If they were President, would any current republican senator have withheld this congressionally-approved support for Ukraine in exchange for anything, much less an announcement of an investigation of a political rival? Do they believe that President Trump exhibited good judgement with his actions? The quality of the President’s judgement, or rather lack of judgement, is the root cause and the fatal flaw that we have seen over and over again.
11
Democrats mentioned that the Ukraine funds were released when he got caught. But it is more serious than that. Trump's failure to release funds was also in violation of federal law (the Impoundment Act, 1974). Where an appropriation is law, the President can't not spend the money. Created to stop Nixon like skuldugery.
An attempt to get around a veto and subsequent override.
This law would have found the Trump administration in violation of the law at the end of the fiscal year, Sept 30th. Even earlier because the law requires sufficient time to go through the process of obligating the funds. Given it was hundreds of millions of dollars, can take weeks to process. In fact some $30 million was not obligated on time, in violation of this law.
If Trump didn't want to spend these funds he had to veto the spending bill not sign it. When he signed it, he had to spend it no later than mid to late August. That's why the entire foreign service was concerned. A President isn't legally allowed to do this unless he defends such a decision formally and notifies Congress. He didn't! He had his chance in the sign or veto stage. It is illegal and impeachable on its own given our bi-partisan national interest.
What I don't get is how Republicans, who supported this law don't care about it now but the Congressional Record records their rabid support. Hypocrisy or did they just lie again?
19
I agree that two Articles of Impeachment can cover the range of offenses and are hard to dispute: abuse of power and obstruction of Congress.
The Republicans on the House Judiciary Committee have behaved like bad actors in these hearings. We’ve seen enough of their antics to know they are not serious. They have insulted the process and the American people, and their personal attacks on Mr. Goldman were outrageous.
So get on with it. Draft the Articles and vote. You have a clear and present reason to do so.
14
This is going to come down to November 3rd, 2020. The Republicans have the rock solid support of about 40% of the population. They would drink sulfuric acid if Fox News said it was OK. They would take a bullet for trump, and a second for good measure. They are not going to budge. The other 60% includes about 10% of the population who are fickle republicans. They live in the suburbs, have college educations -and professional jobs. They are members of the much despised "elite". They consider themselves "socially liberal and fiscally conservative". In 2016, they didn't like Clinton, but they like their wallets and low taxes, so they held their noses and voted for Trump. Will they vote their conscience or their wallets in 2020? Time will tell.
12
I think that the Democrats fell into the Republican trap. They will now push their claim that there was not a fair process by tweeting and repeating all the times when they were denied expressing their "point of order" and calling their own witnesses. Of course, Nadler's mistake by calling the same person first "a witness" and next time "not a witness" will give their stories enough meet to land on the plates of the believers.
I see no reason why the Democrats did not simply allow the republicans to complain, call all kind of witnesses simply clown around until it becomes obvious that they are ridiculous and only interested in obfuscating. Because, seriously, none of the potential witnesses could have actually helped Trump without perjury. How many would have actually agreed to come forward?
The importance of facts in these hearings was always secondary to forming public opinion. A public opinion that would make some Republicans willing to break rank. By being denied their requests, by having most of their complaints ignored, the Republicans made sure that their base will think that the Democrats are just as evil as Trump says they are.
1
So tired of the Republicans v the Democrats in this impeachment process. Obviously, the Senate will Never vote to impeach! This process, albeit valid, is a waste of precious time and money! The house MUST vote to censure so that their voice is somewhat heard.
1
Demanding roll call votes over bathroom breaks? Republican sniping and pettiness is so tiresome. I guess that it all they have to work with Trump gangster-like extortion attempt.
6
I read on CNN that one of their reporters who covers trials found this hearing to be the lowest of the low. He was utterly repulsed by it, in particular by the Republicans hit below the belt, sidetracking by talking about irrelevant subjects,etc...in essence:
Trying to get tv viewers to also be repulsed and turn off their TVs. And apparently Republicans accomplished this goal.
https://www.cnn.com/2019/12/09/politics/impeachment-hearing-judiciary-committee-takeaways/index.html
5
The sneering, ignorant, mind-bogglingly rude bullying displayed by so many of the Republicans today proves once and for all, for anyone who still isn't convinced, that the "Grand Old Party" has utterly surrendered to their Dear Leader. They now look, sound and think just like he does. It is completely revolting.
Clearly the Republicans have no interest in protecting our Constitution or our country. Clearly their supporters have no interest in even momentarily considering whether crimes have been committed.
When the upcoming farce in the Senate is over, God help our country if these people are reelected. God help our country no matter what happens - we may never recover from Trump and his brainwashed hordes.
11
I just gotta wonder if these Republican buffoons realize how this will play out in the history books 20 years from now. How can any of this end well in the historical long term for any Republicans currently throwing their careers and legacies down the toilet defending Trump?
5
One side is rational and logical, the other programmed and rabid and irrational and shameless. It's like a professor debating a car salesman. Looks to me like the thugs will win unless the rational people are willing to bring a howitzer too a gunfight.
7
GOP - DISHONEST. Embarrassing. Not adults. Not to be taken seriously.
3
It would be great for Trump to sit and stew in his own juice for a while. Everything points to him abusing his position and bribing Ukraine. It’s obvious without any reasonable opposition that Trump bullied witnesses even while they testified. He is a constant and consistent liar and is guilty , clearly , of aLL charges. Let him stress and simmer
2
How tragic for our country and the rule of law that the Republican Party has become Putin’s propaganda tool. They are a disgrace and stain on our nation’s honor. I am a former Republican, and will never vote for any Republican for any office in the future.
9
The GOP has gone down to wrack and ruin. I hope it was worth it, dudes.
5
The Congressional Republicans behavior is disastrous. It is shameful and disturbing that they fail to uphold their oath to the Constitution to bend over backwards for 45.
2
Do Republicans look like a bunch of grade B actors. Entertaining, but incompetent.
3
No Republican can explain Trump’s lack of interest in corruption in Saudi Arabia, Russia, Korea, Belarus, China, The Philippines, and Venezuela either.
11
"Unfair" - as in refusing to have hearings for Merrick Garland or holding up any and all legislation that President Obama sent to Confess??
11
Well, it’s good to see, at least, that Trump is actually threatened by all this. A smoother, smarter president might mostly ignore it, or pretend to rise above it, just going on with work, knowing the Senate won’t convict. But Trump has released his attack dogs, apparently terrified of being branded an impeached president.
That said, I hope the Democrats have a game plan for post non-conviction. Because Trump will play it for a victory for all it’s worth.
11
Republicans can't dispute the facts so they are reduced to defending the process. They are so transparent it's pitiful.
11
In the trial of the Senate, Republicans will subpoena Democratic witnesses to grill. Like Adam Schiff.
It is my advise to the Dems that they subpoena Devin Nunes right now. He will deny the subpoena and give Schiff or other Dems the room to deny them as well.
Dems should play much tougher. Every Repub that talks takes a dig at Democrats, so why don't Democrats dig at them for being willfully delusional and perhaps treasonous themselves in enabling Trump and Putin.
18
The Senate Republicans would all do what Trumpy is doing if they were in his place. This is not exactly a sign of democratic governance.
4
I believe Democrats should proceed w/moving to impeachment if they are agreed. We have all been watching Trump's charade of a presidency, and undermining of our govt'l structures (inc. the military). They have made their case clearly. As has been pointed out by others, waiting for courts to decide whether previously subpoenaed officials must finally comply could take years. While Republicans throw tantrums, the Democrats have methodically followed the process and are responsible to us to follow through.
18
The impeachment articles will be compelling but doomed to failure in the Senate for the sole reason of the lack of direct, unequivocal evidence.
The Senate Republican line will be that the evidence is open to interpretation, therefore not sufficient to convict. They will not call witnesses to refute the articles for this very reason.
Further, they will deny Dems calling additional witnesses for the reason that the articles of impeachment are the sum total of all witnesses deemed necessary by the House for impeachment, therefore no additional witnesses are needed.
Catch 22, but not 45.
(this line redacted in respect of civility)
3
I think the evidence of obstruction of Congress, surely one of the articles, is quite unequivocal
6
Republicans in the Senate can say that, and they will be completely outside the grounds of Cartesian reality as we know it. All of the elements have been proven by a preponderance of evidence, if not beyond reasonable doubt. One would have to have completely ignored the testimony of the last few weeks to say otherwise.
7
Power and fear are certainly Republican motives for defending Trump. But we don't know how deep the corruption is. Who has been promised what, or who has been threatened with what.
All of Trump's top people are especially vulnerable--McConnell, Giuliani, Barr, Pence, etc. Everybody who was "in the loop" about Ukraine, and more.
On the one hand, they might be promised power, money, wealth--all the trappings of corruption.
They could also be threatened with anything--loss of power, political career, maybe even their life. Or their families. We don't know.
There's so much power and money at stake--the US government and economy; that the forces behind all this could be enormously strong.
Trump has the Republicans and the Justice Department under his thumb. Thank god that the Democrats, many Independents, and the military at least so far, are still American.
America has a chance.
14
@F. T. You said, "They could also be threatened with anything--loss of power, political career, maybe even their life. Or their families."
That has also crossed my mind. Anything could happen when Trumpet is in a rage over perceived disloyalty......
What a sad state of affairs! Impeach now!
1
While the Democrats are struggling to conduct the Judicial Committee hearing as a violation of the Constitution by President Trump and as a highly serious Congressional matter, the Republicans are endeavoring to try Trump's flagrant abuse(s) of presidential power in the court of public opinion, which they treated like a partisan food fight in today's hearing.
According to an Annenberg Public Policy survey, only 26% of Americans could name the three main branches of our government correctly. When asked in a Pew survey to name the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, only 28% correctly answered John Roberts (compared to 43% in 1986 who gave a correct answer).
Feel confident that the American public will be horrified and disgusted at what Trump has done, and how the Republican Party is simply flinging out fallacious arguments to deflect attention and explain away the seriousness of what Trump has done as president?
Here is a depressing thought: How many Americans actually know what is really going on with these impeachment hearings concerning Trump's violations of the Constitution and abuses of power?
6
@PB I can imagine several million deplorables think we (true Americans) are "being mean to that nice man!"
How did they become so deplorably ignorant?
As a retired teacher, I am horrified...... because you pegged our decline correctly.
7
It’s shameful that the republicans outbursts are intended as memes for their trolls to post.
11
@John
Facts against you argue the law.
Law against you argue the facts.
