Lev Parnas didn't spare anyone during Rachel Maddow interview...
Mike Pence, Pompeo, Bill Barr, Devin Nunes, Mulvaney, Dmytro Firtash,(Putin's billionaire BFF) and the rest of this slimy Ukrainian extortion drama.
Tune in tonight for part 2.
Just imagine that newly elected president of Ukraine is desperately trying to get rid of corruption that plagued this country for generation, and America under Individual1 is bringing corruption back.
Lev Parnas implicated every venal, lying member of this administration, "everyone was in the loop"
http://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow-show
Typical mobster racketeering operation!!!
Once again Russian organized crime is in charge of this WH.
Rachel Maddow finally delivered the fatal blow to this fraudulent team of gangsters that illegitimately invaded our WH.
8
When Parnas said he trusted the President, wanted to do his patriotic duty, and how could that be wrong, I immediately thought of all those GOP Senators who are doing the same and will soon be asking the same question - how could that be wrong?
7
How can GOP House and Senate members defend this despicable and illegal behavior on the part of the president? Easily. They were all in on it or hoped to benefit.
9
Republican members of Congress have already appeared on the Faux News network discrediting Parnas as just another trick of the liberal dogs to inflate the "hoax". Nunes himself has appeared on TV doing the backwards moonwalk dance denying his obvious complicity.
If the Faux News network talking heads tell their viewers it's a hoax then they believe it's a hoax. The faithful Trump supporters are now the supporters of republicans in Congress...but only if they publicly kneel before Trump.
Even if Bolton testifies and confirms what we already know the republicans will dismiss Bolton as a disgruntled former employee with an axe to grind. Sean Hannity and fellow propagandists will repeat this to the faithful and they will believe.
At the end of the trial we may see one or two republicans of moral courage but I believe the vast majority will circle the wagons and acquit irregardless of the overwhelming evidence of Trump's amoral, illegal and corrupt behavior.
12
Maybe Parnas is telling the truth, but why at this point should anyone believe him?
The text messages and phone recordings which back up his story sure help!
15
@Ben
Hardly!
This reminds me of some of the cast of characters of the Watergate Hearings. Remember the Dirty Tricks guys and it was all true.
6
Maybe Parnas got the green light from Putin -- maybe Trump's master feels like he's gone as far as Trump will take him and wants to cut bait.
4
Headline should say: “Con man & inveterate liar under criminal indictment trying to make plea deal with prosecutors says Trump did blah blah blah!”
1
Drain the swamp???? only to hire anything that crawled out.
5
"Lev Parnas, Key Player in Ukraine Affair, Completes Break With Trump and Giuliani"
Honestly, there is more new evidence on an almost daily basis of a bunch of scummy little individuals running around all over the place to create dirt for Trump.
Consider these points:
*Trump, from 2016 and the republican primary run up till now has called on the Russians to illegally hack into the Clinton and Democratic email servers.
*Look who has tried to bribe the Ukrainians to create false and fraudulent dirt against Joe Biden and his son.
*Look who has had long, personal, face to face meetings with Putin and would NOT allow a transcript of what the two said and would NOT even allow a transcript of the translators notes to be made public.
*And how many times has Trump been alone with the Russian Ambassador and no disclosure of what has been said has been made public?
If anyone is a prime suspect to cheating America and all of our fellow citizens, even Trump's so called "core", it is Trump himself. Trump has committed over 16,000 documented lies on every conceivable subject and that is cheating all Americans of honesty in our leadership. The senate has got to put a stop to this illegal foreign assault of our national elections.
10
Would the grand old New York Times under Sulzberger, Sr. have resorted to anything so low. On the day that the impeachment trial begins, suddenly producing someone who has been attached to the case against Trump all along, but just now he had seen the light and decided that he had to do his righteous duty, and to spill the beans on Trump.
And in one innocent link the journal furnishes the reader with the information that Mr. Parnas had been indicted for committing a crime involving campaign financing totally unrelated to the the impeachment accusations. He might just be cooperating with his prosecutors to get off without jail time.
Fox reports the news in a biased manner designed to feed conservatives with lies and half-truths about major news events.
The Times creates the news needed to bring down someone in power.
And apparently they will get away with this, since just as many blockheads follow the Times as follow Fox.
2
Of course he is cooperating. But you only get reduced jail time for telling the truth, not making up lies. The texts back up his story.
7
Trump questioning the credibility of Parnas spotlights the failings of this President. Trump has logged in 14,00 plus lies.When Trump says "Many people say" it is the first sign that the man is lying. I hope Parnas continues to provide a video or photo of the pair together each time Trump denies knowing him. Another Trump go to "we'll see"
5
Since Rudi Giuliani works for "a proven liar" himself, his credibility on that subject is doubtful, to say the least.
5
If there is evidence that proves Trump’s innocence, let’s see it.
I’m assuming the GOP never cites any evidence of innocence because none exists.
On the other hand, there seems to be plenty of evidence that demonstrates corruption and illegality.
Shouting about a witch hunt or sham investigation doesn’t change that. And it doesn’t distract those who care to see.
56
There is a clear synchronization among the tweets of Mr. Trump, those of his team members and the texts revealed. Mr. Trump is a big fan of tweets, which may play a key role against him in the coming weeks just as the tape did against Mr. Nixon who was also its big fan.
4
Yes, Lev's shiv needs to be examined and corroborated by other witnesses, such as Giuliani and Bolton.
If the Senate won't call them, then the Judiciary Committee or the Foreign Relations Committees in the House should do it as soon as the Senate Trial is over.
Also, Pence's, Barr's, and Pompeo's roles in these shenanigans need to be investigated. These investigations could put the finishing touches on the complete trashing of the Republican Party.
More wrong-doings revealed post-acquittal will further dig the graves for Republican Senators who enabled and defended these ridiculous shadow operations to benefit Russia and Putin at our expense.
6
“Mr. Parnas and Mr. Fruman donated $325,000 in the name of a newly-created energy company, Global Energy Producers, to a pro-Trump super PAC, America First Action”
We need congress to address the many opportunities that Citizens United has created for sketchy and corrupt individuals (including foreigners) to influence our elections. I guess $325,000 from a newly created company no longer raises red flags.
The Supreme court’s credibility is hanging on by a thread. All eyes are on John Roberts now.
13
The Soviets tried to affect the 2016 elections but now a Soviet ex-pat is given credibility. Why ? because it's something, anything reflecting negatively on Trump. Blarney and blinders is not a winnable political position for the Left.
1
@Jeff,
Soviet ex-pat? Parnas was born in the Ukraine and came to the US when he was 3 years old.
14
"...Mr. Parnas said that although he did not speak with Mr. Trump directly about the efforts..."?
That's it? it's just hearsay and second-hand information "somebody told me so, so it must be so" at best.. Perhaps, like so many others facing criminal charges he finds telling prosecutors what they want to know useful? So at first he tells one story and now the opposite? So "Was he lying then, or is he lying now? Regardless, why should we believe him?. He says has proven himself to be an out and out lier who would climb a tree to tell a lie rather than standing on the ground to tell the truth. "
2
If it's true that Parnas is lying, for some reason, on behalf of the Democrats, as Republicans are claiming, it would make sense to call him as a witness so that Republicans can prove his lies, discredit the Democrats, and clear Trump. Yet, the LAST thing they want is for Parnas to testify.
12
Don’t forget: Trump would have been charged with crimes by now if he wasn’t president: campaign finance violation (Stormy Daniels payment), obstruction of Mueller’s investigation, tax fraud, and others. He can’t be indicted until he leaves office. So to folks claiming Parnas is a criminal who can’t be trusted, um, neither can your guy.
12
How can Parnas' evidence be ignored? At some point don't Republicans have to ask themselves how the heck can this guy know so much? How can he be in posession of those text messages and voice mails from so many associated closely with Trump?
If Republican Senators can't do the right thing (and they won't), then it will be up to the voters.
Wisconsin voters. Michigan voters.
Are there .2% of you willing to do the right thing in the next election?
9
Parnas sounds just like Michael Cohen about being sorry he trusted in this case Guiliani and Trump. Yes, sleazy people's word is not trustworthy but the documents, emails etc should be able to corroborate or not.. Guiliani's reported statement "It’s going to work I have no 1 in it” is in the same vein as Trump asking for a "favor, though" before releasing duly authorized congressional funds to Ukraine.
8
With the republicans ignoring this overwhelming evidence that Trump is beyond corrupt, one can only conclude they are also beyond corrupt. That’s the new Republican Party, ‘The Corruptibles’
20
With the republicans ignoring this overwhelming evidence that Trump is beyond corrupt, one can only conclude they are also beyond corrupt. That’s the new Republican Party, ‘The Corruptibles’
4
I can't believe how far the party of Reagan has fallen.
Thuggery - the face of the new GOP.
16
More 'fake news' coming from this administration than any in history. Their plan is, when caught in a lie, attack the messenger...and for their uninformed base, it works. Rinse and repeat...
10
@pt
As traitor trump said himself, "I love the uneducated" which includes the uninformed.
6
Trump claimed he would hire only the best people. He failed to mention that they were the best criminals and thugs.
18
@Tomnorm
I am not so sure these are the best, but yes, he did claim that.
2
There is no question on this one. Parnas may be shady, but compared to Trump, he is a choir boy.
13
Trump is now saying that he doesn't know Mr Parnas and I'm sure by the time this is over he will say the same thing about Giuliani, Donald Jr, and Eric.
10
@BTO
But not Ivanks.
My bet is he dumps Pence as his VP and brings daughter darling in as VP.
2
“Key player* in Ukraine affair says* trump is fully aware.”
Key player = individual charged with multiple unrelated crimes (aka suspected criminal)
Says = suspects
1
@Dara Key player and witness with photos and notes.
5
@Dara,
“I would like you to do us a favor, though” = extortion.
4
He has written proof that Giuliani knew and that Giuliani said that Trump was involved with the scheme. Deny till you die, though, right?
4
People like Giuliani, Parnas and trxmp don't have friends, they have tools and enemies. It's easy to rat on either one. You eat the dog or the dog eats you. There is no honor among thieves at this level.
9
Here are four facts and two questions worth considering:
1. Rudy Giuliani is representing Donald Trump for free.
2. Lev Parnas worked for Rudy in doing Trump's bidding.
3. And yet, it was Lev and Igor that paid Giuliani half a million dollars.
4. Meanwhile, Lev and Igor received huge sums of money from Dmitro Firtash, the Ukrainian oligarch who is fighting extradition to the U.S. on corruption charges.
So here are my questions:
1. What exactly does "free" mean?
2. How is working to fight the extradition of a corrupt oligarch – who is essentially paying your personal lawyer! – "fighting corruption in Ukraine"?
I'm beside myself with the overwhelming stench of this all.
12
While I commend Mr. Parnas for coming forward now, it gives me pause that it took a criminal investigation of him to prompt such awareness. What took so long, Mr. Parnas? The timing seems a bit dubious.
2
People don’t tend to turn against the people who pay them unless they have to. Money talks.
2
There isn't anything "dubious" about the timing. Parnas was constrained by a federal judge from divulging anything until 1/3/2020.
https://www.politico.com/news/2020/01/03/lev-parnas-evidence-house-intel-093319
3
The Cult of Trump is not much different than the Cult of Jim Jones or Branch Davidian. Dems and moderate Republicans need to tread gently and help those people who fell under his spell. It is a difficult task but maybes start with the GOP Senators who really need help to see the light. Hopefully the rest will follow.
10
Essentially it seems that Parnas' interview corroborates much of the Impeachment inquiry testimony offered up to the House by administration people who came forward. If Parnas can be believed, and more importantly, if his testimony can be corroborated, with further testimony and documentation, then we are looking at a deep conspiracy between Trump, Giliuiani, Pampaeo, Barr and Russian oligarchs and Putin himself that reaches throughout top levels of government and into Congress itself, including David Nunez. Unclear about Senators McConnell and Graham, as their names have not come up in this context. But it surely explains much of Nunez's conduct. With Parnas now officially connecting Barr to this mess, it becomes clear that whether Barr is involved and guilty of a crime or not, he is unfit and unsuited to investigate the matter in the Justice Department and a need for a Special Prosecutor to investigate this matter, and it should be done forthwith regardless of the political consequences to any person or group, including the election. This indicates what the actual "Swamp" is, and its not comprised of the career civil servants.
10
I’ve listened to a lot of witnesses in my 40+ year career as a lawyer, and Lev Parnas comes across as credible. But, so were Anita Hill and Christine Blasey Ford, and look where those proceedings ended. The GOP senators see what they want to see and hear what they want to hear, and they don’t want to see or hear the evidence against the crook we call president.
18
@Huge Grizzly
Again, they see everything but don't care. While the Trump gravy train is moving they are on it.
When Trump is mired in quicksand and going down that's when that'll claim to see.
4
I think Aesop said it well: "A man is known by the company he keeps."
7
Credibility is not the main problem with Parnas. The main problem is that he does not know much of any value. Almost his entire interview with Rachel Maddow was nothing but opinions, such as attorney general Barr "must have known" about the shake down. No court ever would allow such testimony, because it is not evidence. The only thing that he knows that has any value as evidence is what Giuliani told him to tell the Ukrainians. It would be a huge mistake for Democrats to place any emphasis on testimony by Parnas.
2
@CitizenJ
Don't YOU think they all must have known?
4
"Only the finest people...." was a promise from Trump. Now, we have leaders in the GOP declaring that Parnas has no credibility. These same leaders earlier declared that Michael Cohen had no credibility. We've all seen that Rudy has no credibility so no one in the GOP needs to tell us that. And then there is David Hyde...labelled a 24/7 drunk who may have conducted surveillance on Ambassador Yovanovitch. And who can forget Michael Flynn?
So what are we to conclude and who do we believe? That the president selects only the "the best people" or the Republicans who declare that Trump's selections have no credibility?
3
I think not enough attention is being paid to the whistleblower who spearheaded this investigation. None of this would have been possible without the courage of this patriot. He/she is the real hero here.
I wonder how many more potential whistleblowers must be out there, waiting...
33
Jackson: Evidence? Just throwing more stuff at the wall to see what sticks? That’s what Trump does.
6
The grand strategy here, orchestrated by Vladimir Putin, was to deprive Ukraine of U.S. protection, of defensive weapons and to force the former Soviet republic to capitulate to Russia. The Bidens were just a pretext. Zelensky was caught in a Trump-Russia squeeze. If he did what Trump demanded, which was unlikely, he isolated himself from Democrats in Congress. If he refused, he risked losing his defense against Russia. I think Zelensky realized that even if he knuckled under to the corrupt Trump, the Russian agent would find some other pretext to withhold aid. Trump was handing Ukraine to Russia on a silver platter.
28
@Big Text: the question is: why is Donald Trump loyal to Putin and disloyal to our country?
10
@Tracy
You don't have to be Ken Jennings to answer that question. FOLLOW THE MONEY.
4
Trump's amorality is contagious. It has infected virtually the entire Republican Party. It stands to reason that those GOP members complicit in illegal activities within and outside this administration will do anything in their power to keep the sordid truth about their complicity from being exposed.
24
@Chris Well put. Especially about heros in the media.
To hear #3 go on and on about a hoax with citizens circled behind him is a nightmare. The comments of my fellow Times readers gives me great comfort.
11
"Oh, what a tangled web we weave, when first we practice to deceive!" I can understand how Mr. Parnas would get lured into this web, considering he was paling around with the POTUS. But this revelation proves that Trump operates with a criminal mentality. He has been a dishonest, untrustworthy businessman his entire life and has disgraced the office he holds as a result. If Trump survives this impeachment, the GOP will be rewarding Trump's criminal behavior. Then, be prepared for a massive amount of abuse of power from an emboldened Trump, who will render law enforcement powerless.
15
Lev Parnas is under indictment and wants to avoid a long jail sentence. He will say anything to get a reduced sentence. He is not to be trusted.
3
@KMW
Trump is impeached for high crimes and misdemeanors. He is currently under trial which could potentially kick him out of his office. He is under investigation for various potential crimes from tax fraud to emoluments to campaign violations etc.. and other matters that happened both before and after he became the president. He is an indicted co-conspirator in NY state waiting to be indicted. So on what basis should we trust Trump ? At least, Parnas has some documentation, phone calls, notes, pictures to back up his claims. What is the basis for your trust in Trump over Parnas ?
8
@KMW. he'll simply point us in the right direction - to gather more facts and corroborate with irrefutable evidence.
4
@KMW- witnesses who aren’t telling the truth to prosecutors don’t get a deal. Their statements need to be consistent with documentary evidence as well as other testimony. So far Parnas’ story is entirely consistent with those who testified under oath— including Trump appointees.
10
Lev Parnas is a liar! I knew that would be the GOP response today. All they have is smearing the process, the witnesses, and the Democrats, as there is no defending Trump against these charges. Never mind that Parnas was a top operative for the Republicans, working for Trump and Giuliani. The real problem with dismissing Parnas as a liar is that he tons of hard evidence to back up his claims. You don’t have to take his word for it. You can just read the conversations he had with Giuliani and see it’s the truth. But the Trump supporters will continue to deflect and obscure, because it’s all they have. Trump is so obviously guilty.
21
Mr. Parnas isn't what one would can an unimpeachable witness.
I guess you could say the same thing for the entire Trump cabal.
8
Trump is and has always been an habitual liar. And while Parnas is far from an angel, he seems to be able to corroborate many of his claims. Trump however, fails on both counts; he lies, denies and fails to produce any documentation. Why should any of us believe Trump when we have video of him constantly caught in a lie that he denies with regularity. I cannot trust our president on any issue because he is most likely lying. How the Republicans can defend an (on-public record) liar is beyond me. I wonder if they teach their children to lie and deny.
