses of Trumpers in open facts and debate. Well played, Ms. Nancy.
11
It doesn't bother me that a foreign-policy decision might benefit personally the President who makes it, as long as the President made that decision because he felt it was in the US' best interest. That's all I ask. Assuming a binary choice, roughly 50% of the time the decision will benefit the President personally, and roughly 50% of the time it will hurt him (assuming the decision has potential "personal" benefit at all -- most Presidential decisions don't).
Trump's failure to establish the usual "blind trust" sometimes makes it impossible to know whether he made a foreign policy decision for selfish reasons or whether, instead, he made that decision for the "right" reasons but it happened to benefit him personally. But even if Trump had followed the customary "blind trust" practice, this decision could benefit him personally by boosting his re-election odds, a conflict of interest that no blind trust could eliminate. If I were confident his desire to be re-elected didn't affect his judgment here, I'd say what he did was OK. But that is not what I think. It strikes me that he withheld aid to Ukraine to benefit himself politically -- not because he thought it was in the best interests of the US. That was wrong, and he should be removed. I doubt that will happen, since most Americans consider this to be "more of the same" -- similar to the "Russian collusion" allegations. I thing this time was different, but I doubt that most Americans will draw this distinction.
2
I think it is making sense for Mr. Bolton to ask for a subpoena before he testifies. This gives him the freedom to tell the story he likes and say at the same moment I was forced to tell it I am not responsible for what I had to say.
5
Hope springs eternal for this commenter, it seems:
"John Bolton ... My guess is that he will not dodge ... "
I don't think he'll "dodge," but he WILL insist that a court -- or some other neutral decision-maker that he and both sides agree on, not one of the parties -- decide the matter. Right now, we have each side declaring that it gets to draw the line. It would be like letting the plaintiff, or the defendant, decide which side is right in a lawsuit.
That's what judges are for.
If I were Bolton or Kupperman, I'd ask for an independent decision-maker too. Why in the world would anyone not? Timing is an issue, to be sure, but how is Bolton or Kupperman supposed to know what to do? Congress is telling each of them: "Talk." Trump is telling each of them: "Don't talk." We can't let Congress declare the limits (or lack thereof) on its authority to demand testimony or documents. Nor can we let the President alway hide behind a claim of "executive privilege."
That's what judges are for.
1
@Commentator
Subpoenas are legal documents. Why have we let trump and his minions say they are not? That is sublimely ridiculous.
1
One skeptical commenter notes the absurdity of re-casting John Bolton as a "hero of the left," or -- my preference -- a "good guy." But I think most people want Bolton to just lay out the facts, not opine.
As for Trump, is he really "a desperate despot fully willing to remain in power at all costs?" That's not fair at all. Unless I've missed it, Trump has never disobeyed a court order. Neither side seems to want to ask a court to weigh in on this -- better, I suppose, just to pound one's chest and insist that Truth and Justice are on one's side. But most Americans (I, at least) would much prefer to have the decision made by someone other than one of the parties.
I fully recognize that a Trump-appointed judge might rule, or a Bush-appointed judge. But it's also possible that an Obama-appointed judge, or a Clinton-appointed judge, will decide. Case assignments to federal judges are random, after all.
Judges' political leanings are better known at the appellate level and, of course, they're well known at the Supreme Court level, where Kupperman's case (and Bolton's?) will almost certainly end up. But that isn't reason enough to ignore the courts. People have compared this to Watergate, but let's not forget that one of the biggest "heroes" in Watergate was John Sirica, who was a judge.
1
@Commenter
Trump has told his staff to disregard subpoenas. Subpoenas are legal documents. This is against the law and obstruction of justice.
This is a lawless president. He is a danger to our democracy, but more importantly, he is a threat to our national security.
1
Republicans would have us believe that unless Trump was filmed handing over a bin of cash with a money sign on the side, then turned to the camera and said, "This is definitely quid pro quo to pressure a foreign government to hurt my political opponent and meddle in our elections", while a notary watches, then it's all a "hoax" staged by Democrats.
Even then, they would still make up excuses for this corrupt administration.
73
Sound advice:
"A word of caution for Democrats - Don’t count on Mr.Bolton. ...
Get out and vote. That’s the only way this president is out of office."
Trump's opponents really have no choice at this point. The House pretty much has to impeach Trump. It seems unlikely that 67 Senators will vote to remove him, but that's possible.
But even if Trump is removed, Pence becomes President. If that happens shortly before the election, Pence may not have enough time to regroup and win re-election. That seems to be the only hope left for Trump's opponents. A long shot, but better than no shot at all. Cross your fingers and hope for the best.
I'd sure go for it. Why not?
14
Ain't it the truth?
"Only Trump could make Bolton haters want Bolton to win."
John Bolton about to become a "good guy?" Hooda thunk it, eh? Just when I was getting used to other "bad guys" who've become "good guys" lately. Jim Comes, for example, or Sean Spicer.
But John Bolton, a good guy? John Bolton?
13
@62yolnGA We all make mistakes. It takes great courage to admit that a mistake been made. Once the subpoena be open and more evidences showed up, the wave will be changed.
4
It wasn’t a mistake.
And the day that Trump and Trumpists honestly admit a mistake will be the first day.
1
I've never cared for Mr. Bolton's aggressive politics. He always struck me as someone who was very confident of his own opinion - that can be both, insufferable and admiral.
Bolton will testify because he values draw a red-line at the rule of law. I believe he quit in order to get out to hoping he could miss getting hit by the bus as it was flying by.
Bolton is right to request a subpoena to testify under oath: it's sort of an insurance policy that opens the door to do what Bolton wants to do: to share the facts about how trump is running his "Organization," you know, "The Family Business."
Bolton wants everyone to know. Even his bff, Fox-n-friends.
17
Imagine how many department players (trump's own swamp: the shallow-state) that trump intimidated enough to get them to ignore the law and pledge loyalty to trump violating our Constitution.
Now imagine that all of them are indicted for their part in a criminal conspiracy to extort a foreign entity to make-up fake data against a current presidential candidate.
Imagine that trump is running a con game with several foreign governments and it's all for personal gain. How many people is that? How many people is that, when added to all the vacancies that trump's cabinet is working hard not to fill?
Who's going to run our government?
8
@LivingWithInterest
The eternal question is: how has this obnoxious, uncouth, boorish sociopath managed to mesmerize reasonably intelligent people for decades? Even before this disastrous presidency bared his disgustingness to the world, his lack of ethics and loyalty were widely known.
3
John Bolton is an enemy of democracy, Democrats, and the rule of law. Bolton refusing to testify before the congressional inquiry is a good thing as everything he might say about Trump is already known, and he'd attempt to destroy the inquiry.
Bolton began in politics by serving as an intern in Richard Nixon’s White House. He was livid that Democrats "forced (Nixon) to resign in disgrace."
Bolton believes Watergate is about a vastly "overreacting Congress", not about Nixon's abuse of power. Bolton believes Congress has no right to limit a president’s power and he hates the War Powers Act.
As Ronald Reagan’s Assistant Attorney General, John Bolton handled Congress' investigations into the Iran-Contra affair. Reagan's White House did not invoke executive privilege, but Bolton held that the inquiry was an "assault on the Reagan presidency" by "radical Democrats", and he vilified special prosecutor Lawrence Walsh as a "wacko".
Bolton found an ally in then Congressman Dick Cheney. Both opposed the investigation because they believe America should be run by an imperial right-wing president.
In testimony before the Senate Governmental Affairs subcommittee at the time Bolton called the post-Watergate Ethics in Government Act, which included appointments of independent counsels, entirely "unconstitutional."
Finally, Bolton asserted that a president has "unfettered" power, and he "tried to torpedo" any attempt at congressional oversight. Bolton would torpedo this inquiry too.
7
@Robert B This is a very interesting post and is a good portrait of Bolton as one who believed in the "unitary presidency."
But if your premise as a whole is correct, then shouldn't he be eager to testify to help Trump, instead of starting off with a demurral and needing a subpoena?
5
@Robert B, I agree with your take on Bolton. That being said Bolton is a Russia hawk and Ukraine is under attack by Russia. It is possible that Bolton will tell us exactly what he heard and corroborate what others have said so far and contradict Trump. It makes sense that he would want to be subpoenaed which will comply him to come in for his testimony so he can save face with his conservative peers. I would think that he would prefer a President Pence rather than Trump.
1
@ernieh1
No, if you actually understand radical UET, Bolton definitely would not want to testify against Trump before this Congressional inquiry as he does not recognize the right of Congress to hold such an inquiry.
As Bolton believes in the most radical form of Unitary Executive Theory, he has every reason to defy Congress no matter what he may think of Trump personally, or even if he thinks Trump acted illegally.
Believing in radical UET means you believe that Congress doesn't ever have the authority to oversee the Executive branch. It means Congress doesn’t suddenly gain oversight of the Executive just because a president engages in malfeasance, because if Congress never has oversight, it doesn’t gain it no matter what a president does.
Bolton's lack of regard for Trump does not change his views on the how the government should be structured. Even if Bolton hates Trump, he still regards Congress as totally lacking authority to oversee the Executive Branch or hold an imperial Executive accountable under any circumstances. Despite how reprehensible that philosophy is and how contrary it is to the intent of the Founders, it is a logically consistent position.
If Bolton decided to suspend radical UET if a Republican president like Trump came to power, and then concede oversight to Congress, it would mean Bolton never truly believed in radical UET.
2
John Bolton will be an honest forthright and very impactful
witness; and a very convincing witness as well.
My guess is that he will not dodge any attempt to reveal
what he knows . His testimony will be a turning point in
the impeachment investigation.
3
Bolton is not wanting to deliver all he knows to the impeachment inquiry,for one reason only, he wants to avoid spilling all he knows before he negotiates a book deal.
5
@Adrian Bennett
That may very well be true, but hopefully, regarding this very focused impeachment inquiry regarding the Ukraine, and what was said on this phone call, and any others regarding the foreign aid money, questions can be answered by Bolton, and leave us wanting to know more. Bolton’s book can elaborate about what is going on in this crazy administration.
1
A word of caution for Democrats - Don’t count on Mr.Bolton. You are in for a disappointment.
Get out and vote. That’s the only way this president is out of office.
7
Now the rubber meets the road and we will all find out whether Bolton is a traitor or a patriot.
Is the super patriot persona a charade or the true mettle of the man. Is Bolton a partisan hack masquerading as someone who would vigorously support the US Constitution or is he truly prepared to defend his country against enemies or detractors? Is he the man he says he is or is he a wolf in sheep's clothing?
6
Please stop referring to Col. Vindmann as “the top Ukraine expert at the National Security Council.” He is there temporarily, like all NSC staffers, and will eventually be replaced with another detailee. These people are not “top experts” because if they were their home agencies would not let them do a stint at the NSC
3
Only Trump could make Bolton haters want Bolton to win. If you can't laugh at this whole fiasco once in a while you'll kind of start drinking way too much wine, like 2 or more typhoon bottles a day. And measure every bridge within Ubers range. Just saying y'all.
5
“Bolton haters”? How sad. Some people need to get a life.
4
Nobody wants Bolton to win. Want him to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth.
A trumpist’s results may differ, to be sure.
6
Bolton will testify when gets a subpoena. He wants that cover for telling the truth. Though to be honest I would not trust him as far as I could throw him.
Maybe they’ll be one former cabinet member that will speak the complete truth.
3
As much as I might disagree with Bolton on most issues it is clear that he is a disciplined professional. Seeing an American president operating in amateur mode on so many issues (North Korea, Russia, Iran and Syria) and then getting backstabbed by him on the way out probably doesn’t increase his loyalty to Trump.
5
Was Giuliani the man who cultivated Trump to run for office?
It certainly was a New York thing citing the direct aid to the campaign from New York area former federal prosecutors Giuliani, Christie, and Comey marginally. Giuliani's role early on including back to the 1980's should be considered.
I suspect then federal prosecutor Giuliani oversaw my case in New York and when I went to California, then returned nine months later. It involves a witness murder by New York people.
It also revolves around my Coal Combustion process I refuse to allow being used as after careful consideration of it's technical safety and disadvantages, horrors have been inflicted on me and my family.
My vital witness, my dad, was murdered.
@PATRICK
What case?
Witness to what ?
Coal combustion process & Bolton???
How so?
1
It's complex and exhausting but crystal clear: Trump is in Putin's pocket, whether the kompromat is financial, political, personal, or all of the above. It explains everything. The Mueller report documented Russian collusion. It just fell short of proving criminal conspiracy. The collusion continues in front of our eyes. Getting him elected was just the beginning. The media needs to connect the dots and break through the noise.
14
"Sunlight is said to be the best of disinfectants;"
-Louis Brandeis
6
John Bolton is a modern rendition of "Dr. Strangelove". Calling Bolton in to be a witness is extremely risky. Bolton was removed as US Ambassador to the UN because of his disdain for that world alliance. Mr. Bolton is known for living in his own version of right wing reality, and for the fact that he tries to shape facts to match his singular vision of what is right and wrong in his world.
4
Might the Kupperman motion filed 10/25/2019 be governed by the House Rules on subpoenas cited in Bean LLC v. John Doe Bank (Jan. 4, 2018, Judge Leon) and Trump v. Mazars (D.C. Cir. Oct. 11, 2019)?
I have a hard time believing Bolton will end up being the heroic patriot defending the Constitution and our democracy, but I can hope. I do believe the window for him to act with integrity will be short. Let’s hope what’s right is more important than what his party is demanding. Who saw this twist coming?
11
John Bolton wants it both ways.
Firstly, he does not want to come forward voluntarily. Because, possibly, he fears he would lose credibility in the Republican Party circles.
Secondly, Mr. Bolton would only appear if he is served with a Subpoena. Because, then, he can argue that he had no choice, but to respect the law. A preferred route, instead of saying NO.
It will be interesting to see what Mr. Bolton is going to say, if he does attend. Being someone close to the WH, will Mr. Bolton claim Executive Privilege, or like in the case of other Officials, be told not to testify?
4
Mr. Bolton; assuming you wish to know the sense of the public and may be reading these comments, an act indicative of the depth of your concern for the people of our nation, should testify for the sake of the nation, threatened by Trump who has displayed inclinations toward fighting our own people. You are known as a policy hawk and now is the time to fully appreciate the precarious position our people are in as they face a desperate despot fully willing to remain in power at all costs. Our personal considerations and opinions have no place when civic duty calls and this is your calling. Defending the nation in foreign lands as you have repeatedly advised over the years is now required here at home as we must remain free from authoritarian military backed governance. Please volunteer to testify.
6
John Bolton? THAT John Bolton? He’s now the — you know — “hero” of the Left? Oh, puleeze, you’re killing me already!
4
@Vic Bold II Clearly, the concept of nuance is lost on you.
3
Trump has only his own perceived interest in mind, why is he so protective and servile toward Russia and Putin and what is his motivation? These questions have never been answered in Mueller's report and why?
2
I think Bolton will testify. I agree wth none of his politics. But I trust he believes in them. His ethics, self-interest and lack of patriotism would be patent if he fails to testify and afterward releases a book that "testifies" on behalf of his personal financial benefit after refusing to testify for the benefit of his country. It would make meaningless all he stood for his entire life.
I just don't think Bolton will act so cravenly, so cowardly and selfishly while so many with so much more at risk give up careers to act honorably.
7
To the extent any Republican is able to imagine their party beyond Trump, Bolton may testify.
It reminds me of that psychological experiment where a kid is offered one marshmallow now or two tomorrow.
9
And, the end begins.
4
Bolton has little to lose by telling all. I keep waiting for someone used up and spit out on the Sociopath’s march to national ruin to bring his circus down.
8
Haul him in.
3
If Bolton is a real foreign policy veteran than he needs to explain what he knows that happened on his "foreign policy" watch!
6
Bolton needs to be interviewed. He is cantankerous enough to be a true spoiler for Trump.
8
I can't wait to hear Trump and Fox state television calling John Bolton a stealth Democrat.
18
Mulvaney was actually correct. Trump is a businessman first.
His business. Trump felt like the $391 Million was his own money, not US citizen's money. So he proposed a transaction with Ukraine that he could feel like he personally benefited. Getting reelected is worth a lot to Trump right now.
15
@Anne trump believes our US treasury is his and his piggybank!
9
Don't get your hopes up, John Bolton is a Conservative first, an American second....or third.
9
Bolton won’t testify unless he’s subpoenaed because it’s a test of how serious Democrats are now. He won’t testify until Democrats show they have the spine to carry though on all this. Just subpoena him now. Decide you are serious about this.
12
I do not believe Bolton will lie. He may be wily, and he may be partisan, but here is his test of honor (and should he choose not to testify, then we know he has none).
8
White House lawyer moved transcript of Trump call to classified server after Ukraine adviser raised alarms
https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/white-house-lawyer-moved-transcript-of-trump-call-to-classified-server-after-ukraine-adviser-raised-alarms/2019/10/30/ba0fbdb6-fb4e-11e9-8190-6be4deb56e01_story.html
6
Why don't they focus instead on Trump's violation of the Hatch Act, which does not require proof of a quid pro quo?
6
Now we get to see who believes in the rule of law and who does not. Should Mr. Bolton testify he will demonstrate that even if Republicans and Democrats disagree on how to achieve our national ends, at least some on both sides agree that ours is a nation of laws, not of individual whims.
19
The committee needs to hear from everyone who can produce relevant first hand knowledge testimony.“The only stable state is the one in which all men are equal before the law.”
7
Bolton and Romney will turn out to be the only patriotic republicans in this administration. Who knew so many corrupt people would be willing to ride America completely off the rails?
History will not be kind to any of these people
23
How do people like John Bolton and John Yoo somehow manage to insinuate themselves into the White House of George Bush or Donald Trump?
John Yoo wrote The Torture Memos and John Bolton outed Rudi Giuliani as a walking hand grenade.
These people emerge on the landscape to cause a lot of trouble and then disappear into the night.
4
You’ve got to be kidding. Rudy has outed himself as a hand grenade on his many whacked out tv appearances. Bolton was calling out the obvious.
5
So, any chance that Bolton is the whistle blower...?
12
Be ready for a potential bombshell coming in the impeachment process. The fact that Trump went after Ukraine to help his 2020 campaign indicates strongly that he and his aides, most likely close family, did something close to the same in 2016 with Russia. If he did it then, he got away with it, which might have emboldened him to try to same thing recently.
Back during the 2016 campaign, Nancy Pelosi said, "I want to know what Russia has on Donald Trump." Do we know now? Back then, no one but friendly staffers was taking notes of conversations and they could easily have been excluded from any direct conversations with the Russians. Any witnesses would have been friendly to Trump.
We are entering a new phase in which those who've hung onto the Trump circus are starting to look at how they can cut their losses. How long will they stay with him? When do even the previously loyal supporters say, "That's enough! I'm outta here."? There are a few, like Lindsay Graham, who seem prepared to go down with the ship but most politicians are, underneath, no more loyal than an alley cat.
When the going gets really tough, just watch them start to jump ship. Soon. By the time the impeachment vote comes up in the Senate, probably sometime in Jan. or Feb., it is likely there will be at least ten Republicans ready to vote to push Trump from office, with more considering it.
22
Like him or not, Bolton has always had a point of view regarding the world order, with an emphasis on the USA being in the lead with respect to the rule of law.
I’d like to think he will promote his personal resolve in the current ethical dilemma, despite his distaste for Democrat’s lack of appreciation for his point of view.
9
@JH Otherwise he is not a patriot. Agree.
10
This will either be Bolton's finest hour or his worst depending on his decision regarding testifying.
Based on Bolton's history I'd guess he won't be forthcoming because he'll perceive telling the truth as betraying Trump.
I hope I'm wrong because his testimony, while unnecessary at this point with so much corroborating evidence from others, could be the icing on the cake.
13
Giuliani went from America’s Mayor to a crooked crony for Trump. What a fall.
15
Once subpoenaed for "some additional protection" from Trump and his cruel & violent in like Republican allies both directly associated with him, and in the outside public world;, then let him have it in exposing the entire truth about Trump and company's crooked empire's means, Mr. Bolton.
Do so Mr. Bolton as you will be doing in your tell all book in the current works, on your experience in Trump's crooked White House filled of endless corruption with aid from his pal Putin. This resulting in America's national security being at an even higher risk it had attained after the 9/11 tragedies of 18 years ago.
2
If this guy had any guts, he would have testified already. Remember he was a supporter of the Vietnam war who had better things to do while people who couldn’t afford to dodge the draft died in his place.
16
Find it hard for Bolton not to appear before Congress. At least he will need to confirm Ms. Hill’s account which he’s primarily involved as her superior.
3
"But his appearance is far from assured. His lawyer said that Mr. Bolton was “not willing to appear voluntarily,” declining to specify what his client would do should he be subpoenaed. "
Then Democrats must make it assured. Sergeant-at-Arms time! Seriously, the war-criminal bolt-on mustache wanted to blow up Iran and celebrate that IN IRAN. That he disagrees with the loser at times makes him no less evil or subpoenable.
8
That testimony, if correct, undermines impeachment. I think it is wrong to hold against an Ambassador that he/she associates with members of the other party but that does not relate to charge of demanding quid pro quo for weapons. It certainly is not a high crime even if Trump listened to Livingston and fired her for that. The President gets to hire and fire who he/she wants. It might be worth remembering it was Trump who delivered offensive weapons to Ukraine before the phone call and Obama who refused to do that.