Facts and Law against you pound on the table, jump up and down and yell a lot.
4
I am disgusted by the GOPs tactic of claiming that having a political opinion influences the witness’s testimony. Today, by Gaetz was one of the worst. “Ohhhh so you are a Democrat? You have political leanings?? You’re a good American??? Well, then we can’t possibly rely on your testimony.”
While I’m woefully sorry that you, Mr. Gaetz, are unable to separate the two, I can assure you that millions of Americans everyday put aside their political beliefs in order to complete their jobs. Americans working in advertising, education, law, government... so many fields. We do it. You can’t.
22
@Andrea
Agree. And Mr. Gaetz also had a fixation on how much money Mr. Goldman and the others contributed to Democratic candidates both now and in the past --something I found particularly humorous given that Gordon Sondland, who has no State Dept. or Foreign Service experience could suddenly find himself an Ambassador after donating $1million to Trump's inauguration.
And that's just one example of money flying fast and furiously around this president.
Seems like Mr. Gaetz has a memory problem as well.
13
@Andrea
It used to be a norm that if a candidate had an affair he would be removed from a campaign. Now it’s the norm to have multiple affairs to be a solid candidate.
Now if you have voted for and or contributed to a candidate that is not a Republican then anything you testify to, judge, investigate is a big fat lie. It is utterly despicable to witness them.
3
By that same logic, one could not possibly rely on Gaetz’s questions.
3
Who will be the final arbiter in this matter? Will it be the hopelessly partisan Senate? At what point does the US see a real, bona fide judge, or panel of judges, calmly and collectedly affirm the rule of law, call out the Republican hyperbole and obfuscation, compel the key players to testify, including Trump, and rule upon the inadmissibility of their distracting conspiracy theories?
It would seem that the whole "case" is in stalemate because there is no authority to interpret and decide upon the truth value or otherwise of the presented evidence and testimony. Instead, the decision has been handed to the general population, lay people and all, with little to no legal training and highly susceptible to propaganda, who must adjudicate by November 2020.
Are all major decisions within the US to be decided similarly? The technical details of the next billion dollar NASA mission; are they to be finally approved by the lay people? Will the response to an Ebola outbreak in California need to cross the desk of the hospitality workers of Vermont?
When I watch the hearings, alternately presenting two entirely different narratives, I feel like I'm watching "To kill a mockingbird".
Just as Mimus polyglottos successfully mocks other birds, so too the USA successfully mocks a democracy ruled by laws, checks and balances.
10
It feels like whoever prepared this distillation didnt actually watch the hearing- Collins' questioning of Goldman, for example, whatever one's bias, was riveting, high-stakes television and much more starkly visceral than this tepid recounting suggests....
5
The GOP claim the impeachment process is unfair is grotesquely absurd. The impeachment process is analogous to a grand jury investigation.
No criminal defendant ever has the chance to use his persona to issue edicts to witnesses not to appear before a grand jury or withhold evidence.
In essence, Trump’s obstruction is tantamount to an assertion of the Fifth Amendment as if that Amendment has been transformed with steroids and bionic parts - thus, he is getting far more Due Process than the average working stiffs that are indicted hundreds of thousands of times per month throughout the country,
16
Yes, YOU know that and THEY know that. But their “constituents” probably don’t. And that’s all the GOP think matter.
3
How many people are currently in jail for planning an action that never took place? Hint: more than a few.
14
If Republicans believe Trump didn't intend there to be a quid pro quo or had legitimate reasons for holding up the aid over corruption, why have they not called on witnesses who have direct knowledge of events to testify? Where are the calls from Republicans for Mulvaney, Bolton, and Giuliani to testify? Why not Trump himself? He can't stand up there and tell Congress 'No, there was no quid pro quo', while under oath? Why are they wasting their time with people who have absolutely no knowledge to back up their claims, such as Joe Biden Jr. and Adam Schiff?
It just makes Republicans look like political hacks fishing for talking points. Meanwhile, Democrats call forward witness after witness to corroborate their claims.
20
How is it that Republicans, most of whom are attorneys or former governors, mayors, and veterans of other public offices, cannot discern the truth of Trump's offenses?
They are doing themselves no favor by being unable to rebut without factual, exonerating evidence; they do themselves no favor with posturing, shouting, excusing themselves and their god, Trump. Republicans make fools of themselves when all they have against truth is their feeble attempt to discredit those who have collected evidence.
Furthermore, any body that works to obfuscate the truth is, indeed, a danger to the good order of court/investigative proceedings.
With their "fighting back," Republicans have proved to the world they have nothing of substance to add to balance the findings they don't like. Real adults don't "fight." Guess what, Republicans: Quit now; there's nothing you have to offer, if all you can say is "Dems are unfair, Dems are rushing too fast." No they're not. You refused to offer anything mitigating; I suppose there must not be any.
Impeach Trumpet! And it would be grossly unfair and suspiciously partisan if the Senate does not convict and remove Trumpet! Even the least educated among Americans recognize when wrong is wrong......
12
@ultimateliberal
You are optimistic about the less educated recognizing when wrong is wrong, they are listening to Fox and Trump and believing all of it.
Wish it wasn't so.
3
The GOP main defense of Trump is that he believed the Russian conspiracy theory over our our Intel. Being incompetent is probably grounds to impeach as well.
11
My goodness, if the impeachment is soooooo unfair (per the GOP), then why didn’t they defend themselves, why not allow Administration officials testify, why not appear as requested by the subpoenas?
17
It is not too late for Trump to fly out of Washington after resigning his office. Once the articles of impeachment are formalized, as I understand it, he will lose the right to never be prosecuted if pardoned.
He could cut a deal. I have not discounted that possibility. And I would not be shocked if he did.
8
@Dianna
You haven't been watching Trump long enough -- he doesn't resign. He doubles-down.
Expect a battle till the end.
2
So looking forward for the senate trial where the rules will change big-time.
First, it will be extraordinarily difficult for House Democratic impeachment managers to present their case because hearsay evidence will not be admissible in the trial.
Second, senators must attend but they will not be able to ask questions.
Third, Democrats will get little rest between the House vote and the trial because Senate rules require the proceeding to begin no later than 1 p.m. the day after the impeachment article(s) are received in the upper chamber and to continue six days a week until a final verdict is reached.
5
In other words, you’re looking forward to a process designed to be a rushed presentation of evidence with little considered deliberation, in order to reach a desired result. Regardless of your political persuasion, it seems to me that any reasonable person would want a Senate trial conducted in a way most likely to reveal whether or not sufficient probative evidence of the charged offenses exists, and to facilitate consensus as to the relevant constitutional standards for impeachment.
6
Us Democrats are "obsessed with impeachment" but it's because of the facts, my friend.
32
Were it not for the shouting, listening to the proceedings today was a sure cure for insomnia. I learned nothing new. It would have been nice if Schiff had testified. His reluctance indicates to me that his plans to run for President are doomed. I think that he is hiding something. I thought that the comment by one Democrat that he would not disclose the strategy to get Trump, that the Democrats discussed in secret, was revealing. If Trump is guilty, why is a secret strategy needed?
5
@John Bowman
If Trump is NOT guilty, why is no one from the White House agreeing to testify? And why were the tapes of the phone calls placed in a secret stash? etc.
25
@John Bowman
And if Trump isn't guilty, why didn't HE testify -- or even allow anyone in the White House to testify?
Those are the questions you should be asking.
15
EXACTLY if Trump’s guys could exonerate him, they would have
13
I’m still waiting for the Trump Administration’s documents showing their specific concerns and approach to Ukrainian corruption outside of Burisma/Biden. Tick, tock!
31
And the fact that they didn’t care about it until Joe Biden started running for President.
9
Someone should tell members that Mr. Jeffries and Mr. Cilline's name tags are switched.
How many black male congress members are on the judiciary committee?
2
Trump’s mob is hard at work today, attacking the Democrats with whatever baseless arguments they can. This is all to protect the president who has consistently lied to the American people and has, in fact, tried to get Ukraine to do his dirty work for him. He is not a president, he is a mob boss.. And he should be long gone.
42
The Republican party is now the party of Putin-Trump. Whatever Putin wants, Trump will get it for him with the help of his rubber stamp Republicans in Congress.
26
My favorite part has been Castor's facial expressions. He looks like a really cynical and sarcastic version of Don Adams's Agent 86.
8
My favorite is Daniel Goldman’s expression: arrogant, self assured, inconsequential to any truth.
2
Still trying to figure out how the minority see their requested witnesses as "fact witnesses" and complain the majority has not provided any. They have offered nothing other than conspiracies, character assassination and leaps of logic that impeach their own arguments.
20
The one thing that really stands out here is how Republicans have turned this entire hearing into an argument about "not liking the President", when you have a national security breach at hand, not to mention several acts that constitute an abuse of power.
And yet, they continue to decry partisanship.
Go figure.
37
I agree with Republican Doug Collins of Georgia saying said that Democrats were "out to get a president they don’t like” from the moment he took office. So true !
The best way for Trump to protect himself from the Democratic onslaught would be to stop comitting high crimes and misdemeanors, but that doesn't seem likely in the near future.
23
Seriously? And you are the judge?
1
Republicans continue to cry partisanship while indulging in it and complaining that the president is not represented while the White House gave directions for no one to cooperate with the House.
And the very notion that those involved like Rudy Giuliani, John Bolton or Mike Pompeo have failed to appear to answer any questions, renders their line of defense pretty weak -- which is why the only thing they can do is attack.
Just like Donald Trump does.
24
Collins is an embarrassment to himself, his district and the State of Georgia which is the center of so much progress in the fields of education, technology and medicine. How does a person like Collins get elected in the first place and why would any reasonable person support his inaccurate and totally unfounded statements? I hope the voters in his district turn him out at their first opportunity. He is a true and complete disgrace to his office and our country.
20
@KDKulper
That progress is being made mostly in urban areas. The vast rural areas of Georgia are still very conservative and reliably vote for whatever the Republicans dish out.
4
Well, a good thing GA gov didn’t appoint him to the vacant Senate seat then, no?
Speaking to the comments that Rep. Raskin-MD. just made about the importance of having the ability to come out and speak against the President because the U.S. is a free society, unlike Russia or Saudi Arabia, and that Trump is effectively turning this country into Russia by preventing, in this case those who received subpoenas from answering -- I can only say Thank You, for making this point.
I lived in East Germany, and I'm watching with horror how much influence Donald Trump has allowed Putin to have.