15
Putin. Via Firtash. All roads lead to Putin.
26
No honor among thieves.
Also, Paul Manafort in prison and the killing of Jeffery Epstein had to have sent fear through guys like Parnas.
25
The evidence regarding Trump's criminal withholding of aid to Ukraine has become overwhelming. How much longer can the GOP pretend what Trump did didn't?
13
Next Monday honors a very decent American,
Rev. Dr Martin Luther King, Jr.
What appreciation I have for his legacy!
If all goes well,
"and the river don't rise";
around noon,
I expect to find myself near the front steps of the Capital.
I will be carrying a sign indicating how serious these charges should be taken.
I certainly hope that I won't be alone.
In fact I hope and pray
on that day,
people, who value the privilege
it is to live here,
will collect in public places
intending to become part of
America's historic turning point.
Before Impeachment descends into darkness,
Together we have the power to shine our light
upon the search for truth:
and the debates and decisions
regarding our common fate
17
Where did his money come from? Answer that and it will all fall into place.
17
Articles of impeachment are seriously flawed and the House of Representative did shoddy work which had partisan support and bipartisan opposition. The editorial board of the NY Times and many of the readers can take the sham impeachment seriously but I am sure the senate after a fair trial done by the book will hit a home run that will be made even in the senate. Hail to the chief at least until he is proven innocent.
8
@Girish Kotwal He’s already been proven guilty.
31
@Girish Kotwal
You again?
There's no "book" for impeachment trials.
Next week you'll be complaining about this, that the trial wasn't by the book.
32
So many Russian sympathizers in KY including the two senators
42
It is amazing what a person will say under duress and pressure. Lav Parnas is just another witness lacking any credibility and trying to make a plea bargain. Had it not been for the call between the duly elected president Trump of the USA and president Zelinsky of the third most corrupt country in the world we would never have lnown that a US citizen in the second highest office of our great country was linked to a shady company of Ukraine and whose son allegedly received money for the single reason that he was the son of that US citizen.
Due to the power struggle in Washington the democratic majority has harassed our president, obstructed the execution of his agenda, unfairly maligned him and finally has forwarded the partisan articles of impeachment to the senate and expect that new crooked and fradulent witnesses be brought over to the senate trial and waste the senate's time after wasting the time in congress instead of doing the people's work.
What kind of democracy is ours if the president of the USA, allegedly the most powerful person in the world is not able to find out which of their citizens are involved in big shady deals that reflect badly on the USA? Had anyone of the press in the USA or anyone in the govt received the "Khashoggi treatment" and his or her body was chopped to fit a suit case, I would consider that an impeachable crime stinking to high heaven. But no one died, no one was raped no laws were broken and no one was hanged. Impeachment is nonsense.
4
Your first paragraph displays an ignorance of reality, whether actual or manufactured in order to provide a defense of Trump, I don’t know. People knew that Biden’s son was working with Burisma while Biden was following U.S. policy in trying to force the Ukraine to clean up their act. Trump didn’t reveal it, he is/was trying to capitalize on it.
27
@Girish Kotwal - and to think, if white house officials would just give their testimony under oath, speak out in defense of their beloved leader, we could make all this go away. LOL
32
@Girish Kotwal " Had it not been for the call between the duly elected president Trump of the USA and president Zelinsky of the third most corrupt country in the world we would never have lnown that a US citizen in the second highest office of our great country was linked to a shady company of Ukraine and whose son allegedly received money for the single reason that he was the son of that US citizen."
We would not have known? I thought the line was Biden bragged about it.
5
That the interview was on the Maddow show tells you all you need to know about credibility.
9
there was a Rachel interview. but this article is about an interview with the NYT. even though I am liberal, I too take Rachel with a grain of salt. I choose to trust this great newspaper.
7
@lilypad41, I suggest you watch it anyway. He’s completely credible.
16
Rather, the lack of credibility of Fox News who wouldn’t touch it. Face it, Trump and his lackeys have told over 120000 proven lies. And your fine with that, as a means to whatever scary end it is your hoping for.
16
Thought crimes are not something we prosecuted historically.
except in Orwellian books
2
@Joe Yo
Really? Attempted murder is not something we prosecute? Conspiracy to break the law is not something we prosecute?
They definitely prosecute those things in Brooklyn, NY, USA. I don't know what planet your Brooklyn is on.
6
We prosecute conspiracy to commit a crime. This is conspiracy to commit a crime.
10
Another non-fact witness.
“Mr. Parnas said that although he did not speak with Mr. Trump directly about the efforts...”
He presumed.
4
@Ken- There’s a letter from Rudy saying he’s acting on behalf of the president.
37
@Ken I presume you’re a trump party loyalist. I presume I’m not wrong. But I’ve never met you....
28
@Ken,
“I’d like you to do us a favor, though.”
33
It is getting more difficult for the notion of no witnesses to become reality..
One never knows how a trial may develop.
Democrats have leverage.
They can object to the proceedings and walk out of the senate.
Let the republicans hold the sham trial by themselves.
They can hold new hearings at the same time that the fake trial runs.
They can refuse any progress on legislation.
They can hold protests on the steps of congress and invite America to attend.
Don't let shister lawyers determine the outcome.
48
Reading through one get to this guy being arrested in October on federal charges. How can one call this guy a credible witness? He is a criminal. He very well can just be making stuff to get off the federal charges. And he never talked to Trump he is just assuming Trump knew. Yesterday in unearthed memos the letter B is said to mean Biden. Now number 1 stands for Trump. It will be hilarious watching Schiff make that case.
2
@Jim What does he have to gain, a pardon? It’s not coincidence that he’s “making things up” that are corroborated by other testimony. Clearly, he’s not that smart, so the obvious is, he’s telling the truth. The obvious is that your trump is a sleazy, immoral criminal.
31
@Jim,
His testimony is so far consistent with all those who testified under oath — including those appointed by Trump. Also important to compare his statements to documentary evidence like texts. That’s how you judge credibility.
31
@Jim And we'd be able to corroborate Parnas's disclosures a whole lot easier, if your team was forthcoming at all with witnesses, with testimony. If this can all be disproven then why doesn't your beloved white house administration and lying president allow white house officials to give testimony under oath? Carry on there Mr. Bot from WI, if you still have blinders on after everything that has been brought to light regarding your president and his oligarch buddies then nothing, nothing will open your eyes. I didn't hear of this first hand from today's NYT's, I also watched the Rachel Maddow show last night, you know, the full on interview she did with Parnas yesterday. Jim, maybe its time to switch channels.
27
Miracle of miracles!! Look, look...he has evidence!! Funny how this shows up right before the Senate trial, as does his "exclusive" interview with Maddow.
If Parnas is willing to bet that the President had full knowledge about his "actions", then that means he never spoke directly to the President. just like the supposed "whistleblower" never actually heard the Ukrainian phone conversation.
Hearsay. Innuendo.
Nice try Dems...not going to matter because everyone knows this "impeachment nonsense" is just a sad tactic to get a win in 2020.
And even you guys know your going to lose!
4
@DB-
If you want more hard evidence you must be upset that Trump and McConnell are refusing to produce documents and witnesses to testify under oath. Right?
37
@Tracy
Hmmn...
If the House went through their due diligence and were sooo thorough in their hearings, so much so that they felt confident enough to pass these 2 "articles of impeachment" and delivered them (after Nancy's ploy failed) to the Senate, one would be led to believe these "articles of impeachment" are rock solid.
But apparently, once again, the Dems are the party of failure. If they wanted those witnesses to testify and have that "evidence" shown in these "impeachment" hearings, then they should have done so in the House.
McConnell is too cagy to accept the misery of failure that are the Dems.
Everyone sees through the Dems ploy - all of this impeachment nonsense has nothing to do with "constitutional justice" or "abuse of power".
Its all a strategy to garner a win in 2020...thats all.
How sad for the Dems and how sad for our country.
But in the end - it will be ok - our President will be acquitted in the Senate and therefore be deemed not guilty - and will beat the Dems once again in 2020.
And you know it.
@DB. If the Dems had gone to court to get the testimony and the evidence then they’d still be in court and probably would not get it until next year. You know that, so does the Whitehouse. They question is, why are they not allowing testimony if everything and everyone was above board? If they can prove Trump is innocent, why not do so? Now more and more corroborated evidence is coming out that Trump is guilty.
1
Mr Parnas should understand that we have never been a country who believes in laws. Sure we have laws, but those are for holding down the poor. They have never ever been applied to wealthy people. The wealthy are above the law and will remain so.
The people for their part are mostly okay with it. Many are Trump supporters and they like that he is a criminal like them. Many are democrats who continually fear upsetting their corporate overlords.
The people have neither the strength or intelligence to do anything about it, so the justice system will continue to use the laws to beat the poor and protect the wealthy. Just as it has always been.
The folks who make up the justice system (police, lawyers, judges, etc.) know all about it and are fine with injustice as long as the TV propaganda tells everyone they are our heroes.
10
How weird is this, evidence pointing out that Marie Yovanovitch escaped a hideous assassination. How close was it? A few more lunches? A few more drinks in Texan or D.C. backrooms? Maybe the guy painting houses asked too much. Maybe Rudy wanted Ukrainian 'specialists' to do it on the cheap. Like a 1000 US dollars goes for 30.000 in Ukraine. Take it or leave it.
The text messages don't literally say as much, but it is crystal clear for any prosecutor/intelligence agency what was at play there. No smoke and mirrors. This is not nuclear physics to understand. "In Ukraine money can do anything. They want to help. Just name a price".
This is perplexing, flabbergasting proof that Donald & Rudi were actually chewing on what road to take, scanning possibilities, weighing the odds. Hyde and Pence in the dug out. Developping a roadmap. Toward a hit.
Someone - on some beautiful Ukrainian day - gets a green light to 'help' Marie Yovanovitch receiving her natural cause of death. That never happened. Today, it looks like, somehow, Yovanovitch miraculously got spared from someone carrying out her heinous secret silencing.
Lev better have some powerful friends now. And some muscle, to protect him in the coming weeks. If he uses 'Russians', they also might do it on the cheap.
What Marie Yovanovitch had to endure. Respect. For that kind of bravery. Professionalism. And courage.
16
I'm not a lawyer but I used to think I had a fair idea of the meaning of "conspiracy" under the law. So would someone please explain how Igor (Larry) and Lev (Curly) can be under indictment for conspiracy while Rudy (Moe) is not. To my knowledge co-conspirators are usually charged together.
11
Lev shouldn't bet his life. Someone could be putting him on surveillance. After all, look what happened to the surveillance that Jeffrey Epstein had.....
6
I wish Parnas would take a lie detector test and dare the other players all the way up to Barr to do the same. I purposely left out trump's name BTY for obvious reasons.
4
The tendrils of the Trump crime organization spread deeply and rapidly. It speaks to the notion that there was long-running criminal activity in the Trump Organization well before Trump was nominated. Likely that is what the SDNY, the NYC district attorney and NY State AG have been investigating. They are following the money, which is what Trump has been about all his life.
Now that Flynn has rescinded his guilty plea, he should be retried with not only the Mueller evidence but with everything that has been learned about Flynn's Russian activities through the other investigations.
7
If McConnell refuses to allow witness testimony and the introduction of documents, maybe there is a way to for Democrats to use that to their advantage. While giving testimony, they could display new documents on a screen and explain how they show evidence of Trump's involvement in the Ukraine scandal. But if Republicans refuse to allow those documents into evidence, they will have no opportunity to review and refute them if only Democrats control them. They could also project video recordings of interviews of new witnesses like Parnas. One by one, Democratic senators could project a series of document and witness interviews into the hearing room for all the world to see without ever having any of it officially submitted into evidence.
7
The Justice Department, incredibly, just had to issue a denial on behalf of the Attorney General, that he is a co-conspirator in this criminal conspiracy against our nation. We need the immediate appointment of a special council to investigate Barr and he must recuse himself from any and all investigations in any way related to Trump.
10
Notice that most of comments are East & West Coast. Hence the problem is
that does anybody know what is going on in the middle of our country? All
about electoral votes my friends.
2
So sick of hearing about coasts and the middle of the country. It’s about rural vs. urban, if anything. You can’t tell me that people in St. Louis, Chicago, Detroit, Denver, etc. all love Trump. They are in the middle of the country, but you probably don’t count them as real Americans either.
3
Let's get this box ticked: Marie Yovanovitch escaped a hideous murder attempt. How close was it? A few more lunches? A few more drinks in Texan or D.C. backrooms? Maybe the guy painting houses asked too much. Maybe Rudy wanted Ukrainian 'specialists' to do it on the cheap. Like a 1000 US dollars goes for 30.000 in Ukraine. Take it or leave it.
The text messages don't literally say as much, but it is crystal clear for any prosecutor/intelligence agency what was at play there. No smoke and mirrors. This isn't nuclear physics to understand. "In Ukraine money can do anything, just name a price".
This is perplexing, flabbergasting proof that Donald & Rudi were actually chewing on what road to take, scanning possibilities, weighing the odds. Hyde and Pence in the dug out. Developping a roadmap. Toward a hit.
Until someone - on some beautiful Ukrainian day - gets a green light to 'help' Marie Yovanovitch receiving her natural cause of death. It looks like, maybe somehow, she actually miraculously, got spared from someone carrying out her heinous secret silencing.
And why did Parnas turn his car. What's going on if a gonzo like that appears on TV suddenly, throwing it all on the the table. the GOP better brace themselves. And Parnas better have some powerful friends now. And some muscle, to protect him in the coming weeks. If he uses Ukrainians, they might do it on the cheap.
3
I feel that while Mr. Parnas' reasons for coming forth with details on what Rudy G and Trump were scheming on may be self serving. it looks like that it can be proven. Have I become so jaded over the past three years that I believe it still won't change a thing! It's sickening what's happened to our democracy!
5
Let's remember that all the Parnas's and similar testimony is "added value."
The Administration's own transcript of the phone call, Mick Mulvaney's presser, and the President's comments after the fact are out-and-out admission.
7
Parnas says he decided to go public with this because he feared that keeping it secret would mean eliminating him would eliminate the evidence. I believe him. Our president is, and has been, partnered up with some very dangerous criminals.
9
I feel dirty whenever I see the Republicans in action. They have let our country down. Down the tubes we go.
10
"One key Republican moderate, Senator Susan Collins of Maine, asked a question Democrats do not want to hear: Does not the Parnas disclosure suggest the House ended its investigation too hastily, leaving too many stones left unturned?"
In listening to Congressman Schiff read the articles of impeachment, he clearly states the obstruction of justice charges, which highlight 9 members of the White House staff, and the President, who defied subpoenas and refused to turn over evidence. His statement included every department in government, including the State Department, the Department of Justice, etc. who refused to cooperate. He stated Trump himself ordered this, and thus an obstruction of justice charge.
What could Pelosi have done without compliance?
If the Senate refuses to investigate new evidence, ask for testimony of key witnesses, documents and enforce subpoenas that were defied, the House should continue to subpoena and call witnesses and draft new articles to send to the Senate.
It must be said over and over that there was a complete refusal for cooperation with the House Intelligence and Judiciary Committee by the White House.
Evidence on Parnas would have come out had there been cooperation.
Collins is no moderate. The right response would have been to declare that she will be an impartial juror, and bring those witnesses into compliance, demand testimony, enforce subpoenas and demand that justice is served.
This is Kavanaugh all over again.
23
How many times are Democrats going to deal from the bottom of the deck? As soon as one of these scandals begins to lose momentum--in this case, Impeachment--Democrats and the media roll out some new "bombshell" angle, leak, document, witness, whistle blowers. I can't keep track anymore. The investigation seems not so much a look back at something that may or may not have been committed as it does a newly-enacted branch of government--a permanent interrogation. In my lifetime, I have never seen such hunger for a president to fail, while all the while the country has been humming along with little else to genuinely report than the usual happenings for a nation this dynamic and complex and new. What will Americans do when the days come when things are really going wrong, as they do for most people, most of the time, in most places. What a pitiful squandering of peace.
3
@Amused
Yeah, I get tired of Republicans denying everything that they do not want to confront from global warming to Trump's dishonesty.
If Trump had been as respectful of his obligations to cooperate with the House investigations, this man's testimony would have been revealed, sooner. But Trump understands that cheaters who disclose don't prosper.
13
"I can't keep track anymore." Turn on the TV and watch Fox News. You will soon feel better.
6
@amused,
Mitch McConnell, Oct 23. 2010:
“The single most important thing we want to achieve is for President Obama to be a one-term president.”
He blocked and undermined everything Obama wanted to do to move the country forward, without regard for the welfare of the people. For the GOP, politics is all about money and retaining power, not the health and welfare of Americans.
13
Evidently Trump was right all along. There is and was a Deep State. It presently resides in the Oval Office. But seems to have it’s tentacles in the Department of Justice, The State Department, the Vice President’s Office and wrapped around a California Congressman.
22
"Evidently Trump was right all along." Trump has been right all his life. He is not only a stable genius but when no one notices is an expert on quantum theory, a secret donor to charities for the poor, a distinguished contributor to the betterment of the lives of women. And much more. He is the brightest star in the sky. Our lives would be meaningless without him.
Just look at Stormy Daniels. Case proven!
4
Will we be told several months/years down the road that this is a lie? I think Parnas, too swiftly, dismissed this other character, Hyde's remarks. Very interesting lawyer in the background.