2
@alan brown you don't care who was paying Livingston? Would it influence your thinking if the money came from a Russian oligarch close to Putin? To me it is another dot with a dotted line leading to the rest of the conspiracy. All roads seem to lead to Putin.
20
@alan brown - In the eyes of the United States government, there is no such thing as "the other party." Political parties are not even mentioned in the Constitution.
15
I don’t see how this undermine's Trump admitting that the gist of the “transcript” is true, i.e. there was a quid pro quo. Trump admitted it and then public ally asked China to help him win re-election.
Beyond that, we don’t know Livingston's motive yet for wanting to get rid of Yovanovitch. Whatever it was, it does nothing to change the fact that Trump has admitted he extorted Ukraine.
5
@AKJ "Since when is loyalty to the President a requirement for civil service in this country?"
For political appointees, forever. That includes ambassadors and members of the National Security Council.
The President laid bare his external policy aims, namely to follow the US best interests, rather than be the world policeman involved in all wars. And to stop sending aid to corrupt countries.
People elected him based on that, and he has a free hand at implementing what he promised. The best way he sees fit with the people he chooses.
Trump was concerned about the US, about wasting US taxpayer money on a corrupt government. Which is why he asked Ukraine to stem corruption, including US generated corruption.
Alexander Vindman was concerned about Ukraine being on good terms with both US parties. He did not express concern about corruption in Ukraine.
Trump was elected based on such promises, Vindman was not elected. Which is why Trump's goals have priority.
I am a former Obama voter who switched to Trump. His Ukraine and China policies certainly confirm my choice.
The Democrats are sore losers, who want to impeach Trump for impure thoughts.
Trump talked to president Zelensky, who was not aware of the temporary aid suspension, and who said he did not feel under any pressure. So it could not be a quid pro quo, since the quo was missing. The quid was missing as well, since the aid was resumed in full, without Ukrainians making any inquiry on the Bidens whatsoever.
6
@novoad "The President laid bare his external policy aims, namely to follow the US best interests, rather than be the world policeman involved in all wars. And to stop sending aid to corrupt countries."
In light of the Ukrainian matter you really said that? Downright hilarious. I had to stop reading right there!
First Trump laid bare his policy aims which were to follow HIS best interests.
Next this narrative about Trump seeking to remedy so-called corruption in another country specifically puts in the place of being president of the world or policeman in other countries.
Lastly he was inducing them into corruption by saying he would withhold aid approved by Congress unless they agree to his corrupt scheme.
Like I said. Hilarious.
30
@novoad "Trump was concerned about the US, about wasting US taxpayer money on a corrupt government."
Congress approved sending money to Ukraine, because the Ukrainian govt. proved to their satisfaction that it was fighting corruption. It is illegal for the president to impound funds that Congress has approved. He is not a dictator who can do what he wants with our money.
When asked by a reporter whether he was investigating any "corruption" besides the Bidens, Trump had no answer. All the evidence points to Trump's usual main point of interest: his own benefit, not America's.
In addition, there does not have to be any "quid pro quo" for a president to break the law. Merely by asking Zelensky to do him a personal favor that benefits his campaign, Trump broke it.
19
@novoad
Today is October 30th. We have known for some time now that Zelinskyy knew about the aid having withheld long before Trump's phone call. Zelinskyy was obviously in no position to contradict Trump. Trump didn't and doesn't care about corruption, has only ever made an issue of this with political opponents, and he just wanted Zelinskyy to announce an investigation of Biden so Trump could use this to smear him. That's a whole lot more consistent with everything we know and have long known about Trump -- that he is consumed with vindictive rage and doesn't care the slightest bit about others -- than any absurd nonsense about protecting the taxpayers. How can anyone who toadies up to Putin possibly care about "corruption"? Please. Sorry, you're just reciting talking points here.
9
Just learned that Bolton will drag his feet in an attempt to keep his 'tell-all' Trump story under wraps until his forthcoming book is published. Revealing details to these hearings would literally deflate its value. Money, money, money. All roads lead there.
13
@OutNProud Whatever - Bolton will never be acclaimed or a patriot, just as sleazy as Trump.
2
When it’s all said and done, would we have the answer to the question:
Who does 45 work for?
What has he done that would be described as in the best interest of the American people.
If he has, he’s surely hiding his best work.
7
putin, of course.
9
Has anyone seen or heard from Rudy?
6
@Liberty Apples: my best guess is chained tightly in his casket in the basement of the WH.
5
Laurence O'Donnell of MSNBC said tonight that Bolton will not testify as he will reveal details that will become financially worthless to him when he publishes his "tell all" book next year and that could mean millions of dollars.
10
I may vehemently disagree with John Bolton's agenda, but I never questioned his patriotism and never viewed him as a GOP apparatchik. I believed that his positions are based on personal convictions.
I hope my beliefs are not misguided because, if they hold true, I would think that he'd "do the right thing" and testify.
2
He reminds me of the guy in the x files that chain smokes.
1
John Bolton is apparently writing a potentially very lucrative book. That book will probably bring in much larger profits if he doesn't testify before its release.
5
It is baffling to me that subpoenas from our country’s lawmaking body can simply be ignored, stonewalled, or otherwise challenged when incriminating or politically inconvenient for the subpoenaed.
The conversation then shifts from substance to whether the subpoenaed will show up.
How can Congress fulfill its constitutional duty when they apparently don’t have the authority to do so?
28
Just as it was baffling that Donny could get away with not being interviewed and not even having to answer in writing basic questions that Mueller had for him. This interview was considered “essential” by Mueller.
Mueller: Will you sit for a deposition?
Trump: No.
Mueller: Ok, how about written answers?
Trump: No.
Mueller: Gee, ok, have a nice day!
An absolute farce.
15
John Bolton will remain silent after invoking the 5th. The airhead will not speak when it really counts. Shame!
7
If Bolton Just Says No, what will Schiff do? Direct AG Barr to have Federal Marchals arrest Bolton? Wanna bet whether AG Barr will obey Schiff's "order"?
There is much to discredit Trump. But the impeachment proceeding is the result of horrible judgment, which will backfire on the Dems unless they are very lucky.
2
Are you suggesting that Trump and the Republicans should just be allowed to get on with high crimes and misdemeanors, dismantling the civil service, and gutting the independence of positions such as White House counsel and Attorney General? The Mueller Report was incredibly damning and proved that Trump obstructed justice, and showed that Russia meddled in the 2016 election. Democracy in the US is teetering on the brink. What do you suggest they do? Hold their coats will they complete the demolition?
21
And what is the other option? Let voters decide in 2020 in the election The Donald was caught manipulating in the here and now (and God only knows what other irons he’s got in the fire)?
7
@Teo Is McConnell's Senate going to vote 2/3 o convict? When they don't, Trump goes on the offensive because he's been "cleared." If the Dems then manage to win the next election, the new Prez will struggle to govern a nation more bitterly divided than it's been since the 1860's. So, what does the impeachment proceeding accomplish, aside from providing an emotional release?
They could have held hearings on several matters without calling them impeachment proceedings. There's plenty of scandal to be uncovered, and used.
Assuming that the Senate actually convicts, the Repubs' 2020 candidate is President Pence, untouched by scandal, a very different person from Trump, and ready for battle -- and more right-wing on many issues than Trump himself. So, what will we have achieved?
1
Quite simply: Will he or won’t he?
Please, please, please yes.
From the way these impeachment stories are consistently framed, it doesn't seem to be understood by those reporting them that this wasn't done primarily for political gain, to gain some advantage over Biden. Even Trump isn't that stupid. No, these machinations were undertaken by Trump at the behest of his overlord, Putin, to destabilize Ukraine for his advantage. Believe it or not, Trump's withholding of the aid funding was at mostly meant to not support financially a country that Putin covets and wants in his pocket. Trump is committing treason, ladies and gentlemen, but the smoking gun hasn't yet been unearthed, in part because reporters are being derailed by obsessing mostly on the Biden son angle at the expense of the big picture.
12
Oh, they were done to descredit Biden alright (hitting two birds with one stone), just as AG William Barr now is travelling the world looking for fictional dirt to discredit the FBI's Trump campaign investigation, the Steele dossier and the Mueller Investigation.
7
@Teo You didn't read my comment carefully. I didn't say that there wasn't an attempt to discredit Biden's son. There was. I said that wasn't the primary aim.
3
Democrats still aren’t playing tough enough. Yes, they are issuing subpoenas now, but many of them have been ignored and there have been no consequences. Pelosi and Schiff should wield their power to force these people to appear before the House for questioning. Begin charging daily fines for anyone who ignores subpoenas. If that doesn’t work, lock them up. When there are real, actionable consequences, people talk.
28
What is disturbing is that we have a president who wants always to have his way with everyone and everything--and when he can't, feels the need to have a covert, subversive parallel administration lurking behind the one the world sees. Transparency in government? Not anymore...
9
@Susan - Reminds me of Nixon
2
I remember as a kid watching TV westerns in which the good guys wore white Stetsons and the bad guys wore black Stetsons. The Trump presidency is a black Stetson presidency. What's astonishing is the millions who support it.
12
Trump with Putin, will form duopoly of caucasian leaders, in possible next term, representing two strongest military nation's against perceived non-white nuclear interlopers. It's all about Trump's publicly avowed nationalism and his fan base of negativity toward non-whites.
3
John Bolton has been called many things, but has never been called a traitor. He loves his country and will not shrink away from defending its constitution. He knows better than most how dangerous it is to have someone in the White House who puts his own self interest ahead of the country.
4
@Eddie B.
So why isn't he willing to testify voluntarily?
10
The subpoena protects John Bolton from future GOP retribution.
2
What are the chances that this jerk is finally going to redeem himself and join the reality based community?
4
The whistle blower's name is now revealed and will soon be very public. And it will prove a disaster for Schiff. Stay tuned!
1
Right, like you know.
18
Nonsense squared. Donald Trump has been shown to have betrayed this nation.
17
You rejoice that Nunes is trying to out the whistleblower, a serious violation of the law and a deterrent to others in the future who would think twice before doing the right thing. You pick wrong over right because you want to poke the "other side". That is shameful behavior.
13
Unlike political appointees, Ambassador Yovanovitch was not an Obama holdover. She is a upper-echelon, distinguished career foreign service officer who has served through both Democratic and Republican administrations admirably over three decades. Her expertise, devotion to country, and work ethic earned her the rank of Ambassador. That she had to be smeared by the likes of partisan Svengalis saddens me.
32
Anyone would think from what we all know so clearly, publicly by now that true patriots (like the people already testifying) would rush to be asked about their knowledge of Trump's impeachable behavior and those who enable it. So, the behavior that says in effect, "Make me" is beyond flabbergasting--actually disgusting. Yes, make them or add the resistance to the obstruction charges that will contribute to impeachment anyway.
15
Remember when subpoenas mattered?
23
"His lawyer said that Mr. Bolton was 'not willing to appear voluntarily,' ... "
Madame Speaker: Please subpoena the heck out of the rubber ducky already. Thank you.
24
I don't think it matters if John Bolton testifies. The testimony of Taylor and Vindman is clear. The President delayed Congressional approved military assistance to the Ukraine in an effort to promote a Ukanian investigation that would potentially smear a political rival. The GOP will concede that this occurred, but it doesn't to rise to an impeachable offense. They will not vote to convict and the 2020 election will be the only means to remove this nightmare of a president.
18
@KH, all Joe will say is he and Hunter did nothing wrong. Joe’s belated decision to run for POTUS as inconceivable at this late date as it is for him should not give him complete immunity.
@John Doe: They actually did nothing wrong, so Joe Biden would tell the truth saying so. Belated? Like, about 18 months before the election? I do hope some Republicans who can find their spine will run against Trump. They still have a year until the elections.
7
Stay on topic. This is about the president’s crimes
13
John Bolton was asked to testify, hope he does.
We can’t have trump for another 4 years , he is going to destroy what is left of America.
15
John Bolton, you have a unique opportunity: you can defend your country, or you can cling to some notion of loyalty that serves America's worst tendencies. Please, be as honorable as those loyal career government employees below you, and defend your country, not the Republican party. You can determine your legacy today; don't fail America.
24
@A.K.G. True - but it is all about his book now. Certainly not right or wrong or being a patriot.
1
Bolton to Trump.
`We'll always have Fox.'
13
If John Bolton is the nail in Trump’s coffin I will literally throw up. This is wrong on so many levels.
4
Let's hope that Bolton will be as trustworthy as his mustachioed doppelganger, Grandpa Walton.
8
@Paul-A Bolton "trustworthy"? Everyone knows that Trump is a con man and a crook, but it is very sad to see Democrats putting their faith in crackpots like Boton--never mind the CIA, FBI, the military, etc. And, also never mind, that Trump will never by convicted by the Senate. Keep going, Democrats, and keep deflecting attention away from what matters.
1
@Andrzej Warminski
Lighten up, man; I was making a joke!
7
@Paul-A
And a good one, boy, do we need the laughs.
2
NYT stop helping the GOP fake facts. Why don't you label the attack that Ambassador Yovanovitch was an "Obama holdover" as false and incorrect rather than letting those who have few critical thinking skills still see that attack without proper caution as to its truthfulness? Maybe the NYT should underline every false statement made by the GOP when presenting a "story".
30
@Stefanie. Excellent point. It wasn’t until I read the comments that I learned that she worked for both Republican and Democratic administrations, and for the last 30 years.
16
From the photo it looks like Livingston's been rehearsing some while for his own crucifixion.
5
Remember that during the Bush Jr and trump administrations Republicans have repeatedly attempted to oust Democrats (even career people who had some Democratic ties, no matter how tenuous), and under Clinton and Obama many Republicans were retained in career posts and even selected to serve in important positions. This is really one of the most important facts to remember in electing people who will serve America and not a particular party or person.
27
This glaring fact is a very damning indictment of the Republican party. That they still enjoy such unwavering support does not bode well for democracy in the US.
8
It would be interesting to know who was paying Robert Livingston to lobby against Yovanovitch. Isn't there some bill requiring lobbyists to say who they are working for? If there isn't, there should be.
14
I see that Robert Livingston is back in the news. I guess F. Scott Fitzgerald was wrong: There ARE second acts in American lives. His fall from the pinnacle of power to the swamp of K Street was precipitated by the revelation of several extra-marital affairs. For that we have Larry Flynt to thank. Were it not the case that Mr. Livingston was succeeded by David Vitter in Congress and by Dennis Hastert in House leadership, we might all feel a sense that justice had been served.
7
I've yet to hear about a single avenue of "corruption" trump, et. al. were intent on rooting out in Ukraine other than that regarding the Democratic party or the Bidens. Gee, I wonder why.
Claims that Yovanovitch was removed in furtherance of anti-corruption efforts are laughably disingenuous as she, in fact, was working diligently with the Ukrainian Anti-Corruption Bureau, and apparently making certain people in the "business community" unhappy. The fact that reptiles like Giuliani and Livingston were pushing for her removal suggests pretty clearly that she was removed for precisely the opposite reason, as she was likely interfering with shady schemes on the part of associates of theirs. In Giuliani's case, Parnas and Fruman come immediately to mind. We need to know exactly who Livingston was working for.
Drain the swamp, indeed.
15
Every day, I catch snippets of news from various American networks, hoping that one will finally demonstrate the might of such iconic establishments. And every day I am proven wrong. Who will be the saviour of the world’s greatest lighthouse ? Shine your light on me America and may I settle into the night, knowing you have within your great nation a person who will rid us all of the most toxic mutation of humanity - Trump.
19
@Richard Burke
Hear hear! You’re mighty well told!
And your comment very well expressed.
11
Credit where credit is due. Russia, yes Russia, has outperformed in the world disinformation Olympics. Our news is perceived as fake and hero’s tremble at the sight of failed efforts by those that try to stand up and do the right things.
8
I'm really interested in what these Republicans were up to in Ukraine. It is obvious the Trump crowd was trying to generate a disinformation campaign based on concocted "investigations" of Biden's son. But there's more. Ukraine is fighting Russia. Were these Republicans doing Russia's bidding as well?
16
Bob Livingston, Rep/Louisiana? The same guy whose extra-maritals were covered by Larry Flynt in late 90's while the GOP, including a guy named Gingrich, mid-fling with a staffer, were impeaching a bubba named Bill for having a fling with a staffer?
Oy! So Bayou Bob bailed, became a lobbyist for big corporations and the gov't of Turkey among others, and now in his late years is still hustling? Never enough corruption, never enough dough.
12
People need to go to jail before anything changes. Thomas Friedman's op-ed from the 29th sums up my feelings to a "t." I am in despair and also fear for my country.
11
So many commentators ask "why". Why do the Trump supporters persist in backing this obviously unfit criminal? There are three major reasons: Greed, racism and religious zealotry. Livingston probably falls into the first category, as do many of the wealthy who support the miscreant. However, the votes come from the latter two. They simply do not care what happens to the civilized fabric of our society as long as their racist/end of times agenda is fulfilled. We who read and comment here have an obligation to get actively involved, somehow, to stem the fascist tide that threatens to engulf America. Volunteer or donate or both. This is existential.
16
@andy b Well said. Our country cannot risk another 4 years of trump. It isn't safe for any of us.
1
Livingston was forced to drop out of the running for Speaker of the House for cheating on his wife while trying to impeach Clinton(Newt Gingrich, another paradigm of GOP honor was forced to drop out for the same reason). Both have become more vile with age.
11
I want to know who hired Robert Livingston. I hope the impeachment proceedings find this out. It's key to what is going on - and who is behind it. They obviously convinced Trump of something.
11
There were a lot of Never Trumpers at the ball park the other night, as well as among the ranks of people who read books and newspapers.
23
I have an unrelenting suspicion that there are not only political reasons so many Republicans have been sliding in and out of Ukraine over the past several years. Giuliani's buddies already have been indicted on campaign fraud for bringing in foreign money. I'll bet that is not where the money flow ends and there are more Republican operatives with dark money involvements with corrupt former Ukrainian officials.
23
So, has any of that money or the weapons actually been released yet?
1
I was never concerned with Ms. Yovanovitch’s loyalty to President Trump. I was concerned with her loyalty to the USA and with how well she did her job.
5
And....? Of course we know she was and is totally loyal to the USA and that all who worked with her say she was an outstanding state department worker and employee.
11
Have Republicans decided we’re no longer even going to try to be the Good Guys in the world? Just cut the hypocrisy already and admit the USA doesn’t care anymore about human rights, democracy, fairness, the rule of law, or even its own citizens. They’re skirting the edge now and if they let this president off the hook, the country is GONE.
On the other hand, it will take just a few generations (how many?) to crawl our way back, probably with much American bloodshed.
Your choice, Republicans.
13
I have a horrible feeling that despite
Trump’s sleazy lack of ethics, blatant
dishonesty, corruption and the partisan
response to the Trump’s misdeeds,
that the damage he attempted on the
Biden family has succeeded. Biden is
slipping in the polls, his fundraising
is suffering. The leading contenders,
Sanders and Warren, will not be elected
despite left-leaning Democratic Party
support. Trump, in his possibly illegal and
impeachable offense, has achieved his goal.
Biden is down and possibly out.
We will all suffer for it. Trump may not
read a great deal but he has instinctively
absorbed Machiavellian politics.
4
Biden is not the Second Coming. He’s old, he blathers too much, he’s a good-hearted fellow but not the man for the job. Why the Democratic Party cannot find a more viable, charismatic and much more robust figure to run for the office is beyond me. The party is so busy navel gazing and litmus testing and self-flagellating, striving for the perfect at the expense of the merely good, that it may well allow the truly evil to prevail.
It’s The Gang That Couldn’t Shoot Straight. Heaven help us.
4
@Karen
The other candidate should have rallied around Biden - Trump is doing to them what he did the the Republican field. One by one he picks them off, counting on their docility - like a fox in the hen house.
3
The search is underway for, as you put it” a more viable” candidate, if there is one. Geezohman, the primaries (and caucuses)..the most public of the selection processes..are still weeks away!
Why isn't the FBI and the DOJ looking into this. Wray was talking to Congress today about threats to our country. I don't know if he's looking at all the Republicans who seem to have their fingers into Ukraine. Who paying for all these people -- Livingston, Giuliani, Parnas, and some others.
Where is our Attorney General? Who is paying him?
12
Lobbyists choosing ambassadors? Who elected them?
17
Given the laughably overwhelming percentage of current and former Democrat Party "law" makers who want our President ousted, this is just silly. Another smokeless gun.
1
Republicans sure are interested in corruption in Ukraine but not at all interested in corruption here.
23
Liviingston is as faithless to the US and our national and international interests as he was to his ex-wife.
14
And this supports the need to impeach because....I'm sorry, I don't see the reason.
1
@johnlo You wouldn't even if the reason was staring at you in the face. Oh wait... it is staring at you in the face.
4
The Senate trial will be so much more entertaining than the OJ trial in the early 90’s. One thing is certain, Trump’s been begging for a TV spectacle guess what? He’s going to get his TV ratings alright but he won’t be the star the patriot deep state officials will be, the ones who will set him up for impeachment and send his administration minions to prison. Every day for 4-6 weeks, 6 days a week he’ll be slowly water boarded on national TV. I predict he will not be able to tolerate the torture and he resigns.