Not only by his interfering in the 2016 election, but by the continued influence he continues to exercise over this president.
And none of this appears to bother the Republicans who stand and defend Trump over the U.S. Constitution.
AMERICANS. Wake-up and protect the country you love.
42
Can anybody tell me why Bolton, Pompeo, Giuliani we’re not subpoenaed? Am I the only one who thinks this was a grave mistake?
8
@Daniel Doern
The only "grave mistake" is that they were effectively muzzled by the White House by being told not to cooperate or speak with the investigations.
That's why you didn't hear from them.
13
Bingo!
I'd like to say it's skill, but I had a center square of Jim Jordan yelling about the whistleblower and he, of course, did not disappoint.
7
Could someone please explain to Jordan, Ohio's most embarrassing export, that most of us really do NOT struggle to decode a sentence that has more than six words?
This is the third time in two weeks I have heard him go into hysterics because * HE* is stymied by a sentence --the same one each time--that he claims confuses him.
Jim. Jim. Jim. (Simple enough for you?) That confusions is *yours* and yours alone. It speaks to *your* limits. I'd stop broadcasting your ignorance if I were you.
Protip: the fact that you've now *memorized* the sentence doesn't emphasize the point you think it does. So confusing it can be memorized and trotted out on a dime, eh? Hmm...
26
Sorry Rep. Doug Collins---I can only hear your hysterical delivery with twang on the side. A Bit Much.
13
Schiff under oath?
How about Nunes under oath?
55
I love how Mr. Trump’s own mouth is being used against him in this case.
17
From what I've seen of the hearings today, it's a sad and pathetic example of mendacity, obfuscation, and gaslighting about the President's actions on the part of Collins, Castor, and Callen.
20
Revised
Impeachment Hearing Updates: Democrats have Shown Trumps ‘Brazen’ Actions, While Republicans Whine and Cry Calling the Hearing ‘Unfair’ in Defense of Dictatorship.
26
What's unfair is how Republicans continue to dismiss a completely constitutional impeachment inquiry as an illegitimate partisan attack on President Trump. It is an unassailable fact that if a Democrat had done what Trump has done those same Republicans would be blasting him/her as the biggest traitor in US history.
19
If Trump was so concerned about corruption in Ukraine, why would he not have not pursued it through normal approved channels instead of through a back door? Why would he not have argued to Congress that aid and arms sales to Ukraine should not be approved until corruption there was cleaned up? The answer is the elephant in the room.
34
And why did he wait until Biden was his top-polling rival before mentioning it to Ukraine? Also, given the vast corruption of his own children, how would Trump even see Hunter Biden’s appointment as corruption unless someone else told him it was?
13
What's up with that sign above Jordan's head in one of the accompanying photos? The one about limiting Trump to one term.
Is that intended to be an indication of Democratic bias?
At first I thought they were quoting McConnell from 10/23/10, when he said: "The single most important thing we want to achieve is for President Obama to be a one-term president."
I don't recall - did the Republicans object to that sentiment at the time?
19
GOP counsel and Mr. Castor are throwing Sondland under the bus and pointing out how poorly he does his job. Umm. That’s who our President picked for the job of Ambassador to the EU. And he says he picks the best people. It makes me wonder what he considers the best. I’m guessing his version of best isn’t necessarily what is best for the American People.
18
The wailing of the Republicans this morning was really something. I expect that going for tears Republicans in the House and Senate will exercise all means available to make the proceedings as chaotic as humanly possible. That’s all they have left.
13
@Matt
That tactic should surprise no one.
After all, Donald Trump has been playing the "victim" (in- between-punches) ever since he got in the White House.
The Republicans are just following suit.
9
The republicans that are vehemently defending the president should be ashamed. The fact that "Mr. Castor told lawmakers. 'The Democrats went searching for a set of facts on which to impeach the president — the emoluments clause, the president’s business and financial records, the Mueller report and allegations of obstruction there — before settling on Ukraine.'" just goes to show the number of ways this Mr. Trump is NOT an example of what we should be looking for in a president. No president is perfect, and every president has upset a large portion of the population with their policies, but no recent president has disregarded the constitution or been so blatantly self serving as Mr. Trump. If his defenders can't admit to this, what's to stop the next democratic president from doing the same thing but from the other side of the political spectrum. It's in everyone's interest to keep the office of the president above reproach.
12
@Justin I agree, my only rebuttal would be that no Democrat would ever try this , let alone make it through the primaries. Trump would never have made it through the first Democratic debates. Democrats aren't perfect, but we would never accept this swill. Republicans are swill
2
How true it is that no Republican is worthy of trust. Not a lawyer, not a congressperson, not the president, but also let me add to that not your neighbor, not your pastor, not your grocer. Republicans have sworn fealty to an ideology of deception and knowing untruth, and it's not just the leaders. It's the followers who are the most to blame, and beyond saving.
11
The Republicans are certainly grasping for straws by zeroing in on Joe Biden's son position in a company without his having any real experience, when this president's sons, daughter and son-in-law have made numerous lucrative business deals since he has been in office.
Will this false equivalency never end?
17
Look, I am a strong democrat, raised by very liberal parents. And now I sit here questioning whether Hunter Biden, should have had that job at Burisma. Trump was right to ask for an investigation, and it needs to be done. Sorry the Bidens are not above the law.
7
Sure, and I’m a Trump supporter who thinks Trump should be impeached and thrown in prison. Let’s all say whatever we like and ignore all cognitive dissonance.
9
The problem with your comment is that It’s been shown that Trump wanted Ukraine to SAY that they were investigating the Bidens while not expecting them to actually do it. At no time did the president mention corruption. He merely wanted to make the Bidens look bad to further his own campaign against the likely front runner, Joe Biden.
6
@Marianna Raymond
Marianna, I think RMM still doesn't get it.
2
Funny how Trump and his Republicans want to keep foreigners out of the country by building a wall, but love having foreign governments intrude in American's right to vote in free and fair elections, which by the way millions of true American patriots gave their lives for.
16
I can’t help but think as the Republicans throw their hands up and feign apoplectic shock at the “unfairness” of this to Trump, would they be doing the same if it had been Obama that had done these things? They would be crucifying him.
7
@Craig
If Obama did one/thousandth of what Trump has done, he wouldn't have gotten this far into the term.
8
True
5
There should be no rush for the Democrats to move toward a Senate Trial. All evidence should be sought. The Courts should begin to move on whether or not a Tyrant like Trump can flout all subpoenas for evidence and block the testimonies of his subordinates. Hurrying toward to a trial in Mitch McConnell's Senate is asking for a quick victory for Trump. A President facing re-election is no reason to hurry to judgment. Republicans who demand to see the evidence have asked for more evidence-- wait and then show it to them.
209
@Michael Kelly Assuming there is any evidence...
6
@Michael Kelly The problem is that in the Senate, hearsay won't be accepted as "evidence".
5
@Michael Kelly
"There should be no rush..." ??
Of course there needs to be a rush, the Democrats want to impeach Trump before Christmas.
It doesn't matter what the articles of impeachment are or what evidence they are based on. It has to be done quickly to:
1) placate the far left base, which has been wanting/planning to impeach Trump since the day after he was elected. The far-left base is getting restive.
2) clear the way for first Democratic primaries in February
This hasty impeachment on flimsy evidence sets a very bad standard for the future. Got a president you don't agree with? Have a House controlled by the opposing party? Hey, lets have an impeachment. Dig up some bureaucrats who disagree with the president's policies, and go for it!
7
There is absolutely no upside for the House to vote for impeachment.
If you think the president is insufferable now, just wait until the Senate vindicates him.
I would prefer that the House just keep adding additional articles of impeachment through next year’s election. It would be great theater watching the GOP die the slow death of a thousand cuts.
214
So, we just let them continue cheating? Seems fair.
19
@Denise
The House just has to do what's right. That's fine if the Senate vindicates him - shame on them.
13
@Denise He's going to do what he wants no matter what. Has he changed from his "I can do anything" stance since taking office?
6
Chairman Nadler should let the Congressmen who oppose his
"Rush to Judgement" have their say. Not doing so only
makes it look more and more like a partisan effort to
"get Trump".
Chairmen Schiff should be presenting the report that deals with what his committee investigated, not a lawyer.
It is not up to lawyer to tell Congress what it should and should not do.
The Democrats are making the same mistake the Prosecutors in
the OJ trial made, they are assuming they have a "slam dunk"
case, but they are forgetting they have to convince a large
majority of Americans that Trump intentionally committed acts that deserve impeachment - by rushing to get the hearings over by Christmas they are failing to take the time and effort to
convince those who are not anti-Trump plus those who see all of this as just political squabbling.
The Republicans in the Senate will only be moved by popular sentiment to convict Trump and so far that sentiment is not
large enough to bring about a vote for conviction.
9
The democrats know that they will be outnumbered in the senate and that Trump will remain in office. This is a much better outcome than having Trump removed and replaced by Mike Pence for the next 9 years during which time the far right would tighten its grip on our government. This way the voters get a thorough look at Trump's misdeeds, giving the democrats a fighting chance in 2020.
2
I am old enough to have watched the Watergate Hearings from start to finish. I never felt that we did not have two parties that were taking the issues seriously and acting with integrity. What I have been watching today and in the past weeks is beyond abhorrent on the part of the Republicans who have lost their minds and their ethics and morals.
57
Um. The problem isn’t leaks. The problem is that people may have failed to uphold the Constitution. And if they want Schiff there, does Nunes want to testify under oath as well?
22
@jaco—Why is that? It’s the Republicans who shred the Constitution while claiming to love the “rule of law.” There is no end to Republican hypocrisy.
8
As equally as the republicans hatred of patriotism, the constitution, and the rule of law. Their behavior is treason.
4
@ Jaco
I would hope all Americans, be they Republicans, Democrats, Green Party, Independents, or whatever, would love the Constitution.
The president demands those under subpoena not appear and the Republicans demand that the Committee take the time to go to court to force them to appear so the committee has full information. The president may not be skilled at many things but he is a master of getting those around him to do the work of delay and obfuscation.
10
I follow all of this closely but today I turned off the tv after hearing the repeated Republican objections to the way Nadler is handling the hearings. Waste of time, obvious obstruction, nothing to do with the real matter at hand. I am sick of partisan bickering. We have a do-nothing Congress, a do-anything-I-want President, and a country that is fast fragmenting beyond repair. It's time for term limits, clear statement of what each of the three branches can do, and a return to civility and true democracy -- not this partisan circus.