Of course Parnas is a shady character. Who else would Giuliani and Trump get to do their dirty work?? Honest, upstanding citizens do not fraternize with crooks of their sort.
I watched his interview with Maddow and found him to be very credible. He connected many of the dots laid out by the witnesses in the House inquiry who were also very credible and non-partisen.
22
Trump led the Ukrainian extortion plot, but Pence, Pompeo, Barr, Giuliani, Nunes, Bolton, and many others were directly involved and knew everything. All named by Parnas as knowledgeable participants in the plot should testify under oath in the Senate trial.
17
More and more of Trump's cronies are refusing to go down with the Trump/Giuliani ship. First, Micheal Cohen, then Ambassador Sondland,and now Les Parnas.
Pence, Pompeo, Nunes, Perry, Mulvaney and Barr--the truth is coming for you! And it's not that far away...
12
Trump and his criminal gang might get away with all of this.
The democrats ought to scream, "Secession!" if the republicans refuse to follow the law.
Of course, secession would be a huge mess, but better than a criminal and fascist enterprise.
Time to play hardball.
8
Republicans have been spinning facts and misrepresenting reality for political propaganda for so long that they see Trump as normal and his defiance of rules and his oath of office insignificant. They will not consider affirming the articles of impeachment to justify a case for either censuring nor removing Trump from office. They are in good our rule by law into rule by political power. So it goes.
11
@Casual Observer
"...They are changing our rule by law into rule by political power. So it goes..."
3
GOP: Let the FACTS exonerate Trump if you still believe in them.
McConnell: get out of the way and let the Truth in. If Trump is innocent let witnesses and documents exonerate him. What are you afraid of?
22
@Kay Johnson
Follow Russian money all of them implicated
6
I hope Trump's defense is: Parnas worked for me, so you can't trust him.
13
The United States, as conceived by the founding fathers, has ceased to exist. The actions by this administration have devolved into a third rate banana dictatorship.
18
None of it matters. The GOP Senate, Barr and Roberts will close ranks and sweep it all under the rug. Law and Order, the constitution, and democracy are all dead in America.
12
We live in a country which is being transformed into a Banana republic.
15
So this lowlife is suddenly the Democrats saving grace.
An indicted Russian with his own “hand written notes” stating that President Trump is guilty.
Wonder how that’s going to hold up.
The most shameful thing about this is that the government can plan an indictment that can be used to coerce someone to lie about our President. And the Democrats support this.
I think that all of the skullduggery and underhanded scheming by the left and the swamp to undo the 2016 election is all the more reason that Donald Trump and his administration deserves four more years to expose and weed out these creatures from our government.
@John. Nope. Read the memo. It's plain as day. Dem leadership resisted impeachment until the Admin's own transcript was released.
8
@John Gilday,
About that congressionally appropriated aid, “I’d like you to do us a favor, though,” says Trump. And then: Rudy will be in touch.
If you don’t see what is right in front of you might want to ask what’s blinding you.
13
@John Gilday - Trump was perfectly happy to cozy up to this low life.
8
What else would it take for the NY Times editorial board to call on Donald Trump to resign?
11
Involved in a serious crime that makes Watergate a petty theft offense: Trump, Pence, Bolton, Mulvaney, Pompeo, Barr, Guiliani, Parnas, Sondland, Nunes & the rest of GOP gang, and the list goes on. They should all be fired. Thank God we have Nancy Pelosi!!!
26
How do you catch a crook? The answer is with another crook. Trump and Giuliani are proven liars and crooks. Parnas has first hand knowledge because he is in their common circle. Parnas is after all the Godfather for Rudy's son. Trump is an unindicted co-conspirator in the Cohen case, therefore he is a crook.
14
Another one of “The best people” surrounding trump. And a new one - Hyde - just floated up from the WH cesspool.
13
The statements are easy to verify with witness testimony and documents. Let’s get to that!
4
Unfortunately when sleazy people turn on the sleazy people they have done sleazy things for, it's hard to know who is credible and what to believe.
Parnas is obviously trying to save himself and has evidence of Trump's guilt.
Michael Cohen went down the same road.
But they've already stained themselves so that's a problem.
62
@Baba - A former federal prosecutor I watched last night said he would consider whether the testimony was consistent with other evidence, and whether the witness was actually in a position to know the evidence. In the case of Parnas, he meets both criteria.
72
@Baba
To be a credible witness to the illegal activity means , in this administration you were part of the illegal activity. Going be hard to find someone that knows something credible and illegal, and not be deeply involved.
So who do you believe? The guy with the dirt on president Trump or Trump who is constantly provably lying every day?
I believe all and I do mean all the people who have testified about illegal activity by the president.
And what is hidden in his tax returns? I have heard of criminals keeping two sets of books, but does Trump have two sets of tax returns? Like a spy might have several passports from several countries?
I always kept one set of books, maybe that is why I have paid so much in taxes to keep my country great. It is an obligation, a duty, something to keep the country safe and running well.
When I go to a military base I can honestly say I contributed to the safety of the USA. Also the roads to get there, the water to keep the roads foliage looking good and relatively safe clean air.
Did Trump contribute to those things? Or was he too smart for any of that?
36
@Baba
Yes, but if one of them has a trail of incriminating evidence in his possession, then he's your man.
16
McConnell needs to keep this short and Trump acquitted without a lot of public scrutiny. Trump gives the Republicans all they want and his base are mesmerized by him and will replace any member of Congress who does not support him unconditionally if they can. An open hearing with the facts supported by witnesses and documents would be very disappointing for Republicans.
2
So Giuliani was running an operation to put a hit out on an American ambassador??
Congress might want to look into that.
17
Too little compensation being a public servant, he’s trying to make up for all the money he couldn’t make when he was a public official or prosecutor. Life is short.
2
@Joe S.
Congress won't but the SDNY certainly might.
1
The real bombshell for me was the text from Lutsenko to Parnas, which spoke for itself, let alone Parnas’s explanation of it — that Lutsenko was offering info on the Bidens/Burisma in exchange for the Americans removing Yovanovitch from her post. According to Parnas, this was the first deal that fell through and the president only raised the stakes from there.
It was the linchpin they explained why Guliani and others were so focused on their smear campaign and getting her removed. The texts alone clarify this, and Parnas explained it in intelligent and credible terms.
Whatever his ultimate credibility may be, it’s backed up by the release of his materials and fits into the narrative we know so far.
My reading of much of it is that Trump and Guliani has their “drug deal” going on. Various administration officials tried to get Trump to stop and made it clear to him that withholding aid was illegal. Since Trump wouldn’t budge on his pressire campaign, Volker and several otherwise basically honest people figured if they could just push this “drug deal” through than they could get it all over with, hopefully before the plan was exposed. I don’t think Volker knew the whole picture, but he wanted to get the aid to Ukraine and be done with it. Others knew more, and figured the same thing. “The president won’t change his mind, so let’s get this done and be done with it.”
But it was a mess and too many people knew about it. As Fiona Hill said - and now, here we are.
14
This is hardly surprising, just deepens the hopelessness. If he is reelected we are all in trouble.
17
Mr. Parma implicated Barr in the excellent Rachel Maddie interview. We need to investigate our “top law enforcement official”. (What a joke.) Right now. Investigate.
16
Barr wants the President to be considered a head of state and immune from any legal responsibility. A head of state is considered to represent the entire country whatever that person does and thus enjoys complete impunity.
4
His word is about as good as "curve ball"who Pelosi relied on for information of WMD's in Iraq and launched the 99% vote to invade Iraq by Democrats.
2
@Alan Einstoss So you believe Trump when he says he is protecting our Health Care?
6
Parnas was completely credible and what's more: the story he is telling is completely coherent, believable, and filled with details that are damning to the president's lawyer--Giuliani--and the president's motivation: get Joe Biden
What is so hilarious is that Giuliani and Trump got played by the corrupt chief prosecutor Lutsenko, who was seeking to get Yovanovich removed as ambassador because she was fighting Lutsenko's corruption. So Lutsenko claimed to Giuliani that he has copies of payments Burisma made to the investment firm co-founded by Biden’s son Hunter. The following month, Yovanovitch was removed from her post by Trump, at Giuliani’s urging.
Lutsenko later said publicly that he found no evidence of wrongdoing under Ukrainian law by Hunter or Joe Biden.
17
Trump and his entire cabal of felons, goons and miscreants are going down. Arrest them all today, and lock them up for life. They do not deserve to live in the United States of America.
20
Rotten from the head on down.
15
This administration makes the goons in "Goodfellas" look like a MENSA meeting.
23
I'm gonna say trump is doing his very best to fulfill his promise to "drain the swamp" by pumping as much swamp water and as many swamp critters as he possibly can onto his own ship.
C'mon trumpers, even you know the man who built trump U is a dishonest, self-centered, ignorant con man. Corruption is his style and failure is his record:
Trump Steaks (he sold ‘em in clothing stores!)
Trump University (a proven fraud)
Trump Network (vitamins fraudulently sold based on the results of an expensive and invalid urine test)
Trump Shuttle (airline failure)
NJ Generals and the USFL (Donald killed the USFL)
Trump Taj Mahal (he failed in the gambling biz!)
Trump Vodka (he’s a teetotaler)
Trump Magazine
Trump Mortgage (he got in at the height of the housing craze)
Trump Water
Trump: The Game
GoTrump.com
Six bankruptcies
Stiffed contractors
Stiffed investors
Trump Tower Tampa (and numerous other real estate projects that never came to fruition)
Over four thousand lawsuits
The Polish Brigade
It's time for trump to go.
29
Liars calling somebody else a liar. Only Trump, supported by his Republican lackeys, could get away with this. It is true that Trump could shoot somebody on 5th avenue and nothing would happen.
12
Lev Parnas is a complicated witness. Alone he is not worth a lot. But he has opened the door to questioning the role of those who are in the first tier: Bolton, Barr, Pence, Pompeo and in particular Giuliani. The Senate must call these men who can corroborate what Parnas is saying-- that should be their unquestionable duty. It is impossible to ignore what he is saying. But it must be backed up by others.
But the corruption in the Republican Congress is so deep that I am afraid they will toss aside their sworn obligations to be an impartial jury to exonerate their president. And they do this for what they would concede is Trump's most important legacy: the placement of conservative judges. That the economy and jobs are at a high plays well for those who are benefiting from that in the moment, but shaping the judiciary is a life time of influence. And at this point, the Republican Congress will abandon all moral obligations to maintain that level of power. It's ironic that they are corrupting a trial because they want to shape those who preside over trials.
Maybe this new information will wake up McConnell and Graham so that will actually do the job in front of them. Maybe Lev Parnas is enough to make them begin to question what Donald Trump is doing. Maybe Lev Parnas can be enough to set in motion what should be the out come of this trial-- the removal of Donald John Trump from his office as President. I can only hope.
209
@Jo Trafford Investigate Lev Parnas's statements that Pence;Trump;Barr ;Guiliani and more knew about Trump withholding money from Ukraine until they announced an investigation into the Bidens.GAO today said the Trump Administration broke the law by not releasing the money for Ukraine.Congress has the right to apportion money; not Trump. Please investigate the Lev Parnas information. Ray Sipe; Dist 18; Florida
17
@Jo Trafford Devin Nunes. How Many others in their party was a party to this? Jim Jordan Shouted like Nunes did as did others in their party. I have no faith in any members of their party. Do you?
25
@Jo Trafford He corroborates Sondland statements: ‘Was there a quid pro quo? The answer is yes’, ‘we all understood’ there was a quid pro quo. 'Everyone was in the loop’.
31
I did not see the interview, but from what I'm reading about it if Trump is not removed from office then the U.S. is lowered to the status of a banana republic. And if Trump was removed from office, would Pence become President even though it sounds like he was involved as well?
19
The Republican party, on its knees after the disastrous Bush II administration, was ripe for picking by the Russians. Russian oligarchs, e.g. Dmitry Firtash, found a vessel in Donald Trump to control the Republican party and, through it, exercise their influence over our nation.
Any Republican leader that claims not to understand this is lying.
Firtash is behind the Ukraine plot as much as Donald Trump is, and Donald Trump, as evidenced by Mr. Parnas, is in it over his head.
Mr. Parnas is probably not the most truthful man in the world, but his testimony is corroborated by other events, testimony and documents and it is consistent with other things we've learned.
Mr. Parnas risks his life in telling us about this. Mr. Firtash has been recognized by the FBI as a "high-level" member of the Russian mob.
20
Some reports have it Parnas was a Giuliani op. Did Giuliani pay him for his services and would that be in the financial transaction records of Giuliani and Parnas or their straw companies?
Other reports assert Parnas actually paid Giuliani $500k, possibly for legal services, in addition to the $350k in illegal political donations he made. That’s quite a bankroll to toss around for a “businessman” with a rollercoaster career who could not come up with rent for a Florida condo. If any of this is true, what was the money for... and where did the money come from?
PS, Firtash has his own problems but seemingly limitless money. And he is, after all, in Vienna, where Parnas was heading on a one way ticket when nabbed.
Curiouser and curiouser.
4
As the dam breaks such as it did with the Nixon tapes, we see just how corrupt and to what lengths this administration, including Pence, have gone to hold onto "power". The choices are becoming increasingly clear here. The evidence is piling up faster than the GOP ability to deal with it. Trump can face humiliation through removal from office, or resign. Same goes for Pence, also tied to this latest revelation.
Time for a couple of influential GOP senators to have a visit with Trump and convince him to resign.
25
His opinion if its a bet. Again who cares after that joke of the House proceedings. Dems think Americans are stooopid and devoid of any memory.
30 days later we still remember what your fair hearings looked like.
@Robert
Most of us remember the credible State Dept witnesses including the US Ambassador that Trump was libeling and saying "She is going to go through some things".
Trump liked old Parnas' quarter million donation to his campaign.
So let's deal with facts first.
14
Democrats ARE Americans. You Trumpists don’t get ownership of that title for yourselves, no matter how much you believe that.
7
@Robert
If the House proceedings were a joke it was because your boy didn't allow any witnesses or documents.
Gee, I wonder why that was?
1
Every bit of evidence available -- tangible, documents, circumstantial, all of it -- points to a corrupt President being supported by a corrupt AG and Senate, yet NOTHING is happening! How long will we just roll over and take it? Where are the street protests in Washington? Lexington? Fresno? Augusta? Juneau? Salt Lake City? This is outrageous!
14
Meanwhile, since Trump cannot attach his vampire-level ego to an impeachment trial, he is whisper-talking to a select audience at the trade talk. He embarrassed himself again by needing a hit of wheedling sycophancy from the presidential podium, saying that the seated TV personality/emergency ego-aid Mr. Dobbs was "great" because he had told Trump that he "was the greatest president of them all, even Lincoln and Washington".
This surreal and needy drivel is unimaginable except from an old rich white guy. I'm sorry but try to imagine Hillary Clinton begging people to call her the greatest SOS from a podium or Obama saying he was better than Washington to see what a precious bubble our president has fled to during this impeachment. Trump is right down there with Lev Parnas in the political dirt - he is not some unicorn Lincoln.
11
Mitch McConnell, Michael McCaul, John Cornyn, Lindsey Graham and all members of the Senate simply must stop supporting the president blindly. If he is innocent then let the facts show this result. President Trump must be tried in an unbiased, open-minded manner. If the Senate does not do so then it it is those members who should be held responsible. This is serious business and their oath to protect the Constitution must be witnessed fully by all of us that elected them.
184
@Weiler We have watched, over and over again, as those loyal to the President have their reputations tanked, and sometimes go to jail. Every. Single. Person. Yet the lemmings keep running off that same cliff.
30
@Weiler Republicans have already shown that they don't care about their oath to protect the US Constitution or the safety of the American people.
24
Justice Roberts will preside.
Does that include, as it would in a real court, removing jurors who are not impartial, or a foreman who has announced in advance colluding with the defendant and his legal team to insure a satisfactory outcome of exoneration?
10
You know, Trump et al. are the the most guilty "innocent" people I've ever seen in my life. Sadly, the thoroughly corrupt, completely bought and paid for, spineless jellyfish called the GOP will keep their blinders on and vote to acquit despite the overwhelming evidence of DJT's guilt. A truly sad time for what's left of our democracy.
30
Like all of us, President Trump should be deemed innocent until proven guilty; the responsibility is on the prosecution.
But can we have faith in the system if the “trial” follows a format designed by the defendant and is limited to presenting opening arguments and then voting, without testimony or evidence, on whether the charges are believed?
Rather than our Chief Justice presiding, we should get the Red Queen. This is shaping up to be just her kind of “trial”.
3
The GOP talking points are now:
1. "You can't trust Parnas. He's an indicted criminal".
I believe -- if you're looking to investigate a criminal conspiracy, where do you go to get first hand knowledge about that conspiracy? It's standard investigative practice, to try to get people with first hand knowledge to "turn" and provide evidence. The credibility of that evidence is based on supporting documentation and also how it dovetails with the evidence of other witnesses who have established credibility -- for example witnesses at the House impeachment investigation such as the State Department witnesses and Sondland's testimony.
2. "You can't trust Parnas. He'll say anything in the interest of self preservation'"
I wonder -- who's displaying a greater concern for self preservation? Lev Parnas or Mitch McConnell.
16
Trump is also under indictment. He is also trying to save his neck. Why is his credibility, or that of his defenders, any stronger than Parnas’?
4
@Alan Einstoss
I let this slide the first time you posted it......you don't know what you're talking about. Pelosi, along with 61% of the Democrats, voted against the authorization for use of force in Iraq. You could look it up.
2
@rlkinny You can throw in "curve ball" who Pelosi confided in to lead the Democrats in the Iraq invasion.