7
@Mary
No one but Trump set Trump up for impeachment. And the invertebrates that are the Senate GOP will not convict. But you may be correct: when it is no longer profitable, Trump might resign.
7
Come on, Republicans Trump draws his power from hate, fear, and aggression. and he has brought you into it. This is the same mind that fixated on the "birther" conspiracy and called the Paris climate talks "a conspiracy against the American economy." Is this is the way you are supposed to be if you are intelligent? All this is insidious, not merely nonsensical, because it has such a profoundly negative effect on human beings.
Heartless one is putting your own community at risk with his archaic materialism and prejudice against investigation and other types of knowing. It is obvious, from all sorts of subtle details, that you are losing respect from women, minorities, journalists, ambassadors, foreign leaders, allies abroad, allies neighboring and intelligent people overall.
You can't win. It's getting harder each day for supporters to maintain this facade of a Trump's super intellect and his parental deity archetype. Your party has been deceived by false appearance. Retreat now while you can still maintain your base. Blame the Democrats if you have to. Dump Trump and save what is left of your failed system.
7
@Thomas
They don’t need a base once the courts are stacked with conservative ideologues out of step with the majority of Americans.
3
Unfortunately, we’re there now. I wince every time I hear Trump say things like “My Supreme Court”.
1
You know, I would take back President Bush (the lesser) if meant this nightmare would end.
14
@Max Deitenbeck - Maybe, if he wasn’t accompanied by that evil mastermind Cheney.
3
It seems to be not enough for Mr. Trump to try to destroy his own country. He also wants to deny Ukraine the chance to become a vibrant democracy, instead exposing its citizens to corruption and to death as he tries to cancel the delivery of congressionally approved weapons. Add this to the Kurds, and we can how many other deaths will this evil man be responsible for if we can't stop him.
8
Well Well Well I am shocked to see a former GOP congressman tossing his reputation to the wind to turn a buck.
Donald you do inspire some. Pity it is the worst of us.
9
“It was not clear to me at the time — or now — at whose direction or at whose expense Mr. Livingston was seeking the removal of Ambassador Yovanovitch.”
Not to jump to conclusions here, but Parnas And Fruman plead not guilty, raised Executive Privilege.
3
Looks like some would like to live in a dictatorship. One man (forget a woman,) one party, get rid of all else or they better fall in line.
Democracy, what a terrible concept.
Now I see why some almost worship the dear leader.
Just my thoughts in these unusual times of our young republic.
1
Ahh. Robert Livingston. I remember him well from the Clinton impeachment.
Clinton was impeached for lying about sexual misconduct in the oval office.
The head accuser was Newt Gingrich who was then exposed as having his own improper romantic entanglement and forced from office.
So Robert Livingston was next in line to be Speaker of the House. Livingston lasted only a few days when it was revealed that he too was having an improper affair.
Where do they find these guys?
21
America is hopelessly divided. No country or empire is forever. It’s time for the United States to break up.
But what will happen to the red states without blue state money?
15
@AhBrightWings
They’re either not thinking far enough ahead to how history will view them, or they’re hoping that if they can achieve permanent one party rule with dissenters dead or imprisoned, they’ll control the propa....er, history, so it’s a moot point.
My father would be horrified that his beloved R party now stands for ‘Russian’.
7
I hope the new Dem president appoints Marie Yovanovitch as Secretary of State.
12
The perfidy Trumpster and his merry band exhibit exceeds my imagination. Livingston does not acknowledge Amb. Yovanovith sholdover." Is he ignorant or just lying?
The irrational behaviors during Trumpster's watch rises above petty political differences. Trumpster and his cronies, in the spirit of Roy Cohn, strike at the intentions of our nation's founders as they had crafted the US Constitution. They sought to have Congress, the Executive branch, and the US Spureme Court balance one another ... not expect one to dominate the other two by misusing law and Constitutional misinterpretations.
1
Why isn’t the FBI and the DOJ looking into this? Or is Barr being paid off too?
3
Wasn't Livingston one of the 1990s GOP adulterers?
9
The fact that the Republican henchmen on the Committee are persistent in trying to get witnesses to reveal the identity of the whistle-blower and impugn the reputation of the witnesses is evidence that that decision to have initial testimony in-camera was wise indeed.
When public hearings begin, Republican congressmen will impede the fair airing of facts. There will be circus of Republican henchmen publicly hurling insults, lies and invective at witnesses to distract us from the high crimes and misdemeanors of the occupant of the White House.
4
I hate to use a broad brush or to characterize a group but I must say that there is literally no one in this administration who is worthy of an ounce of my trust. Furthermore, I do not trust a single Republican on the Hill to have genuine concern for making my life or the world a better or safer place.
15
Every day we shine light on a new member of a very dark swamp. The narrative would lead some to believe that they recently began to behave this way. Not so. These characters knew they had to hide their wrongdoings. The worst damage Trump has inflicted to our society is to allow despicable, immoral individuals now believe their conduct is acceptable and normal. It started with a cabinet of cronies followed by the justice department, with the AG at the top. The list goes on and on because these true enemies of the people now feel protected by their boss. Historically, despite our flaws, we have not accepted this as normal and never should.
7
Exactly why is Ukraine so vital that these people are all fighting over its control? What is going on? Why are they being paid to lobby there?
3
With every new person coming forward and giving their testimony about what and is happening about this now absolutely confirmed quid pro quo demanded by Drump of a foreign government, it's revealing more and more just how many people were and are deeply involved in the many pieces and parts of this ever widening crime syndicate known as the Drumpf dictatorship.
4
Twenty-five years from now, kids will read about the “Republican Party” in history textbooks, much as they read about the Whig Party today.
That is if the Republican Party hasn’t remained power and completely destroyed the nation before then.
4
I remember complaining about the W administration politicizing the CIA to lie us into a war. I had no idea how corrupt Republicans would become. Is there no limit to the depths of their immorality?
8
How much more is going to be uncovered before enough is enough? Everyone involved in trump's sphere of perfect governing & now jared is corrupt & as dishonest as all the criminals in the prison system. Can Rudy Guilani claim client-attorney privilege if trump isn't paying him? Or maybe trump has given him the obligatory dollar as retainer. I know that trump has no competent cabinet or staff but since when can he use ordinary citizens(donors) (not vetted by Congress) as his foreign policy advisers & ambassadors & allowing them to say they represent the US government? Why is his base still believing he is helping America? SAD DAY for America.
4
It sounds like a case of a fly in the ointment.
Dec 20, 1998 "Representative Robert L. Livingston, who confessed on Thursday night that he had had adulterous affairs, stunned the House this morning by saying in the impeachment debate that he would not serve as Speaker and would quit Congress in six months. He urged the President to follow his example and quit, too."
He was a corrupt ,hypocritical, liar then and obviously little has changed. Let's see if he asks Trump to quit now with clear violations of the constitution with --emolument clause violations, abuse of power and obstruction of justice easily provable.
9
Imagine a country in which politicians and their families are prohibited from profiting from their public office. How many of these people would even be in politics? How different would the country look?
4
Over and over again, the way Trump operates when he wants to get rid of people, is he sets up others to make it look like they are pressing to have that person removed instead of himself. One asks why this congressman would be concerned with removing an Ambassador to Ukraine on his own. Some well placed political contributions through Giuliani's shadow Oligarch donors perhaps?
6
This testimony reflects the general atmosphere which cleared the decks for Mr. Trump's and Rudolph Giuliani's later actions to pressure Ukrainian officials and Democratic rivals. Mr. Livingston is part of the GOP machine that continues to effect our politics long after they leave office. People outside of the chain of command structure should not be allowed to meddle in our international relations. The question becomes who authorized this man to do so and when?
5
The question is "who was paying Livingston to lobby the State Department?" I'm sure this will all come out during the Impeachment process. I wonder if the Republican senate is having second thoughts about supporting Trump when they deliberate his misdeeds. It would be an opportunity for them to clear a path for Mitt Romney with Trump out of the way. Romney's ethical stances as a senator opposing Trump would carry some weight with the electorate. It certainly would with me.
5
What exactly is President Trump's policy towards Ukraine? Does he want the Russian irregular troops that are occupying the Donbass region to return to Russia? Does he support the return of Crimea to Ukraine? Does he believe that Russian interference in Ukraine's political process should be limited?
3
So interesting to see how the insiders influence our government. Mr. Livingston can call a Foreign Services officer to lobby for his position. The rest of us can whistle Dixie.
8
We need to follow the money. The Russian Republican connection goes beyond Trump and his desire to build a tower there. How many political campaigns have benefited from Russia money. How many favors are owed? Why are they making investments in red states like Kentucky? Make no mistake, Russia is playing these games to hurt us and to make Democracy weak. They are getting what they want. And GOP is helping them. I am sure their dark money is behind removal of this Ambassador too.
7
That baseball stadium full of government workers chanting Trump down was as close as they could come to a full scale
walk out strike but the optics were even more satisfying and memorable.
6
Best World Series ever!
4
Trump's behavior pattern of openly shouting "look over there" confirms his role in the real Deep State.
This saga is running like a Hollywood produced thriller.
In the opening scene Hillary Clinton calls Trump out as "The Pupet" and an hour later Nancy Pelosi confronts Trump with "Everything leads back to Putin."
So much more to happen before the final credits roll.
3
Finally, we are beginning to know why it was so important for Trump to gain control of the Justice Dept. through Bill Barr.
Every road, from Putin to Trump, to Manafort and Michael Flynn; to Rudy Giuliani and Lev Parnas, leads to the plots and sub plots designed to relieve the Russian sanctions.
There is only one organization in the world that could have handled the investigation, and Bill Barr is sitting on it.
The unceasing attempts by Donald Trump and his cohorts to absolve Russia of the 2016 attack on our election, are not due to his embarrassment about receiving their help, nor is it only about attacking his perceived enemies, it is, and always has been about eliminating the sanctions placed on Russia, by placing the blame elsewhere. Like Ukraine.
That is the main goal of Putin and his all of his puppets, and it is the reason that Russia aided Trump in 2016 and is going to do again.
Kleptocracy depends on money laundering.
7
@William Case
For what you are saying in reply to me to be true Trump would have had to ask her to pressure the Ukrainians. He did not do that because he knows she would have told him no. You should also realize that Trump and Ghouliani knew they were acting outside the law which is why they were and are actibg to hide what they were/are doing.
What Trump did was to send a private citizen (Ghouliani) to Uklraine to make contact with a former prosecutor (Lutsenko) who was trying to keep his job. He has no legal experience at all, I think he may not even be a lawyer, and was not prosecuting corruption. He seems to have been engaged in corruption. He contacted Ghouliani and offered up a "story" of how he knew about something corrupt Hunter Biden had done. Since the story broke Mr Lutsenko has been interviewed and on camera said multiple times that Hunter Biden did nothing criminal "under Ukraine law". I suppose he is trying to hedge his bet even though he has also fled to London to "improve his English".
That criminal activity is what She was objecting to. because she objected to it and was otherwise doing her job to help root out corruption, the corrupt folks Trump and Ghoulini partnered with started to complain about her to give Trump an excuse to remove her.
2
I hope, and believe that this wave is turning in to a monumental tsunami, just as it did during Watergate.
Without question GOP Senators are going to have choose country and the Constitution, or Trump, as there is simply no middle ground.
Which will it be?
55
No contest. They'll back Trump. They don't dare anger his base.
3
@Equilibrium
If you think a single republican will choose anything but money you have not been paying attention.
9
@magicisnotreal
We will find out for sure when the time comes.
Nixon had 40 Senators protecting him over the weekend and on Monday, by Friday he announced he would resign.
At noon Saturday Gerald Ford was President.
These things have a life of their own. There are certainly plenty of craven GOP politicians, but the more evidence that comes out, the harder it will be for them to justify supporting Trump.
4
The incredibly sleazy behavior of Mr. Livingston has become the norm in the Republican party. On one side of their mouths people like him cry victim, and on the other side of their mouths they lie, slander, and cheat. It is yet more evidence that the Republican Party has rotted from within, and one more reason why Donald Trump and his cabal of crooks, liars and grifters need to be removed from office.
These folks are not at all interested in protecting United States interests or we citizens. They are only interested in protecting their I’ll gained power and wealth. They consider themselves patriots, yet they are the ominous and threatening “deep state.”
If I had control or influence over Mr. Livingston he’d be gone in a heart beat.
45
Livingston was mentioned in at least one previous article published by the Times in connection to the Ukraine mess. He is the ex-congressman allegedly connected to the two guys who worked on Giuliani's scheme to get rid of the Ukrain ambassador and replace her with a Trump loyalist, and who were recently arrested at the airport trying to flee the country. The dots are definitely connecting.
34
People like Livingstone have no shame. They resurface even more disreputable than before.
29
A little context here: all these yoyos, whether they thought so or not, were working to adavance Russian interests, against those of the United States.
39
Livingston is a lobbyist with many foreign clients. The "Ukraine not Russia tried to influence the election" conspiracy theory & raising the George Soros bogeyman sound like something straight out of the Kremlin playbook. Were they stuffing Livingston's pockets directly or indirectly?
22
A man who cheats on his wife will cheat on his country.
Was Livingston a registered foreign agent?
Who paid him to try to get the ambassador fired?
35
But would those crones on Fox and those hypocrites dredge his smarmy past and tear apart Livingston's reputation, what's left of it? Nah. He's a republican. Another word for clueless, classless, and just a shade away from being criminal.
19
In other words. Vindman was trying to manipulate and alter the transcript to fit his narrative but the WH prevented him from doing so.
4
@JQGALT
Yeah, um, no. But be patient. The phone call in it entirety will be released. I wonder, why do you think, if it isn't incriminating, the White House hasn't released the recording to defend Trump? Just waiting for the right moment?
4
@JQGalt: Wrong, as usual. You really need to learn how to read something else besides Ayn Rand. Vindman wanted to restore passages that had been omitted from the transcript, not add his own words.
6
@JQGALT You mean trying to manipulate the transcript to show the truth? How dare he!
5
What is becoming more and more evident is the people involved in Ukrainegate from Trump to Giuliani to Livingston is they are all amoral in their private lives and are all traitors to the United States in their public lives.
34
Imagine the most corrupt and incompetent adminstration ever.
Now think of the Trump administration.
See, your imagination isn't as good as you thought!
15
How much illicit Russian/Ukrainian oligarch swamp money was Livingston offered, and how much did he already receive? Are all the GOP Forever Trumpers on the payroll of Putin's mob?
15
Livingston must be subpoenaed and give testimony under oath.
Based on news reports, Livingston sabotaged and subverted American foreign policy for cheap political purposes — that’s treasonous and un-American.
17
First there was the Clinton crowd, helping themselves during and after the Bosnian war; then came Manafort, with the Ukranian president; then Biden's son, now Guiliani and his group of crooks. it seems Eastern Europe is a candy-store for American Government officials, Dems and Reps. Let's see how many more of them get burned. I would not blame Putin for any of this, though he is probably taking advantage. It is just plain old fashioned GREED.
4
@Jean louis LONNE
False equivalence. The Clintons and the Bidens were falsely accused. Manafort is in prison. Giuliani and Tripp conduct themselves like mobsters in broad daylight and dare anyone to try and stop them. I can't think of any reason not to blame Putin for being an evil monster. Look up his henchman who runs Chechnya, Kadyrov, to get the picture.
2
The more this investigation continues, the more we learn that Trump had his own off-the-books 'deep state' going. I wonder how far the tentacles reach?
24
Does Mr Livingston have even a scintilla of fact to back his assertions? No. Nothing, nada! We are to take the word of a former congressman, who has sold out to special interests as a lobbyist?
First we need a law forbidding former senators and congressmen from becoming paid lobbyists. That alone would limit lobbyists influence in DC.
Second, public financed campaigns. No private money, period.
Third, any receipt of any money or gift from any corporation, business, or individual with skin in the game would automatically disqualify the congressperson from any vote on the matter.
15
The frat boy pranks and dirty tricks popular among Republicans since the time of Nixon reflects a true lack of appreciation of how serious are violations of the laws and acts of disruption in our government by trusted representatives of the people and their assistants.
Trump broke a trust when he approached Ukraine for assistance with his re-election campaign and withheld approved military assistance as leverage. While Republicans obviously are supportive of his re-election, they have a duty by virtue of their oaths taken to act in the interests of our country by supporting the Constitution when any Republican breaks that oath, including Trump.
Our country exists because of mutual trusts among all of our citizens, not race, nor religion, nor ancient nationality, but a social contract which is very explicitly dependent upon law and promises to respect each other's basic rights. Winning elections is not license to undermine the whole system.
11
Republicans used to bill themselves as the patriotic, rule of law party but they have allowed themselves to become the party of Trump. I grew up in a red state. I used to be a swing voter. Now I consider those who continue to support Trump the most unpatriotic of all.
22
I repeatedly preach from the same soapbox. When assessing the truth, you need to consider the messenger as well as the message. And the impeachment hearings of
Trump and Clinton allow me to make the point in spades.
When the House was weighing the impeachment of Clinton, the lead headline in the Washington Post was "Clinton Urges Democrats to Vote Conscience". Its lead headline at the same stage of the Trump hearings was "Pelosi ... Says Trump's Courting of Foreign Political Help is a 'Betrayal of National Security'".
With Clinton, the Post's priority was to give voice to the President. With Trump, its priority was to give voice to his accusers. The not so subtle message is that Clinton's defense is valid, Trump's is not.
Post readers are surely influenced by the subliminal message. And twenty years apart, they have no clue as to the manipulation. It is perfectly appropriate to send this message on the editorial page. It is entirely inappropriate for the news section, particularly in the lead story.
So let me say it for the thousandth time. Even the most respected media outlets abandon fealty to the truth and seek to shape your opinions so that they match their opinions.
"Don't Get Fooled Again"--the Who.
@michjas
Mostly it’s that printing Trump’s statements as headlines would reveal that he has no position, no soapbox to stand on.
Plus, most of what he says never gets past basic fact checkers. That’s why he has to self- publish on Twitter.
5
@michjas
Perhaps the post is actually neutral and the difference is that Clinton really meant vote your conscience thus releasing party discipline while Trump is enforcing GOP discipline.
6
"... the lead headline in the Washington Post ..."
Headlines are always deceptive to some degree. If the headline and the article are inconsistent, that would be good grounds for criticism.
I'm all for criticizing the Post, but this is the Times. And there is plenty to criticize in the Times's reporting -- starting with its failure to clearly state that the President can remove an ambassador at any time for any reason.
"Even the most respected media outlets abandon fealty to the truth and seek to shape your opinions so that they match their opinions."
The Post is not "respected" in some high places:
Trump Cancels Subscriptions to The New York Times and The Washington Post
By Michael M. Grynbaum
Oct. 24, 2019
New York Times
1
Does Mr Livingston have even a scintilla of fact to back his assertions? No. Nothing, nada! We are to take the word of a former congressman, who has sold out to special interests as a lobbyist?
First we need a law forbidding former senators and congressmen from becoming paid lobbyists. That alone would limit lobbyists influence in DC.
Second, public financed campaigns. No private money, period.
Third, any receipt of any money or gift from any corporation, business, or individual with skin in the game would automatically disqualify the congressperson from any vote on the matter.
3
More evidence that our government works for the rich and powerful.
5
take money out of politics and this country will change for the better overnight.
9
It is time for Congress to add “bribery”, the express crime recited in the Constitution as grounds for impeachment. The crime would require an official act of office in exchange for an illicit quid pro quo.
The official act,was the recall of the experienced and respected Ambassador to Ukraine, the career diplomat Marie Yanokovitch. It was the “quid” desired by not only Guilliani, but his “clients” seeking an interest in the Ukraine national gas company. Yanokovitch even speculated that this could have been a motivation for her removal.
Apparently lobbyists were enlisted in the effort. Trump “lost confidence” in his highly regarded diplomat, whose boss could not explain her recall.
What did Guilliani’s arrested clients agree to deliver as their end of the bargain? they would and did mine their sources for dirt on the Bidens.
The dots establishing a case of the explicit impeachable offense of bribery are clearly visible; Congress needs to connect them.
9
After what we have seen during the past 2 ½ years, IMHO, the most important reform needed in our country now is to make the DOJ an Independent entity--just as the Federal Reserve is. If we had an independent DOJ, free of the WH influence, a lot of what is happening today would have never been allowed to go on. The Justice Department should be enforcing the laws not becoming an arm of the WH or any other branch of our government. Otherwise, we will soon become a banana republic!
14
There you have it. The White House, including the Cabinet, Congress and the federal courts must be purged of all who fail to perfectly align themselves with The One True Party, its One True Fearless Leader and their One True Religion. If this cannot be accomplished through legal, ethical and democratic means, then by any means necessary, as all such measures are fully justified by the One Noble Cause — whatever the heck that is. One day it’s ‘fiscal responsibility’ - but when the deficit explodes as a result of that other Noble Cause, tax cuts, why then it’s ‘strong borders’ to ‘keep us safe’ from ‘the invaders.’
But pay no attention to the rising waters, the daily tally of mass shootings and 30,000 deaths by gun per year, the declining life expectancy that results from our ludicrously inequitable health care system - the most expensive and ineffective among the family of ‘advanced nations’ from which we have been all but disinherited.