10
Faced with such an embarrassment of dubious behavior, it is, I am sure, difficult to decide which offenses to prosecute and which to let go. A truly partisan effort would include the material offenses related to welcoming valuable foreign interference in the 2016 election and a selection of emoluments-related charges; a "let's get this over with and get back to business because we don't really want this" approach would include only the most recent Ukraine-related crimes; including the obstruction of justice issues raised by Team Mueller would split the difference. But in one sense it will make little difference - even sensational revelations by Republican and Independent civil servants and appointees have not persuaded Republican officials or voters to attend to evidence or reason - any more than has the mountain of evidence concerning human influence over climate change. The main question now is whether the case can fairly be made to the middle 15-20% of the American electorate, a group most of whom prefer not to tune in to political news at all...
4
For those GOP members who are upset with the way Nadler is running the hearing, they should walk across the Capitol and have a little chat with Senator Lindsey Graham. In 2018 he told Democrats that if they didn't like the way the Senate was being operated, they should win more elections. Perhaps he would give his House colleagues the same advice?
16
As we Americans continue to get dizzy from the reams of information generated by these impeachment hearings, we can at least feel proud in our acquired understanding that the proceedings can be distilled into one fact:
Trump's acts of bribery, corruption, abuse of power, collusion with Putin, and all other impeachable offenses have all been directed toward one goal:
Growing His Business.
10
Just hold the vote and move it to the Senate. It’s the same testimony/opinion every day. America has already tuned out. It’s a pretty simple matter of debate. It’s like watching embrace debate Sports talk.
4
It's odd to hear Steve Castor, minority counsel, instruct on the different measures that could have been taken to enforce their subpoenas of Trump administration officials and documents. But he doesn't say anything about the underlying refusal of Trump to comply with the subpoenas.
11
Mr. Castor, the House Republicans’ attorney, would like us to believe that the whole impeachment inquiry is unfair and the president was working to unify our nation. He said of Trump, “He was asking for assistance in helping our country move forward from the divisiveness of the Russia collusion investigation.” Really? Mr. Trump wanted to move this country away from divisiveness? Do the connoisseurs of Mr. Trump’s rallies even believe this?
Mr. Castor later stated, “The Democrats went searching for a set of facts on which to impeach the president — the emoluments clause, the president’s business and financial records, the Mueller report and allegations of obstruction there — before settling on Ukraine.” But I’m glad Democrats are settling now because it’s better than waiting to impeach him for soliciting help from foreign governments after the 2020 election.
7
Simply based on the republican congressmen’s belligerence and tone of voice, it’s obvious their constituents are just as rage-filled and are probably WWE fans. Therefore the only way this can be settled is in the ring. Let’s call it WhistleMania, Trump vs. Schiff. If Trump goes down he gets removed from office!
1
It's very hard to understand a person such as Mr. Collins who speaks so quickly in a southern accent. The incongruity of it.
Heavens to mergatroyd. Snagglepuss Nadler and these hearings are a distraction and not helpful to the issues at hand. We are learning nothing new. Exit stage left.
The Replublicans are rancorous and then complain about their own rancor.
2
The only defense I am hearing from Republicans is "this isn't fair" and "Democrats just don't like Trump". It reminds me of what naughty children say.
24
At some level, most of these Republicans must know Trump is dirty and must long to be rid of him. But, as they say, Denial is not just a river in Egypt.
6
Everything would be solved by making the Senate vote anonymous. The only reason Republicans behave like this is to avoid Trump’s backlash.
9
I have yet to hear one legitimate reason why these impeachment hearings are “unfair”
9
David: that’s because Nadler keeps interrupting them and saying they haven’t been recognized to speak!
2
Jaco, you do realize there were republicans in those “secret” hearings, don’t you? And, not the first time hearings were held in the basement venue. You sound like faux news talking points.
9
@Howard
Jaco always sounds like Fox news talking points.
Stephen Castor and Stephen Miller should go hang out.
5
I've watched all the hearings and testimony and I've read everything produced by the House on this. I'm trying hard to listen to everyone and give everyone the benefit of the doubt. And I'm trying to connect all the dots on my own. I can't help feeling that Republicans have backed a narrative from which they now have no idea how to disconnect. They have gone down a road that is leading somewhere I'm guessing many of them didn't expect to go and don't really want to go. No reasonable person can misunderstand what is going on here, least of all members of Congress. I am so tired of politicians and pundits opining that Americans don't care about this and aren't paying attention to this. I have friends and family on both sides of this topic and EVERYONE is paying attention to this. Americans know when they're being taken for a ride, and Congress better be paying attention to that fact if they won't pay attention to other facts.
50
Trump’s obvious wrongdoings are being questioned because there’s a lot more on the line for a Republicans than losing Trump.
What are they fighting for? I’ll start start with racism. Much of this is simply a reaction to the fact that we had an exceptionally talented black president for 8 years, and these southern boys can’t stand it.
Next, pro lifers. These are the old segregationists who first lost the civil war, and then the civil rights movement. What better way to re-energize the southern Evangelical base and get a slew of Catholics on board than taking up the mantle of anti-abortion.
Donald Trump represents white supremacy, and he represents the annihilation of liberal America.
The GOP may as well hang the confederate flag behind them during these proceedings rather than their little crybaby poster boards.
54
I grew up and lived in the south the first 37 years of my life and I couldn’t agree more with your statement. The only thing I will add: McConnell is not finished appointing Supreme Court Justices yet.
8
Infamy!
Infamy!
They’ve all got it in for me!
—DJT
8
So, how long 'til Republican counsel sees disbarment heading their way? Shortly after that round-heels Barr, I should imagine.
In what way is this process prejudiced, let alone a-typical?
The only unusual thing here is Barr's refusal to allow an independent counsel. So now The Little Boys of the Right complain about the process they imposed on the House.
Let's record what tripe these august legal minds are spewing onto the record, and play it back for them as the Senate takes its shots.
Let's have Democrats employ the same dodging and distracting tactics, blow by blow and word by word with Barr's hideous exploration of the Russia probe.
Let's refuse subpoenas, lets launch investigations of Barr and whatever woebegone ambulance chaser is trolling Congress with sick fantasies of persecution and crime.
And let's for God's sake, subpoena every Trump and Trump family cell phone, all their records, and that super ultra extra secret server Trump has turned into his digital junk drawer.
Don't worry, The Court will sort it out...
Let's do it now, in investigations separate from this impeachment charade, just to keep people hoping. It'll be fun, in keeping with the rest of this slammin' party.
2
I'm sure whatever it is that Mr. Collins is trying to do would be more effective if it he let the witness walk through the process of how call logs get looked at (It would also help if he didn't speak like he was auctioning livestock). I'm some who pays pretty close attention this stuff and I have no idea what he means with his "match game" question. I think that he is saying that when you get the phone records you have to go looking for who those numbers belong to and that someone had to of ordered someone to do that. I just don't understand where the nefariousness is in getting call records and then looking up who the numbers in the logs belong to. Isn't that the whole point of getting call logs? Maybe if I understood how the process normally worked I would be able to understand his point, but as it is, its just a wave of words that crashes over me before I can comprehend what is going on.
11
@Tina
I find myself reaching for the "mute" button every time the esteemed Mr. Collins opens his mouth.
3
RIDICULOUS ARGUMENTS:
1) A restaurant owner goes to the restaurant of his chief competitor. He visits the kitchen and puts poison in each of the dishes. He then calls the local news channel anonymously, and states that he was just made violently ill at that restaurant, as were many others.
RIDICULOUS ARGUMENT: Restaurant owner: "I was just trying to protect the city against unsafe restaurants!"
2) A boxer is facing a championship fight. The odds makers have him down 2-1. He knows that his opponent deeply loves his children. He hires a well known hit man, with many reported hits before this, to call his opponent on a burner phone, and let him know that, should he win, his child will run into an "accident."
RIDICULOUS ARGUMENT: Boxer: "I was just trying to clean up boxing!"
3) A President is facing an upcoming re-election bid. His main opponent is rated as 7-10 points ahead of him in most polls. He calls the President of an allied nation, which is desperately fighting off occupation, attack, and being subsumed by Russia. He withholds promised military assistance from the ally. He makes clear that he will provide the military assistance only if the allied President makes an announcement on national U.S. television that his opponent is under investigation.
RIDICULOUS ARGUMENT: President: "I was only trying to fight corruption!"
51
The only thing that's clear is how increasingly uncomfortable the Republican's counsel, Stephen Castor is -- not only under the grueling questioning of Barry Berke, but also facing the realization that the evidence affords him little wiggle room.
Nevertheless, Republicans keep up their program of denial, accusations, constant and uncalled for interruptions and an unmistakable tone of belligerence.
It's amazing how uniformly they come to the defense of a president who has consistently overstepped the rules of his office to fulfill a personal and political advantage while ignoring the U.S. Constitution.
And try as they might, there's no way to simply ignore the evidence -- it is "overwhelming".
46
Noticed one of the GOP talking points/complaints was a quote saying a sole focus was to make sure Trump didn't have a second term. Which is exactly what McConnell said about Obama. And they think the plan to impeach started before he took office, when that's exactly what they were already planning if HRC won the election. Hypocrisy abounds. When are folks going to realize that the party of Trump has zero to do with being a Republican? And you're all ok with hypocrisy and lying being so normalized? There was a time when I could at least understand what Republicans stood for even if I disagreed with it. Not any more. The GOP would be better off getting an honorable candidate instead of sticking with this guy.
28
If they could find an honorable candidate. The Republican Party does not have an honorable platform to run on. That Grand Old Party is dead. Anyone who ran on the nebulous and hate-filled “Principles” of the current GOP would not be much of an improvement over what we have.
3
Honorable? The GOP?
2
There is one aspect Republicans refuse to acknowledge: FACTS. The FACTS overwhelmingly indicate POTUS Trump has abused his power, has engaged in conduct that was designed to solicit a bribe, and to use a shake-down of Ukraine's president for pure political advantage. (One sees immediate consequences of this behavior with Trump's 2020 campaign releasing "Quid Pro Joe" messaging.) Herein lies the threat to our Constitution and Rule of Law - FACTS DON'T MATTER in the Republican view of the world. The only thing which matters to Republicans is concentration of power and use of that power to deprive American citizens of the necessary checks and balances within our system of government to hold elected leaders accountable for actions.
Republicans focus on PROCESS, and frankly doing a pathetic performance at that. If their focus is PROCESS, then the bigger picture is one of FAIRNESS.