1
Of course Trump was fully aware----that was the whole point.
17
As Hunter S. Thompson put it, turning on each other like rats in a slum fire.
15
It’s crazy that the Republicans claim to be all about the Constitution and yet keep this criminal in charge of our country. The sad thing is I don’t think they’ll stop until they’ve fully destroyed democracy.
17
Why does this article bury way down at the end that Hicks is Co-Chair of the Republican National Committee? Yikes.
18
Sleaze all the way down. Are Republicans even Americans?
20
Headline: trump shoots pedestrian on 5th Ave.
republicans: whatever/fake news/he deserved it/self defense/he was illegal/MAGA.
18
Pence and Barr involved in this scam.???
Welcome Madame President Nancy Pelosi.
What's wrong with America
17
Why did the Times’ interview not include VP Pence’s or AG Barr’s involvement?
13
Is Mr. Parnas trustworthy ?
2
@Common Ground GREAT question - for Trump, Pence, Barr, Guiliani, et al, who relied on Parnas quite heavily.
10
@Common Ground All available evidence supports his story, so apparently yes.
4
If truthfulness is your real concern, demand that the GOP Senators subpoena all the direct witnesses. To testify. Under penalty of perjury.
9
Of course, Trump knew what was going on. He ordered them to withhold congressional funds to put pressure on Ukraine to investigate his strongest rival.
The FACTS are obvious and easy to understand.
We need a FAIR TRIAL and to hear from WITNESSES. If McConnell doesn't do that, he is complicit in collaborating to covering up a crime.
25
@JLT Who is going to indict or remove McConnell or any of them if that there is a cover-up?
2
Is that what they call an accessory in America?
1
Trump and his administration and cabal have an interesting legal strategy: overwhelm the justice system with evidence of and witnesses to wrongdoing. And it may work.
6
We need to be careful not to automatically accept what Parnas said; he is not a disinterested witness, though most of what he said confirms the accounts of the patriots who defied the White House to testify to the House impeachment inquiry. Trust but verify.
I have a probable answer to the question of why an indicted person would self-incriminate by providing documents to the House Intel Committee and go public with Rachel Maddow.
It's an Insurance Policy for Parnas and family. He fears the long arm of the Kremlin, bearing polonium and nerve agents for Parnas and his wife, more than going to jail here.
By getting everything. including the Firtash tie, on the public record, Parnas removed the incentive to silence him and ensured that if something untoward happens, the Kremlin will be blamed and President Trump shamed.
15
@Frank McNeil
You know how you know what he said was truthful, all the pieces are fitting together. For example,The Ambassador was told to get on a plane for her own safety. Now we know and she knows she could have been killed. The Ukraine government is corrupt. So is the USA government. Steve Scalise was on the ball field in 2017 with Mike Mika, the biggest lobbyist for Tyson Fooks when he was shot. What was Mika doing there. Why do the lobbyist have offices right near the WH as if they won elections and were appointed? Corporations run the country. They say what goes for Food, Drugs, Taxes, Medical care, Insurance, Housing and Building, Pensions, Unions, Salaries, you name it.
The all out corruption is catching up with them. There are at least 30 former lobbyists sitting in positions Trump put them in deciding on laws to protect consumers or enable industries they used to work for. Trump trusts nobody and handles all of America and the decisions by himself. He has to since he trusts nobody and thinks nobody is as smart as he and hopefully he will implode soon.
4
The interesting thing is true or false what does/did Parnas have to gain for coming forward as he did now. if he believe public knowledge will prevent him from physical harm this needs to be probed. As he was a member of Team Trump, what caused him to leave. There is a lot more unanswered information about this story.
2
Parnas doesn't add anything new. All he is saying is that Trump wanted Hunter Biden and Burisma investigated and that Trump knew Rudy G. was also trying to open an investigation.
But that has been known from the beginning when Trump released the record of the conversation.
On the phone call, Trump is asking Zelensky to open an investigation of Biden and Trump also says Rudy G. will be calling him (Zelensky).
Actually, Republicans should allow the Parnas testimony into the trial. A little more than halfway thru this article there is a paragraph where Parnas claims that Rudy assured him a visa would be obtained for someone because 'number 1 (Trump) will make it happen'.
That visa never was obtained. Rudy went thru machinations and called in favors, but he couldn't 'make it happen'.
3
@DeputyDog He provided new evidence of Nunes involvement, including phone records. Now all of a sudden Nunes does recall his previously forgotten phone calls with Parnas after all! What a shock!
4
You haven't seen anything yet. The hate-filled militias are on their way to Virginia right now to protest the gun regulations being enacted there. They are locked and loaded and itching for a fight. Not only will Trump not oppose them, he will invite them to his rallies.
8
@Sal What's more, they believe that the UN is sending troops to help the gubmint take away all their guns!
https://www.vice.com/en_us/article/wxed8q/this-conspiracy-theory-is-firing-up-pro-gun-activists-right-before-their-huge-rally
2
Rep. Devin Nunes looks pretty bad. In many ways.
Will be interested in what is in store for him.
21
The guy has been indicted. He has nothing but bias and an axe to grind. His testimony is hardly credible.
Perhaps, but his information only enforces other information. It barely presents new information. Which is why I am sure the GOP base will continue to say this statement.
8
Very nice.
But why would the GOP want anything like a fair trial? Why would anyone, on either side of the aisle, think the oaths they take, the Rule of Law, mean anything to any member of the GOP Congress.
So there is a mound of evidence, even with GOP Congress approved zero White House co-operation, to convict anyone. Their base just does not care and will re-elect all of them if they support Trump. So Trump is corrupt. So the trial is not fair So what?
1
In this case credibility matters but Trump and those around him have none. Trump, Pompeo, Pence, et al lie all the time.
15
@Shim
Yeah, that is what they said about Michael Cohen, and Cohen turned out to be tell the truth. Ultimately, if Parnas turns out to be credible and his allegations are investigated and revealed to be true, then yes, Parnas is believable.
I have no doubt his allegations will be investigated.
2
the entire world says Mr. Trump was engaged in many unlawful activities (national and international). GOP senators, Trump's administration, his clones and his supporters will never believe the real news because they are making fake news. This president will get away with such disastrous performance for these people. they can never be excused and voters better know it. the only problem is GOP senators have their vested interests. Trump's cabinet wants to keep their jobs (tax payer money with biased views). what interests clones and blind supporters have? if someone can explain to me
2
Angry, tired, overlooked, overworked, people being lied to about everything they ever wanted. Dems refuse to lie to the public about how hard things are to get done, and so when someone offers you everything, says it's easy and that the only reason they said it was hard, is because they don't care. People bought it. He gave them an enemy, the news. He said "They lied to you about everything. I will tell the truth." He said, they lied and gave all you wanted to these people who do not deserve it. These are the tactics of fascism. Except the US has prided itself on being impervious to getting a King or dictator due to all the things in place, so everyone believes it can't happen and that everyone saying it is, is being melodramatic. Pride has brought down more empires than none.
4
How did the entire Republican Party become so infected that they gained immunity to trumps insanity?
Rep. Nunez seems the newest channel of trumps corrupt inroads, and he’s on the ethics committee. I thought it loony enough when representatives on the science committee thought the world was only 4000 years old.
So, to the point: there is no cure for stupity. And it seems very contagious.
10
Betting your life is not admissible evidence under the federal rules applicable to a Senate impeachment trial.
2
Trump is another dreadful Republican President and it doesn't look as if any future Republican presidential candidates are going to be any better.
And it also looks like they'll be elected, partly because most people are apolitical and make their selection based on minimal information and also because the electoral college has a bias towards right-leaning states.
What that means is that Democratic administrations need to be as aggressive as possible getting their agendas passed while they have power. At this point that only seems to be the first 2 years of their first term. Hopefully one of the current crop of Democrats has a plan to do just that.
5
The Republican party has devolved into nothing more than an organized crime syndicate. The Trump legacy for the GOP to carry. And still, the Base cheers.
10
The entire Trump administration, Attorney General Barr and several Republicans are shredding the US Constitution and destroying our democracy. Who will save us?
11
“I am betting my whole life that Trump knew exactly everything that was going on that Rudy Giuliani was doing in Ukraine,” Mr. Parnas said.
I hope Mr. Parnas is taking measures to protect himself after providing this information. He is dealing with a nest of unscrupulous vipers being led by the POTUS.
I would hate for Mr. Parnas to lose that bet.
7
That gun, it is smoking worse than Australia.
8
In the interview Les Parnas said it was never about corruption, it was always about Biden. Did anyone in their right mind actually think Trump was concerned about corruption in Ukraine???? Donald Trump has never given a rip about corruption. He even talked with aides about getting rid of the Foreign Services Corruption Act, so we could bribe other countries to get business. Does that sound like someone who is concerned about corruption. Donald Trump IS THE MOST CORRUPT PERSON WE HAVE EVER HAD IN THE WHITE HOUSE.
17
It's so much easier to throw "proven liars" under the bus when you need to. Which is why "proven liars" are the only people this administration hires.
7
This is starting to make Watergate look like a high school prank.
12
It looks like several impeachments/indictments are now in order:
Impeach VP Pence
Impeach Attorney General Barr
Impeach Nunes
Impeach Pompeo
Impeach (and who knows who else is involved Kushner)?
13
@Jacquie
McConnell. For not doing a shred of his job in any constitutionally appropriate way.
7
@Ilene Bilenky Yes, absolutely!
2
@Jacquie We need to get out and protest.
I watched parts of Rachel Maddow's interview last night. Thinking yet more smoking guns - knowing full well that Republicans won't even respond to this. What matters is public opinion. This morning I was disappointed to see rather meager coverage by the Times, and that a title of one piece about Parnas,"The White House press secretary dismisses new evidence tying a Giuliani associate to the Ukraine affair" - well of course the White House would deny it. I was hoping the Times would provide more in depth information about Parnas' interview so that it's really out there. I believed Michael Cohen too.
12
'“I am betting my whole life that Trump knew exactly everything that was going on'
This is conjecture and opinion.
It also comes from a crooked criminal who was indicted in October on campaign finance charges.
This would never fly in a court of law, any lawyer would ask him under oat - did you speak to Mr Trump about this? did you brief Mr Trump? did he direct you to do this?
The answers would be 'no' to all above. Then the lawyer would assail his credibility and bias and the case would fall apart right there.
Is this what Democrats are bringing to the fight?
Because if this is it, they why do we even bother. The case has no legs!
2
Uh, how about the text records and call recordings? That’s called evidence.
9
Why are you ignoring documentary evidence?
6
@autumn leaf:
Have you forgotten about Trumps July call? In response to Zalensky’s inquiry about congressionally appropriated aid, Trump says,”I’d like you to do us a favor though,” and tells him to talk with Rudy.
If you’re ignoring that, I have to wonder what media you are consuming.
1
Parnas simply gave an inside view of the Kleptocracy at work. Interviews of this type might be the only way the public will get the information needed to develop an understanding of our government at work.
3
@Dearson Yes but the people who should be paying attention to this information, do not care.
One thing this story leaves out is what Parnas said told Rachel Maddow about the blackmailing. It was not threat's of withholding just military aid. "It was all aid," he said.
It's time for Zelensky to speak.
At least for a moment, he has the world's attention and will derive a lot of the international standing and respect he craves so that the West will help Ukraine evict their common enemy.
8
For those who think Parnas is just out to cut a deal with prosecutors, just remember he was once a devoted follower of Trump and brought a lot of tangible evidence to back up his claims. All the evidence points to the same thing: Trump and Russia. Trump's incessant Tweets of "Not me! I know nothing!" fall flat in the face of increasingly insurmountable evidence against him.
13
Honestly, I'm ready for blue states to secede from red...
The only position left for Republicans is denial. There is no rational argument left for them to make. When individuals do this, to the extent that the Repubs have, (the chosen one? seriously?) we separate them from rational society. Maybe we need to do this on a national level.
18
I call out John Bolton. Why is he not coming forward to clear up this up once and for all? Does he really need the subpoena to be drawn out?
Mr. Bolton, do you want your legacy to be would've, should've could've? I know I wouldn't.
Do the right thing and end this embarrassment, one way or another right now!
9
Where's the part about Devin Nunes? You know, the guy who keeps trying to divert everyone's attention during the hearings. it sounds like he may be in it up to his ears. Sounds like another impeachment is in order. How do you impeach a senator anyway?
10
@Regina
He’s not a Senator, but I’m sure it’s a similar process to expel someone from the House.
4
Fruman was indicted along with Parnas and is under house arrest in Florida. Why isn't Fruman also coming forward?
To all the people who keep reminding us that these guys are shady characters who circulate in the "wrong" circles, be mindful that they worked for one Mr. Rudolph Giuliani, so if you are going to judge people by their associations, add this to your roster of credentials for assessing those upward and around.
2
Still no witnesses, Sen. McConnell et al?
5
A lot of comments express cynicism over whether the Senate will surprise us and convict Trump.
It's misguided and self-deluding to aim cynicism at the Senate because the Senate isn't a foreign government who has occupied the Capitol. It's a bunch of American men and women who get there because a bigger bunch of American men and women put them there. They are us. What we can be cynical about (or ashamed, might be more honest) is that they're doing what the president tells them to do, the way true patriots should. It's the rest of us who, according to their perspective, are unpatriotic for we are expecting them to follow their conscience, not their boss. But again, unless we assert ourselves to reclaim them, why shouldn't they degrade us?
6
This is just more second-hand information from someone trying to make nice with the prosecutors on his own case. It's of interest only to impeachment fetishists.
2
Actually, it’s of interest to anyone who values the truth.
22
@David Godinez:
July phone call.
Zelensky raises aid appropriated by Congress in the interest of our national security.
Trump responds:
“I’d like you to do us a favor, though.”
Then: Talk to Rudy.
What’s it like living in denial of the truth in service to a profoundly disturbed man?
12
Expect much more of this kind of thing, starting the day the Senate clears Trump of all charges.
This is textbook corruption in government. An ignorant, corrupt leader quickly loses anyone with real integrity to work for him. In order to further his aims, he is forced to use a parade of shady characters, presumably with promises of wealth. When running afoul of the law, he always throws these accomplices under the bus, who then end up spilling their guts in court. Unfortunately, when the courts themselves are stacked and owned by wealthy interests, there is no justice anymore. To complete this trifecta of corruption, we have a right wing takeover of the media achieved through the abuse of technology.
The goal of a career in politics is no longer even a veneer of public service, but...particularly on the right...it is for personal enrichment.
21
Agreed! My anxiety level has been hard to control since Trump was elected. Each time I hear the phrase "President Trump," I say, "Who? How can this be?" Has he read the Constitution? I don't think so. He has no concept of the foundation of our system of government, and with his tremendous ego, thinks he's the Be-All and End-All. It's a dictator's mindset, abetted by the cowardly, sycophantic Republicans, and it's frightening.
18
Trump's America. 1 American contractor dies by proxy so we must attack Iran. Unless it's the Saudis. They pay for bases and their mistakes. Iran would never be pay up. If the Saudis kill a journalist or have 19 pilots hit the trade towers so be it. It'snot like they'd have would have another attack us...... Hello Pensacola on line 1.
12
' "My biggest regret is trusting so much,” [Parnas] said. “I thought I was being a patriot and helping the president,” he said, adding that he “thought by listening to the president and his attorney that I couldn’t possibly get in trouble or do anything wrong.” '
Imagine not being able to trust your nation's president, not to mention's his personal lawyer, who is a former NYC Mayor and U.S. Attorney.
Imagine the children being raised to believe the American president, this president, is a demi-god and national savior.
Imagine the political leaders who've decided to yawn at the efforts by their president to blackmail a foreign leader into cheating our electoral system to help our president win re-election.
Imagine any of this before the escalator in 2015....
17
Parnas is out to save his own skin, but that doesn't mean what he says isn't true. His main contentions are already corroborated by other witnesses. It's like a mobster case where the underlings flip on their bosses.
Parnas told Anderson Cooper that John Bolton and Mick Mulvaney know everything about the 'drug deal.'
20
@Mark
Corroboration is everything, but the Senate has to be willing to ask the right questions... of ALL the right people.
4
Trump’s gonna need a bigger bus...
11
To John Bolton: When you lay down with dogs you wake up with fleas, and in your case, we need a subpoena to find out
what all else.
12
“What did Vice President Mike Pence know concerning the Ukraine Scandal, and when did he know it?
Can you say Impeach Vice President Mike Pence!
18
I watched the Parnas interviews on both MSNBC and CNN and while very compelling and disturbing I seriously doubt that the Republicans will allow him to testify or allow any of his documentation to be allowed in court.
The main difference between the Nixon impeachment proceedings and this is that while the republicans didn't want to find any impeachable information about Nixon's action when the evidence was presented they realized he needed to go. This Republican party is vastly different. They know Trump is guilty from the start and are all acting like defense attorneys. They try to suppress all damning evidence or at least try to plant reasonable doubt. If they could they would dismiss this case before a trial even begins, but there's too much info out now that would make it look like the cover up that it really is.
Trump will be acquitted, so November is our last chance of getting rid of him and as many of his Republican enablers that we can.
8
@VMG
I think it depends on how information comes out during the Senate trial. Fox Noise viewers have so far been getting a highly skewed and filtered version of the impeachment process. And there’s no doubt Moscow Mitch will try to minimize what the public sees or hears. But Republican Senators will probably be deluged by pointed questions from their Democratic constituents as well as the DC press. And the House case will be presented and widely broadcast over at least four days. Plus, the case against Trump only gets stronger as more damning information continues to come out.