Thanks to The One True Party and the One True Religion, the United States is devolving into a banana republic and a chaotic Keystone Kops circus act. It’s a confederacy of dunces and clowns.
How do we know whether to laugh or cry? I know one thing - our adversaries are laughing their heads off. They didn’t have to fire a shot. We’re doing it to ourselves.
11
Why are former congressmen allowed to hound government officials demanding the dismissal of an ambassador or anyone else?
13
A whistleblower's identity is protected by Federal law.
So aren't all these attempts by Devin Nunes and his ilk to out the whistleblower, effectively breaking the law? If so, shouldn't they be warned by an officer of the law?
Finally, would the whistleblower be able to sue them if he is outed?
14
@Jules
The idea that any whistleblower can stay anonymous is naive and unrealistic.
When you make such explosive accusations of illegal activity, people are going to find out who you are eventually. That's a fact even Snowden figured out, regardless of what silly whistle-blower protection laws exist. As your claims are investigated, the pool of possible individuals narrows a lot.
There's nothing illegal about Nunes asking who the whistle-blower spoke with and who he's referring to in his complaint. These people would be asked to testify to the veracity of his claims anyway.
It's sad that so many Republicans are so shallow and hopeless that all they can do is spook witnesses with aggressive (and pointless) questions about the whistleblower. The folks playing this petty game reveal themselves to be trump thugs through and through. EVERYBODY who has been interviewed has shed light on the correctness of what the whistleblower said, and in many cases the information from named witnesses, not to mention the memcon itself, has been much more damaging than the whistleblower's complaint. The identity of the whistleblower is entirely beside the point.
These school yard bullies are doing harm to the country and even to their beloved trump, since all they do is make him look like a guilty crook who needs smoke and mirrors to hide the truth of what he and his White House have been up to.
8
Who paid Livingston. That's all we need to know.
10
“He characterized Ambassador Yovanovitch as an ‘Obama holdover’ and associated with George Soros,”
Marie Yovanovitch joined the foreign service in 1986, during the Reagan administration. It's nonsense to call her an "Obama holdover" when she's also served Republicans Ronald Reagan, George H.W. Bush and George W. Bush.
It seems obvious that Former Republican Rep Robert Livingston was trying to give cover to Donald Trump and Giuliani and had no interest in the facts.
16
Mr. LIVINGSTON's actions simply parallel the corruption behaviors that he and his pure at heart corruption police were trying to point out in Ukraine.
5
Volker says no quid pro quo and in the end Ukraine got the aid. All the rest is noise.
1
An attempted crime is still a crime.
6
Maybe I lived in a happy bubble during the Obama administration but I can’t remember anything even remotely close to the corruption and chaos that has surrounded the trump administration from day one. Every day it’s something new, some new unscrupulous, amoral person being exposed.
I can’t wait for this nightmare to be over.
12
At this point, there should be a stampede on the GOP side of the aisle to declare not just impeachment but the intent to remove, try, and imprison much of this administration. We're way past the impeachment issue. Unless of course they're up to their necks in it too, and every second that passes without robusts condemnation from them leaves us no alternative view.
Sometimes, most often, silence really does = complicity. If that is not the case, then they had better get their act together pronto.
Just as the Don,Giuliani and their capos and crews don't seem to grasp that there are these handy gadgets called mics and cameras recording everything they do, the GOP itself seems to be oblivious to the fact that history will not turn a blind eye to their grotesque role in this crime spree.
One would think a few of them might care to ponder the degree to which they are going to be shredded (already way way too late to become heros) in the history books. Their degree of complicity may still take on interesting criminal colors.
Collins? Merkowsky? The so-called "reasonable" and "moral" arm of this corrupt governing body...where are you? Crickets.
4
Mr. Livingston linked Ambassador Yovanovitch. to George Soros. In the Eastern European lexicon the translated to “She is a Jew and part of a conspiracy”. It turns out Ms Yovanovitch is Jewish and born in the Montreal Jewish community. It is likely that the political force pushing her out originates in a resurgent and virulent antisemitism that has been documented in Russia and Ukraine and other European nations.
8
If this is not treason, the crime does not exist and the word should be erased from our Constitution.
10
So Mr. Livingston, former Republican congressman, is now lobbying for Ukrainian interests and interfering with our chosen and confirmed ambassador because she is in the way of his clients making more money. And now it seems that Republican members of the investigating committees use their time trying to figure out who the whistleblower is (as opposed to seeing what the dishonest president was up to). Did it bother ANY of them that Ukraine was out there fighting a losing battle against the stronger army of our historic enemy, Russia? Maybe they should be locked out of the room as untrustworthy and unable to fulfill the requirements of their oaths of office to the U.S., as opposed to their apparent desire to help Russia!
Was there one point in time when all Republicans decided to put money ahead of country, loyalty and duty, or did they all just slip into the slime individually? All of a sudden, they seem to love Russia and want to see Ukraine weakened until it cannot help but fall into Putin's trap and become the first big victory in reestablishing the Soviet Union.
So the Republicans are big fans of Russia, Putin and his puppet, trump. And yet the official party line is that AOC and Bernie are the devil's own spawn as socialists and borderline commies.
What's going on? Are communists bad (AOC) or good and lovely (Putin)? Ronald Reagan is rolling over in his grave as his political scions flirt with the foul remnants of the failed and decrepit Soviet Union.
6
when you want a boat to drift, you remove the anchor. ambassador Yovanovitch was the anchor.
5
And this is why members of Congress should be restricted from lobbying jobs after their time in Congress. Our whole system is so corrupted by the influence of money.
40
The practice of lobbying in Congress is nothing but bribery plain and simple. Both parties make boatloads of money and we the people lose
33
Mr. Livingston should be expecting a subpoena. It's going to be interesting to see if his clients are US or non-US Citizens.
If they are non-US Citizens, he'd better hope he's registered as a foreign lobbyist, or expect significant ramifications.
15
@GKSanDiego
We can guess what will happen. Livingston will consult an attorney, then Att. Gen. Barr will step in to declare that existential executive privilege, four times removed in time and space from Trump, applies and so the subpoena shall not be honored.
7
Could this be perhaps why over the past 2 years the GOP has been silent on Trump and Russia?
Their fear is more about themselves than Trump.
We may be discovering the conspiracy ensnares many Republicans.
24
The question is, as a lobbyist, who was Livingston working for when he smeared the ambassador. All roads seem to lead to Russia.
23
"His decision to offer such introductory remarks was unusual, and reflected how the questioning by Republican lawmakers in previous depositions about the whistle-blower’s activities has spooked other witnesses."
...but I thought the Republicans said they weren't even allowed into the hearing room? *eye roll*
13
It's becoming increasingly clear that it doesn't matter who the whistle-blower is as witness after witness confirms and expands the details of the initial complaint. Republicans are going to question the integrity and credibility of all of them? Personally attack them all? Good luck with that.
15
They will attack and the Trump base will believe the lies.
2
Good lord ... how deep into all this IS the GOP? No wonder they're circling the wagons. It would appear that Trump is just the noisy tip of a massive iceberg.
21
@gdurt
You got it. Remember the campaign interference commission President Bone Spurs appointed. And one day, after reviewing available information, they just went away? I suspect that in their haste to find some irrelevant Hillary emails, they stumbled upon solid evidence that the Russian government helped to elect a whole bunch of Republicans. I suspect they are traitors the lot of them.
1
So this is what implosion looks like. In 4 more years of this America will be superpower because both parties would fund military without any hesitation. Improving kill ratio, putting gun on others head if they dare to disagree, consume world resources disproportionately, continue to pollute planet disproportionately, supply weapons to country who can dish out cash, let loose corportions so they continue to make profit at expense of its workers and environment. Sure capitalism and democracy is working.
8
surely, capitalism without public oversight is doomed. balance, it's all about balance. but Republicans since Reagan are on a mission to tip the balance in favor of money
2
What specific communication occurred between Livingston, Giuliani, Fruman and company, and others on the Trump team?
Livingston obviously plotted to remove Ambassador Yonovich. His actions constitute interference in the foreign affairs of the United States for the explicit purpose of enriching himself and his employer.
13
The Republican sinners grow old in years, but their love for money and partisanship never grows old or feeble. I wonder if they ask their kith and kin survivors to stuff a part of their loot in their pockets or in a hidden corner of their coffins. You never know the Greens that rule the roost on planet Earth might have some value Up there - or Down in the underground.
When you don't really know what happens after death, why then take a chance and go unprepared?
Remember, Mr. Livingston was all set to succeed to the throne left behind by an all-time GOP icon, a leading votary of hatred and polarization - Newt Gingrich Himself. It's the last-minute disclosures about his own pecadillos with a private lobbyist staffer that derailed Livingston's coronation.
9
Robert Livingston is one of the leaders of the charge to impeach Clinton for an extramarital affair, while both he and Speaker Gingrich were BOTH carrying on their own extramarital affairs! Yet both defend a President who has lied repeatedly about his own sleazy extra-marital affairs, where that's actually the least of his sins and crimes.
It's no surprise that 20 years later, Livingston is still just as much a hypocrite, and just as he was back then, and is happy to betray his nation's interest to make a buck.
The Senate has Mitt Romney, Lisa Murkowsky, and Susan Collins, standing in for moral and ethical Republicans who no longer seem to exist, but these 3, at least, have shown there are SOME lines they will not cross. In the House, is there more than one who is still Republican?
9
@Dadof2
Romney, Murkowski, and Collins?
They are right in there with the rest of them. They pretend to play a good "moral" game, then vote with the rest of them along party lines.
6
As of yet, none of those three have cast a significant vote against Trump. We will see when it’s crunch time.
6
What would Republicans do if they didn't have George Soros to blame for everything? They think he is the leader of "the deep state"?
17
@James Barth
Probably same thing Democrats would do if they couldn't blame everything on the Koch brothers.
@James Barth
Oh, that's an easy one. They'd blame some other bogeyman, like "Hollywood liberals."
5
But I don't see Democrats blaming the Kochs. I see them rightly blaming Trump and his GOP enablers
6
The actions of all of these US citizens are being undertaken to benefit Russia. Who is / was paying them? Force them to testify and produce the payment records; if they won't "cooperate", put them in jail until they change their minds. There is NO applicable privilege here. Robert Livingston is pretty evidently acting as an agent of a foreign power. We have to find out WHY Donald Trump is helping Russia. This must be stopped.
17
The "revolving door", the incestious relationship of once politicians and lobbyists' organizations once again shows its ugly side..........
Ban politicians from entering the lobbying profession as it becomes just another definition of corruption......
10
I'd really like to know exactly why all these shady characters wanted Ambassador Yovanovitch to be removed from her post. They worked real hard to get her out so it seems like something very specific (and very sketchy) was going on.
737
@Jeff B
Trump was told by Rudy Giuliani that she was an obstacle to what he was doing for Trump.
72
@Jeff B She probably couldn't be corrupted, therefore she was in the way. Lucky for the side of morality, that she was not the only one.
103
@Jeff B She was standing in the way of Criminal Trumps' fake Biden legal shakedown. This is a classic Russian disinformation operation. The good are corrupt, the bad are patriots( like Ms Adelson and Ed Meese getting the Presidential Medal of Freedom) .
96
I understand that a segment of the population gets excited with each layer of misdeeds that has been uncovered in this inquiry but let me say this: none of this is helpful. The NY Times recently published an analysis which clearly outlined the ways in which the whistleblower's complaint, the phone call transcript/summary, and Trump and Giuliani's own statements all support each other and support an impeachment. That's it. That's all Congress should need. Instead, this inquiry drags on, uncovering secondary and tertiary scandals. Uncovering more individuals, introducing more and more names to keep straight. Among these witnesses, there are bound to be some that Republicans can point to as compromised as they did with Peter Strzok and Lisa Page. This is a case where less is more and more is less...much less. The more information that gets added to the soup here, the harder it will become to make the case for impeachment. Please, wrap this investigation up and keep it simple.
15
@SJG Good point. Simlilar to what happened with the O.J. Simpson case.
2
@SJG.. Agree wholeheartedly. Even a dog gets bored when thrown too many bones.
2
Robert Livingston, the same man who succeeded Newt Gingrich for about a minute before an extra-marital affair was exposed and he dropped out. For character and patriotism, Trump's posse of Ukraine researchers and antagonists competes with and supersedes Harvey Korman's rogue posse in Blazing Saddles. It shows that people with some kind of moral center would not touch this effort with a 10-mile pole, so Trump had to sort through the dumpster for Giuliani and the rest of them.
28
And that’s why former Congress people should be banned from lobbying for 10 years after they leave. Surely they have SOME job skills.
30
Livingston is a lobbyist. So he was not speaking for himself. It would be helpful if the article explained which client(s) of Livingston would have had an interest in removing the ambassador.
27
The more I read about Trump's behavior toward Ukraine, the more I realize this was a coup! I can't believe how many people knew about this unlawful, dangerous behavior and contributed to it!
18
It's amazing to watch politicians and lobbyists carry out their corrupt plans completely in the open. They brazenly put self-interest and self dealing ahead of the good of the country, even if they have taken an oath to defend the Constitution.
It is critical that they be punished this time. If they get away with this one, they will know they are unstoppable.
17
So the trial by the NYT now proposes that normal political shuffling of personnel in the diplomatic core is a crime.
I am pretty sure that if the Times was truly being fair they would investigate whether similar politically motivated personnel changes happened in other administrations.
4
@John Gilday
This is far from normal, as is your characterizing it as such.
18
@John Gilday
That’s just it - this wasn’t normal shuffling. Trump tried to go around any personnel in State Department to cut a deal with Ukraine- using his personal lawyer Giuliani, to advance his personal interests.
The Ambassador’s dismissal was just evidence of the crime being committed.
17
@John Gilday If someone brought such claims about other administrations, the Times might very make an investigation.
Your claim, though, doesn’t do anything to alter the fact that Trump has admitted extorting Ukraine and that he had help from a cast of characters operating outside the law.
9
"and an unproven theory that Democrats colluded with Ukraine in the 2016 election."
NO, NYT, not 'unproven' (which suggests that proof might be out there somewhere). FALSE. The only way the government of Ukraine could come up with evidence of collusion would be to invent it, which is implicit in Trump's request.
17
@jaco I can't tell if you're trying to make some kind of joke, but this "theory" has been disproven. Trump's "evidence" is that Crowdstrike, an American company which helped investigate the hack into the DNC emails, is owned by a Ukrainian, which has never been true (one of the founders was born in Russia). Trump also claims that there is a missing DNC server hidden in Ukraine. In reality, there are dozens of DNC email servers, many of them in the cloud rather than physical, and none of them are "missing." It's all a false conspiracy theory based on nothing.
1
The Republicans in Congress have lost all credibility. That's what happens when people associate with Trump. Like the cartoon character "Pigpen" in Peanuts, a cloud of dirt follows Trump everywhere.
17
This investigation is going rattle the Halls of our government for a long time. There is a lot of corruption that is being revealed. All roads lead to Putin and he has thoroughly corrupted the Republican Party.
18
The Republican party did not need Putin’s help. The Republican party was corrupt a long time before Putin came along.
9
@Loren Johnson Exactly. The Americans involved MUST testify re their employers. Who paid for this attempt to re-direct Ukrainian politics? Who paid for it?
4
To summarize:
Vindman was the leaker who illegally leaked to the “whistleblower,” never imagining that President Trump would release the actual transcript.
Then he tried to manipulate and alter the transcript to match what he leaked to the “whistleblower” but the WH prevented him from doing so.
3
The original transcript and the trump released transcript are materially different in so much as 20 minutes of speech to text whited out as “unintelligible”
If you seriously want people to think you’d buy that, I got a bridge in New York to sell you and your friends for a dollar.
4
@JQGALT It was a heavily edited- by the white house- 'transcript'!
4
@JQGALT
1) We have Whisteblower laws, so there's nothing illegal, regardless of the identity of the WB.
2) What "actual" transcript? Just because Trump says it's perfect doesn't make true. It's a 5 page summary of a 30 minute conversation, the length alone makes it suspicious.
3) The "transcript" includes multiple ellipses and a footnote that states the words are not verbatim.
4) Your last sentence doesn't match the timeline and assumes that Vindman had some kind of secret magical power to change this "transcript."
2
Republicans would be very wise at this point (meaning, now) to abandon Trump. This is just another example of the dreadful and horrendous methods they are using by attaching themselves to the cancer that is Trump. We’re slightly over a year to a major election and the electorate (which I always admit have short memories) will absolutely remember all of this and it will severely adversely affect the Republican Party as a whole.
It’s even possible they could lose their majority in the Senate. Trump is behaving like a petulant child and the Party wants to back this up? Why?
12
I think that Trump and the GOP have ballooned the Swamp to Everglades level
10
So big deal! He called for her ouster. That’s news? Anyone can call for anyone’s ouster including the ouster of the President. And isn’t that’s what’s happening? Give us a break. This isn’t news. This is filler for news!
3
Calling news “not news” seems to be another tired attempt to control and enable the narrative of a president and his allies and cronies moving toward their day of reckoning. Enough is enough.
12
Everyone who thinks the Yanovich testimony was about a disgruntled employee whining that she lost her job, you are sorely mistaken. She testified to warn America that president Trump was removing her for his own personal gain and against the national security of the United States. That should greatly concern everyone.
8
This is circumstantial evidence to support criminal wrongdoing. Murderers have been convicted with less.
7
It would be nice if this article mentioned what state Mr. Livingston represented (Louisiana). People elected from the South have to be good at ignoring reality and propagating myths in racial matters, and the habit can easily spread to other areas; one prime example of this is Lindsay Graham.
8
Thank you Adam Schiff and all others working so diligently on all this (and of course, those testifying so courageously).
We are tremendously grateful to you all for wading through the muck, day after day.
Be sure to rest when you can, eat well, and get some fresh air and exercise! You will need all your strength and stamina.
A thousand thanks. You give us hope.
40
So this is what Foreign Service has become? Professional officers can be fired for “associating with Democrats”?
970
Associating with those who would like to see corruption end, more likely.
69
@Ockham9
Unfortunately, only in the trump administration.
12
@Stretchy Cat Person Trump basically neutered the State Department so that it would not interfere with his own agenda. He put shady SecState Giuliani in place to control his plans, and then used cut out men to negotiate deals. In this way, he was able to run under the radar for who knows how long to rig the 2020 election. I wonder who developed this strategy, as it appears too complex from Trump to conceive.
37
It's time to forbid anyone serving in Congress or at senior levels in the Executive branch from ever taking a job as a lobbyist. While we're at it, let's pass a law that restricts ambassadorial posts to Foreign Service Officers only. The practice of presidents appointing good friends (meaning wealthy contributors like Gordon Sondland and Callista Gingrich) to ambassador posts may be time-honored, but it is corruption laden.
1636
@WatergateRedux
It would be easier if we made lobbying illegal.
90
@WatergateRedux
...Wasn’t it trump’s hero, Andrew Jackson, who boldly instituted the Spoils System...giving gov’t jobs to friends over fitness for the office? Whenever I see trump speaking from the oval with the portrait of Jackson behind him I cringe. Jackson should have been impeached for defying the Supreme Court that ruled in favor of the Cherokee's right to stay in Georgia. Jackson had them forcibly removed...to reserved land in what is Oklahoma today. Don’t know if Jackson ordered WALLS built around them.
87
@WatergateRedux
A total ban on subsequent lobbying runs counter to the American entrepreneurial spirit. Imagine how former House Speaker Newt Gingrich would be occupying his time today if such a ban had been in place. All his pricey experience being put out to pasture. An interim waiting period of, say, 20 years would be more reasonable.
59
This episode points back to only two things: (1) making Putin happier and (2) making Trump more famous.
I understood that the point of our government was to implement our Constitution and protect national security and national interests.
Looks like this whole process boils down to the personal interests of Individual-1 and the national interests of Russia.
15
@JP
To use Mr. Trump’s own words, we used to know how deal with a traitor who would sell his country out to Putin.
So sobering to see how the Republicans “govern” these days.
19
If you can, watch Rachel Maddow's show from last night (it should be available on youtube). She goes into the history of Lev Parnas as only she can, revealing that the people Giuliani was using to help the president were not just corrupt, they were hard core mobsters. These are the people that needed to get rid of Ms. Yovanovitch.
The Republican Party apparently knows no limits to its pro-business stance, even to the point of considering organized crime a business.
I am humbled by Ms. Yovanovitch's courage in standing up to these people. We should all hope to be so patriotic.
37
He has the same look and demeanor as Ken Starr.
5
Anyone who gets in Trump's way, which is to say, anyone who truly loves this country and tells the truth, is perceived as the enemy. Ambassador Yovanovitch is just one more sacrificial lamb to be thrown under the deranged Trump bus. They will stop at nothing to advance their autocratic, Fascist agenda. America is starting to wake up to the deep corruption; I just hope it's not too late.
22
Bob Livingston. Another Disgraceful, amoral, soulless member of the Congress-lobbying revolving doors club.
23
"All roads with you lead to Putin". Nancy Pelosi was dead spot on. The corruption involved in this situation goes to the core of this administration and has roots in the Republican party. Robert Livingston is just another bottom feeder in this swamp.