It is UNFAIR for POTUS Trump to hold himself and his Cabinet/Staff ABOVE the Rule of Law. Ordinary Americans are required to follow Rule of law. The issue is FAIRNESS; I illuminate the hypocrisy waged by Republicans and their sycophants within Conservative media for abetting these crimes - crimes specifically listed in the Constitution as Impeachable offenses.
Adhere to this philosophy of Republicans, and it's the Leona Helmsley school of justice, i.e. "Only little people pay taxes and obey the law." And taken to the next level, this codifying of illegal acts makes us just like Russia under Putin.
14
The Democrats are too nice-they follow the rules and speak respectfully.The Republicans have enlisted all of their firebrands to shout and insult and make the hearings into theater which their supporters will enjoy.The Impeachment hearings will end like the Mueller report ,confusion and obfuscation , unless a Democrat finds his or her voice and declares emphatically what Trump has done to abrogate Constitutional Law.He has said that he is above the law, that he can decline all precedent( releasing taxes) that he does not have to respond to Congress and that he can use his office to make money for his personal interests.It should not be hard for an eloquent Democrat to make the Impeachment case in clear, simple language.
9
Getz and Gym Jordon laughing makes me sick
18
Mr. Trump chose not to participate in today’s proceedings. It is easier for him to control the narrative by tweeting out his “testimony”. Recently, Twitter made a decision not to accept political ads. Outside of the financial piece, how is not blocking Mr. Trump’s account during these proceedings any different from them accepting one of his political ads?
299
@JCAZ Lol what? Trump has every right to speak his mind and defend himself on twitter. Just like anyone else.
9
He has the right, yes, but he has the responsibility to testify and set the record straight. You know, be the president. For a change. Except there's no way his lawyers would ever let him testify in person, because he's such a train-wreck, so consumed with his delusions of infallibility and untouchability, that he'd betray himself inside three minutes.
32
@Bryce
Well, being the president of USA is not being like everyone else.
Do you really believe his ramblings on Twitter and school yard taunts equal actual testimony under oath with consequences for lying?
I am being truly serious, as your northern neighbour, this circus over what appears to be an unstable and erratic, petty man heading your country and the legion of enablers doing back flips to excuse and shift blame is nothing short of frightening...and utterly unprecedented.
If anything it exposes some massive underlying failures in the structures of your governing bodies, and voting systems. He should have never gotten with a country mile of the levers of power.
34
It’s pretty clear to me that Congressional Republicans really don’t care about truth, justice, the law, democracy or actually doing what they were elected to do – be a separate but equal branch of our government, not power-obsessed sycophants for the Executive Branch. It’s disgusting.
351
@BrainThink It is disgusting. The Republican's seem to be throwing more tantrums again. It's embarrassing for their party and for the process as well. Their concerns for the impeachment process has more to do with them personally; how it affects their jobs, income and reputation. Not what it should be about, doing what's right for our Country.
12
@BrainThink If they cared, Trump never would have become President in the first place. Of course they don't care. And everyone behind them doesn't care.
10
If Nadler can keep the antics under control, we might get somewhere. Loud, rude, disruptive behavior is one of the earmarks if the so called 'People’s House.' We need to take as long as it takes and be deliberate and unflappable. With the occupant sniping from Twitter while refusing to participate in the hearings, I would have to agree that suspension of his zillions of hysterical posts be suspended while the hearings are ongoing. He has to have the courage to participate directly rather than spout chaos and venom. As for the president of Ukraine insisting on not being pressured, it is so obvious that he does this for fear of losing support in the hot war with Russia. Any fool can see that! I am also in favor of broadening the charges to include emoluments. The occupant has been committing impeachable acts since day one. Boil it down to five charges that show a pattern.
248
Dorsey Twitter would NEVER do the right thing and stop the loser's hatebabble; too much ad money to lose. Americans must react accordingly: "Do I REALLY want to use a site that aids and abets a racist criminal tyrant, and open myself up to liability when a Sane government impounds its servers to bring him to justice?"
The media should likewise quit follow-begging there.
5
@Elizabeth
Perfect summation!
4
It's pretty much a foregone conclusion that there will be impeachment articles brought to a vote in the House. The only question will be what are the charges?
Testimony by the witnesses a few weeks ago was what convinced me that the President should be impeached. They were knowledgeable about the issues, under oath, and courageous in the pursuit of the truth.
239
@cherrylog754 Really? Testimonies by witnesses who many did not even speak to Trump. Many who knew nothing of Trump's agenda. None of them could say for certain there was a crime. They all spoke about what they presumed was going through the presidents head, and what they thought was happening. That was some pretty weak evidence to make you decide he should be impeached. You sure it was the "evidence" that convinced you?
2
Bryce - you’re right; it was both the evidence presented, and the Administration’s obstruction of Congress that prevented key testimonial and documentary evidence from being adduced.
35
@Bryce No, there were earlier signs. Trump'srefusal to allow any of the subpoenaed administration to testify,i.e. Mulvaney, Perry, Pompeo, etc. and of course Mulvaney's quid pro quo press conference, where he admitted they held up the funding with Ukraine.
But in the end it was those career diplomats, and Sondland that convinced me. And they were under oath.
71
Collins, Gaetz and Biggs should be ushered out, sanctioned, and not allowed back in.
Enough of the sophomoric stunts, the grotesque rudeness, the unacceptable behavior.
The GOP, in toto, is out of order. They are an affront to norms of civility, decorum, ethics and, yes, the law. Watching them prance and obfuscate and derail and collude is nauseating, literally nauseating.
Do they really think we're not watching? To whom do they think this plays? To descend to the behavior of those rallies is both a low and high watermark. They've swamped the nation with toxic waters.
The GOP members need to be escorted from the building. They have no intention of upholding rule of law or doing their jobs. Frankly, they too need to be removed from office.
589
The only way they are escorted out permanently is Nov 2020. This will
not happen because of an incredibly misinformed and brainwashed (now called gaslighted) public.
We really aren’t worth saving. This country is permeated by too many dimwits who are bent on self destruction. I fervently hope they succeed.
The USA needs to be rebooted, you know like in the time of Noah. The world was rebooted then, though I must acknowledge that too was an utter failure.
All we can do is keep trying. We depend on global warming to be the mechanism for change.
20
@AhBrightWings
Methinks your party needs to remove the log from their own eye before worrying about the splinter in another's.
4
@AhBrightWings I fear they are playing to an audience of one.
33
I have watched, from start to finish, almost all of the hearings. Got the commentary and analysis, both here and elsewhere. Read The Mueller Report. Felt, in turns, admiration of and outrage at who I saw and what I heard.
But today I’m taking a pass. This is like watching a tragedy unfold in slow motion, and I’m tired. We all know what needs to be done here, but we’re all seemingly helpless to do it, and today I’m just giving in to my resignation that this country will never be the same.
I hope tomorrow my outlook will be different.
388
I feel the exact same way. It’s beyond heartbreaking to see our country go down this road. When President Nixon was impeached, the republicans had respect for following the constitution and listened carefully to the facts presented in the hearing. The GOP is now choosing their corrupt president over constitution and country. They pride themselves in not reading the Mueller Report and ignoring the facts from the impeachment hearings. I don’t know how they sleep at night knowing they are supporting a president who clearly puts his own personal and financial needs over defending the constitution of the United States of America. Previous presidents from both parties have led our country with dignity, respect and honor. President Trump has led our country with cruelty and greed.
209
I understand why you are tired and frustrated, and many of us are. It’s hard not to be when the GOP and Trump supporters are ignoring facts and giving this President a pass as he tears apart our Constitution. On the other hand, we should not just accept what’s going on right now and continue to fight to preserve our Constitutional Republic.
Also, I do have to say the Democrats are doing a great job today putting the facts together for the American public to better understand and hopefully this will convince reasonable people that Trump abused his power and obstructed justice.
98
Hopefully you will feel better, but as for me I know beyond doubt that the USA is dead. There is no hope.
This is why people take drugs, especially the youth for they know they have no future.
Their parents brought ruination to the country.
The most difficult commandment for the Evangelicals in the red states to follow is to “ Honor your father and your mother”. How does one honor those despicable people. I guess by taking crystal meth.
19
Nothing in our Government will be the same after this. As history shows it is only a matter of time before institutions fail, dynasties fall and corruption becomes normal. As much as I see failures on both sides I blame the Republicans more. Two things stand out. First, the Civil Rights act that changed who was eligible to vote and how each party reacted to it and changed. Second, the SCOTUS allowing unlimited money into elections as an extension of free speech.
22
@Bruce
Could you imagine one of the founders arguing that unlimited money from a company leaders of the British East India Trading company can use their wealth as free speech to influence US elections?
4
The Republicans on the House Judiciary Committee are playing the obstruction game, coming up with any and all possible ways to interrupt the flow of testimony that they know will be incriminating. They can only attack process. Time for Nadler to get tough and toss anyone who repeatedly can't comply with the hearing procedures.
19
The Republican defense is no defense.
1. Trump sent no legal representation. Which highlights the bad faith of the previous arguments complaining he had no representation in the Intelligence inquiry.
2. Republicans, sans their former arguments, which have all been blown through by the facts, must now argue that a President leaning on a head of state for help with his 2020 campaign, just isn’t all that bad.
3. Republicans complain about the witnesses who did appear, without addressing the fact that witnesses who didn’t appear, who might have supported their narrative, were told by the President to defy legal subpoenas.
4. Republicans bring a list of witnesses for a hearing on Biden & Burisma, to an Impeachment Hearing regarding the behavior of the President, and then throw tantrums when the witnesses selected to change the topic of the hearings, are rejected.
Republicans know Trump is guiltily of impeachable offenses.
Republicans know Trump is endangering our country’s security and democracy.
Republicans know they have chosen to defend a criminal instead of their own country. The country they took a solemn oath to defend.
In most circles, it’s called treason.
107
Brilliant !
1
The reason why Republicans were not bothered by Hunter Biden's appointment is that they knew, and know, that placing politically connected people on boards is a strategy that every corporation uses. They are the price they pay for political protection when the need comes. The fact that he was not an expert in the field is pointless. That's not why they are put on a board. Actually, the less they know, the better for the CEO's and other officials because they don't understand what really goes on and can't ask embarrassing questions. They are there to rubber stamp what is put in front of them. What do Condoleezza Rice and Nikki Haley know about Boeing? And what did Kissinger know about the dozen or so boards he was on? The Republicans have no other legitimate point to make so they take hold of whatever they can. The truth doesn't matter to them.