6
“‘I am betting my whole life that Trump knew exactly everything that was going on that Rudy Giuliani was doing in Ukraine,’ Mr. Parnas said.”
Trump: “I don’t know those gentlemen [Parnas & Fruman]. I don’t know about them. I don’t know what they do. I don’t know!”
Trump does know Parnas & what he was doing in Ukraine!
8
@I Gadfly
Didn't I see a picture of Parnas and Trump?
Though deserved, impeachment of Trump is not justice. Convict and execute our draft-dodging Criminal-in-Chief for treason as he fully deserves, and before Putin can grant him asylum for a job well done.
9
So many are commenting on how Lev Parnas is shady in his dealings and, with the circumstances trapping him, he might be untruthful. That pits him against the pathological liar now occupying the White House. Law enforcement, honest journalists and citizens have their work cut out for them---dissecting out the truth from this mess!!
1
@MGerard :
Or we can do what the GOP Senate will do, with the help of Trump's puppets in the DOJ, State Department and Justice Roberts, sweep all of it under the rug.
Les is shady and hangs around criminal liars like Trump, Barr, Guillino, Pency, and Niunez. So why believe him? He is under indictment like Trump but not yet convicted like Maniford, Flynn, Cohn, and Stone. Why when you hang out with crowd you may lie. What a defense!!!
1
So, one of the lowest guys on the totem pole of corruption has reported to Congress and said to the press that Trump was directly involved in the scheme to undermine Biden. Parnas released texts and emails from Giuilani, for example, and said he overheard conversations between Giuilani and Trump about the corrupt scheme.
What reason (other than cover up) could Republican Senators now possibly have for not including the aides between Parnas and Trump in the impeachment trial? We need to hear from Mulvaney, Pompeo, Giuilani, Bolton, and the Secretary of Energy who couldn't remember the Department Trump appointed him to lead.
Republicans Senators may be afraid of crossing Trump. But, given how much evidence keeps emerging, they should be more afraid to engage in cover up when much more evidence is likely to emerge thereafter.
17
And there are even more shoes to drop. This alone should be enough to force Senate elders to go have a talk with Trump and encourage him to resign. This is like if the Watergate burglars had made the rounds of the print and television press to finger Nixon while the special prosecutor released all the corroborating evidence at the same time. However, this is even better and stronger since along with hand-written notes, etc., there are time stamped messages, and other hard evidence that have been released by the House. Even the sub-stories are sufficient for impeachment, like the efforts to dislodge and maybe rough up or rub out the Ambassador, which Trump was obviously aware of. How much more evidence do we need?
15
Steve, I saw the similarities to Watergate too. I'm torn between equating Lev P. to one of the 'plumbers' Nixon used for his dirty work or to John Dean whose testimony opened the eyes (and ears) of reticent Republicans.
2
If the Senate still refuses to introduce evidence and call witnesses, even after these revelations, it falls to the press to keep at this story, to shine a spotlight on the criminality of this administration as the election approaches.
This is unprecedented. An incumbent President with a mountain of evidence of wrongdoing against him, running for re-election under the cover of a political party too afraid of losing power to distance themselves. All in plain sight.
15
Watching Parnas last night, the same hollow feeling i got watching the 2016 results came over us. We feared the worst but hoped for the best. The interview confirmed the worst of those fears.
7
Historians of American history must be watching this unfolding impeachment process with the same horror that a witness of the shot-down Ukrainian plane exploding into a fireball as it falls toward the ground like a meteorite, might have felt. We are seeing the process of this one nation splitting into two. This is what Trump will be remembered for more than any of the other meager accomplishments he manages to eke out, regardless of how many terms he has (one, two, three...) A sad day — I will reserve some time to mourn.
7
@Robin Underhill
Trump is merely the straw that broke the camel's back.
The split has been building ever since the GOP chose to follow the "southern strategy", then apply it nationally.
The repeal of the Fairness Doctrine, and the subsequent appearance of Rush, O'Reilly, Beck, Hannity and Fox commodified the dispensing of hate, fear and purposefully inaccurate "information" laid the foundation that gives Trump a solid 40% approval rating among Americans.
9
@Jerseytime - Point well-taken - the national split due to the Southern Strategy and its precursor causative political process, the 1964 Goldwater campaign, has been present throughout the period since and has been crystallized gradually through the succession of politicians such as George Wallace, Patrick Buchanan, and finally, Trump. Although the political analysis of this strategy is complex and controversial, one can hypothesize that the split is a reappearance or a close representation thereof of the split that caused the Civil War.
If, as Trump adamantly asserts, that the call and everything he and Giuliani, Pence, Pompeo, did is all perfect and above board, what is all the secrecy and cover-up about? Why stop witnesses from testifying? We know why. It's not "perfect", it's an illegal and corrupt scheme to get the Bidens out of the way in the election.
It's also connected to illegal money from Firtash, Parnas and Furman, aided in secrecy and cover up by A.G. Barr and Congressman Nunes. Impeachment, for all who are complicit, is mandatory for the survival of our Constitution and democracy.
16
@Gina
Its been obvious that he did not want to go through proper diplomatic channels because what he wanted to do was improper.
6
"... he said the president knew everything about the effort to push Ukraine to investigate the Bidens and the 2016 election." And this is significant because.....why? It's no secret that the President was pushing Ukraine to investigate the Bidens. He stated as much in the phone call. the transcript for which was released to the public by the President. Nothing burger.
2
@johnlo
More Corroboration. That's when a house of cards falls.
4
Many have reported wanting a “smoking gun.” Something confirmatory to corroborate the findings that have largely already established, but still controversially refuted as “nothing.” What is clear is based on these newly revealed facts is the high office was used for purposes that did not advance our national interests. If that is not a high crime, then at a minimum it should constitute a misdemeanor. And it establishes a pattern of fact that the president is willing to do what he wishes under the guise it is lawful, and/or under the guise that the laws are beneath him or arbitrary. This sets up the conditions for corruption.
4
Can we please stop using the term "nothing burger?" It's just stupid.
3
Yesterday Senator Barrasso from Wyoming said he thought Trump was just concerned about corruption generally in Ukraine, when all the evidence says otherwise. It’s not just Trump that lies every single day it’s Republicans, too. Every time they voice their false and desperate defense of Trump they do not exculpate him, they implicate themselves.
13
@Sherry
This is what occurs when 40% of the electorate thinks that Trump can do no wrong. GOP Senators are afraid of being primaried.
And it would appear that they want their jobs more than they want a Constitutional Republic.
6
@Sherry
The republicans are quislings one and all.
1
@Sherry
I saw him on PBS. In addition to claiming Trump was just concerned with 'corruption in Ukraine,' he also said that the Dems had plenty of opportunities to call witnesses during the House proceedings.
My husband and I sat there and screamed obscenities at every bogus word that was coming out of his sleazy mouth.
“I am betting my whole life that Trump knew exactly everything that was going on that Rudy Giuliani was doing in Ukraine,” Mr. Parnas said.
So I guess when the Senate trial starts we’ll find out how much this guy’s life is worth. He’s not certain Trump knew or did know what he was doing he just likes to think so. Who doesn’t want to feel like a somebody? I saw Parnas and his lawyer last night on Rachel’s show and he appears more than giddy to be able to sing like a canary in front of the world. This is his Andy Warhol moment.
Did anyone ask if Mr McConnell knew about any of this? What about Secretary Chao? The only person who wants this over with faster than Trump himself is Mitch McConnell. He acts like a guilty accomplice.
20
McConnell did say he was in lockstep with the White House, did he not?
3
After all the conspiracy theory nonsense about “the deep state”, it appears that the one running a shadow government is Trump.
12
Lev Parnas is another Michael Cohen. He’s somewhat sleazy, but has been a faithful servant of our president. When threatened with prosecution however, he doesn’t want to take the fall without bringing his masters with him. Perhaps Trump would do better with a different sort of stooge. Not all of them are willing to believe Trump will save them (or maybe reward them?) if they keep their mouths shut. Look at Michael Flynn. He can’t figure out which way to go.
8
Based on the material published so far, Rudy has actively worked against national interests. As it happened in case of Cohen, why hasn’t Rudy’s office been raided by FBI and other agencies?
Oh, I forgot. Pompeo at the State Dept and AG Barr are complicit in this scandal; they would be stupid if they allowed the raid.
10
How did we get to the point where a group of grifters regularly meeting in a Trump Hotel/Tower bar each evening are drinking, plotting, and scamming our democracy at the direction of the President, Giuliani and Pence? Nightmares continue
10
As was stated, the end result of the trial is not as important as the impeachment itself. He is historical toast regardless of the Senate. This may be the first step in a host of accusations that should have been Articles. Functionally this may devolve into dozens of impeachable offenses outlined by the House all the way to November. I feel better this morning than anytime since this thug was elected. God, I love the smell of impeachment in the morning.
9
I am waiting to see what name trump gives this guy.
Sad that we have a president that resorts to juvenile name calling.
2
Reconvene house committees and get all of these clowns who are not protected by executive power under oath.
5
The Card House of this President is crushing down. Barr, Pompeo, Nunes, Pence, Perry, Mulvaney and Giuliani all need to be investigated. Lies and corruption on a daily bases supported by the rest of the Republican party.
6
So Giuliani now calls Parnas a "proven liar" but then why did he have Parnas working with him on his Ukrainian crusade for Trump? Of course Parnas enjoys a low level of credibility but its the documents, texts and recordings that are doing all the talking here.
12
I read the NYT online everyday and comment frequently. Opening the website today this jumped off the screen:
"In his annual state-of-the-nation speech on Wednesday, President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia shook up the country and its political class by calling for constitutional changes that would give him a new path to holding onto power after his current — and, in theory, last — term ends in 2024".
My immediate thought was If you substitute Donald J. Trump of America — term ends in 2021 (or maybe 2025). The events of last summer with Ukraine are still boiling on the back burner. The interview on TRMS last night (and part two is tonight) was stunning, regardless of what you think of the character of Lev Parnas. The impeachment of the president will be a sham, Mitch McConnell and his Republican Minions have said so. Whether the events of the next few weeks, embolden the president, it is up to the Democrats to go and nominate a candidate and running mate who can win next November and end this nightmare and/or madness. This makes Nixon, Watergate, and "All The President's Men" in the Seventies pale to what we are presently living through now...
5
Giuliani says Parnas is the liar who is just looking for attention?
The level of projection of the Trump cabal is hilarious. Every accusation they make is a description of themselves.
13
Read the Politico story on this. It very clearly sets out the engagement of Trump, Pence, Nunes and Hyde as well as Guiiliani and possibly Barr. Ar the minimum all these people knew the real story. And all are lying about it.
9
The horrifying fact is that Donald Trump, MIke Pence, Bill Barr, Mike Pompeo, Devin Nunes and lilkely many more are intimately involved in undermining the rule of law, not to mention obstruction of justice and abuse of power.
We know that Trump owes hundreds of millions of dollars to Russian oligarchs and Putin can yank his chain at will. Why these others have tried to flush American values down the toilet is less certain but just as intolerable.
10
Your first paragraph does Trump’s dirty work for him. By saying that “efforts to dig up damaging information” were the objective, you imply that “damaging information” exists. It’s clear that Trump’s real objective was an announcement on CNN of an investigation, dirtying Biden in just the way your first paragraph does.
You’ve been suckered by the psychopath.
6
It always leads back to Russia.
7
The fact that this isn’t front page 2-inch type headline news is breathtaking. I guess nothing shocks anymore...how depressing.
5
I agree with Marie Yovanovitch's call for an investigation into this new information which has come to light, including the push to oust the US ambassador. It needs to be conducted by an independent counselor, not the compromised and unresponsive Attorney General Barr. As Chuck Todd commented on yesterday's MTP Daily, these documents and Parnas' testimony have a "stop the presses" urgency.
25
Dystopia - relating to or denoting an imagined state or society where there is great suffering or injustice.
Everything is going great. Everyone relax. Try meditation.
3
Perversely strategic.
Long has Trump surrounded himself by the "best people," (Cohen, Flynn, Manafort, Gates, Giuliani etc.) both willing and able to do his deeds. When exposed, they are carrying so much of their own baggage that their credibility is doubted. The boys who lied wolf, so to speak.
The only ones in a position to hold Trump accountable are then given an excuse to look the other way.
William Barr and Senators McConnell and Graham clearly demonstrate not only their lack of interest in revealing the truth, but instead their desire to keep it buried.
It is discouraging to see how well this has worked. so far.
17
I would not be the least surprised if McConnell, Graham and Paul make sure that there are no witnesses called for the last thing they want to do is commit perjury. Although, I wonder that since this is an impeachment hearing and not a criminal hearing if in this case Senators can be charged with perjury and who would charge them? Furthermore what would Supremecourt Judge John Roberts do since he is the one who administers the oath and then McConnell and his ilk just go through the motion and, as McConnell promised and makes sure that Trump goes scot-free. To me this would mean McConnell and his ilk committed perjury because they did not conduct a fair trial. It will be most interesting to see what Supreme Court Justice John Robert does. If he just acts as an observer and does it for show it most likely will impact the supreme court as well for the electorate and most Americans will most likely loose complete faith in the SCOTUS.
6
found Rachel's interview quite enlightening - and part 2 tonight will be i am sure. and to learn too that Pence was involved? the whole situation wreaks (both versions of that word) and i find it totally mind blowing that the GOP can continue to back trump. as Nadler mentioned during the debate yesterday those who spoke against taking the articles to the Senate said nothing to defend his actions and words, and instead belittled the process. i pray they don't choke as they take their oath this afternoon.
it seems Mr. Parnas was used as a pawn, trusting those neither he or any of the "base" should. so sorry for all of them... so sorry for our nation
11
Let's remember that Trump has stated in public that he wanted Ukraine to look into the Bidens and that he saw nothing wrong with getting dirt on political rivals from foreign entities. We don't need Parnas to confirm what we already know.
8
Unfortunately, the Republicans will never call Parnas to testify. They will however, trash his reputation at every opportunity.
The New York Times and other media outlets should organize polls immediately, if possible before the Senate trial gets underway. Surely, when it is clearly shown and reported that 65 - 75% of Americans want witnesses, transparency and good reporting, some Republican Senators might be moved (for the sake of their own preservation and reputation) to call for witnesses.
Where is the Howard Baker among them? And perhaps they'll remember that the cover-up is worse than the crime.
14
Not much in the Yovanovich affair has Trump's fingerprints on it -- after all, it is argued, it was Giuliani gone rogue, and his untrustworthy associate Parnas -- but not the President. But didn't he say about Yovanovich, "she's going to go through some things"? "Some things?" This is perfect gangster-speak, creating plausible deniability.
She is lucky to remain alive, given the forces that were arrayed against her.
10
Not even the House impeachment testimonies of Marie Yovanovich, Lt Col Vindman and Dr. Hill were compelling enough for Republicans to deign to do their duty and stand up for the rule of law.
Now, Trump's own capo, Lev Parnas has made clear that everything we thought might be true of Trump's extortion of Ukraine, is in fact, true. And yet still, the Republican Senators ignore the evidence in front of their eyes and declare their intent to cover up Trump's crimes. If Trump gets away with this then he is indeed above the law, we are no longer a democracy, we're an autocracy ruled by Trump's whims.
15
Nunes vs. Parnas. This Battle of the Goons that is taking shape gives us clue as to why everything is being done to prevent Bolton’s testimony. He could not have known what really took place. Now, citizens for truth, fairness and genuine goodwill for all must invoke their Divine Providence—- that there are still Republicans who remain accountable to the people they serve and the Constitution, and that Bolton, in deciding where his political fortunes lie, will use not only his brains and his ambitions but also his conscience.
6
Devastating! But nothing matters anymore as long as Senate Republicans are willing to aid and abet.
3
Now we read that Ukraine has opened a criminal investigation into the surveillance of Ambassador Yovanovich. Will Republican Senators, like Ohio’s Rob Portman, continue to aid and abet a man who is corrupt and criminal beyond any reasonable doubt? Do they really want to stake their entire careers, reputation, and their oaths office to shield the likes of Trump? So glad I left the Republican Party. I will never vote anything but a straight Democratic ticket, given the utter corruption and complicity of McConnell and his cohorts in the obstruction of the truth and justice.
14
Yes, this is good, but why on earth didn't he share this during the House investigation??
2
@Alyce The House requested the info which was held back by DOJ. Only a recent court order compelled DOJ to release the intel they had been sitting on. Your question should be directed to AG Barr.
4
Give it time. He, too, will be discredited. He's just the latest shiny object Maddow and the media will dangle before viewers to keep them coming back.
1
@AACNY
Discredited, you mean like
Stone,
Kilimnik,
Manafort,
Cohen,
Flynn,
Pinedo,
Gates,
van der Zwann,
Papadopolous,
Assange,
Craig,
Patten,
13 Russian nationals
and 12 Russian officials?
That sort of discredited?
9
@AACNY So many to discredit. It makes one wonder if there is anyone who speaks out against Trump, who wouldn't be discredited.
@ AACNY
Only problem AACNY is it appears he is one of Donald J. Trumps hand pick henchmen.
1
Regular guy cop show analogy: Reports of a gunshot. Mob boss commits the murder in front of staff and lieutenants. Pressure is put on staff, wouldn't want anything bad to happen. Chief of police is on the payroll and involved, says "nothin' to see here". The cleaners are hiding and disposing the evidence. Some staff courageously testify, a henchman who participated comes forward. Grand jury decides to go to trial. Jury is rigged.
Cast:
Whistle blower as caller on gunshots.