19
I am outraged that Robert Livingston had the chutzpah to complain repeatedly about Ms. Yovanovitch, urging the White House to fire her! Livingston clearly has an ego as big as all outdoors, and should be relegated to history's trash heap.
Every single day there is some new horror about Trump and his minions brought to light. If I sound irritated, it's because I am just so sick of the malign forces emanating from the White House that are ruling --and destroying-- our country.
Heartfelt thanks to the New York Times columnists and other honorable journalists who keep us informed of the rot coming from the highest office in the land.
22
Bob Livingston?
What is this, Zombieland 3?
10
Hey, its Bob Livingston, the republican congressman who had to resign from the house while Bill Clinton was impeached for lying about sex because wait for it, he lied about sex. And then he gave way to Dennis Hastert becoming the next republican speaker of the house. And he turned out to be a child molester. Republicans. Quite a bunch. And here he is doing dirty work for Trump. What a surprise.
38
Donald trump represents the WORST and most disgusting of American and human values. Not only is he clearly unfit for this role, he must be held accountable. That means fired and thrown in jail assuming the charges against him are accurate. For these charges to be lies would mean that all those who have testified to Mr. Schiff's committee would be lying and trump's rantings would turn out to be true. What's the chances of this being the case. Less than zero. G-D help us if trump is not held accountable.
If idiots like Jim Jordan and Matt Gaetz are allowed to represent the Repubs in the House, and Lindsey Graham represents those in the Senate, America is lost.
Where is the courage for these and all Repubs to tell the truth, to be honest with the American people? Or are all Congressional Repubs lost souls and ready to sell out our country? Are they all really such low lifes and traitors to the country?
23
All roads lead to Putin.
14
This gets worse almost every day. The Trump gang is in deep and is racking up points towards impeachment by the bushelful.
8
Why does Livingston have so much pull? He left DC many years ago, after being Flynted-out, and dumping us with Hastert, another R of sterling character. What's he been up to, besides making gobs of money?
Background, reporters - ?
10
so, conservatives, I assume that this officer is yet one more neverTrumper and/or spy and/or liar funded by George Soros? Please enlighten us all with the real truth
11
Ex-Congressman Bob Livingston? Would that be the same Bob Livingston who was a top lieutentant to right-wing wackjob Newt Gingrich and who was a strong advocate of impeaching Bill Clinton? O, delicious irony!
10
Did this lobbyist Bob Livingston--once nearly or briefly Speaker of the House and successor to the legendary Gingrich, on occasion even pointed out (in elevators!) as "the next president of the United States"-- ever truly think of himself as a hypocrite? Does Livingston admit to it today? Why not ask him?
Unfortunately hypocrites really don't care. They don't know many. Evangelicals knew more than enough about this thrice-married adulterer who didn't remember who paid for his porn-star flings and boasted on tape of boldly grabbing their crotches when first meeting attractive women to know he was no hypocrite. They knew enough to vote for him, and they will again, the more scandals the better. Call the Republican voters all the names in the Congressional Record, impeach if you must, but keep the voter turnout below 60%. Devils like a hot hayride.
5
Occam’s Razor is a rule of thumb in deriving general explanations about reality from specific empirical information. The simplest but complete explanation is to be preferred. In the business of competing for social power and authority, people usually cheery pick facts to suit narratives which appeal to people an motivate them to act as the story tellers want.
Trump is successful at weaving tall tales to manipulate others into doing as he wants. Republicans are so concerned about having control over government, that all they care about is partisan success.
The ambassador may or may not be a Republican or a Democrat but she is relating behavior that serves Trump but serves not the United States. That is the concern and what the Republicans want obscured by misrepresentations of fact.
Examine the information, determine what is most likely true, and take the dismissals and trivializing of the facts by Republicans as attempts to help Trump evade responsibility for what he did.
4
"...conservatives questioning her loyalty to President Trump."
I object to loyalty to the president. Those in service in the government, including the president, are in service to the country.
17
@Julia
Loyalty to the the president?
I question this presidents loyalty to this country. The Constitution of which he took an oath to uphold, defend and protect. So far he has done none of the above.
The only thing that trump is loyal to is Trump.
12
@Julia They are, but they serve at the pleasure of the president and are paid to give advice, but pursue his foreign policy. If they morally object to that foreign policy, rightly or wrongly, and publicly voice that opinion, they have to go.
1
@CritterDoc
Unless, as in this case, that “foreign policy” is actually an illegal or unconstitutional endeavor. Then, rather than going, they have to act to report the illegal or unconstitutional activity to their agencies’ inspectors general and/or to Congress.
8
We need to put the breaks on this type of lobbying! Let's prevent former politicians from lobbying for 5 years after retiring from office and never permit lobbing for any foreign government and/or entity.
In addition - and I have no reason to believe otherwise, I trust former Representative Livingston had no need to register as an agent under The Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA). If he is registered, then this type of activity should be made completely illegal.
2
The question is who was paying Livingston to try and interfere? Follow the money.
6
The most egregious piece to this Ukraine scandal, is the POTUS continues to press for an alternative narrative to the Russian attack on US elections despite confirmation of Russian support for Trump from every intelligence agency, the Mueller report, and house and senate investigations. 2020 is very close and little has been done to secure our election infrastructure. Russia, China, Iran, NK, are all eager to capitalize. 2020 could be a bad year for democracy
3
I am sure someone has brought this up (but there are now 511 comments). Livingston was one of the Republican leaders in the House of Representatives during the impeachment proceedings against Bill Clinton. Turned out Livingston had multiple extramarital affairs himself. When in a speech he called for Clinton to resign, the Democrats dramatically shouted back "no, you resign", which in fact he did.
7
a wise man once said: "Follow. The. Money."
7
It seems the whole GOP is for sale when it comes to foreign interests. I know the Dems don't fair much better, but boy are the Red Ties brash and bold about how they go about it. It used to be that you at least played some lip service to patriotism to your country when you served in higher office, but these folks appear to have no shame whatsoever selling the tax payer out for some silver.
7
This attack on our nation came from within and it seems to me that there were people much sharper than Trump leading the way.
5
I knew I recalled Livingston. That fateful Saturday morning when he too had to step aside for an extra marital affair!
2
Never heard of him.
And now I'm sure he wishes I never had...
I just added Bob Livingston to my list titled "Enemies of the People."
5
We can read here that for some Americans some manoeuvers are quite legal and for others they are completely illegal .
Like if they did not have the same law book....
2
Yeah - the Republicans' is called "Hypocrisy 101."
Perfect portrait of a Republican:
WASHINGTON — Robert Livingston, a former Republican congressman turned lobbyist, repeatedly told a foreign service officer assigned to the White House that the American ambassador to Ukraine should be fired because of her association with Democrats, the officer plans to tell impeachment investigators on Wednesday.
That this is a graph from the Times, or any other source tells informed intelligent people not to mention everyone else that the GOP is hopelessly corrupt. Where we are at these days is Republicans lynch Democrats for being Democrats.
Additionally he pursued Clinton's impeachment while having an extra marital affair.
The only thing impressive about this guy is his towering over the rest of the people in the photo.
2
Several Republicans, including Representative Tom DeLay of Texas, the majority whip, somberly welcomed the news, suggesting that it relieved them of an excruciating embarrassment.
In lauding Livingston's move, DeLay said, "He understood what this debate was all about -- it's about honor and decency and integrity and the truth, everything we honor in this country."
(What a rat Delay was, before his stint as a pol he was an pest exterminator)
" Livingston's resignation was wrong," said Representative Jerrold Nadler, Democrat of New York. "It is a surrender to a developing sexual McCarthyism. Are we going to have a new test if someone wants to run for public office -- are you now or have you ever been an adulterer?" He called on the country to distinguish between sins and crimes.
The GOP should be forced to change the party name to "The Hypocrites."
2
Is it in the DNA of Republicans to be crooked and then be convicted of a crime?
Every time turning a corner, a Republican is said to have done this, done something that is shady. No sympathy.
4
Former Republican Congressman turned lobbyist.....all you need to know.
6
Gee! I wonder where the money trail goes?
3
Mr. Livingston embodies the worst of Washington. This article glosses over the glaring hypocrisy he portrayed in the 90s, overseeing the impeachment of Bill Clinton for lying about a private sex act while himself having multiple affairs -- including one with a dominatrix.
He resigned in disgraced in the midst of the impeachment, only to slither a few blocks away to K Street to, no doubt, rake in millions as a lobbyist and continue to impose his brand of conservatism on the rest of us.
That this cretin would still be pulling the levers of power in DC -- in the midst of another impeachment fight -- tells you everything that's wrong with this town.
9
Is there any other story to explain this? It was necessary to get the ethical and competent Yovanovitch out of way, in order to carry out this months long (no, years long!) conspiracy to extort Ukraine into sabotaging our 2020 elections and falsely absolving Russia of blame for their own 2016 sabotage of our elections. The Republican lobbyist Livingston, who resigned from Congress in disgrace, was already pressing for her firing in 2017 on the basis of the usual set of Fox Republican lies and conspiracy theories.
The summary memo of the call clearly described illegal and unconstitutional acts. The real phone call was even worse. Vindman tells us Biden and Burisma were discussed. They all, including Sondland, Pompeo and Pence, knew it was wrong. That's why they hid the actual records, where nobody could see or correct them. That makes this a criminal conspiracy. These immoral, lying, bootlicker McConnell Congressional Republicans are once again putting power, party and Trump above democracy and truth. This was a When will Barr come out and whitewash the whole thing with his usual lawyerly potpourri of lies and unconstitutional extremism?
Given all of that, how bad--how truly terrible--must Trump's secret phone calls and meetings with Putin have been? All of the signposts are spinning toward outright treason.
5
Follow the money.
1
follow the money.
1
A tremendous amount of pressure was applied to get Ms. Yovanovitch removed from her post. Guiliani, Livingston, and others all lobbied hard for her ouster. The critical thing to understand is exactly who was paying them to do this. It's both shocking and frightening to realize that foreign interests were likely able to buy a direct line to the Oval Office and compel the firing of a respected United States ambassador.
41
This expected testimony is not helpful to the impeachment theory. One could argue that the President had every right to remove an ambassador who was not aligned with his political affiliation or was potentially undermining his agenda. We've seen this play out many times in this administration. That being said, I would be skeptical of this explanation until more can be understood as to Livingston's agenda and his involvement in the larger conspiracy that has come to light.
2
@Alan B One could also argue that the President had the ambassador removed in furtherance of an agenda which involved an attempt to extort Ukraine using Congressionally approved funds from the taxpayers, in order to aid his own "re-election".
8
@Alan B - This has nothing to do with political affiliation. Trump was trying to remove anyone who might hinder him from using the office of President to further his personal goals and petty grievances.
7
Robert Livingston comes from a long line, including a Robert Livingston who pledged his Life, Fortune and sacred Honor when he signed the Declaration of Independence. His namesake is only interested in the fortune. Sad.
7
Sad indeed. Thanks for the research
1
The recently recalled ambassador to Ukraine, Marie L. Yovanovitch is said to have been characterized as an Obama holdover. She did receive her last posting from President Obama. However she has been in the U.S. Foreign Service since 1986. So that would make her a George W. Bush holdover for Obama, a Clinton holdover for George W. Bush and a George H. Bush holdover for Clinton. That's a lot of presidents that kept her on in spite of working for a previous president form a different political party. You might call her an expert holdover.
She has had assignments as far flung as Canada to Russia and more. She had extensive experience in regional theater of her last posting. Still, with all of that, she just couldn't cut the mustard with the Trump White House. What's a highly qualified and respected Foreign Service Officer got to do.
29
@richard wiesner
How has American foreign policy changed since 1986?
Spoiler: it hasn't.
She has had assignments all over the world because she enthusiastically agreed to promote the same international agenda.
If there's one thing that former Eastern Europeans know how to do after fleeing their home countries, it's to sing the popular tune of the day. They know that's how you really make a name for yourself and have everyone call you a patriot, to boot. They know what it's like to fail to do that from back home.
An ambassador should be fired from her job for being associated with the nation's majority party? The party that would, under any fair and impartial democratic system, be choosing all the ambassadors? Shocking.
7
The loyalty to Obama or the loyalty to Trump is not relevant. The loyalty to the best interests of the United States is what is critical.
27
Bob Livingston - another outstanding representative of the Republican Party. Livingston, like Gingrich - voting to impeach Clinton for an extramarital affairs while they engaged in the same activity. Livingston, who has taken money from Ukrainian interests. I mean, who are you going to believe - lying, cheating politicians or career civil servants who have served in multiple Administrations honorably and successfully - both Democrat and Republican. It shouldn't be difficult....
28
A Republican, he was chosen as Newt Gingrich's successor as Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives, a position he declined following revelations of an extramarital affair. Wikipedia
2
@dairyfarmersdaughter "It shouldn't be difficult...."
Yet it seems doubtful ANY GOP House member will vote in favor of the impeachment inquiry resolution set for tomorrow.
3
Two stray observations:
1) It’s evident from reading the written statements of all these witnesses that none of them could be the whistle blower. The latter writes in an expansive and erudite hand, while even Ms. Croft — arguably the best writer to take the stand — only comes closer but still falls short. The whistle blower took pains to hide his identity but not his intelligence.
2) Livingston hit the Eject button on his House career because his “immorality” has been exposed. Who followed him as Speaker? The Honorable Mr. Dennis Hastert, “serial child molester” from his days as a boys’ wrestling coach. Thirteen months in prison was too light a sentence for him.
Those who seek the limelight, to get elected by the public, are too often wretched human beings. Those who work behind the scenes seem to be the ones holding up what are supposed to be America’s values.
21
Big money and lobbyist strike again.
This needs to stop.
4
Livingston, a southern evangelical GOP who resigned from Congress after being outed for multiple marital affairs while voting for Clinton's impeachment over his marital affair.
Now a DC lobbyist AND a trump and Giuliani insider doing their dirty work for them.
The SWAMP lives on under trump.
22
Good grief! How far does this go? Who paid him? I want to know. on whose behalf was this lobby effort mounted?
7
Makes sense, the ambassador was messing with the el jefe of the quasi-oligarchy with which the Republicans want to replace this government, which, now, allows the wrong people to vote and forces the laws to be enforced equally, bad. Make America great by returning it to the decent people—one folk, one state, one leader! Yes, the Republicans are so partisan that they cannot see where their nationalist fervor leads.
4
One thing is clear, this goverment is running on gossip, innuendo, falsehoods and backstabbing by Trump and his political allies.
It is all so unprofessional!
Would anybody accept this behaviour going on their own working environment?
I think not. So why would anybody tolerate this behaviour inside the most powerful office of the country - the very same people who are supposed to represent our interests around the world.
Not cool!
6
we can almost conclude, after all the witnesses testifying so far: WHO are the "traitors" of United States ? Trump and his minions in and out of Congress.
5
It's like peeling an onion, one layer at a time. Eventually there will be enough evidence that only the deaf dumb and blind would be able to ignore it. The Democrats need to make the Republicans comfortable that they have no choice but to impeach the President. The evidence speaks for itself.
Mitch will eventually have to say " it's time".
7
I would think Robert Livingston would be ashamed to show his face in Washington D.C.
He was part of the cabal that tried to remove President Clinton from office because he had an affair with an intern.
Then, it became public that Robert Livingston had had an affair as well, and he had to resign.
Shame on Livingston, then, and shame on him now.
9
America was once a great country and now it’s in decline. Once upon a time we had a flourishing middle class and now $100K is peanuts in major cities .
Worrying about your bills, work all day all the time and you got nothing , Own nothing and commute in a dirty , rat infested New York subway. And now our politicians only care about the rich. The American dream is dead and it’s left against right
5
@Jo
I have noticed that not all politicians care only about the rich.
1
The swamp is the Trump administration and its cohorts in the Republican party. He must be being paid by someone deeply involved in making money off the Ukraine issues.
5
So the far-right crazies on Fox question the loyalty and honor of Colonel Vindman, a decorated war veteran with a Purple Heart, who is active US military but a naturalized American of Ukrainian descent, as well as Ambassador Taylor (who served his country in VN and dedicated his professional life to the diplomatic corps) but they think it's A-OK for Livingston (and Guiliani) to be paid to lobby for Ukrainian interests backed by Moscow and Trump seems to be doing everything to benefit himself and Putin? Ambassador Yovanovitch was collateral damage -- she was smeared (just like Colonel Vindman and Ambassador Taylor are being smeared) because she (and Colonel Vindman and Ambassador Taylor) stood and are standing in the way of the corruption being perpetrated by Trump and his gang for his political ends while sacrificing America's national security, with assistance of a spineless GOP who lacks the moral courage or clarity to call it for what this is. Treason by Trump on the highest level.
11
Once again, the Times has buried critical information in the middle of this story: "Foreign Agents Registration Act filings show that Mr. Livingston’s firm, the Livingston Group, has represented Ukrainian clients in the past, including in 2018."
What clients? With what interests and what backing?
More reporting, please!
8
Another member of Trump's shadow Foreign Policy team.
5
Citizens United cemented the legislative branch for sale, while also confirming the Roberts court's pro-corporate agenda. The last election with Russia's help has unleashed the executive for sale completing the trifecta. The revolving door of congress and K street is a symptom of the larger madness, but it's everywhere now, just take a look at Mnuchin's treasury and his buddies' land deals. So no surprise that it's happening at State. Everything now has a price tag and our government and all its departments are open for business, in plain sight, every day of the week.
26
I found the problem: "questioning, without evidence, her loyalty to President Trump."
Loyalty by public servants in the United States of America is given to the people and country they serve, as defined in the Constitution and the oath they take. Not the president. Even President Trump swore such an oath.
In the US we do not swear fealty to a person, not matter how powerful. Fealty is sworn to kings and the like. He and the Republicans may not believe it. but Trump was not elected or self-crowned as king. Even if he is the "chosen one."
40
@Marie
Well, that used to be the case. Now Trump is president and the GOP controls the Senate
"I found the problem: ..."
The "problem" is with the Times's simplistic reporting.
The article paraphrases "conservatives" without naming anyone specific.
Donald Trump has succeeded in his effort to Make America Great Again. He’s reminded us how good it was and how good it can be again — without him.
35
Since when has associating with Democrats been viewed as evil or even treasonous? Last time I checked, the Democrats were also Americans and devoted to their country. Democrats are not the enemy although Trump would like us all to believe that they are. In fact, these days Democrats seem to be the only ones who are loyal to the Constitution and the nation. Republicans seem intent on destroying everything in their path including and possibly especially the Constitution.
27
It’s outrageous that a lobbyist would lobby isn’t it?
4
@Michael Livingston’s
yes, especially when he is a private citizen, registered as an agent lobbying for a foreign power who, at the same time, is *lobbying* for the ouster of one of America's diplomatic representatives working in the SAME country he is representing.
It doesnt pass the smell test.
More slime slithering in the fetid swamp that defines this administration.
12
That's not what is going on here. And if Livingston was lobbying, who was he doing it for? His own business, with ties to Ukraine? The article mentions that he has ties, clients. These shenanigans don't bother you?
8
Former congressmen should NOT be allowed to work as lobbyists.
The fact that they are permitted to regulate themselves on this matter (and routinely choose to look the other way) is nothing short of obscene.
9
And the giant impeachment snowball gets a little bigger and rolls a little faster towards the cliff. Evidence will keep raining down faster and faster.
17
Yovanovitch's push for Soros-driven policies in the Ukraine is confirmed by prior reporting from The Hill in March 2019. So there's that. Hopefully future hearings will deepen the investigation into links between Soros, State Department officials and the Ukraine.
3
@TL …..Sure. Why not. But that has nothing to do with Trump and the extorsion of a foreign government to serve a political purpose.
7
@TL: Don’t know if Soros “drove” those policies, anti-corruption policies by the way, but I guess anytime the Repubs think someone needs to be smeared, they bring up bogeyman Soros, who happens to be rich and supporting democracy, but not for sale, unlike Trump.
6
@TL
A career diplomat with 30+ years under her belt, serving Republican and Democratic Presidents pushing someone's policies? Really?
7
I propose a change to a more appropriate national anthem for the United States of America. The song lyric on low volume in my mind for several months now is “Money, money, money, money...” Not remembering more of the song than that, I had to look it up: “For the Love of Money” by the O-Jays. Give it a listen.
Livingston the lobbyist; Guiliani the whatever-he-is and his pals; Trump the deal-maker withholding military aid or trade pacts until he gets what he wants regardless of actual geopolitical concerns; the friends in high financial/political places merry-go-round; Citizens United v. FEC; U.S. as the world’s Number One arms seller; et cetera; et cetera; et cetera.
“Money, money, money, money.” That describes us to a T.
5
Bog, swamp, mire, slack (chiefly British), morass, quagmire---how rich English is with its synonyms for an area of deep, slimy soil or mud. Possibly the only synonym missing from the list is Republican Party, especially as led by this president, who promised, ironically, to clean out the swamp in Washington. Hard to do if the president himself is the swamp (like fighting swamp with more swamp).
Livingston, it goes without saying, is just one more piece of the mire dragging the country down for whatever personal gain he receives. Ms. Croft is blowing the whistle on him. It no longer astonishes me to what lengths Republicans will go to serve this president. They never seem to tire of bending their knees.