57
@Frank Casa Really, you put Condoleezza Rice, Nikki Haley and Kissinger in the same bucket as Hunter Biden?
1
@Ricardo I am talking about why people are put on boards irrespective of their expertise in the activities of corporations. I make no comparison about their personal attainments.
3
Despite the overwhelming evidence against Donald Trump. Democrats are accused of being obsessed with impeaching him.
Trump will continue to break the laws as he is further emboldened by Republicans complicity and their lack of moral convictions to uphold our democratic principles.
25
The Republicans call the process unfair... the US citizens call the President unfit. A clear and present danger to our elections and our democracy. Let’s get this behind us.
15
I hope someone on this comment thread can correct my assumption that none of this matters if the Republicans are digging in their heels and we need a 2/3 vote in the Senate to impeach!
I hope I am wrong in assuming that the Democrats believe some Republicans will vote to impeach.
Because that seems highly unlikely.
It only matters to those of us who still love the US constitution and the laws it stands for.
It only matters to those who don’t watch fox and friends.
It only matters to those of us who were taught that when you take an oath to the constitution it means something sacred.
It only matters if Putin’s doesn’t interfere with our 2020 elections, since the republicans don’t care about our civil right to do so.
It only matters if we can vote and do vote in nu,her greater than we ever did during the midterms in 2018.
VOTE them ALL OUT.
Register voters, help them get to the polls, and vote vote vote.
DEFEAT white supremacy VOTE
8
@RW The voters will see this. Some as always will ignore all news injurious to their tribe. Some will see the truth and act next November. With Trump's slim vote tally in in 2016 he should be very worried.
2
@Mandarine
I get your point! I meant, it doesn't matter in terms of the actual impeachment.
I always vote!
1
The Republicans lawyer comes off with no credibility. Was Biden a high potential political opponent? No, too early. Did Trump tweet or talk about Biden? I don't know. Do schemers generally tell those they are working that they are being bribed or extorted? I don't know.
4
I'm sorry to disappoint you, but it seems to me that President Trump's narrative—the Democrats are simply looking to impeach me by any means possible—sounds increasingly plausible. That the Democrats’ own lawyers have to plead that this meets some minimum standard for impeachable offenses only makes this more apparent. Sad.
5
@Michael Livingston’s being forced to show evidence and explain it - as is the process outlined by law - is somehow a mark against the investigation? I wish I was as limber as your mind, those are some incredible mental gymnastics.
11
@Michael Livingston’s
maybe if DT stopped piling on more impeachable offenses they'd stop
5
Jonathan Turley, a constitutional lawyer, testified to the opposite. And for the record, Schiff allowed 3 constitutional lawyers to testify for the Democrats, but only 1 (Turley) to testify for the Republicans. Impeachment is a charade. Democrats took to the floor in 2017 wanting to impeach Trump over his comments about NFL players kneeling during the National Anthem. It’s a joke.
2
Well pity Ukraine, now Democrats want to start another war so we have another reason to squander more money.
Leave Ukraine to figure its way forward; just another corrupt nation.
1
Great idea. That way Russia could annex more territory. I can tell you’ve really thought this through.
13
“Mr. Castor maintained that Mr. Trump was not pursuing his own interests, but was only concerned about corruption in Ukraine.” On one hand, the Republicans crow about how much more aid the current administration has provided over the previous administration; on the other, they claim the Congressionally-approved aid was being held up now because of concerns with corruption. Republicans, you can’t have it both ways.
27
@Ann R
Ann, I totally agree. Benjamin Netanyahu, the Prime Minister of one of our very closest allies, was recently indicted for corruption. It would follow that the Trump Administration has already suspended military aid to Israel in response. What? No answer from the Republicans?
2
Sure they can have it both ways, they have mastered it. I’m not sure what else they have done, but having it both ways, pillaging the treasury to the benefit of billionaires, gutting federal agencies and ripping up pollution regulations left and right all while FOX state tv spews alternative facts and hourly titillations.
Just watch. It’s happening. Now.
1
I only had time to turn on the hearing today for a few minutes. During that time I heard Castor claiming that Ukrainian officials had made statements to the effect that there was "no quid pro quo." These are the same officials that, using the other side of his mouth, are so systemically corrupt that nothing short of direct involvement by the full force of presidential power was sufficient to counter it.
13
@JimBob
Of course Zelensky is going to say he wasn't pressured and there was no quid pro quo. Why would he say otherwise when he is so desperate to get U.S. support against Russia, which is waging a years-long war against Ukraine as we speak.
10
@jimbob. See Randy Rainbow’s “Quid pro quo” on YouTube. One of his best.
We saw the smoking gun when we read the transcript summary two months ago. It's all anyone needed to see. This is a President who thinks he's a King and above the law.
Do our government employees take an oath to the constitution or pledge their allegiance to the oaf in office?
Is the President above the law?
Apparently the oaf is more important than the oath and this President is in fact above the law.
This whole saga is like reading a novel backwards. We know the crime. We know the gang that committed it. Then we let details, distractions and politics derail the consequences.
The President is a clear danger that should be removed.
Our democracy is weak and getting weaker. What will it take?
If we wait for a catastrophe it will be too late.
31
@Billy the Republican "tribe" has taken the position that nothing matters but power and they are willing to do and support anything to hold it. The rest of us, the majority need to give them a swift and severe lesson. Impeach now, remove from office in November but watch them like hawks forever.
1
I still think that republicans need to be made to defend trump's other abuses such as his enrichments, his nepotism, his witness tampering, his obstruction, his lies, his security breaches, his secret meetings with Putin, and the size and source of his loans to his businesses and campaign from foreign countries.
These and the Ukraine extortion should be addressed as separate motions of Impeachment that the Senate will have to review each one, and either debate or dismiss.
By their votes, we will know who in the Senate will keep their oaths of office.
17
When incompetence shows at the window of power, corruption enters straight through the door. Case in point with the current demagogue and charlatan occupying the White House. Trump must be considered a symptom, however; and those that support him in spite of his daily lying about our reality, the disease. The question is, ought we go see a specialist for treatment, the one foremost in our conscience being the ability to think for ourselves...and then contribute to politics...instead of all this 'politicking'?
3
The Republicans do respond to subpoenas, attempt to prevent witnesses from giving testimony, decline to participate in the proceedings, but then claim it is unfair. Hummm!
17
This could be so simple and straightforward.
If the president were so innocent,as claimed... and the process so unfair and one-sided, as alleged, all the president has to do is let his current and former staff testify, tell THEIR side of the story, and rebut the facts presented so far.
If you truly have nothing to hide and everything's above board....why all the hiding it ?
34
@EBD And of course don't forget coming to the House himself, putting up his right hand, and clearing up this big misunderstanding.
9
If Trump believed that the Ukraine government was still corrupt, why would he want that corrupt government to investigate corruption (re: Bidens)?
12
So Republican attorneys are committing perjury. They know full well that the facts presented are true. Isn't it illegal to lie to Congress?
8
It is truly stunning how morally bankrupt every single Republican Congressman and Senator is. The impeachment hearings have revealed an immense amount of irrefutable evidence that Trump has committed serious crimes against the country, and shown that he is a grave threat to our national security.
He withheld Congressionally-approved aid to Ukraine - illegal.
He did it to blackmail Ukraine into announcing an investigation into Biden on tv (and otherwise did not care about actually removing corruption) - illegal.
He has stated that he kept troops in Syria to take their oil - illegal.
He routinely uses his personal Trump properties for official government business, stealing our tax money and putting it directly into his pockets - illegal.
And that's just a fraction of the crimes Trump has committed. The GOP's refusal to uphold the law and hold Trump accountable for these crimes and instead /helping/ him get away with them is a direct attack on our country and our rule of law. Every single Republican voter needs to take a good hard look at the damage their party has done to our nation, and ask themselves if torturing minorities is worth destroying the country.
21
@Adam they just don't care and we just need to face that and work harder than them to regain power to block them. Its just that simple. They do not care.
2
Trump wanted Zelensky to ANNOUNCE an investigation into "the Bidens" (not to actually investigate them). If Ukraine did not feel any pressure about this then why is it that President Zelensky who had called a press conference to make such an announcement cancelled that press conference because under pressure from Congress Trump released the aid to Ukraine. If he felt no pressure to announce this investigation then why did he cancel the impending "announcement" as soon as the aid came through? W..E..L..L?
11
Remember this? "...organized Republican recalcitrance against the president started in October 2010 after Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) famously said, “The single most important thing we want to achieve is for President Obama to be a one-term president.”
8
Adam Schiff, otherwise known as Mt. Hollywood, is impeaching Trump for Clear and Present Dangers. Maybe Tom Clancy will use it for a sequel. And I’m sure Harrison Ford is available for the movie. Get real folks.
1
I believe Mr Clancy has passed....
Of course it’s unfair according to the GOP.
Why should the Democrats rely on facts or follow the law?
“This unfair process reflects the degree to which Democrats are obsessed with impeaching President Trump by any means necessary,” Mr. Castor told lawmakers.”
2
1) Republicans talking about fairness? LOL!! That's rich.
2) Obsessed with impeaching? Trump is a criminal. It is the obligation of the House to impeach. Every member took the same oath to uphold the Constitution.
3) The republicans have morphed into this party of religious fanaticism and deliberate cruelty. It is time to put them in their place as a minority party with very limited influence.
23
As long as we have the electoral college, the GOP minority will retain with a great deal of power, in 2020 and beyond.
3
@Dave Maybe...but in any case it is time to abolish the EC.
People in the flyover states are afraid of coastal people making their laws...but what's happening is that the minority in those backwards states are making laws for the rest of us and THAT is not going to continue.
The 3 oldest Trump kids sat on the board of the Trump Foundation - remember what happened there? Corruption much?
19
This whole thing is ridiculous.
As with any crime, you need intent.
Does anyone actually think Trump had or expressed any quid pro quo intent when he had like two dozen hanger-ons listening on to his call with the Ukrainian President?
1
@Jay Fox
Yes, because Trump is such a narcissist and so corrupt that he believes he did nothing wrong in withholding a meeting and military aid for his personal political benefit. He said the call was "perfect".
4
@Jay Fox Wait! What's that sound? Is it Santa Claus? No, it's the sound of a million defense lawyers cheering worldwide with the news from Jay Fox that from now on any murders committed in broad daylight with witnesses present will be automatically dropped of all charges.
Thanks for the laugh Jay.