Trump as Boss (Russian Oligarch Style)
Pence, Perry, Giuliani etc.. as lieutenants
Public Servants as staff
Barr as Police Chief
Noones and house Gop as Cleaner
Parnes as Henchman who comes forward.
House Dems as the Grand Jury
McConnel and senate Gop as Jury.
Abuse of Power as the murder, withholding, the approved, promised by the United States Aid and that could have caused deaths in Ukranian-Russian War, for personal benefit.
Obstruction as the Obstruction
4
Rudy, Rudy, Rudy. Attorney-client privilege gets tossed out the window if you're breaking the law!
9
During the early days of his presidency it was reported that trump liked chaos. He must be in heaven these days.
4
@RNS
Trump is quite adept at keeping the media and democrats spinning in circles trying to nail him. They have been chasing their tails since he was elected.
1
If the Senate Republicans refuse to call witnesses, you can bet they are in on this shady deal too. Follow the money.
6
Where’s the beef? Seriously, Lev, you cannot give all of this juicy information without supporting documentation. Even if it’s the truth and nothing but the truth, the GOP has a stock pile of cloaking devices to hide it, or at minimum, distort it.
1
According to this article, Parnas has text messages, photos, etc. that were released backing up his claims. So who are your going to believe - Parnas, Trump (who has lied over 10,000 times) or Guiliani (whose response to all of this was so weak it was a non-response). I may be crazy but I am not stupid. I know who I believe.
6
If, and that is a big if, Trump had an ounce of decency in him, he would do the right thing for the country now and resign.
He is just dragging the country down with every passing day. It seems nothing is too low for him. He is diabolical as president.
4
"The terms of the phase one deal announced on December 13 between the Trump administration and China have established new US tariffs toward imports from China for the foreseeable future. Average US tariffs on imports from China will remain elevated at 19.3 percent, even after the deal is implemented, which is currently expected for February 2020. These tariffs are more than six times higher than before the trade war began in 2018."
-Peterson Institute
As usual, Trump isn't being forthcoming with all of the relevant facts!
14
Mr Parnas seems fairly credible. It’s hard to be sure without being there, sitting across from him, looking at his gestures, inflections in his voice, or having any knowledge of him before (brief Wikipedia bio) but he seems fairly transparent, and believable, even without the salt. There is a limit to taking everything Mr Parnas says at face value. Much seems straightforward valid recollection, but any cartoon balloon has edges, limits that pressed too hard give way and burst. Even the smallest revelation seems enough to open up the sacrificial entrails. Honestly (I’ll risk that word), I believe we are seeing the cavalry coming to rescue the republic, and it is again someone that came to this country as an immigrant.
14
We can be sure that even though Mitch McConnell and the GOP senators do not want to hear witnesses and see documents come to light, they just did, and there is lots more to come. And that Bill Barr's smothering of the Justice Dept and interference in the Southern District of NY office, while being a participant in the Ukraine debacle, will be investigated.
Would that John Bolton has the same courage to speak out to the American people, whether he is subpoenaed or not, and that a few Republican senators recognize that they're abetting Donald Trump's criminal conduct. And that they are going to pay dearly.
40
Those who discredit Parnas should consider that it is more often than not that the best witness to sleazy scheme is a former participant, also sleazy. That's how the law has worked for ages. Perps can be valuable and credible witnesses. Even Giuliani has "Insurance" as he put it. It is not required that a witness needs to be clean as a whistle.
37
@Greenfield
He keeps saying Trump knew because Guilliani said so. That's not enough proof. Even Parnas admits he never discussed any of this with Trump.
@Greenfield so agree with you. Parnas enjoys a very low level of credibility but the documents, texts and recordings he has provided speak for themselves.
5
We do live in troubled times. Trump's behavior has caused anxiety and fear among us all. We need to turn back to the real threat to all our lives and fight to find solutions that will keep us all alive. The climate crisis. The world is burning and flooding. People are dying or fleeing these events. We have some of those families on our own border.
10
A number of commenters are saying that there’s no evidence Trump was involved and Parnas didn’t speak with him directing. Talk about short memories or selective recall!
The read out of Trump’s July call with Zelensky lays it out: Zelensky inquires about promised military aid, Trump says “I’d like you to do us a favor though,” and then says Rudy will be in touch about the favor.
We don’t need more evidence of his involvement. That’s an admission.
27
The take home message for Mitch McConnell, William Barr, and all the others working on the cover up: If you aren't going to bring these witnesses or depose them, the media are. So take your pick: Bring them in under oath and get to ask 1/2 of the questions or watch them depose on TV where We the People get to pass the judgments.
36
The question in 2020 is can Trump and his enablers fool enough of the people all of the time.
24
The answer is YES.
1
@donaldo: Your right. There is a lot of people being fooled.
1
Can you say "smoking gun?"
I imagine that Bolton will be the bullet.
15
I don't know anymore what's worse, Trump's actions, or the GOP's blatant refusal to do anything, anything at all. The USA is going down and flames and not one republican - even Collins and that gang pretending to have a conscience - are willing to do or say anything that will hold anyone accountable.
51
@Mark I dearly hope and pray all the Republicans stick with Trump----and go down with him.
2
Watching the Lev Parnas interview felt like filming in the blanks of the impeachment hearing testimony from the brave patriots including Hill, Yovanovich, and Vindman. As State Department employees, they were simply working to further the aims of the United States, when they came face to face with this odd “shadow diplomacy”. They all seemed to express confusion and then dismay when they realized that our government and military aid was being abused for personal gain. They had to put the puzzle pieces together - as did the American public through their testimony. Lev Parnas seems to have provided some of the missing pieces.
Additionally, as Republicans inevitably come out to smear Mr. Parnas as not credible or a two bit player, I think about WHY we are hearing these details on a cable news show from a random character: it is because our Attorney General, our Secretary of State, our Vice President, Donald Trump, and more refuse to sit under oath and tell us what they knew and when they knew it. If they were so innocent, you think they’d be running to the Senate. Instead they abuse their power and hide from the press and Congress and the truth. These people work for us. They are supposed to be doing the work of the American people, not Donald Trump personally and not the Republican Party solely. Absolutely shameful.
79
@Jenna
You have it backwards. It is their diplomacy that becomes "shadowy" when it conflicts with the president's. He has final say on all foreign policy matters.
1
Today would be a good day for POTUS Tump to resign but he won't. His ego/wealth/freedom are on the line and he cannot risk going to prison for his crimes. What will he do? He will do anything and everything necessary to stay in office as a matter of self-protection. Will the GOP go along with this? So far they have.
23
Why is Lev Parrnas coming clean while Igor Fruhman is nowhere to be heard or seen? it does not make sense to me the Parnas has handed over evidence but Fruhman not. We need some more vetting of both of them. Michael Flynn's abrupt withdrawal of his guilty plea shows how this crazy playing field can suddenly change.
8
“My biggest regret is trusting so much,”
Now where have I heard that before? How many Americans who "trusted" trump over the past 4 years are now in lock-up?
Speaker Pelosi needs to turn the president and guiliani against one another. Perhaps that's what she's going for. Placing two frightened rats in a cage never ends well for either of them.
13
The indifference of U.S. Senators to this witness and his evidence reflects a Republican Party that controlled by a man who is willing to do the bidding of Russia and are unwilling to perform their Constitutional duty to remove him from Office.
So long as Republicans Senators excuse Presidential betrayal and Rupert Murdoch's media supports Trump, voters will remain confused and trapped in whataboutism.
What has made the difference so far is an alert and aggressive independent media. Without it, we would already be in a soft dictatorship led by the most corrupt, immoral and ignorant President in U.S. history. And we still may be taken there if 4 Republican Senators do not demand to hear witnesses and see evidence in the Trump impeachment trial.
27
What entity can now be investigating current Attorney General Barr?
Seriously.
31
Parnas knows he’s been cut loose and his only chance for leniency is turning witness against the conspiracy. He corroborated what the official prior witnesses have already said but drew in other actors that require more investigation like Nunes Guiliani and Pence more tightly. More legal investigation has to be done. These TV interviews hopefully result in an official review that determines what exactly holds up to legal scrutiny
13
@Lucy
He is a defendant in an SDNY criminal investigation. He is negotiating lienency with this information. It should be taken in context. And even with a grain of salt until it's been thoroughly vetted.
I suspect that his story will have holes big enough to drive a Mack truck through once it's been looked at by eyes other than Maddow's and the media's.
1
I believe that people like you would still think that Trump was innocent and would continue to defend him even if he came out and confessed to everything!
3
@AACNY In other words, no different than all the witnesses Giuliani used to make his reputation as a great mob prosecutor
We need to go after the corruption and after whomever the evidence points to. If the evidence is Gullinani then we need to make the case against him.
THEN the question will be will Gulliani take the fall for Trump or turn?
And the other question will be: if Gulliani was doing this obviously then why hasn’t Trump fired him?
This same pattern of questions should be asked of all employees who were part of this. The target has to stay focused on the corruption.
7
We still need to know what Trump meant when he said "She's gonna go through some things," on his "perfect" phone call with Zelensky. Was he aware of or directing real threats to her safety? We need to know exactly how tough were Parnas' threats to the Ukrainians at Giuliani's direction. What did Giuliani direct him to say or threaten? What was the intelligence that prompted an official to tell Ambassador Yovanovitch that her safety was so compromised that she needed to be on the next plane out of Kiev? These potentially criminal threats need to be investigated by a special counsel. Barr is obviously too conflicted and implicated in all this.
34
Unfortunately the testimony by Mr Parnas will be dismissed just like the other witnesses testimony who all corroborate the same set of events. The Republicans in the Senate have no intention of convicting or removing the Chosen One even if he admitted on Fox News that all these allegations were true. Republicans have never been keen on a Democratic society. for them this is the ultimate fight to the death for power and for the evangelicals is a Holy War for end times.
24
RICO Act, anyone?
It appears the whole trump constellation of bad actors constitute an ongoing criminal conspiracy.
No wonder McConnell wants no evidence nor witnesses at his planned sham impeachment "trial" in the senate.
It would surely spiral out of his control.
31
Interesting how news sources other than MSNBC are soft-pedaling this story...because it wasn’t theirs??? This interview needs to be screamed across every kind of wave there is, folks. The White House, Justice Department, and several sears in Congress need to be emptied and cleaned, thoroughly.
And, apparently, more gifted reporters need to be hanging around and covering the coming and goings of the criminal Congressional elements in the Trump Hotel bar.
21
@Mamie O Yes, I noticed this too. Even the NYT seems afraid to call a spade a spade. How much evidence do they need? A signed confession? It's disheartening to see the cowardice among the press when the threat to our very democracy looms so large. This article should have been the top story on every newspaper. Wonder if they get paid to marginalize it by the same dark money.
4
What an explosive interview! Call me an eternal optimist, but I truly believe Lev Parnas's testimony will trigger the R's to call Bolton and others to testify, eventually forcing the hand of the GOP to change its tune and abandon Trump. He has a treasure trove of evidence and upstanding lawyer representing him which will lead to the truth -- even for the R's. I believe the truth always comes out.
PS -- Now it is time for all Americans to take to the streets in massive protests to wake up the R's that they need to defend the constitution and the American Republic.
25
From your mouth to G-d’s ear!
1
As a member of the army of already distraught former federal prosecutors, watching the Parnas was tough. Why isn’t he sitting in a room with the SDNY and FBI? Or with a special counsel? Potential cooperators proffer to the government. They don’t give press interviews. That his lawyer had to take him to the press shows you how comprised DOJ has become. History will judge DOJ’s breezy pass on investigating the Ukraine scandal as an unforgivable sin. Meanwhile Barr investigates the work of a decorated veteran and lifelong republican (Mueller). I’m so embarrassed by the department I once called home.
42
Did you notice that at the end Parnas said... I'm just guessing, of course ..
This is a carefully crafted legal statement.
1
I think Lev Parnas came out with the truth because knows he would likely have been thrown under the bus by Trump, Rudy, Pence, Nunes and everybody else. I think Parnas is being truthful because what he says will be scrutinized and what’s he’s telling is too bizarre to be make believe.
11
Married to the Mob - starring the entire Oval Office!
This guy is just a henchman in this casting-
What’s actually interesting is - he has a paper trail that’s worth a close look! Wait until the follow the money part gets published!
This will never reach the impeachment trial for discussion.But it might keep enough republicans on track to have a witness layer in this proceeding.
6
"In February, Mr. Hicks sent Mr. Parnas a video of a segment on the conservative television channel One America News Network ... " OAN is a sycophant, far right, fringe theories embracing cheerleader for Trump, nothing else. To give it the recognition as anything resembling a real news outlet is dangerously superficial.
10
"Oh, what a tangled web we weave
When first we practise to deceive!"
Ukraine announces an investigation of President Trump's minions for possible criminal violations.
Well Donnie, you got what you wanted. Sorta.
14
@Bob Woods
Karma is expressed in mysterious , and sometimes delightful, ways
3
When thieves and rogues fall out...
5
The ease and frequency with which the current occupant of the White House lies to everyone. Totally shameless.
12
Each day, another horror.
Denials abound from the White House and the mob, as usual. Mr. Acquit and "I've been completely exonerated" is busy creating trouble and saving us from it. We are about to hear it all again and again...exonerated. The question is...can our stomachs take that noise?
Get Bolton to testify.
Dems - get your big pants on and fight this to the end.
10
Even though I am not American, I follow U.S. news and there is so much I could say and feel about this recent turn of events but I won't.
What I will say is there is not much talk that I have seen in the U.S. news and I think what the U.S. needs to think about and do eventually is figure out and make proposals on how it will ensure, most likely by enacting laws and procedural changes, on how to prevent a Trump situation from happening again.
13
In Rachel Maddow's interview, Mr. Parnas seemed credible, and his assertions were consistent with what has previously been reported. He said that his access to high level Ukrainian government officials was made possible only by his association with Giuliani as the president's representative. He also implicated Devin Nunes in the effort to pressure Ukraine for defamatory information about the Bidens, saying he was shocked that Nunes was a leader in an investigation of an affair in which he was personally involved. Legal experts have cautioned that much of what Mr. Parnas has said is second-hand, and further investigation to confirm his allegations is needed.
Former government officials have expressed shock that someone like Mr. Parnas was working at the highest levels of government.
12
This is the hundredth thing (at least) that should have led Trump to resign or be removed. But Trump has no conscience, no concern for the country or for justice. And Congressional Republicans don't either. Trump will burn the world down before admitting he's done wrong, and the GOP--after a few token murmurs of concern--will cover for him.
Vote blue, all the way down the ticket.
36
Mr. Parnas has revealed both in his testimony and in documents that he was part of what can be best described as a mob where he functioned as a "foot soldier" carrying out the orders of "under boss," Rudy Giuliani, and his "boss," Donald J. Trump. The scope of the conspiracy keeps expanding and has now ensnared Vice President Mike Pence as well as two senior members of Congress in House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy and House Intelligence Committee ranking member, Devin Nunes. The serious question this poses for having a "fair" impeachment trial is obvious: When members of the President's political party are involved in the conspiracy for which he's being impeached, can they be allowed as "impartial" jurors? The Constitution is not equipped to deal with such a massive criminal conspiracy that should be tried under the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) Act is a reason that the Justice Department's policy against criminally charging a sitting president must be repealed.
27
It is vital to understand that under the circumstances Ukraine was enduring, being threatened by Russia who had already invaded and annexed Crimea, had to be especially paranoid and under extreme pressure to comply with Trump and Giuliani to cooperate for the simple reason of getting that military aide that was held back. It wasn't just quid pro quo, it was a hostage situation of a nation by Trump who knew the desperation of Zelensky who was under literally death defying circumstances. It's as if Trump knew these facts. The 400 Million Dollars was just the tool of blackmail, but Trump played life and death with a nation his friend Putin was seeking to gain. You must see the major crime of aiding the enemy that it was.
19
This is journalism? Your source has admitted "that although he did not speak with Mr. Trump directly about the efforts, he met with the president on several occasions and was told by Mr. Giuliani that Mr. Trump was kept in the loop." To be honest, I did not speak to the president either but I "was told that by Mr. Giuliani that Mr. Trump was kept in the loop." That top secret info was reported all round the media. Remember the "smoking gun"? We need one of those. Until then, this is no better than hearsay.
3
It’s not hearsay, but you knew that
17
@Gilin HK,
When Zelensky asked Trump about promised military aid, Trump said “I’d like you to do us a favor though” and directed him to speak with Giuliani. This is part of undisputed documentary evidence.
There’s smoke all over that gun, folks just want to stay in their tribe.
17
@Gilin HK
Democrats' entire case has been based on second- and thirdhand knowledge and disgruntled bureaucrats angry that Trump didn't do what they wanted. In this case, he's under criminal investigation.
Parnas is like the new Michael Avenatti, whom the media treated as a rock star because he had dirt on Trump.
2
You don't get choirboys testifying at mob trials. Guys turning states evidence are not going to win any citizenship awards. But their testimony is considered valid. Especially when they have documents to back it up.
The point is, the WH cannot just dismiss Parnas as an unsavory character trying to save his skin. Senate Republicans refusal to call witnesses to testify under oath is now nothing short of dereliction of duty. If they continue to do that, they will pay a huge price at the ballot box.
20
"In the interview with The Times, Mr. Parnas said that although he did not speak with Mr. Trump directly about the efforts, he met with the president on several occasions and was told by Mr. Giuliani that Mr. Trump was kept in the loop."