An abyss is bottomless, and Trump and company are dragging the country into its maw. His supporters simply cheer him on as they, too, whether they realize it or not, sink ever deeper into the pit. Save yourselves. Impeach and convict.
11
Where is he being paid from? How many other Republican congresspeople, past and present, are part of this plan to destabilize our democracy and national security?
12
All these people who do Trump’s bidding, end up going down. Some to jail, some just disgraced. And, legal fees, etc.
9
I'm going to laugh myself sick if it's revealed that the GOP has been compromised to its core by Russia. I'm going to scream with terror when the 35ish percent of America who would rather eat broken glass than vote for Democratic candidates mentally contort themselves into gordian knots to justify defending the compromised Republicans and continue to vote Republican.
20
And you know how Alexander dealt with the Gordian knot? Cut through it with his sword, as the new public hearings will do to trumps republican wall.
6
At this point, the impeachment “inquiry” is getting ridiculous, if it wasn’t already to begin with.
It started with he said she said.
Then disgruntled employees whined on their bosses.
Now it’s come to petty office quibbles.
3
@Bhaskar it actually started with Trump selling his soul to Putin.
12
@jaco
I guess you didn’t read the report? Crimes including conspiracy for which a sitting president cannot be indicted.
1
@jaco Apparently, you didn't read the Mueller report. It states without equivocation that Russia made an organized and comprehensive attempt to interfere in the 2016 U.S. election, for which interference a number of Russian Nationals were indicted. It also stated that there was not sufficient evidence of a direct connection between the Russian interference and Trump and his campaign. At no point, was there any verbiage to the effect of there being no collusion between the Campaign and Russia.
But, your fearless leader has convinced his followers that the Mueller Report is a vindication of Trump. If you somehow want to talk honestly about what the report says, try this. Mueller couldn't indict Trump for obstruction so, he did not evaluate the evidence of it. If that makes you feel better, hang with it.
1
"Mr. Trump eventually recalled her this spring from Kiev, months ahead of schedule."
Once again, the Times fails to clearly state that the President can remove an ambassador at any time for any reason.
Indeed, it is routine for a new President to replace ambassadors.
3
@ALO
Not routine to replace ambassadors because they wouldn’t do the bidding of his personal attorney pushing a bunch of conspiracy theories intended to help him in the upcoming election.
13
Everyone who thinks the Yanovich testimony was about a disgruntled employee whining that she lost her job, you are sorely mistaken. She testified to warn America that president Trump was removing her for his own personal gain and against the national security of the United States. That should greatly concern everyone.
6
@ALO
"for any reason..."
except a corrupt reason, or a traitorous one
1
"All roads lead to Russia.".....Speaker Pelosi
Isn't it time to cite all the threads in issues with Trump's unusual behavior and posit how the dots connect to Russia?
11
Corruption, money, hate is what is driving Trump’s administration.
11
Presidents normally appoint ambassadors who agree with their foreign policy and routinely remove those don’t. In her testimony to House impeach investigators, Ambassador Yovanovitch left no doubt she strongly disagrees with President Trump’s policy toward Ukraine and Russia. This doesn’t not mean she was wrong to disagree, but the Constitution gives presidents, not ambassadors, authority over foreign policy.
Newly elected Ukraine President Zelensky agreed “one-hundred percent” that Yovanovitch should have been replaced. During their July phone call with President Trump, he said: “With regard to the ambassador to the United States from Ukraine—as far as I recall her name was Yovanovitch—it was great that you were the first one who told me that she was a bad ambassador because I agree with you one-hundred percent. Her attitude towards me was far from the best as she admired the previous president and she was on his side. She would not accept a new president well enough.”
37
@William Case Zelensky would have agreed with anything to get the money.
If Ambassador Yovanovitch disagreed with trump's Ukraine policy it was because it was illegal and she knew guiliani and his goons were working against the good of the country.
395
@William Case what are your thoughts on Trump removing her because she was against investigating Biden based on a conspiracy theory?
244
@William Case
She did not "disagree with his foreign policy" she disagreed with his criminal enterprise to extort the Ukrainian government into announcing it had opened an investigation of Joe Biden and his son.
As for what the Zelensky agreed to on the phone Ukraine literally had a gun to its head with Trumps itchy finger on the trigger, of course he agreed to whatever Trump wanted him to.
421
It appears that a pathway to riches is the main driver for a huge number of people, like Livingston, trump, McConnell, etc. to seek office. How sad that many of the population who elected those to office never really mattered to the people that put them in office. Just about everyone in the current administration.
9
Looks like it’s going to take more than one impeachment to drain this swamp.
30
Mr. Trump and the Party Formerly Known as Republican seem content to have the impeachment investigation absorbing Dem time, energy & favorable media exposure. About the only thing which would help Trump more would be if the Dems could bring back Mueller to help. Mueller's investigation certainly helped Trump with his personality cult. And he neutered the Ukraine investigation at its birth by telling his people the truth (for once), "Yea, I did it. So what? The Dems are just out to get you & me?"
1
It's not clear that Livingston was paid by Giuliani's thugs to run yet another smear campaign but it's certainly highly probable. If they'll pay an out-of-office corrupted politician like Pete Session huge sums of money to smear this poor woman, then you have to wonder at how big the iceberg beneath the tip really is. It must he huge. Really huge.
17
Livingston may think he came from Revolution America relatives BUT his lineage really comes form Nixon, Reagan,W , Trump, all corrupt GOP operatives. War Criminals, Traitors, violators of the Constitution that they swore to uphold, BUT DID NOT.
Welcome to the Rogues Gallery, YOU EARNED IT.
15
How low can Trump's GOP supporters go? Apparently very low. I am afraid that we will get more disgusted by the day as this madness descends into gutter.
13
Seems like some diversity would help Trump, how many old white men willing to do his bidding are left? Lots sadly.
5
According to Republicans, Americans must support Trump in order to be considered American patriots. What rot! Trump is NOT America! American Patriotism is about loyalty to Country and the US Constitution, not a person in the oval office! It is unethical and unforgivable to attack these long standing, proven patriots who are doing their jobs by reporting, and testifying for acts they know are abuse of power, and that compromise America's national security!
15
Let’s say a corrupt deep state operative was in fact meeting with and in cahoots with Soros, and working with corrupt Ukrainians to loot IMF money and other aid monies, payoff friends and relatives of corrupt politicians and funnel illegal foreign funds to Hillary’s campaign.
Would they be worthy of criticism or a hero?
1
Only if space aliens helped them with the Vril-powered flying saucers they store in the Bermuda Triangle they maintain near their deep cabes yielding access to the Hollow Earth—and of course, the Walmart tunnels under Texas and a certain pizza parlor that makes its dough with floridated water.
10
@Ken: I can’t imagine Giuliani or Manafort to be in cahoots with Soros...
@Robert
Going with hero?
In fairness, it’s not like she only sat around thinking up ways to loot coffers, she also spent time getting dirt on the Trump campaign from Russian and Ukrainian sources.
1
Ah..the plot thickens...
4
Folks, isn’t this just the epitome of the Trump administration which looks more like a mafia crime family than the Office of the President of the United Sates?!
Robert Livingston, is just another Trump shill, another cheater, liar and crook helping the Republican president to damage our nation’s good standing in the world. The damage has been systemic and outrageous!
What I want to know is what’s in it for Congressional Republicans and for people like Livingston? Is the money that good? That you would purposefully lie about a fellow American citizen who’s simply doing her job and obeying our laws?!
15
@Mari
A far right judiciary that will preserve bankrupt and minority conservative values against a majority that is daily rejecting them. That is what conservatives have sold their souls for. They should be ashamed, but they have none.
... and Trump claims Ukraine is corrupt?
13
So much for draining the swamp!
8
@Sarah D
That did a "Bathroom fitter" job on it. They just slipped their swamp in over top of the one that is already there.
Same guy got bitten when Clinton was going to be impeached for his affair. Turned out Livingston- like Newt Gingrich- was a hypocrite doing the very same thing.
Maybe they can all end up in jail this time.
11
This Bob Livingston- those in glass houses...
https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-xpm-1998-12-18-9812180366-story.html
2
"Robert Livingston, the former Republican congressman, was once a household name in Washington."
Clorox toilet bowl cleaner is also a household name, and not just in Washington.
8
We better hope and pray the impeachment process goes forward. The undermining of our governmental institutions and the public media are going forward at a breakneck pace. Without success only tyranny lies ahead.
16
I believe that at the time he resigned that Adultery was a crime in the state of Louisiana, but I don't recall him being held to account. Can anyone shed any light on this for me?
6
@Thomas Payne: It’s only a crime for Democrats.
1
A question for Diogenes: does the Republican Party contain a single ethical individual? Certain unstated but obviously fundamental principles of the Party, such as voter suppression, suggest that the answer is no. Mr. Livingston would appear to be the most recent example.
So what should we do, beyond supporting Democrats, about a major Party which has evidently become corrupt to its core? There would seem to be no simple answer.
18
@Richard Williams MD ... we used to call this “a null set“. There are no ethical individuals remaining in the Republican Party....maybe there never were any.
4
"Foreign Agents Registration Act filings show that Mr. Livingston’s firm, the Livingston Group, has represented Ukrainian clients in the past, including in 2018."
Ukraine may turn out to be even bigger than we thought. While trump has gotten away with his obstruction and collusion with Russia, the Ukraine affair just might have been orchestrated by Russian interests as well.
As Deep Throat told Carl Bernstein and Bob Woodward, "Follow the money." As far as I know, we still don't understand the funding mechanism in trump's Ukraine affair.
Thus, as these witnesses testify before the house, they could simply be smaller victims in a larger plot to destabilize the United States' relations in the world. Certainly the news that has come out so far about trump has severely damaged the stature of the Unites States.
We don't know trump's relations with Putin and the role his other close associates, like Giuliani, play in this unsavory arena. Now Bob Livingston, of all people, emerges as a character in this plot.
14
@Charles "we still don't understand the funding mechanism"
$3 million for Hunter from Ukraine.
$50 million from the US via Biden for gas production in Ukraine, much of it to Hunter's firm.
2
The same scandal ridden Congressmen that resigned? Lobbied for Turkey? I hope there is enough evidence of criminal activity by him to send him to jail too.
11
Catherine M. Croft should be fired because "her association with Democrats" and is an ‘Obama holdover’.
Oh brother, talk about scrapping the bottom of the barrel for justification . . . which is anything BUT.
Robert Livingston's claims and assertions strongly point to the on-going rancor and hatred the GOP mindset continues to fester regarding the Democrats and former President Obama.
His claims have NOTHING to do with National Security.
This kind of smearing is indicative of just how desperate the Republicans are.
16
This is exactly what the swamp is. Former DC insider paid by who knows who to advance Trump´s personal interests in our US State Department to the detriment of US citizens and our alliances abroad. This all needs to be brought out up front, we need to investigate the finances behind it. Find Russia ties, find anti-US citizen activism within our government. And prosecute it if we can. Stop it and expose it - transparency.
12
The not-so-deep state. Ugh. Lobbyists and their ilk are governing out in the open.
6
Putin is having the last laugh. He helped to put Trump (unfit for the office) in the White House. He must be happy now that we are all in an uproar over this. I don't think he ever imagined how well his play would be played. I also marvel at the fact that the Republicans who are putting party and love of power over country consider themselves to be the true patriots and are trying to tar the true patriots who are coming to testify at great expense to themselves.
14
Most egregious and sordid in all the information coming out is the bottom line — which is the U.S. turned our backs on a burgeoning democracy.
Throughout our country’s history, our leaders, diplomats and military have attempted to defend those who are struggling to develop governments based on democratic principles. Whether our approach has been right or wrong, successful or an abysmal failure, we have tried to assist others as they seek to achieve that of which so many of us are justifiably proud.
In one fell swoop, Trump, his cronies, his rabid base and his Republican apologists have managed not only to denigrate our Constitution and rules of law, but also to sneer at and abase those countries trying to “form a more perfect union.”
It is completely telling that so many government employees are willing to ignore the White House directions and testify about events and facts surrounding the July 25th phone call between Trump and Zelenskyy.
Ukraine deserves better than betrayal by a wannabe oligarch and thug. We all do. Fortunately, we have people brave enough to give us better.
14
@Dunn Arceneaux "the U.S. turned our backs on a burgeoning democracy"
Obama turned his back. Ukrainians begged him for military help, and he said NO.
Fortunately Trump decided to provide the much needed military help. Which is why all those who love burgeoning democracy should be thankful to him. Though many are not.
1
This is McCarthyism, pure and simple. But it's not just one man spewing lies and vitriol and sullying the reputation of honourable people – its the whole GOP. I'm convinced more every day that Trump is a Russian asset and all his GOP cheerleaders are all compromised – what else can explain their treasonous behaviour? How else do you explain Syria, just the latest of his vey suspicious moves that boost Putin at the expense of our own national security and broader interests? It's like Pelosi said, "all roads lead to Putin"...
17
"Even if the impeachment goes no where, this article reeks of scandal and needs for complete reform of the Legislative and Executive branches."
Seems like there could be a huge conspiracy here to direct the hundreds of millions in "aid" to Ukraine straight into the pockets of these main players: Manafort, Livingston, Trump..........and who knows who else.
You know if Livingston is involved something shady is going on.
5
Croft’s purported testimony opens the door to a minefield. If the Democrats politicize the process further by making it about Trump and his appointed cronies rooting out civil service Democrats, you can put a fork in the whole thing and call it done.
I, for one, have had my fill of partisan finger-pointing. This Congress - Republicans and Democrats alike - make the best argument for term limits that I’ve seen in my lifetime. So, please, pretty please, just ascertain the facts and apply the law.
The value of our professional State Department employees, especially those assigned in the field, is that they are not beholden to serve just one US President’s terms, nor are they acting on behalf of either political party.
They give the best accurate advice—the same advice regardless of who won the White House. They represent the interests of our democracy.
As for the libelous smear of her supposedly being associated with Soros: that plays to the prejudices of the Russian and Hungarian autocrats who detest that Soros ran the best institution educating leaders and intellectuals of Eastern Europe about principles of democracy and fairness.
Those attacks became so fierce that Soros has now had to move his teaching institution out of Hungary and to the nearby safety of Vienna.
The libelous smear also is an example of how the far right in America tries to demonize Soros as a powerful, rich Jew. And make no mistake about it: the Republican extremists who attack the work of Soros are indeed firmly against him for four things: he is powerful, liberal, rich and a Jew.
11
Considering his embarrassing history, one would have thought we were done with Livingston years ago, but he's turning out to be a perpetual pestilence.
7
The Russian Republicans live in an invented world of dark conspiratorial fantasy. Monetizing politics for their own personal benefit is their highest ideal. They despise democracy and the Constitution. Vote them out.
8
Very interesting article. Livingston was being paid by someone? Hmmm who could that be?
Put him on the stand,,, if for no other reason than so he can claim the 5th Amendment,, or perjure himself. I tend to doubt that he would tell the truth. Might srprise me though,,, truth would be his best course,,, the shortest likely sentence.
10
It's always nice when men with a skewed moral compass (adulterers) can find a second career, one in keeping with that strength.
Glad he is only interested in the welfare of our country - and not anything illicit ...
5
Who is paying the bills for Livingston? Just google, it is the former president of Ukraine, proxy for Russian oligarchs! Is it going to be this simple that trump was collaborating with oligarchs? They got the gas company and trump got the Biden’s?
4
Down to a banana republic
Losing a war we had won
Goes the old American Experiment
Democracy on the run...
2
In my scanning newspapers across the country, it's clear that the Times is providing unique and stellar coverage of this story, far more comprehensive than anywhere. That's wonderful for Times readers but it demonstrates one reason why many Americans are misinformed.
8
The Trump presidency reads exponentially more like a mob movie with each passing hour and day. From the thugs Trump associates with and the adversaries he caters to there exists no good image of respectable law abiding country first governance. The president of the U.S. is for all intent and purpose running a crime syndicate for self serving interests.
How any republican lawmaker despite the obvious can get behind him at this point is unbelievably preposterous. They are all living on the wrong side of ethics and law. All traitors to democracy. For the sake of democracy it is time to hit the delete button and rid ourselves of this severe infection before political gangrene sets in.
4
It appears The Swamp is largely occupied by Republicans and their sycophants, with the Big Bad Bullfrog lording it over tham all.
Swampy lawyers, swampy former elected officials and their offspring.
Our Republic seems beset by poisonous mosquitoes masquerading as top dogs. It's time for The People to give them a swat and bring them to heel.
I'm not ignoring the fact that being born to a US influencer gets one free trips to China and parental influence to help enrich them where others cannot tread. How is that "ethical"?
But this campaign promise of the Big T to "draain the swamp" is just another falsehood, like so many other things that come out of his mouth.
He has instead made it even worse, as with most things.
4
This Robert Livingston connection is bizarre. Apparently, he still has animus towards Bill Clinton. Bill Clinton has been out of office for 19 years. William Jefferson Clinton is literally the most hated democratic politician that the GOP, and its frothing at the mouth ex. legislators, partisans, (Fox; Limbaugh; et al.), has ever used as their example of all that's wrong in their world. Naturally, 'the nasty woman', Hillary Rodham Clinton, comes in second place, (barely). Precisely, what is it that drives the hatred and backlash to the Clintons? Jealousy? Envy?? Why do they expend their time / energies / money in their unceasing wars against them? The Clintons have moved on; they're not elected officials anymore. GOP, get over it; does the GOP have any interest in governing, or do they find governing too taxing? So incredibly sad.
5
You’re forgetting about Obama. I think the GOP disliked him even more than Clinton. They certainly would have impeached him had they found one single thing to give them even minimal traction.
The Republicans have chafed at the bit ever since Watergate. If Trump is ousted, they may very well spontaneously combust.
3
Take a quick look at Robert Livingston record as a Congressman and you will quickly see why this Trump ring kisser is also an unpatriotic conman.
7
Lobbyists must be kept away from the WH, especially the Republican kind that have no morality.
3
No one can trust the trump administration.
1
Dr. B -- understatement of the new millennium.
3
Whatever happened to "drain the swamp"?
3
Incredible that the foreign service officer did not ask Livingston who he was representing when taking his calls. If this is the normal DC practice with ex-congressmen who become lobbyists, then the lobbyist cesspool is worse than I imagined.
2
It’s all coming out. All of it.
1
So this puts the lie to the thought that Trump is some sort of aberration of a Republican leader. It's not just the Commander in Chief or the current list of sycophants, the whole darn Republican Party has been corrupt for decades. The defense rests.
7
This Spider's Web entangling seemingly everyone is appropriately happening at Halloween. Incredible!
2
Livingston is the Republican hypocrite who was slated to be Speaker of the House but had to abruptly resign his seat as Republicans pursued their bogus impeachment of Bill Clinton because he got caught having an extramarital affair. All while excoriating Bill Clinton for his affair with a consenting adult.
Why would anyone believe anything this Republican slimeball has to say?
5
They're all guilty, and they should all go to prison.
2
"Foreign Agents Registration Act filings show that Mr. Livingston’s firm, the Livingston Group, has represented Ukrainian clients in the past, including in 2018."
Exactly, follow the dirty criminal money.
Just what Pelosi said...
'All roads lead to Putin'
4
Isn’t this the same Robert Livingston who was at one time the Speaker of the House but needed to step down because he was engaged in illicit activities that went far beyond those of Bill Clinton?? The stench coming from the GOP has become almost unbearable . We need to be relieved of this toxic odor . .
5
Why not state that Livingston a "holy than thou" adulterer was a U.S. Representative from Louisiana from 1977 to 1999. So that we all know where all these cheaters come from or were you trying to spare Louisiana the embarrasment.
3
To quote Pogo: 'We have seen the enemy and he is us'. After trying to encourage Ukraine to clean up corruption in its government, the newly elected anti-corruption President Zelensky is confronted with the most corrupt administration in the history of America in the persons of Rudy Giuliani and Donald Trump. How can America face the world with such obviously self-serving grifters in charge of our foreign relations? America should be ashamed for having selected Trump as the spokesperson of our government. Trump is an embarrassment to all Americans and especially to the Republicans who continue to apologize for his very very corrupt behavior. They care more about re-election to their seats in Congress than they do about their country.
1
Even if the impeachment goes no where, this article reeks of scandal and needs for complete reform of the Legislative and Executive branches.
That is:
1. Ban any Washington politician or political appointee from lobbying.
2. Public financed campaigns..
3. Term limits fro the House and Senate.
4. Establish a non-partisan independent commission to be a watchdog over politicians and appointees.
5. Establish a finite election season that lasts no more than four fro presidential elections, and no more than two months for Senate or the House. If Canada can have campaigns that last no more than six weeks, the US certainly can end the endless election cycles.
7. Ban all Political Action Committees.
8. Ban contributions to any politician. All elections are publicly funded.
9. All political ads must be reviewed for accuracy, before being posted or aired.
10. All media, including social media, will be subjected to fines for not vetting content posted, aired or published without first verifying that the source is from within the US.
Watergate brought about some reforms, but these reforms did not include the digital age. New reforms must be adopted to protect the integrity of our elections and our government.
One thing that the late John McCain was correct about; Washington is broken. And, Donald Trump is right; it is a swamp. There is too much money, and too many favors flowing through Washington. We, the people, have to take it back on our terms.