4
@Jay Fox Yes. We don't have to think it, we heard it.
You do raise a good point though... why would he do something so stupid? I think you are correct that he had no idea he was doing anything wrong. But intent just means you intended to do the crime, now whether you knew it was wrong. Having no moral compass and thus thinking your crime was perfectly fine is not a defense.
3
Every single republican whom has testilied in this mess should be brought up on charges for it.
Every one of them has tried to strike a mortal blow on our republic.
6
Wow! Around 1:00 pm EST Castor (The GOP's star lawyer and Trump defendent) is being questioned by Berke. Castor refuses to admit that Biden was Trump's election opponent!
The defense team of Trump is going to have to plead insanity pretty soon.
9
Republicans are hideous obstructing this hearing. You'd think with Obstruction being one of the Articles--they wouldn't tip hand so brazenly that is exactly what they do....
5
Here we go with the obligatory "Impeachment Updates" where the Democrats keep squawking the party line like a flock of parrots in an echo chamber. Give our ears a rest and let us know when something actually happens.
9
@Backwater Sage it is happening; this is how the happening part happens.
P.S. I'm no conservative, but pandemonium would have been a far better word choice than flock. Just sayin.'
7
Too fast or too slow, which one? It would be comical if it didn’t have such dire consequences to our nation.
13
@Backwater Sage Are you serious?
15
It's interesting that a Republican witness, like Castor, decries the lack of direct evidence yet relies often for his arguments on the very statements he claims are hearsay and insufficient when coming from the Democrats.
I am glad that the Judiciary Committee is having these lawyers go through the evidence. It helps to put everything in context. It is also showing how weak the Republican arguments are. They are relying far more on assumptions about Presidential intent than the Democrats have been, whose witnesses focus more on fact testimony.
19
I think Castor has said so many I thinks to count.
The underlying question is not what Hunter Biden might have done it is what Joe Biden did. Did he use his position as Vice President to demand the firing of a prosecutor investigating Burisma and Hunter in return for US aid.? He already admitted it. Should his actions be investigated. Obviously.
1
Sure, except for two eensy little things.
1. Biden was acting as part of offician government policy to try and get investigations STARTED, not stopped.
2. It WAS looked at. In a Republican Congress. And guess what? Nothing there.
I get it, okay? The facts are inconvenient, and you’re locked into “Investigate, and keep investigating until I get what I want.”
But I know pretty much why you guys can’t just go after general influence-peddling, which is not a crime but not a good thing. It’d bring up what the Trumps, and their people, have been doing.
10
@Eddie
Prosecutor firing was official US Policy, upfront and backed by our allies, not some back door shady shakedown for dirt on a rival.
5
Biden said no such thing! Do some actual research.
1
I hope the Rep's children act the same way they do, offering "alternative" facts and disruptive behavior when they disagree. Maybe then they'll understand how undignified and disingenuous these actions are.
5
In his attempted defense of Trump's "state of mind", Republican counsel cites Ukrainian politicians who spoke in favor of Clinton over Trump. It's instructive that, true to form, Trump denies the right to speak against him (a right that would be Constitutionally protected in the US) and would have counsel equate this speech with his own criminal actions.
4
The GOP characterizes the impeachment hearings as 'unfair', yet they have been given every opportunity to appear before the judiciary committee and argue their case....and every invitation has been refused by them - not a single one has testified. This doesn't look like a protest, it looks like they know they don't have a case and are fearful that if they do testify, the Dems will expose even more wrongdoing.
21
It's amazing how Republicans on the House Judiciary Committee and their counsel claim with straight faces that there are (Trump-induced) gaps in the sworn testimony of the witnesses regarding Trump's having personally ordered aid to Ukraine held up pending the announcement of an investigation of the Bidens, yet themselves have no problem citing the UNSWORN statements of President Trump and President Zelensky that there was no quid pro quo as any kind of "evidence" against impeachment.
10
The good old boys are not happy about the corruption of our corruptible president. The trial will begin and the chips will fall where they will so the truth can come out. We can begin to heal as a nation after this very difficult time.
4
I wish the Democratic members would ask the Republican members to help get that additional testimony they want. I understand “Their” President is holding it up.
7
The "clear and present danger" is the Republican Party members enabling and supporting Trump. They care little for democracy and will do whatever necessary to hold on to power. If Trump was Jack the Ripper, they'd still stand by their man.
13
I hope that the impeachment goes through. It will set s new standard in politics. Politician A may say that an expenditure or law is needed to help his District or state (and to increase his re-election chances). Politician B says that he will give A his vote if A votes for something that benefits B’s District or state (and increases B’s chances of re-election). All of this quid pro quo will go away. Or do some people incorrectly believe that that is bargaining?
I think many of us would agree there’s a difference between (1) duly empowered representatives negotiating and even arriving at quid pro quo policy compromises as a part of the internal workings of our government - to get legislation passed, and (2) any representative of our government asking another government to investigate potential political rivals for personal political gain. The former involves folks working to arrive at compromise to move policies forward. The latter is involving a foreign government in our elections. I think anyone who has developed beyond the concrete operations stage of cognitive development gets this distinction.
3
I feel this process is rushed but for very different reasons and motivations than Mr. Turley and the republicans.
It just seems to me that if we actually want trump removed from office (as a majority of Americans polled seem to want) we should time the Senate conviction vote for the heart of the republican primaries for Senate.
Make them vote to acquit (or not) an obvious felon and lifelong criminal and put them on the record (or not) as trump enablers. This will actually appeal to the 35% trumpist voters but it will completely turn off the rest of the republicans who are holding their noses everyday at this miscreant's behavior.
56
@ReciprocalHokie
As a Republican, I can tell you that this is right on the money. If the liberals can't stand to actually make a case, this shouldn't even move forward. If they have something, then bring it on and let's get it all out in the open.
3
@Phillip Holmes How do we do that when the president is blocking ppl within his circle from testifying? How disingenuous is it to continue to ignore this fact?
7
It needs to happen before the election. Republicans need to realize they can’t vote for a Trump and wiggle out with him being removed by congress. They need to know where their party stands and we need to know where they stand.
I’m sure Republicans will make a big deal about the lack of bipartisanship support for impeachment. “Not a single Republican vote,” and that sort of thing. Seems disingenuous to me, given that they passed tax ‘reform’ without a single Democratic vote in support. Of course every objection they’ve had to these proceedings has either been addressed by the Democrats or is something they have done themselves in the recent past.
- Tom
100
@Tom Martin
G - Gaslight <-- We are here.
O - Obstruct
P - Project
9
We keep overcomplicating this.
DJT was invited to participate and declined. The GOP has not marshalled a single fact or witness to counter the charges.
Innocent people do not behave this way.
Innocent people do not behave this way.
Innocent people do not behave this way.
Repeat until it gets through.
418
@AhBrightWings
People that are being railroaded behave this way. If you've ever been on the short end of a conviction, you'd understand.
2
@Phillip Holmes
This ain’t “people,” Phil. It’s the president of the United States being formally, legally accused of something and not only refusing to testify, but not allowing others to testify, either. Presidents don’t get railroaded - they get charged per the Constitution and must answer with respect to same. Except when they don’t - which is currently happening for the first time in history.
You sure you’re ok with that?
55
@Phillip Holmes
If I were innocent, I would welcome a hearing; it would be the only way to clear my name.
"If I were innocent..." being the operative words.
Does any facet of this theatre strike you as being the actions of honest and innocent men? I cannot think of one move DJT has made that meets that measure.
13
Can someone do a translation of the hearings into the most basic English? Since so many Americans, according to a recent poll, do not even know what the three branches of government are, all this must be unintelligible to them. I appreciate the complete sentences, logical reasoning, and well-expressed thoughts that have characterized at least the Democratic committee members and those of the witnesses; but we are not in political science class or law school.
8
@L. West... then educate yourself or, if you know how impeachment works, offering you knowledge to those seeking to understand the process. It should not be on the NYT or any media outlet to dumb down their description of the charges against Trump and the impeachment process in general. If we our desire is a more educated populace then let’s place the expectation on them to learn. Most people in this country are not intellectually incapable of grasping how impeachment works. Simply put, they’re intellectually lazy.
4
@L. West Can someone please address the crisis in U.S. education - especially higher education - and its utter failure in educating a nation? Instead of engaging the realities of new media -- digital, social, etc. -- higher education saw it -- sees it -- as a kind of cute technology that can support learning. Perhaps. But if we think that Facebook and Twitter are a threat today, we have lots to learn given the onslaught of the "internet of things" and all that will come with it and its invasion of spaces and places occupied by people. This failure of education goes way beyond these hearings today.
4
@L. West
The President illegally used his office, OUR PRESIDENCY, to get another country to do something just for his own personal benefit.
It's not complicated. The problem is that, by mathematical definition, half of the country is of below average intelligence and they get the government they deserve.
4
I can't for the life of me figure why Dems can't get the messaging right on GOP impeachment counter-narrative. They want to blow smoke about 'appearance' of a Biden conflict of interest in Ukraine when so many men surrounding their leader have been jailed for illegal and undisclosed foreign influence. Their president has funneled taxpayer money into his own properties, sending military staff to his resorts. Allowing foreign leaders to stay at his hotels, even trying to use the G7 to enrich himself. Hiring his own children and giving them hugely impactful projects. How can we not craft a short soundbite that sets the record straight? If we can't do that simple thing, this impeachment will go nowhere.
28
@Alk we’re up against a lot more than sound bites. What’s on the line? Pro abortion zealots, and white supremacists (which includes severe xenophobia). That’s what the hardest a trump supporters stand for, and a little sound bite will not change that.
4
@Dave Ya, can't save that but hopefully some independents and center right (the ones that were just happy with their tax cuts but ultimately know right from wrong).
1
The Trump Justice Department opted not to investigate a whistleblower complaint about a July 25 call between Mr. Trump and the Ukrainian president. This complaint has been thoroughly substantiated and shows Barr should be fired. GOP opted out from the beginning to investigate-they can't have it both ways. Crying pass interference at same time spiking the ball.
85
Just as troubling to the 2020 election is Trump’s upcoming meeting with Russian ambassador Lavrov.
I wonder if Trump will order notes of this meeting destroyed as well?
“Russia's foreign ministry confirmed Lavrov's trip to Washington in a statement. It did not mention a meeting with Trump, but Interfax cited a foreign ministry source saying there would be such a meeting.
"We expect that (Lavrov) will be received by (Trump) and will hold talks with (Pompeo)," the source was quoted as saying.