This is the problem, no one has yet to testify that they heard Mr. Trump DIRECTLY say anything. Until someone is presented that can say they actually got a verbal direct order from Mr. Trump to do something against the law or unconstitutional then all of this is just a dog a pony show. My concern is that a dog and pony show is all the Democrats want, thinking it will strengthen them in November. None of this is good for America. It's embarrassing.
2
Gordon Sondland?
1
@hoosiermama Good afternoon, Mr. Sondland did have a conversation with Mr. Trump confirming that Zelensky was going to announce investigations but during that conversation Mr. Sondland was never given any direction by/from Mr. Trump.
I have no doubt that Trump will now take us to what has been the predictable end game of all of this.
"So what if I worked with Zelensky? Because the deep state was incapable of uncovering the corruption of Joe and Hunter Biden, O needed to come to the rescue by going straight to the Ukrainian government."
This explanation will be enthusiastically embraced by the Republican party and half the American public.
After all, this is the man who said he could shoot a man on 5th Avenue and he wouldn't lose any voters.
6
Parnas's account is too detailed and precise for a lie whereas Trump's denials have more holes than a colander. What all this means for the US is nothing as Trump's supporters don't care. It's that simple. As proven over and over during the past 4 years, the machinery of maniacs continues to roll toward a National armageddon. The USA has gone from a nation state of more or less invisible kleptocracy to one brazenly marching down Main Street America with the GOP crazily waving a flag and feeling they're loved by the Lie That Walked Like Man. It's true. Where are the superheroes when you need them? Where is Batman? Superman? The Justice League of America?
5
@Loud and Clear Superheroes don't save the day. That's what we have true American citizens for.
Be one.
6
After watching the Rachel Maddow interview it became clear to me that a lot of money was being paid out to a lot of people, many of whom most of as aren't even aware of. Where is it all coming from?
I know there are reports that Parnas and Fruman were being paid by Giuliani (who has claimed his work is pro bono) and vice versa. Others say they got money from Ukrainian oligarch Dmitry Firtash, who also paid Trump-friendly lawyers Victoria Toensing and Joseph diGenova.
I suppose a half a million dollars is chump change to a lot of these players, but it seems quite consequential to me. Where is it coming from, and if it is numerous sources, why are they all willing to pay it in order to keep Trump in the White House?
19
@Elizabeth Fuller-
The money is coming from Firtash, who is funded by Putin. Surprised?
14
I'm waiting to see what William Barr has to say about this. Parnas claimed that Barr is " ... part of the team ". Recently, Barr gave a speech at a conference where he claimed that it's the left that is destroying the rule of law in this country. Turns out that he's apparently part of a criminal conspiracy. along with Pence, Pompeo, etc. These three are very religious people. I cannot fathom how they sleep at night.
22
Truly evil men seldom have troubled sleep.
12
Trump requires us to believe that the manifold persons and entities that have now been indicted, tried or pleaded, and awaiting sentencing or already in jail or prison, were wholly independent actors who had nothing to do with him, that he is innocent of any coordination with criminal activities, and that it was all a series of coincidences that he is somehow tied to them all.
If true, he is incapable of monitoring, managing or administrating a shocking number of bad actors.
If false, he's a racketeer.
Either way he's not fit to run a two-horse parade.
15
It is impossible to believe with every thing we have heard and seen that Trump did not know about every action to bring Ukraine into our election and undermine his political rivals.
But of course Republicans in the Senate will do just that and turn a deaf ear to it all for the sake of self preservation. Trump is a mass manipulator and he has found his marks. Mr. Parnas, Mr. Bolton and Mick Mulvaney in his round about way have acknowledged it as well as Pompeo in his silence. As Trump claims he is exonerated by his Senate sycophants who will be his next target in his smear campaign against his rivals?
9
If this was a Hollywood flick, it'd be portrayed a comedy-horror of bumbling political villains with insecurity problems.
@Katie Oh, and Parnas would be played by Matt LeBlanc
2
A Cohen Brothers film.
I watched Rachel’s show too. Everything Parnas said matched up with what’s already been testified and just connected the dots. For instance, VP Pence had to know why his trip to Ukraine was cancelled. And, of course, Barr was in the loop. Tonight’s second interview with Parnas might be pretty revealing, also. How can GOP senators turn a blind eye to all this evidence unless they are willing participants in a cover up, and willing to obstruct justice?
13
I believed Parnas last night in the first half of his interview with Rachel Maddow. We need corroborating evidence to either prove or disprove his statements. If we had an honest AG and DOJ, we might get the investigation that we need, but with Barr in charge that will not happen. I am looking forward to the second part of the interview tonight. I certainly hope Mr. Parnas has some good security. Whether he is speaking truth or not, what he is saying about Trump and others in the administration could put him in danger. Isn't that a sad thing to say about how America works now?
25
Is Mr. Parnas really telling us anything that we don't already know? Trump is guilty. We all know it. There is not one piece of evidence that points to Trump's innocence. None, nada, zip. If the senate doesn't convict, it's because they decided to be part of the illegal cover-up to protect the illegal acts of the president. And what does that make them? Accomplices to his crimes.
27
Fox News and the GOP are already calling Parnas a "non credible witness".
Compared to Trump, all Trumps, Rudi, Barr, Ahearn, Hicks, Nunes, Pence (and his brother Greg), McConnell, Stone, Manafort, Kavanaugh, and their minions this claim is outweighed by the volume of memory challenged liars in the GOP power circle around the president. How do the Trump voters not see this as anti American?
House cleaning is urgently needed.
46
@poslug House cleaning is *not* urgently needed. Senate cleaning is.
Are there any Republicans, anywhere, who are sitting around saying "we've got to ditch this guy and figure out what comes next"? Lev Parnas paints a wholly coherent picture: I was especially struck that the first quid pro quo was Yovanovitch's ouster in return for Biden announcement. When that fell through, it was state visits and recognition for Biden announcement. The withholding of aid was a late addition by the President--one that finally broke the camel's back--Zelensky scheduled an announcement on CNN. And EVERYONE was in the loop, just as you'd expect. Just as we were told. The administration itself needs to be impeached and removed.
44
Mr Parnas has nothing to lose for speaking out. For the folks who continue to dismiss Trump's lawless behavior, and who want to bury what Mr Parnas and others have publicly stated or documented or testified under oath (as Ambassador Yanakovich did), why not try this exercise. Wherever the word "Trump" appears, insert "Obama" or "Clinton." Feel that disturbance, that outrage, that movement in your moral center? Do you get now how an elected official, sworn to defend the Constitution, used Congressionally allocated funds (your and my tax money) to manipulate figures in the government of a sovereign nation to the personal benefit of himself. Is your Republican Senate seat worth turning our government into e a rubber stamp legislature that exists to support a lawless executive? It is not just Trump who is ignorant and incompetent; it is stunning to realize how ignorant and incompetent our elected Senators are.
31
Nothing except his life.
There is no disputing that Parnas was working with / for Guiliani, and no disputing that Guiliani was working for Trump.
That seems like a chain of command.? Right?
If Parnas was not working for Trump & Guiliani, then who was Parnas working for and what was he trying to achieve?
A lot of things about Trump certainly involve some dodgy Russians, don't they? Is that at all worrying to the GOP?
23
I knew Trump was taking the fall.
I saw the movie again last night.
“The Maltese Falcon.”
Sam Spade (Humphrey Bogart): Well, if you get a good break, you'll be out of Tehachapi in 20 years and you can come back to me then.
Brigid O'Shaughnessy (Mary Astor): Don't, Sam. Don't say it even in fun. Ha, ha, ha. Oh, I was frightened for a minute. I really thought...You do such wild and unpredictable things.
Spade to Brigid : Don't be silly. You're taking the fall.
And now, with the able assistance of Lev Parnas, comes the fall of the The Great Trumpolini.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wPT49WXC0Zo&t=8s
4
If Parnas is telling the truth (and the indications are that he is), Trump, Pence and Barr should tender their resignations immediately.
23
While Parnas is singing like a canary here, I want to see Robert Hyde extradited to Ukraine and prosecuted, along with any of the local mobsters he was dealing with, in organizing illegal surveillance of U.S. Ambassador Yovanovitch. And I would like to hear an explanation from Secretary of State Pompeo what he knew of this and whether Trump and Giuliani were involved. This is not only disgraceful but chilling and certainly another impeachable crime.
17
Hyde is clearly someone who hangs around in bars. That’s where he & Parnas met. He was arrested & taken off the Doral golf course in Palm Beach last year.
President Trump has always acknowledged that Rudy Giuliani is working on his behalf. Giuliani has publicly stated many times that part of his mission to Kiev on Trump’s behalf is to prompt the Ukraine government to investigate Joe Biden’s and Hunter Biden’s dealings with Burisma.
In a May interview, Giuliani told the New York Times that, “We’re not meddling in an election, we’re meddling in an investigation, which we have a right to do.” In a May 9 article based on the interview, the Times reported: “Mr. Giuliani said he plans to travel to Kiev, the Ukrainian capital, in the coming days and wants to meet with the nation’s president-elect to urge him to pursue inquiries that allies of the White House contend could yield new information about two matters of intense interest to Mr. Trump. One is the origin of the special counsel’s investigation into Russia’s interference in the 2016 election. The other is the involvement of former Vice President Joseph R. Biden Jr.’s son in a gas company owned by a Ukrainian oligarch.”
Giuliani and his confederates are not federal employees. If digging up dirt about presidential candidates from foreign sources were illegal, Hillary Clinton and the Democratic National Committee leaders would be in jail for commissioning the Steele Dossier.
https://www.nytimes.com/2019/05/09/us/politics/giuliani-ukraine-trump.html
4
@William Case Once again, you are being totally dishonest and disingenuous. The Steele dossier was originally commissioned by anti-Trump Republicans and you know. Like all defenses of Trump, yours is based on a lie. Stop now
2
@Stevie Matthews
No. An anti-Trump Republican hired Fusion to conduct opposition research on Trump, but dropped out when rump became the nominee. Then Clinton and the DNC hired Fusion to continue the work. Fusion then assigned Christopher Steele to compile the dossier. This is not a matter of dispute. Clinton. and the DNC has admitted they commissioned the Steele Dossier.
Parnas is the gift that just keeps on giving. Two weeks ago he signaled that he wanted to talk. The judge on his case approved, and so Parnas spills the beans on impeachment day.
His timing was perfect.
Basically, the rancid stink out of the white house just got worse. If Parnas' claims are true, Trump is Vito Corleone and senate republicans are nothing more than equivalent criminals. The fact that the McConnell and many senators refuse to do their job underscores the deep penetration of the US government by organized crime.
I apologize to America for my misguided vote for Trump in 2016. I was grasping at straws held out by a con man who knew he couldn't return decent paying jobs to Michigan. Trump took advantage of hard working Americans at their most vulnerable moment. That was evil, but I'm not stupid and will not make the same mistake in Nov.
46
I hope the people of this country- Republicans, Democrats and Independents will vote against these GOP lawmakers who are up for reelection in November and show them that the very GOP base they are trying to please by standing beside the President are the ones voting them out for this gross incompetence.
12
Well, in fairness to trump he did keep his promise to clean out the swamp. Unfortunately he's turned it into a cesspool.
9
It wouldn't matter if Trump said, "Yeah, I did it. You KNOW I did it! After all, I asked the Russians and Chinese to interfere on national TV. But, chumps, err, I mean fellow Americans, I got my hear-no-evil, see-no-evil base and my soulless Senate that I keep in line with my lyin', illiterate tweets. To quote the great invertebrate, Mulvaney, get over it!"
22
I hope Mr. Tom Hicks and Mr. Joseph Ahearn are enjoying the day today. They probably thought their dirty tricks for Trump would stay quiet forever.
9
The shameless corruption of trump is staggering
Vote my friends.
Both this conman, trump and the equally morally bankrupt Mitch Mc Connell have to go.
24
Trump and his administration is so corrupt including Pence and Barr . They are all wrapped up in this crooked conspiracy yet nothing will move the needle on any of these Republicans who are now tasked, under oath, to find out the truth and to act to protect our country from this kind of corruption . It’s all so obvious and it falls perfectly in line with what we can imagine Trump would do .
The sad thing is that nobody is probably surprised with this, I’m certainly not , given that it’s so clear that Trump is inherently a liar and a cheat .
Maybe enough Americans in swing states will care enough to vote Trump out . But what’s Trump next line? I did it , and so what ?
Pathetic .
17
Through his weak, and demonstrably false lies, about who he discussed the "Ukraine Facade" with, and what he personally knew and orchestrated, trump continues to prostitute his character and authenticate his hyporcisy.
9
This needs to be a bigger story New York Times - at the top, bold letters. The first really first hand evidence about Trump and his cronies criminality in the Ukraine case.
27
If the arc of the universe bends toward justice, Trump and Giuliani will be hoisted with their own Parnas.
10
Trump is a criminal. Plain and simple.
Republicans too, if they don't do their sworn duty.
10
“Giuliani associate says Attorney General and Vice President aware of Trump’s plan to extort Ukraine for political dirt.”
There. I fixed the headline for you.
19
These “ developers” and “ consultant types”......
Probably the worse businesspeople to deal with.
Most behave w their vendors and employees and families like trump does. It’s got to be intrinsic to the personality type that loves to cheat and lie and jerk other people around through bullying and fear tactics.
IMHO.
Lev Parnas got duped. The latest junk had to be televised. If not then Parnas would be scapegoated by trump as the fall guy for the entire scheme.
The trial will not be respected by the freedom caucus trumpian senators. It’s a ratings game for MSM and Pelosi failed us as voters. Only Klobuchar is viable to be nominee. And worry about whether she can debate trump is mute. He will refuse. If he did go toe to toe with Amy he would melt. She is an “Adult Child of an Alcoholic “and she survived intact due to resilience and being the “parentized child “taking on dad’s addiction and mom’s need to enable his abuse of his family. She is way tougher than trump. ACOA are way intuitive and anticipatory of what’s ahead when in conflict with verbal diarrhea. Do not underestimate women. Especially women from middle class struggle to succeed. Trump had abusive caregivers and self centered absent parents. Amy did not. She knows she has weapons against him. So does he. Trump lately looks very afraid. I am so glad he is miserable when he wakes up daily. Wonder.....? Does he pray for the babies still caged at our border retention centers. ???
6
Ken Vogel pushed the trump admin's "Joe Biden and his son are dirty" Ukraine story as truth, here in these pages. He thereby assisted in their cover-up, wittingly or otherwise.
This story adds something to what we learned on Maddow. How much more does Vogel know that he's not telling us? How many goofs is a journo entitled to before they come clean and apologize?
3
If we, as a country, are so stupid as to let Trump get away with this, and actually vote him into power again...we fully deserve the consequences a second term of corruption, impulsive, chaotic behavior will inevitably bring. I keep hoping GOP base will open their eyes and demand better from their senators, but I too am losing hope.
8
@Alk true, but unfortunately those of us who are not part of that "we" will suffer the consequences as well.
4
This story sounds exactly like Michael Cohn's story. I suppose it is just a matter of time until Rudy Giuliani publicly bemoans his connection to Mr Trump.
4
Give it to the Republicans, no matter how many bullets they take from now countless smoking guns--they keep on coming.
6
Deny all you want Mr President, Senator McConnell, Republican Party…...
But
It becomes more and more apparent with each passing day the President and his Administration are not only corrupt but totally corrupt throughout…….It would seem the good, honest (?), patriotic (?) folk have already left on their own or have been fired…….
This Presidency, his administration are already, as we speak, seriously damaged goods……..
His Congressional supporters are fast becoming the same…….
These are all - to the person? - very bad, immoral, unethical people bent on creating an oligarchical regime……...
Pray "we the people" stop them all before they make our Constitution immaterial and destroy our democracy………...
7
I’m gonna be eating a lot of popcorn watching weaseling Republican Senators squirm as the undeniable truth is laid bare in the impeachment trial: the criminal-in-chief is GUILTY.
6
Trump is a proven liar. Funny how that doesn't seem to bother right wingers.
20
The brazenness of the criminality is what’s most striking here.
15
We must all now turn our eyes toward Susan Collins, whose reaction was "I'm perplexed..." I feel for you, Susan. Please resign.
22
Dear NYT. Perhaps I have not noticed it as much in the past. Today it was downright distracting. In the course of reading this article by scrolling on my iPad, SEVEN different banner type color advertisements popped in between paragraphs written in black on white background. This visual effect is a nuisance to the rhythm and focus of reading the article. We pay cash for our subscriptions. We understand there may be some commercialization of the online publication just as advertising always supports the print copy for 150 years. However, in a print form we would not have advertising inserted within the columns. When NYT or CNN posts a news video, there are not advertisements inserted a la YouTube mode. What’s next ? Surreptitious product placement or subliminal deep fake advertising ? This is improper for the reader’s sake to distract in this aggressive manner.
8
My entire Facebook feed last night was full of “Maddow!”....
Yet from the GOP nary a yawn.
5
Trump was all in, Pence all in, Barr all in. They all should be fired, even jailed.
11
As The Dude said, "Well, like that's your opinion man."
1
Parnas may be shady, but no one is as lying and thieving as the republican crook and his associates in our White House. Trump needs to be removed from office, plain and simple, or he’ll continue his mayhem and criminal destruction with even greater license to
ruin the foundations of our republic.
Make America Decent Again. Vote 2020.
10
Like Donald J. Trump, the other serial philanderer who married his first cousin and divorced his wife via a press con, Rudy Giuliani, is an enemy of the American people.
11
Our president in his working environment.....