45
@Nick Metrowsky
I would love to see cabinet agencies moved from DC to cities around the nation.
2
@Nick Metrowsky
AGE LIMITS. Term limits won't work. Age limits will, especially for those who spent a lifetime forging and maintaining their connections.
Age limits would take care of the Trump's, McConnell's and every geriatric politician who's constituents continue to send them back to DC. Age limits exist on the lower end and we need them on the higher end, for the Supreme Court also. Times change and we need to change with them. We can't have grandma and grandpa running things the way they want any longer when the game has changed.
2
@Nick Metrowsky Excellent suggestions. Therefore they will be ignored no matter who makes them.
2
It is becoming increasing obvious that this is about more than the Bidens, it is really about oil and gas. Livingston, Rick Perry, and Giuliani and their clients were interested in controlling Ukrainian oil companies. The Bidens were a collateral discovery ( Hunter Bidden should never have been involve in Burisma). The ultimate corruption is that these current and former U.S government officials used their influence to try take over a sovereign country's assets for their clients.
Follow the money, the rest is distraction.
52
A technical point. Please dispose of the term lobbyist to describe Mr. Livingston's profession. That's far too neutral. The term, "rent-seeking political mercenary" is more appropriate to describe what Mr. Livingston does for a living. I recall Mr. Livingstone's career. He left the House in disgrace, tainted by his ethical hypocrisy. He has apparently maintained his life style at about that level since.
38
@Sam
Now that is a well-turned, apt phrase!
6
Trump’s idea of draining the swamp is clearly to simply introduce invasive species into the existing ecosystem. Livingston, like Giuliani et al, is another agendasaur, a conservative predator that benefits from picking off intruders to the miasma that might threaten the soggy evolution of a frighteningly amoral order.
We liberal types had better define what it is that we want for a better world that reflects our values while international conservatism is busy going after its darkest heart’s desires in assertive form. Our retiring, effete, diverse, character cannot match this rapaciousness. Of course, we do have ACO and the gang, so there’s hope yet. However, we have to help them to be smart, erudite, and charismatic enough to convince seals not to vote for sharks.
15
@Marcus Brant
"Livingston, like Giuliani et al, is another agendasaur, a conservative predator that benefits from picking off intruders to the miasma that might threaten the soggy evolution of a frighteningly amoral order."
Marcus, you should be writing OpEds.
3
"Draining the Swamp" and look who just popped-up!
Like "Texas Pete" Sessions, it's just one surprise after another, but all part of "Making America Great Again," no doubt. Keep digging, folks as it just gets "curiouser and curiouser."
17
Somehow, it seems strange that Gingo remains silent.
The Newt must have some sort of connection to all this. And he could be lending his expertise in impeachment. But no, just silence.
9
Who was paying Giuliani and Livingston and the shreks and the other people involved?
With each new revelation, the corruption of this administration grows.
Was removing Yanukovich a Trump Campaign initiative? Or a White House directive? It's hard to separate them.
12
I wonder if the commenters who support Trump in perfect, idolizing lockstep are real Americans, and not bots or Russian trolls. Even as a fervent Obama fan, I questioned some of his decisions, and was sometimes disappointed with his choices. Not so these posters! Unquestioning loyalty. Trump is their god.
I don't need to have read the NYTimes or listened to CNN or MSNBC to have formed a negative opinion of Donald Trump. His insulting and barely literate tweets along with his hate filled rallies have done the job. He convinced me all by himself.
I can't believe there's such a wide moral divide between Americans that all of us wouldn't be disgusted with Trump's public behavior. What is wrong with these people? Unless - they're not people. From now on, I'm going to save my breath.
18
@Bill Prange After the 1980s many, not all Republicans & some Conservatives turned into Gordon Gekko. They sacrificed their family names, debased themselves on personal levels, and willingly looked the other way.
So, who was Livingston lobbying for? Who would benefit from his (false) defaming of ambassador Yovanovitch?
And, sigh. What would Republicans do if they couldn't invoke George Soros as red meat to their ill-informed base?
11
For additional insight into these sort of Republican corruptions check out Racheal Maddow's show last night. Even I was a little startled at the depth of Rudy's criminal henchmen .
Seriously, as a nation we are in big trouble when these crooks are executing policy. Though seriously we are in big trouble anywhere you look. As an aside, why is it Maddow is always three steps ahead of the rest of the news media? And why hasn't the press covered Rudy's Les Pervez or whatever his name is.
10
Remember King Henry II and Thomas Becket? At least we don't assassinate displeasing public servants the way Becket was assassinated. We just remove them from office after we undermine them. It's the Trump way.
5
This is a scandal of immense proportions. You couldn't even makes this up for a movie. How can Trump still be President? What is wrong with the Republican dupes? Are they in such denial that they are willing to destroy this country to save Trump's skin? Well it will not work and they are going down with him.
12
I really wonder sometimes if the Trump administration understands anything of the recent history of Eastern Europe and the USSR, oh and who exactly Putin is.
7
And the nest of vipers keeps growing. 40 people were indicted during Watergate and many went to prison. I believe it will be triple that amount when we finally get to the bottom of all the crimes that occurred in the current administration and all of the accomplices who were part of the biggest scam in US history.
7
This continuous stream of vile hatred, characterization as criminals, and threats by Trump and his henchmen towards anyone who doesn't pledge unwavering allegiance to Trump is not a characteristic of a democracy. It is "I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America..." - we must get off this Trump highway to destruction.
6
Talk about swamp creatures. Robert Livingston rises up like an old alligator from a Louisiana bayou to breath his special brand of poison into the network of foreign service personnel assigned to prevent lobbyists like him from exploiting corruption in a fragile democratic government.
5
So Trump takes the word of a disgraced former Congressman and Rudy and destroys a career. Just how close was she to the Democrats? Is just being a "never Trumper" enough?
5
We need to know what Pence did too. He is up to his elbows in this mess.
13
Nice swamp drainage right there! It's amazing the mental gymnastics Trump supporters have to do to remain in complete denial of the utter corruption that is laying to waste democratic principles.
8
Hard to contain a conspiracy with so many players.
3
The GOP goes lock step with Putin these days. (Google how many of our Republican congresspeople are spending time in Russia with the oligarchs—not conspiracy theory either). Ever wonder what their payoff is? I do. And I wish the Times would start asking smarter questions that might help us understand why they are so so beholden to Russia so we can vote in people who will actually do what is right by the American people.
7
“Don Trumpeone”, has the ability to bring many people around to comply with his criminal activities. All Republicans, a mean all of them should stop and start to open their mouths, and respect the rules of law and the Constitution, if not, we can say very clear that they’re enemies of the american people. They need to go. They have zero credibility or zero integrity to be in any position of the government. Time is out.
1
Nothing unusual here. Lobbying efforts to replace ambassadors are quite common in Washington DC. 
2
Livingston is another extreme GOP member that drones on about the World Order taking down the US. He is a great example of a man that excels in the GOP because he drinks the Kool-Aid. To be part of that cult, you have to buy into the fact that all Dems are evil and there must be no compromise. Remember, Trump is just the latest result of this doctrine, although probably the worst. The GOP has been insane for a while.
5
I don’t understand why this news paper keeps going ahead of the testimony to tell the public what will be said. It feels like somebody showing off that they know and spoiling the movie for others. Why not wait and “break” the news?! Is it competition for clicks? It’s lame.
1
“He characterized Ambassador Yovanovitch as an ‘Obama holdover’ and associated with George Soros,” she will say, referring to the billionaire liberal...”
Explains it all - the audacity of this guy and his cronies is reprehensible!
Tropes, conspiracy theories, flagrant misbehavior and wild accusations.
Shame on Livingston, Croft and every single members of the GOP who enable Trump and his pals.
7
Anonymity of the whistleblower should be guaranteed. What does it matter who blew the whistle on President Trump? The facts alleged in the wb’s complaint continue to be verified through documents and testimony. Given the obscene aspersions cast upon the reputation of the lieutenant colonel who testified yesterday—a man who has served in combat, and been awarded the Purple Heart—I cringe to think of the sorts of ad hominem attacks Republican lickspittles would heap upon the whistle blower, were her or his identity to be revealed. SHAME ON THE LOT OF YOU. Apparently, for you, integrity is only a word in the dictionary.
2
an American horror story keeps unfolding
6
Robert Livingston? Does NO ONE ever leave DC after being in Congress?
5
How come career experts on foreign policy, many of whom have dedicated their lives to furthering American interests in the world, are called the 'deep state', yet a former congressmen who sold out his constituents and is now a lobbyist, literally taking money in return for his influence, is considered a reliable counsel?
1806
@Mr. Adams ......Probably for the same reason when you show me a lobbyist that can be trusted, I'll sell you for 1$ a $1.3billion MegaMillions lottery ticket.
23
@Mr. Adams I guess it depends on which side of the dollar you're looking at.
12
@Mr. Adams
Yes, the contrast and hypocrisy of Trump and the right could not be more obvious. It is pretty clear that what Trumps is seeking is a governmental hierarchy equivalent of mafioso made men. Everything about this presidency stinks of rotten to the core corruption.
87
Livingston repeatedly tried to get Ambassador Yovanovitch fired because of her association with Democrats, mainly because she was a holdover from President Obama's administration. But, Livingston and all the other Republican are all right with Trump's association with Putin. And, why have they put the country of Ukraine and its new president in such an awkward position? What a rotten thing to do to a country.
673
@Linda
Actually, Livingston has not always been happy with Trump's friendliness with foreign empires. Livingston is a real danger given his belief in non-compromise with Democrats and his love of conspiracy. He is one of the crazies that think the New World Order will destroy the US.
23
@Linda
Republicans certainly comprise a rotten political party. It can't govern a country - often not even a state (Kansas comes to mind) - but it can certainly gin-up the tax code to benefit the 1%.
45
@Linda
This comment was accidentally posted above, it was meant in reply to you. Yes, the contrast and hypocrisy of Trump and the right could not be more obvious. It is pretty clear that what Trump is seeking is a governmental hierarchy equivalent of mafioso made men. Everything about this presidency stinks of rotten to the core corruption.
35
Ah, the tired old Republican hobby horses, being an Obama holdover as the ambassador to Ukraine and “associated” with George Soros, sans actual facts to back up the second charge. Of course, the interesting information is the earlier time line to remove Yovanovitch and the far reaching inclusion of Livingston and other G.O.P. operatives in the scheme.
Performing the role of President is way down the list for Donald J. Trump, he has spent his ENTIRE term trying to prove Russia did not hack the DNC, which every facet of the Intelligence Community has facts to prove they did, and that is pathetic. More pathetic is the cooperation he has gotten from his minions to waste 3 years on this known farce, looking at you Bill Barr.
823
@Kathryn Thomas By individuals such as lying Bob Livingston inserting the language "an Obama holdover" is coded to mean this individuals such as Ambassador Yovanovitch will not go along with questionable situations.
36
@Kathryn Thomas "he has spent his ENTIRE term trying to prove Russia did not hack the DNC"
Let's be fair. Trump put a lot of time trying to prove he was right about a hurricane forecast and Alabama
16
Robert Livingston?
It is becoming, just as Arte Johnson warned us, very interesting.
8
@jr Indeed.
"Who will rid me of this troublesome priestess?" In Trump World this will be considered normal, appropriate, and appreciated. Why would they want anyone associated with Obama, especially someone not willing to do Trump's dirty work? It's the same loyalty pledge that Comey failed. In Trump World there will be no concern over the callow, backdoor methods they used to oust her. Whether or not this adds to the general abuse of power charges to come in the articles of impeachment is unclear other than to establish Modus Operandi.
12
Trump and Giuliani wanted Ms. Yovanovitch out of the way because they wanted the Biden probe to go forward, and they felt she was blocking it. Trump expects those in government to be loyal to him and not this country which is a violation of their oath of office. Those brave individuals who have come forward to testify are all patriots deserving of our profound gratitude. They have risked reputations and careers to do the right thing amidst the slings and arrows and sickening smears and lies of the Republicans who are at this point teetering on the edge of treason. Upholding Trump in this situation is a betrayal of this country. Their allegiance is to Trump and by inference Russia. Putin is surely pulling the strings of this puppet show.
n the end, I hope and pray that all the sacrifices that have been made and the smears endured by those brave enough to testify will not come to nought. Right now, Trump's firewall in the Senate is still holding, with only a few Senators daring to speak out against him.
22
So... conservatives were questioning, without evidence, her loyalty to President Trump"!?! Here's a newsflash for the Cons; No government employee owes ANY loyalty to a Trump. They owe loyalty to the nation, the Constitution, and the law. If Republicans weren't an authoritarian cult they would recognize this.
46
@Jim Absolutely correct. When we accepted the position, we take an oath to office as condition on employment and acceptance of being paid by the people of the nation.
1
As long as there is money diluting the political processes, there is no foundation to even hope for corrupt-free judgment, decisions, treatment. The lobbyist system is intentionally designed to persuade, vector, direct special interest agendas with money as the delivery vehicle. There are no rights or guarantees given to lobbyists by the Constitution and the 1st amendment was not designed for such abuses. The only hope in heck is to strike down the lobbyist system completely and pull the money factor away from politics. The true Deep State is K-Street.
12
seems to me that the GOP is looking for loopholes to keep information of what happened.
The Dems seem to be trying to get exact details and evidence.
I think the truth is what we all want.... right ?
15
“The testimony shifts forward by several months a timeline of known attacks on Ms. Yovanovitch by conservatives questioning, without evidence, her loyalty to President Trump“
Since when did the State Department (or any part of the government really) require loyalty to the president rather than the United States of America??
13
This is why we NEED to compel the testimony of Trump’s toadies — aka, the Vice President, the Secretary of State, the Attorney General, the White House chief of staff. (Astounding that so many officials, at the highest level of our government, are implicated in a criminal conspiracy.) Allowing them to ignore congressional subpoenas just isn’t an acceptable option.
Giuliani’s influence campaign was deliberate, strategic, and relentless. Crimes were likely committed and covered up. Until we have a full understanding of who knew what in Trump’s inner circle, and until those lackeys are behind bars, the impeachment inquiry will be grievously inadequate in restoring some semblance of integrity in our government.
13
We need to send Republicans the only message they will understand. "Unemployment". Vote all Republicans out of office. Americans have had enough.
26
@Valerie I agree. The only problem is that we really need more than one political party to provide balance. In my opinion, the Republicans have abandoned the American people in pursuit of power. Hopefully, another political party will rise to replace them.
3
This is not just defense industry or Boeing. We witness the same for BP's Gulf oil spill, and fossil fuel industry who are more than desperate to pollute our environment, weaken our pubic transportation system among other dirty "business" tricks. The same is true for private and charter schools to basically destroy public education in the US.
The same pattern we can see in almost each & every sector of industry in the US. The consequences is more visible when the specific company sell its products globally &/or need to compete with companies from different countries. The consequences for such corruption in both politics & corporate governance (both inside the company and within Govt, who is entrusted to regulating such companies and its products) is less visible when the dealings are limited within the country. Nonetheless, the consequences are equally, probably more, damaging to the country & fellow citizens.
It's not just USA but visible in many, probably most, countries in the world. More so for very corrupt developing countries who are increasingly becoming more corrupt/lawless. That's one of the reasons they can never have globally or nationally competitive industries even within that country (without, again, lobbying by local businessmen to enjoy protection) & able to restrict (illegal & dangerous) emigration of its people.
We need politicians who are little more honest & more intelligent to understand that sensible people don't kill a goose that lays golden eggs!
2
The key question buried deep in this report is, “Who was paying Livingston to say what he said?” Five gets ten there are connections back to Trump and maybe Russia. For all of the lobbyists, lawyers and associated grifters in Trump and Giuliani’s orbit it all comes down to an insatiable need to grab dollars, even at the expense of truth, principles, decency and the stability our democracy.
10
Increasingly, the evidence is that against the advice of aides, Trump was deliberating weakening the new Ukrainian President by withholding vital military arms at the very moment Ukraine was seeking an accommodation with Putin over the Russian invasion.
Given Trump’s unusual deference to Putin, a legitimate question for House Investigators is this: Was Trump’s primary goal in withholding arms for Ukraine in fact a gambit to help Putin or just a by-product of his efforts to hurt Biden?
Also, Congress needs to discover who was paying Livingston to help unseat the US Ambassador to Ukraine and if any of that money was coming from Russia.
52
@Pat Choate He had no intention of releasing the aid even with his extortion. He has a long history of stiffing contractors who performed work for him. Had the spotlight never shone on this scandal, he would have never released the aid.
5
Apparently Mr. Livingston has a memory problem. He clearly forgot his vows to be faithful in his marriage and that State Department employees are to be apolitical. We should all be thankful he never became the Speaker of the House.
46
Wouldn’t it be wonderful if political parties would compete for the American voter based not on who could get away with breaking our laws? But instead, on which party showed the most loyalty; which served the People via respect and honor to the Constitution; integrity, and innovation in national problem-solving? Isn’t that what we all want? So what happened? How did we fall so far, and so quickly?
20
Afraid to lose power is what this is about. It has gotten worse since the midterm elections in 2018 and the diversity of the people elected to fairly represent America. It is changing and this scares them, similar to the power shift in South Africa years ago.
2
@Eve Breeze
My opinion?
Two factors — Citizens United vs the Federal Election Commission and the rise of the Tea Party.
Is there any connection between the current republican behavior in D.C - vilifying war heroes who testify, denigrating career professionals, attacking American institutions. and the fact that the Reagan Library is at this moment under extreme threat from a fire raging at it's doorstep?
12
@Jon Doyle It's all in the bible, somewhere. -C
2
@John Doyle
Great question. It’s certainly worthy of analogy.
Though I was never a fan of Regan, I think he’s probably rolling in his proverbial grave right now.
It’s quite ironic that the legacy of the man who played a large role in the death of the Soviet Union and the destruction of the Berlin Wall is literally endangered on multiple fronts.
1
Does anyone else think that the removal of DCI Dan Coats just days before the call to President Zelensky was part of the process to stack the deck with loyalists prior to applying the pressure to Ukraine? Had those concerned about the call contacted Dan Coats instead of his successor, the response would likely have been quite different.
27
@David G
And America has put Putin's Ukraine on the world stage for him.
@David G
As much as I’d like to agree with you, I can’t. Your hypothesis would require actual strategy — I think that’s giving this administration too much credit.
1
Perhaps I'm missing something, but since when do lobbyists, no matter what position they formerly held, have any input on who serves as an ambassador or any position within the government. This is so bazaar and the corruption of our government so deep and widespread, it is stunning. America needs a complete do over, but I fear it will take an economic or climatic catastrophe to effect substantive change.
23
Rudolph Giuliani's intense interest in corruption investigations is extremely heartening. Let no stone go unturned!
I am sure that he must instinctively welcome the fact that both he and his most famous client are now the national and international objects of said attention.
As a man who made his substantial political career based on a well-deserved reputation as an indefatigable prosecutor skilled in putting mafia figures behind bars I am also sure that he will insist that any violations of the law should not be treated with unwarranted leniency. Lock them up! and... it can't happen soon enough for me and a rapidly growing segment of Americans that see this as an important step in fulfilling the promise to "Drain the swamp" and Make America Great Again.
13
I can only hope people who are not Trump's base (they are never going to change their opinion that Trump is god-like and can do no wrong) but support the president's policies will come to see our nation's security, rule of law and standing around the world are more important than their tax savings (the wealthier) and keeping migrants out.
Also, thank you for keeping up the great journalism we so desperately need. Without dedicated journalists, we would be in the dark regarding the serious nature of holding up aid for Ukraine and using it as a political pawn.
22
Though no surprise to me, I hope this illustrates what I have been saying since the days of Newt Gingrich, the entire Republican party has become a corrupt organization with loyalty to nothing but personal aggrandizement and party loyalty. For the sake of the Republic and the continuation of the America we all strive to save, the entire party must be removed from power and a decade spent overturning what this religious authoritarian governance has created in this country.
32
Subpoena Livingston. He won't show, but it will be telling of the coverup. Lock THEM up.
22
As a private citizen who was never part of the executive branch, I wonder on what basis he could refuse to comply with a subpoena?
3
Elizabeth Warren's focus on fighting corruption as her highest priority is right on. When it comes right down to it, they are all just looking out for themselves at the expense of others.
Swamp indeed.
20
It is frustrating to read about all these testimonies and to realize that they will all be to no avail. Trump will remain in office and even worse, he will get re-elected. The Senate is predominantly Republican and there is no Democratic candidate that is able to convince a significant number of Trump voters in key states to change sides. To me as an outsider America appears to be a deeply divided country and the upcoming election will only further that divide. To say it in Trumpish: "So sad!"
Trump was right about one thing however flawed his character is: We need to drain the swamp of the ex-pols leveraging their connections/influence to grow their, or their families, net worth.
Things are rotten in both parties to one degree or another, legal or otherwise. Throw out the lot.
2
Linus there is not comparable corruption in both parties. Only one party pretends that it’s ok to solicit foreign interference in our elections. Only one party stages farcical dramas pretending to be kept out of committed they are included in. Only one party is condoning separating children from parents and caging them. Only one party deals with climate change and one party blocks those efforts. My civil rights are threatened only by one party. The GOP has sold its soul to the devil and doesn’t care if democracy itself is completely destroyed.