The White House neither confirmed nor denied Trump would meet Lavrov.”
11
Let it be known from now on, you no longer have to commit any crime, if someone doesn't like you they can simply invent one, give no evidence other than opinion and brainwash people into thinking you are guilty before a trial is ever started.
I've watched every hearing, read every report and kept clear of any useless opinions of biased news people. I have yet to see any wrong doing. How is asking to look into 2016 election corruption a crime? Because Biden is running? So if someone is running for office they can't be investigated? In my whole life I have never seen such hatred for this Country and its elected leader. All while turning a blind eye to some of the most horrific lies, crimes and abuses of power in this nations history. The only good that will come from this is the amount of democrats that will be voted out in the coming elections. Americans are wise to their plans and complete lack of respect for America itself.
6
In the first place, show me where in that edited version of the call—it’s not a transcript, says so right on top—does Trump say a word about investigating corruption? He asked about Biden and Burisma, and that’s it. Turn off FOX, and read the darn thing.
In the second, show me where Trump has EVER seriously tried to do a thing about corruption. Cripes, he’s cozied up to pretty much the most-corrupt national leaders on the planet.
In the third, show me where Trump’s put anything other than crooks in his Cabinet and staff. His old personal lawyer’s in the slammer; his campaign manager’s in the slammer; his NSA advisor and current personal lawyer are either awaiting sentencing or indictment. His kids are all out cutting deals with the Kuwaitis, with China, with Saudi Arabia. Why’s that okay? And how many forced resignations for crookery have there been so far?
In the fourth: your boy’s got a Justice Department. He thinks Biden’s a crook, Bill Barr is less than a phone call away. So why’s he leaning on a foreign government to run investigations?
And last. I know you guys need to Believe that All Americans Secretly Agree With You.
But it’s silly, and it’s even more tiresome than when the acolytes of St. Bernie say it.
8
@Mac He was requesting this action from a US-friendly foreign power timed with the withholding the aid Ukraine desperately needs to defend against Russian aggression. It was a clear shakedown, completely against American interests (countering Russia's invasion of Ukraine). That is about as bad as it can get. How can you not understand it if you watched the entire thing?
5
The “hatred” for this country comes direct from the GOP. It’s them who are trying to upend this country’s institutions, for no reason, other than they think they’re in contrast to the far right agenda of the trumpublicans. Let’s not forget more people voted against Trump, than for him. We need to abolish the electoral college. Twice, recently, the popular vote has been won by someone who failed in the popular vote, and was installed by the now useless electoral college. Bush 2 and Trump are both failures, for different reasons, but failures none the less.
8
If Trump wins 2020, will the Democrats try to impeach him again or possibly arrest his sons so they can't run? Anyone that's ever been railroaded sees through this charade. The Democrats couldn't be more obvious.
4
@Phillip Holmes psst, wanna see "obvious"? It's been staring you in the face for about three years now.
1
@Philip Holmes
This is total nonsense. How are the Democrats going to arrest anyone if Trump wins in 2020? The DOJ is completely subservient to a Trump thanks to the toad, AG Barr. They can't even compel witnesses with a subpoena now!
If Trump does win, you and your pals will have your full-on monarchy.
2
Ah, the paranoiac defense: “They’re out to get me. They’ve always been out to get me. They’ve spent years looking for ways to get me. They never liked me. They hate me. They want me dead and gone.” It didn’t work in the “Cain Mutinty Court Marshall” and it didn’t work for Nixon, and it is not going to work now.
56
GOP defender Steve Castor dismisses the impeachment inquiry because it was only "eight lines of text" pulled from the Trump call. What if FDR had invited the Tojo government to bomb Pearl Harbor in an eight line telegram?
21
@TROUTWHISPERER
Has anyone noticed the number of times that Castor is stumbling over his words? Almost every other sentence. Um. Ah. Pause. Correction. Pause.
Does this sound like someone who believes the text he is reading?
6
O democrats please wait while we make a documentary and an ad or six to convince the populace that we’re innocent and to further vilify you. please oh please? Look! we’re being so good! We just need a few weeks. We will be good the whole time. And. If you don’t give us more time, we will quickly turn monstrous. But for now we’re being so good!
2
I like the way that after eighteen months of screaming that Mueller was taking too long—the shortest special counsel investigation of them all, by the way—Trump and Trumpists are now screaming that the House is moving way too fast.
It’s almost as hilarious as Republican shrieking because the House is following the rules that Republicans wrote.
Oh, well. I’ll just bundle it with Hillary’s server no, Javanka’s yes, and with Hunter Biden bad, Trump deals with Indonesia/China good, and...and...and...
11
For the benefit of the American people, Goldman and the Democrats should always start their statements with an explicit recitation of the Constitutional basis for the President’s wrong doing. That is often missing or only implied.
6
Just who, exactly, is Nadler's target audience with these so-called hearings?
Surely he recognizes the needle hasn't moved: democrats want Trump gone, republicans want Trump to stay.
Surely Nadler recognizes that Mainstream America doesn't have time to watch the hearings during the day because they work, and don't watch the news at night because it is so blatantly biased - and mostly because they just don't care.
Surely Nadler knows that if the democrats in the house vote to impeach, then it will stop dead in the senate.
Surely Nadler recognizes the potential damage to the democrats that will be unearthed in the senate trial (Joe Biden / Burisma / Hunter Biden / Victor Shokin, for instance).
So why is Nadler forcing this debacle onto the world, instead of doing what congress was elected to do?
11
@99percent
First, the process has to be followed lest the GOP claim that shortcuts were made.
Second, the Congress is doing exactly what they were elected to do.
37
@99percent "Surely Nadler recognizes the potential damage to the democrats that will be unearthed in the senate trial (Joe Biden / Burisma / Hunter Biden / Victor Shokin, for instance)."
The fact is there is nothing to unearth. Otherwise, Congress should investigate Ivanka's patents awarded by China and Jared's deals with Saudi Arabia to get loans for his real estate holdings, promising military aid and no action on the murder of Khashoggi.
The House is, in fact, doing what they were elected to do. The House has passed over 300 bills, some with bipartisan support, that are sitting on Mitch McConnell's desk gathering dust.
All because McConnell refuses to bring them up for debate and a vote. This allows his party's members to avoid taking a public stand on issues the majority of Americans would like to see addressed by their government.
The impeachment inquiry is far from a debacle and ought not to be rushed or confined to only the president's criminal acts in regards to Ukraine.
According to articles here in the New York Times, there are up to 8 possible articles of impeachment that ought to be filed against Mr. Trump.
I have no problem with impeachment hearings continuing into the new year before a full case for removal of Trump is presented to the Senate, which under our constitution, is not representative of the people and will therefore not vote to remove Trump from office.
But the real jury is the American people, who will have all the evidence in front of them.
41
@99percent
The House has 438 members. They can do more than one thing at a time. They have passed hundreds of bills which are sitting in McConnell's "graveyard", waiting for action.
Why pursue impeachment? The same reason we investigate and prosecute any criminal. Maybe the Senate won't convict, but that's no reason to stop seeking justice.
92
How about he bought two women’s silence, and campaign finance violation that could lead unindicted co-conspirator #1 to five years in jail when he leaves office. He wanted an unfair election and got it.
How about he encouraged Russia to find Clinton’s e-mails, and even though the “pro quo” couldn’t be proven by Muller (although handing Syria to Putin, and threatening to hand Ukraine to Putin seem suspicious in hindsight), he sought to have a foreign power give him an unfair advantage in the election.
How about he used money authorized by Congress to stand up to Russia, and a meeting needed by Ukraine to demonstrate the US’s military support for Ukraine, to give him an unfair advantage in the election.
The man got into office without a popular majority. Do you think he’d be there if the voting public knew that a stripper and a Playboy bunny accused him of infidelity? So we have a high crime (a felony-his former lawyer is serving time on same criminal statute), and repeated attempts to engage in unfair elections. Dump Trump!
120
Would love for the lawyer to point out that Trump is now obstructing justice, after ranting about Hillary’s emails for years.
149
I understand that the Republicans' star witness will be a fellow named Putin who will vouch for Trump and will tell the committee that everything was perfect. Case closed.
87
A suggestion from nowhere:
I am reading Joseph J. Ellis, The Quartet, while monitoring the current proceedings.
There will doubtless be much talk of the founding fathers in the weeks ahead, and rightly so. The book by Ellis is on the crucial period 1783-1789 when Washington, Hamilton, Jay, and Madison guided the confederation of states to a new national Constitution. It is an instructive and helpful guide to this astounding period.
36
@Paul C. McGlasson
Agreed, it's a great book! And check out Ellis' newest book relating to politics today as re the Founders' views.
1
Here's hoping that Messrs. Berke and Goldman eat Mr. Castor's lunch in plain view of the public. I'll be curious to hear the questioning of Republicans. Will they simply talk to themselves, lob softballs to Mr. Castor, or engage with Mr. Goldman. If the last, it will be a risky strategy as Goldman will show them foolish about the evidence and law.
19
Beware Trump’s decision not to participate in the hearings. He appears to be holding his fire, and his lies, for the actual trial which will draw the biggest audience. A lie told then or a novel defense will get more of a hearing than it perhaps should and it will be harder for fact checkers and others to refute. The Dems have to come ready to rebut anything, even stuff not previously considered.
57
There is nothing to watch today or any other day until the trial in the Senate begins.
5
@Daphne
Plenty to listen to, though.
13
At this stage of the inquiry I believe many if not most Republican Senators and a good number of Republican Representatives accept that what Mr Trump did was dead wrong and worthy of being impeached and removed from office. Certainly if this had been a Democrat President the would so believe. But they continue to defend Trump either because they are power hungry and refuse to surrender any power or they are unwilling to vote in any way that upsets their “base” no matter the charge and no matter the outcome. In either case this is shrinking from Constitutional duties and shows cowardice.
303
@GlennC Or could it be that they believe president Trump did not do wrong? The evidence against him is incredibly weak. I believe republicans would impeach if the evidence was there, but it isn't and doesn't look like its going to be. Once this moves to the senate the media and dems will be outraged that nothings happening. Its all very predictable.
3
@GlennC
Are we talking about the same Republicans who are fighting this tooth and nail and denying any grounds for impeachment
“I believe many if not most Republican Senators and a good number of Republican Representatives accept that what Mr Trump did was dead wrong and worthy of being impeached and removed from office.”
5
“I believe that Republicans would impeach if the evidence is there.”
Yes, Virginia...
6