13
The house republicans betray their motive when they press these witnesses for the identity of the whistleblower. Similar to the way they tried to contend that the Steele dossier and the FISA warrants were a plot by the democrats to invalidate the 2016 election, they want nothing more than to poison the impeachment inquiry by saying its roots were manufactured, which tainted the entire process.
They are obviously desperate to find anything that will excuse the impeachable offenses of the president, and they don't care that they are endangering national security and protecting a criminal while doing so.
One wonders that if they are successful, we might be changing the title of our president for life to Dear Leader.
11
Follow the money. Let’s see who was paying Livingston for his efforts. It will be no surprise when the sources are revealed to be Russian.
18
I followed Livingston’s career from the beginning. He, and his supporters, some of my ex-friends, were the kind of Republicans who got me purged from the party in 1980. I’m not at all surprised to hear he is involved in the conspiracy to assassinate the character of a loyal non-partisan diplomat in furtherance of the plot by the White House, Fox, and others to undermine the factual findings of the Mueller Report.
17
How is this different than hiring The Wolf to clean up the mess in the back of the car in "Pulp Fiction"?
5
“The Donnie Situation”
1
It must become law that elected politicians cannot become lobbyist. Then there is the fact that Trump will steamroll anyone who does not bow to his kingdom, that is not democracy it is absolutely reprehensible.
7
Well, give Trump this much: he's revealing the swamp like never before.
And great to learn that our fallen Congressional idols not only weather personal disgrace, but are paid $20,000 a month to float propaganda for foreign nations and companies.
Lest anyone think this is a one-party behavior, look up the post-public service careers of Heidi Heitkamp and Joe Crowley.
5
The real America behind the curtain is being revealed - not so great.
7
The impeachment inquiry has left me wondering, are there are rules or laws against menacing witnesses?
We should all be clear that the inflammatory and accusatory statements made by members of the GOP and their media outlets are poorly disguised threats. "Espionage", "traitor", "deep state operative", "never Trumper Republican"... These accusations, hyperbolic and blatantly untrue, are dangerous to the political, professional and personal safety of each witness. When spoon-fed to the even more extreme fringe and conspiratorial elements of the party, there is a risk of real retribution and personal harm.
Is this not-so-subtle form of menacing illegal?
14
@Ian Yes, witness intimidation is illegal. A judge needs to put a stop to the kinds of lies being told on Fox. Laura Ingraham pretending Vindman is a spy. Ridiculous.
2
Robert Livingston and the entire Ukrainian affair are a good example of why we need campaign finance reform now.
9
Is that the best (worst) you've got on Trump - that he removes an ambassador because he doesn't agree with that ambassador's policies?
In fact, that's the President's job. The President needs a team he can depend on.
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@Grace
Depend on to do what? To do the President's bidding, without regard to what's best for the country? Yes, a President should expect an ambassador to support his/her foreign policy goals, but not to hijack foreign policy for the President's personal political gain.
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@Grace Perhaps you should study US Government History. I can recommend several books. What did the Ambassador do wrong? The Ambassador was implementing the policies of the United States on behalf of "We The People" , If Trump wants to implement policies on behalf of Trump only, both you and Trump can go and setup your own country, your own government and your own Constitution. Until then, we get to live under the US Constitution, for the People by the people.
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@Grace
Not the worst. Not by a long shot.
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It is a shame how short American memories are. Perhaps there should be a fund to create memorials in the hometowns of some politicians to commemorate extraordinarily bad actions taken by them to harm the country and their constituents. Perhaps politicians would be inspired to act more honorably if we memorialize their transgressions against the fundamental idea of America they believe will be forgotten in the jumble of history.
I hope Livingston's family, and the families of all current Republican congressmen & senators, long remember how they worked against America and worked to support a man worse than Joe McCarthy in the scope of the harm he inflicts on America and the entire world. I certainly hope McConnell's bad faith and actions against America are remembered.
Whatever judges appointed or laws passed by such politicians pales in comparison to the long-lasting damage done to America and the world. Better they had given a 14-year old sociopath a loaded gun than the presidency to a man they knew to be indecent.
We do not model democracy. We do not model fairness or defense of human rights. We are no longer even putatively the good guys. It breaks my heart and I am not alone.
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Robert Livingston... one of our more spectacular crashes from the halls of power.
5
Did anyone else hear Andrew McCabe on CNN last night startle the host by raising the idea we should be looking at a RICO investigation of this mess trump has foisted onto us?
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Let us recall that Obama chose Gates- a long time Republican to be in his cabinet. Others with GOP affiliations were left to run agencies. Now Trump demands personal loyalty so ANYONE who is critical is smeared as anti-Trump Republicans, partisan or having Democratic-leanings-...as though he declares it unpatriotic to disagree with him. (Would he improson the thousands who booed him at the World Series?)
This is the slow coup.
This is a dictator-style purge.
Comey, Mueller, Yovanovitch, Vindman, et al are now demonized because it is Trump's only defense; no facts are being contested with facts.
This is beyond an impeachable offense.
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Russia oligarchs appear to have paid off a lot of formerly Republican senators turned lobbyists. ie.Livingston,and Vitter
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@carole And don’t forget Texan Pete Sessions
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Here’s where we are: I don’t believe anything the GOP says.
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Follow the money.
While we're on the topic, why bother with all the fuss and muss of espionage when you can just pay a lobbyist to spread your disinformation and strong-arm (or at least nudge) the State Department to oust inconvenient patriots?
Spreading the Soros libel was a reach too far, though. Shows the client might have been better off with professionals.
2
It's all so short sided, the GOP tax scam is causing a slowdown and a collapse. When that happens, they are done!
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Stunning, that a GOP congressman can so quickly betray his country. Actually, it’s not that surprising. The entire Republican Party today is defending an unapologetic traitor in order to win elections in 2020. Where is their shame? Where is their patriotism?
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I don't have anything profound to say. I just must ask: what is the deal with the Republican Party. Really, I just don't understand. At all. I'm not naive and get that politics is a dirty business but for the past 40 years, the GOP has been beyond the pale. Nothing positive comes out of this group. Nothing. Think about it: Reagan (exclude the end of the Cold War, which probably would have happened if I was president); Bush I --nice guy but so what; Bush II -- no explanation required; 45 -- OMG. They should all be ashamed of themselves.
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Since when is loyalty to the President a requirement for civil service in this country? I find it galling the accusations being flung of someone being a 'Never Trumper"or "Obama Holdover". It is frightening the purge of officials who just want to do a good job for the country and who stand in the way of people who seem bent on politicizing every aspect of our government.
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@AKJ
Because no member of the modern GOP has loyalty to anything but their own interests, they can't understand the concept of country over party or anyone who exhibits actual patriotism rather than the faux kind they subscribe to.
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@AKJ
For decades, I actually bought the baloney that Republicans were patriots. Misguided patriots who were on the wrong side of Vietnam and so many other mistakes, but patriots just the same. Patriots with whom in some utopian future we could reason, and who would link arms with all Americans, beyond politics, if we were invaded.
Now I wonder if they were craven money-grubbing plutocrats wrapping themselves in the flag all along, just like Momma said.
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@AKJ
Because with Citizens United the money that deluged into politics made it clear we are not Corporatists Fascists. People are indeed loyal to themselves why pretending to be loyal to the nation.
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It is heart breaking to realize that when Republican leaders turn to smear campaigns and ad hominem attacks on credible witnesses. They cannot "stomach facts" that have emerged showing lies or half-truths, propagated by the the White House.
When you have no defense against unfavorable revelation of misdeeds, you start questioning the character of the witness.
That is what I call a low-blow, the accepted technique used by many of the GOP Congressmen and of course the WH
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it's an ad hominum known as "poisoning the well". When all is lost, attack the accuser with lies and defamation.
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@Kenell Touryan McCarthyism all over again.
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@Kenell Touryan NOT heartbreaking just the truth out in the open. Like Chris Christie not going to jail and now defending the Malaysian Swindlers. Do you think they hired him to use his connections in the GOP and the Justice Dept and Work Bank?
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As Congress listens to 1st person witness testimony of those who work in the trenches of the Executive Branch, one wonders of others who sat back, remained silent and now know they failed to speak of their own witness to Trump's dealings.
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@Gretna Bear
We’ve learned from the testimony of Vindman, Hill and others that staffers weren’t sitting back, but voicing their concerns to those supervising them. They were acting as their remit outlined — through the chain of command.
We would be better served by pointing our fingers toward those direct reports of Trump, as well as Trump, himself. They are the people who’s negligence, obstruction and attempts at cover-up are working to undermine our Republic and Constitution.
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One wonders if there is anyone that won't roll over in Washington, for political reasons. In my opinion, you don't roll over on the guy you work for. Cohen was a good example of that. Now this guy.
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@BorisRoberts Even the Mob doesn't adhere to that no roll behavior anymore.
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Virtually all the people I spoke with who supported Donald Trump during the 2016 election stated their main reason for supporting him was his promise to ‘drain the swamp’ in D.C. The fact that so many of these same people continue to support him is utterly amazing. Calling them hypocrites is obviously fair, but what is driving their hypocrisy? Why are they resolutely standing behind someone who is demonstratively the most corrupt President in history? I would ask those same people to, just for one moment, imagine that all the charges that have been leveled against Trump were true. I’d then ask them what it would take for them to recognize and accept that truth?
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@62yoInGA Depends on what he meant by 'draining the swamp'.
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The continued support can best be explained with the idea of “throwing good money after bad”. They made a bad bet. Maybe if they keep betting, the original wager will play out.
Oy.
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@62yoInGA I agree with 62yolnGA that the continuing support for Trump is nothing less than mind-boggling. What is it that these people don’t understand? It’s one thing to continue supporting a sports team when they are losing, but this is far more serious than sports. It’s not just that Trump is losing, it’s that no one in the history of the republic has ever been more unfit for the office. The consequences of his remaining in power don’t just mean he won’t get the winner’s trophy, it may mean nuclear war. The safety of the country and our precious children demand that he be removed from power as soon as possible. His supporters made a grievous mistake in 2016, but it’s now time to acknowledge that mistake, take corrective action, and then move on. That would be a win for everyone.
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When I looked up Robert Livingston, I was surprised to see that he is the direct descendant of multiple distinguished people who helped to 1. co author the Declaration of Independence, 2. sign the Declaration of Independence, 3. worked with George Washington to defeat British General Cornwallis, effectively ending the Revolutionary War, etc. I was aware of Livingston as one of the leaders of the Clinton impeachment who subsequently tried to become Speaker of the House, only to be derailed by his own multiple affairs, but I had no idea that he is now corrupting his own family lineage. Amazing how he has thrown out some of the basic values that his own family were so instrumental in helping establish as the foundation for our democracy.
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@Linda
How ironic it is that Republicans then elected Newt Gingrich to the speakership instead. Gingrich is well known for his own extramarital affairs, of course. I vividly remember that he told Bill Clinton that he, Gingrich, put us all through the nightmare of Impeachment over lying about sex for the most amoral of all possible reasons: “Because I could.” Naturally, we only do things that we can do, but most of us have a moral filter about whether we should do them before we proceed.
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@Linda
Eleanor Roosevelt was descended from the Livingstone on her mother's side. How far the family has fallen.
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@Linda I have a dear friend from the same Livingston family, I've not thought of it from this perspective, so true.
8
I think the quote by Harvey Keitel's character in the movie "National Treasure" is quite appropriate here "Somebody's got to go to jail".
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@David DiRoma if we could move away for a moment from the noble history and blue bloodedness of the illustrious Livingston’s family and this particular black sheep, the entrenched system of money and rabid lobbying in Washington, along with the perpetual election cycle, is a guarantee that the corruption is here to stay. Unless of course somebody like Elizabeth Warren can ‘drain the swamp’. I truly think the Republicans are more venal and self serving, but the Democrats are not far behind. It’s the system Stupid!
Following orders from “Boss Trump”, everyone of “his foot soldiers” have violated the law. Some to please the “Boss”, others to profit financially. Senator Warren is the only candidate that calls to reform lobbying laws for former government employees and elected officials, former GOP Rep. Robert Livingston shows why.
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So many Republicans are tainted by all of this. Power and money and oil and gas. Hopefully this will lead to the entire party going down in flames next year.
It is all so ironic. The President squawking about corruption while he corruptly engages in it day in and day out. Same for all his enablers. It is truly astounding.
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@Dianna
Not really, this is what bully types do, they blame their victims for all their own terrible failings...it's called transference, classic bully tactic. Take every bad thing he's said and assume he's done it himself. Lock him up! Nasty man...
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@Dianna Some call it "hiding in plain sight." First you start a dumpster fire, then you distract and camouflage by burning down the neighborhood.
2
Do you feel, reading Ms Croft's story, a jarring sense that you have entered an alternate universe? Rod Sterling called it the Twilight Zone. The ugly pot of shills and toadies assembled to feed Trump's egos call decency corruption, and the very quality once known as patriotism is now disloyalty.
It was said much better by Le Carre, in Tinker Tailor, as Smiley explains how source Merlin has turned the circus (M16) 'inside out'. He calls it "a very clever knot", where all the product of Merlin is gold, and all the doubters are traitors to be thrown out of the service.
We are living in an alternate universe. It is the child of Fox, and it knows no limits to its slanders. What was once patriotism is now disloyalty, what was service to the nation now is deemed treachery.
Will this nation sink or swim? It depends on the courage of a handful of witnesses testifying now to the House committee. The real traitor, Bill Haydon, meets his just rewards at the end of Le Carre's novel. In real life, I feel certain, the vile sycophants of Trump will not pay heavily for what they have done. You and I, however, have and will.
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@eric williams We entered a fantasy world of alternative facts and delusional craziness when the Electoral College chose Donald J. Trump to be the POTUS, despite knowing how corrupt he had been in his former business life, Even though he lost the popular vote by more than 3 million.
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@eric williams We can make them pay heavily at the voting booth, though.
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@RLW
I was just about to say the same thing. Thank you.
Exactly right.
6
There seems to be no end in corruption and greed for power.
37
What is lost in all of this seems to be that there shouldn't be a Democratic or Republican foreign policy. Every American has the right to vote, and every Government employee will have their own political beliefs. We can't and shouldn't eliminate all civil servants every time the executive branch changes. Universally, civil servants and military personnel serve whoever is in office. The fundamental problem is that the Republicans have turned government into a kleptocracy and a license to steal. When career civil servants stand in their way, they want them removed. Look at what Livingston's end state was. Look at what motivated him. It was corruption and profit, not the best interest of the United States. The Republican Party in the age of Trump is an abomination.
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@Todd American foreign policy now is neither Democratic nor Republican, our foreign policy is completely Trumpian.
28
@RLW No, as long as the Republican party embraces Trump, anything Trumpian is also Republican. Cannot separate the two.
7
A president ( DJT ), a Vice President ( Pence), a Senator ( Johnson ) , a congressman /lobbyist ( Livingston ),an ex-mayor/ presidential candidate ( Guiliani ) , an ambassador ( Sondland ), a cabinet member ( Perry ), the WH lawyer , and the list goes on with a host of accomplices...all accused of being involved in the Ukraine scandal.
All members of the GOP.
All supported by the vast majority of the GOP including our elected representatives in Washington.
All turning a blind eye to the mass corruption of their party.
Who else will be dragged into the morass?
And when will this nightmare end and justice served?
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With friends like Robert Livingston who needs enemies. Seems appropriate that a man not loyal to his wife, attacks an ambassador for disloyalty to Trump. Had Trump stuck with helping Ukraine in the battle with Russia, he would not be impeached. Well, not for this. Trump has no friends, only worshippers and those of us who doubt his deity. As a sociopath, with no empathy, he goes from attack to attack. Of course, that invites pushback by people who have actual character and don't appreciate name calling.
40
Subpoena Bob Livingston. He can’t hide behind exec privilege.
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At what point do all the people who counted on pardons as their own firewall against being held to account for their contributions to the conspiratorial conduct of this Administration? If the risk that Trump is removed from office becomes great enough, I would think the temptation to become a cooperating witness would grow exponentially.
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As the House Impeachment Inquiry moves back in time, I predict that we will begin to see connections between the 2019 Ukraine phonecall and the interference by Russia in the 2016 election.
(Hint: What's hidden in the redactions of the Mueller Report?)
Follow the money!
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@Paul-A The redactions that Barr happened to be in charge of. His finger prints are all over this.
What really strikes me is the professionalism of the govt and military in this. They may not have been able to stop anything but they documented it, protest it within their offices, reported it to their bosses, and can see the patterns.
Really fabulous historians will write about this period two or three decades from now. The Robert Caros, Edmund Morris, McCulloughs, Doris Kearns Godwins are watching.
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Agreed. But it’s only “surprising” because we do not associate professionalism or expertise with DJT or his administration. Of course there are thousands of reliable people still working in government. But once upon a time the idea of competent civil servants and diplomats was a given no matter who was president. In the era of Barr and Giuliani and Kushner, that’s no longer true.
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Just another American success story:
Disgraced Congressman who picks up the pieces and builds a career lobbying for questionable causes.
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Anything for a buck!
2
It would be interesting to learn who is paying Mr. Livingston.
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Another good reason why lobbying and all lobbyists should be outlawed.
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There really is a witch hunt now. They are desperate to attack the messenger, rather than search out the facts. These people, who have just suggested a man awarded the Purple Heart is somehow less American for having come here at age 3, show themselves to be the lesser Americans with all they say and do.
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@Simon N Son I am beyond outraged by the criticism of LTCOL Vindman. The man is a serving officer in the U.S. Army, a decorated warrior, a Purple Heart recipient, who devoted his life to defending the United States. Those politicians who are trying to impugn his patriotism lack the moral stature to stand in this man’s shadow. If these political invertebrates had any genuine patriotism they would thank LTCOL Vindman. Have they no shame? Instead, their misplaced allegiance for their party and the sorry example of a human being who is their leader, in preference to their loyalty to the country, speaks volumes about their own patriotism. Trump is the greatest threat to this country, more so than his idol, Vladimir Putin. In November 2020, I am not voting Democrat; I’m voting American.
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I, like most thinking people, wondered why Trump would say “she’s bad news” to cameras about Ms. Yovanovitch.
But now, this is almost becoming amusing. That millions of Trump supporters who were once astonished that O.J. could walk free despite all of the evidence, are now using the same defense O.J. supporters used. Just swap “biased investigators” with “angry Democrats”, and rely on the old confirmation bias.
Quite something.
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This legally allowed lobbying by US politicians and toothless laws banning insider trading (initiated by Obama but GOP made it basically irrelevant) are among the biggest polluters of our politics and politicians. Politicians taking money directly in kind/cash or as a campaign donation need to be legally branded as what it actually is- a bribe, just like most other civilized countries in the world.
That same practice is also polluting American industries and dampening our national industrial/business competitiveness and trust among global customers, besides hugely affecting our own people & the country. It's also polluting American higher education & research sector.
It's mostly the "pro-business" (read, "pro corporate corruption") politicians, that too mostly from GOP engage in it. then they do all sorts of collisions & corruptions, if not crime, as Trump & many of his cabinet colleagues are alleged to be doing. It does affect Govt oversight agencies that include FAA, FDA, FTC, FCC etc. National security is also affected as defense contractors & hardware manufacturing industry also engage in heavy lobbying, as we see in the case of Ukraine.
It's the same for Boeing, health care, drug supplement industry (Senators like Orrin Hatch (R-UT) & Tom Harkin (D-IA) were involved in it) and almost every other sector of business in USA.
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Well well well. Bob Livingston, hypocrite extraordinaire, reemerges after some 20 years to inject himself into an impeachment proceeding.
How does it look from the other side Bobby boy? Can anyone really forget the spectacle of those House Managers marching into the Senate chamber with Articles of Impeachment accusing Bill Clinton of what exactly? I know it involved a blue dress and an office intern, but really.
This article additionally points out that Rudy Giuliani has been acting as an unregistered foreign agent as well in direct violation of the FARA. Any chance Bill Barr’s “Justice” Department will indict him? Ha ha.
Perhaps the New York Bar needs to begin an ethics investigation on Mr. Giuliani. I’m sure the Canons of legal ethics proscribe this behavior.
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We have a similar situation in upstate , Former congressman John Sweeney , who left in disgrace with improper campaign spending,wife beating and DUI's is now a lobbyist for a large Russian Bank. He just happened to be the co chairman for trump primary campaign for upstate in 2016. Gee, sound familiar?
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@Rich g.
Sounds like he checks all the boxes, making him highly qualified.
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I heard a report that Barr is trying to intervene in the Giuliani investigation. I hope that if he does, the professionals at SDNY will come forward like their brethren at the State Department and the White House and tell the American people about it.
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@WeHadAllBetterPayAttentionNow
Like they finished the investigation involving Cohen & trump? Barr shut that down, the timing is too good to ignore. He is intervening in the SDNY investigation to stop it.
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So what. That is what lobbyist do.
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@Mkm it is? Lobby for a sitting president and his personal lawyer to strong arm a foreign country to aid him politically and weaken National Security? Livingston may do it but it ain’t kosher and, i would imagine, isn’t legal. It’s certainly un- American.
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Republicans want extreme partisan loyalty to the President, while they scream at witnesses declaring them.... PARTISAN! How Trump-like.
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