7
Parnas is a shady character and the perfect guy for this job. Smarter than both Rudy and DJT, he kept the evidence, knowing he was working for the gang that couldn't shoot straight. (kind of surprising Putin hasn't had him killed) McConnell will again prove his complete and utter lack of patriotism. He is bad bad man in a position of great authority. In addition to the impeachment sham trial he will preside over in the useless Senate, he enables trump and pompeo to assassinate and bomb without authority, strategy or clear motivation.
19
This whole affair reminds me of a famous ancient philosophical principle. Epimenides the Cretan was reported to have said, “All Cretans are liars.”
Lev Parnas is a shady character. Even if he provides text messages that show that Giuliani told him that Trump was aware of all these activities, we know that Giuliani is a liar too. And 15,000 lies into his presidency, we know that Trump is a liar, and has been his entire life. Ditto for Hyde, Manafort, Cohen, Pompeo, Mulvaney, the whole gang. Untangling all the lies from this cabal is a Sisyphean task of self-referencing.
7
@ockham9 worst to me is that even if the lies are untangled the masses at trumps rallies don’t care at all. They know he lies, and cheats working people of their pay, and has sex with women while his wife is just post natal, etc etc And they don’t care. What does that say about the moral character of a good proportion of our country. A few senators today are prepared to swear on a bible that they will be neutral in this trial and yet they have already announced their decision. And their “Christian” supporters don’t seem to care.
9
What a tangled web that is now woven. A hoax? I think not. A witch hunt? I think not. Everyone is lying except Trump? I think not. Yet the spineless Republicans will still acquit Trump.
31
Spineless? Calling them names are we ?
No quid pro quo as nothing happened
Thought crimes are not a crime
2
@joe yo- incorrect. Plotting and planning a crime that goes awry and is not ultimately successful is in fact a crime that is prosecuted. It is not just a thought. See, eg, attempted murder. Conspiracy to [insert crime here].
9
Lev Parnas says President Trump knew what was going on.
What Mr. Parnas said is a top story in the media this morning.
When it’s major news that the President of the United States
knows what’s going on, you know we’re in trouble.
11
I am for the House impeachment process but I fear that actual removal in the Senate will tear this country apart. It doesn’t matter how damning the evidence. For the well-being of the country removal needs to happen at the ballot box. I kinda hope the cowardly Republicans actually do nothing.
3
@Larry,
The “remove him at the ballot box” argument is invalid when the President is using his vast powers to cheat in the upcoming election.
10
Now I get it. McConnell doesn’t want a trial because the RNC potentially implicated through Mr. Hicks, co-chair of the RNC, and America First Actions’ Joseph Ahearn...Things are smelling more rotten than ever.
26
The collapse of any democratic legality in the United States of America: the representation of the President of the USA is not a public chair or public charge, or a public office, but a private desire or interest, or buisness, or crime. Ali Fayad
1
Are there no decent Republicans left? By now it seems that all honest Republicans have left the Republican Party. Only the rats have stayed on board. The GOP is now truly a criminal enterprise with Trump as its leader.
22
@Mary
To answer question.
No, there are no decent Republicans left. If there ever were any, they all left a long time ago.
Gingrich and his cronies, Cheney and his cabal, and the Tea Party all purged the GOP, taking it down an ever more rightward path to what is now an authoritarian regime based on fundamentalist Christian intolerance.
The GOP is now controlled by very rich and powerful oligarchs who have bought and harnessed the votes of old white middle and working class religious people, with promises of a Christian Right intolerant religious social agenda, with white supremacy in exchange for the Oligarchs having free rein at the Treasury.
The GOP deal is the oligarchs get the cash, the rank and file get to keep the non whites "in their place"
3
Mr. Parnas might literally be betting his life on this.
Trump and his ilk, including his Master Putin, are nothing more than a bunch of gangsters and they often take care of people in "mysterious" ways.
11
@mjbarr
Oh please. We heard the same thing about the Clintons about mysterious deaths. It wasn't true then and it isn't true now. That's comic book mentality.
The eight high-ranking Russians murdered in just a few weeks after the Steele dossier was disclosed would likely disagree with you - if only they could.
1
It appears now that Mueller’s investigation was cut very short by Barr. Barr was implicated in the Zelensky phone call, has traveled around the world “investigating the investigators”, buried the whistleblower report, has his son-in-law working in the WH with Trump, and his daughter in FinCEN, has not lifted a finger to investigate the reports of state department surveillances in Ukraine, consistently backs Trump on every lie Trump tells and now has been named by Trump’s employee, Parnas, as being a co-conspirator in the Ukraine shakedown. The New York Bar association wrote a formal letter to Congress asking them to investigate Barr and asked him to resign. He should resign immediately. He is involved in this mess and has no place in any position representing US citizens.
48
It appears that the source for Parnas being a “proven liar” is Rudy Giuliani. The mind boggles.
20
That loud sonic boom just heard was the report from my friend and his neighbor’s collective minds (in the Republican rich bastion of Lebanon, Ohio) exploding after hearing Mr. Parnas speak the unfiltered truth about their god-like idol’s criminal activity.
22
Parnas should testify under oath. Guiliani should testify under oath. Pence, Boltan, Mulvaney.....all should be heard under oath.
We deserve to hear what our President has been doing.
39
There was a brief moment before the scourge when outrage presided over the election of this president, remember? The bus where Billy Bush laughed about attacking women? The polls dropped, the election seemed sure to go to Hillary.
And then what happened?
The FBI confiscated Anthony Weiner's laptop and then soon announced he was in correspondence with a fifteen year old. This implicated or suggested an immoral connection between Weiner and his wife. And because she worked for Hillary we got these creatures who inhabit our Oval Office, and the lies and smears of authoritarian regime march us to war with Iraq and Pence's Rapture.
4
This episode and the key players involved remind me of the Greek myth about Hercules cleaning the refuse and stench emanating from the Augean Stables. In this case, Maddow is our Hercules, Trump is King Augeas, the White House clearly represents the Stables, the numerous bit players leaving their droppings are the 3000 cattle, and the two cleansing rivers are our Free Press and the Truth.
4
If Trump gets away with it after his partner in crime ratted him out, then the system of justice is flawed in America. Obama would’ve been impeached already.
13
Rudy says Parnas is “a proven liar”....another thing Rudy’s clients have in common... that plus they all get charged with crimes after following Rudy’s legal advice.
Let’s hope that jail birds of a feather get locked up together.
10
This is in fact a bombshell! However, has anyone read the headlines over at fox news..? Unbelievable.
5
Can the GOP Senate still defend Trump with a straight face, or will it put country ahead if a corrupt ruffian.
14
Retweets and right-wing internet articles do not make a scandal. I read this whole article to see if there was anything of substance. Waste of time. Call me when there is a real scandal - I have to go organize my sock drawer now.
You might want to remove your blindfold before you start rearranging socks.
15
A wide reaching conspiracy that includes using federal funds to
extort a foreign government to investigate a political rival isn't a scandal. Do you work for Putin?
13
I feel like this administration is a bad soap opera. We knew Trump was a crook yet the Electoral College put him in office. I say get rid of him and Pence. Give the presidency to Pelosi. We will have some semblance of humanity and honesty back in. I wish Obama could run again. I slept better when he was president. These days not so much. A deplorable way to live.
25
From your lips to the senates’ ears.
Throw the bums out.
5
For religious zealots, the ends justify the means. The evangelicals and far right conservative Catholics believe progressives are destroying the country. Thus explains the otherwise inexplicable actions of Barr, Muivaney, Pence, Pompeo, etc. Trump is their “imperfect vessel.”
18
A rat, caught in a trap will chew off its own foot to escape.
4
I'm glad Parnas is doing this and impressed with his evidence. I still think he's a lowlife simply cashing in on more limelight than he had kissing up to Trump, but when others see this - maybe including some GOP Senators, they also bail and provide evidence.
3
Pence, Barr, Pompeo, Nunes, are all accused by Parnas and the evidence. How corrupt are the Republican Senators? It may be just a matter of time before evidence will be presented that accuses them all. As in every autocratic take over of a democracy, mass incarcerations, torture, show trials, disappearances, and martial law are the recourse of those guilty of subverting democracy. They have no choice, as evidence convicts them all. “It can’t happen here” has become it is happening here.
What will Trump do next to seize our attention and misdirect us from his sordid criminality? Attacking Iran worked,,,for 5 minutes and crumbled in a stinking heap of lies. Will it be terrorism, a war? As long as he has the power in the White House the world is at risk. The 25 Amendment exists to protect us from a sick, disabled, mentally ill president. Can it be applied if the president is a dangerous criminal with no history of moral or ethical behavior?
12
My sister and I watched L.Parnas on the Rachel Maddow program. We have been waiting for someone to articulate what we believed all along. This is no surprise to us. Anyone who listens, reads and watches the pundits cannot be surprised. Trump let us know from the get go just what kind of person he is. Imnsho, he is lawless, classless and characterless. Our President. What a disgrace.
Let's get ready for the denials, the smear campaigns and the diversions. Thankfully, Parnas has information/photos to back up this information.
I'm ready to say goodbye to Trump, Pence, Barr, Guiliani, McCarthy, and Nunes for starters. Will McConnell, Graham, Cruz etal still refuse to listen? Let's see how our democracy shakes out.
23
I have forced myself to read the Mueller Report and forced myself to listen to the House Tribunals and the steady parade of people offer opinions about events that they did not participate in.
At this stage, I am convinced that it was entirely LEGAL for Trump to pressure a foreign government to do his(as leader of the USA) bidding. Pressuring foreign governments is what USA Foreign Policy is all about.
To for Trump to resign.....is to condemn the behavior of the entire US Govt. Past Presidents have twisted the arms of other Foreign Countries far more severely than President Trump. Joe Biden is now famous for a threat to the very same Ukranians unless a certain investigation was stopped.
AND...Joe Biden's behavior is extremely Relevant to the current Impeachment, despite all the poo-pooing in the PRess Corps.
It is NOT illegal to dig up dirt on your opponent. Hillary Clinton is now famous for her purchase of "Dirt" from a ridiculous Russian Dossier produced by a Rogue British Spy!
As for obstruction of Congress?? Congress obstructs itself. It has not accomplished one single positive thing for the USA in over 30 years. President Trump instructed his staff to NOT testify unless a Federal Court ordered them to do so.......thats actually following the Rule of Law.......it is not as Congress haughtily calls it....Obstruction of Congress.
Dear GOP Senators: Publish or Perish.
2
Revelations that William Barr was involved (Trump even told
the new Ukrainian President to speak to Barr) means that our Attorney General is the US equivalent to the corrupt prosecutor that all Western leaders insisted must be removed back in 2014.
Wow...just wow.
23
This story should be higher up - maybe on top!
9
Predictably, Republican excuses for this document dump range from, “It’s too late. It should have been done in the House”, to “Nothing to see here. Trump didn’t even know Parnas.” That being said, there is reason to exercise extreme caution in relation to anything coming from Lev Parnas. This whole miserable fiasco has been carried out by two-bit thugs, pining after the professional ones like Putin, using movie-level mob language and tactics, and Three Stooges schtick.
But he thought he was a Patriot!
Ditto. Google “Fawn Hall & Oliver North.”
Just following orders.
4
I just spent an hour looking over the Twitter postings and various articles about Congressional candidate Hyde. The number of photographs of him fraternizing with Trump as well as with Giuliani and crew is astonishing.
A former landscape company proprietor unable to keep up with child support, and given to vulgar and erratic outbursts in a Trumpian vein kicked up several notches, he was a fixture at Mar-A-Lago (and not as a groundskeeper). Mme. Meriwether Post must be having apoplexy in the afterlife.
When this is all over I think what will linger is not how Trump got away with it, but how every norm – – including avoiding your basic beery buffoon – – fell during Trumpocracy. Our nation has in charge a man who hangs with guys who send goon squads after Ambassadors.
I think the sheer incompetence and indignity of it all is what bugs me the most. I mean, it’s one thing to lose America to criminals, but, speaking as a native New Yorker, I’m insulted that Trump’s lackeys wouldn’t have made numbers runners for Gambino.
17
It is very important to note that Parnas has stated on national TV that both President Trump and Vice President Pence abused their powers.
Both of these servants of Vladimir Putin must be removed from office.
10
The criminality of Trump and his cronies, including the Attorney General!, is breathtaking. They need to be locked up for the rest of their lives.
8
Seems like the Trump hotel is a hotbed of organized crime wannabes and elected officials willing to do anything to maintain power- all spending lots of money to access power. The Trump administration is a corrupt grift on so many levels all enabled by good people who want change and still support this corrupt leader.
4
News reports that ran around the time of Mr. Parnas’ arrest showed him to be a Trumpbuddy wanna-be, a guy with money who hoped to buy his way into the in-crowd. Thus, despite having qualms about his veracity and motives, I find it entirely plausible and in character that he would leap at the chance to be Rudy’s errand boy, believing that his actions would bring him closer to Trump.
Why has he turned on the very men he wanted so desperately to accept him as a peer? Well you would too if you felt betrayed and were under indictment. And maybe, just maybe, he figures if he dumps the dirt now, he’s buying some life insurance, along with his 15 minutes of fame.
2
Donald is going to go through some things.
42
@Paul G. McGlasson
The hand ringing & head shaking, enough already. Trump & his cronies are hardened criminals. They are not above the law & never will be. This interview could be the real fall of their house of cards. Perhaps. Everything takes time. Once this modern day “Morton Downey, Jr” show is over, all those disciples of “Trumpism” will crawl back into their holes. (See Robert Hyde) Absolutely nothing lasts forever.
7
What does it mean when Mr. Giuliani says that Mr. Parnas is a “proven liar”? Yet another one! How does poor Mr. Giuliani wind up associating with so many immoral characters? Poor Mr. Trump, always surrounded by disloyal criminal types when he’s all about others’ welfare first; it’s never about his him, right? Senators, it’s time to end this corrupt racket. And shame on you if you don’t!
13
These people are so incredibly course and without a moral compass. A win-at-all-costs mentality has spoiled their thought processes. This attitude destroys those who wield it when in service to the highest of causes; imagine how these people are destroyed as they serve the most worthless president in this nation's history. I marvel every day at how far we have fallen as a country. At least we use to pay lip service to the ideals in our constitution.
3
Here’s your problem Mitch....you’re going to acquit then the bad stuff is really going to come out and you’re all going to be in a lot of trouble.
11
Everyone involved in this corrupt scheme except Dangerous Donald will pay a heavy price, with the potential for years of incarceration. Sadly, aided and abetted by the Republican terrorists in the Senate, King Donald will skate through all of this unscathed and go on to re-election in November. After that, he’ll pull a Putin move and find a way to remain president for life. After the King finally dies, his criminal and disgusting son, Don Jr., will assume the crown and carry the family dynasty into the 2030s.
If you think I’m crazy, ask yourself whether you ever thought what we are witnessing now could have happened.
3
We are slowly learning that the entire Republican Party is evolving into a criminal enterprise to keep control of the country in the hands of the rich, white oligarchs who finance their campaigns and support them with the soft power of the big business lobby.
9
What is clear is that everyone in the Trump orbit is dirty, including the conservative news outlets that are just another corrupt arm of the crime family. And let’s not forget the consigliere, Bill Barr. Remember all those years ago, when Hillary said, “vast right-wing conspiracy”? Doesn’t seem so crazy now, does it?
11
“I thought I was working for the president.”
You were working for a guy/ group who already stole the presidency once (with the aid of a foreign power)
and would lime to do it again.
There is no honor among thieves, as you know or are learning.
4
Another corrupt official not mentioned here is AG Barr. He is surely in the know. Not only should he be impeached, he should spend some time in prison and for more than just the Ukraine scandal.
5
"Proven liar." Rudy said, with no sense of irony vis a vis, his boss.
10
That was an astounding interview. Had it occurred in any other Presidency, all the wheels would be off by know and the mere thought of Trump running for reelection would have been unthinkable.
As it is to the majority of voters.
34
Yet another participant providing opinion rather than objective fact. “I am betting ...that Trump knew exactly everything ...”. I’m not saying there is not a true problem here with all actual pressure and implied threats, but we cannot run a world where opinions and second hand statements become the basis for convictions on serious crimes. I do think there is a threshold of evidence needed for the severity of a crime and that level is problematic in itself.
@Ace:
Trump is blocking testimony of all witnesses and refusing to turn over documents. If you really care about not being lied to, that should bother you.
10
Then you should be outraged that the White House has not allowed any of the witnesses to testify. Also, our legal system allows for this type of evidence when direct witnesses can not be produced.
10
@Ace So, you are saying everybody with first hand knowledge should be testifying, right? Because if you do not, that means any person suspected of a crime could just make sure there are NO witnesses left alive.
8
It was a perfect call, Trump says?
No, it was a near-perfect, can't-pin-down-mob-talk conspiracy. Not perfect, because Zelensky came close but ultimately did not deliver the "public box" statement about Biden that Trump and Giuliani were trying to engineer, and because the plot was discovered.
But unfortunately, accountability is now in the hands of the Republicans in the United States Senate, who are now full-bore co-conspirators. That it now sounds as though Ambassador Yovanovitch might have been in danger of assassination, with the United States Senate Republican cohort willing to ignore that, is astounding.
13
This is all occurring because trump has the power to pardon everyone that Parnas has implicated. One day the Supreme Court will be faced with deciding whether trumps pardons were legitimate.
5
If new evidence of Trump's abuse of power and obstruction of justice emerges and GOP senators refuse to consider it, Congress has a duty to draft new articles of impeachment, triggering a second trial. We cannot and must not allow our country to drift into dictatorship.
15
The facts are pretty clear.
Trump committed a felony, conspiracy to commit a felony, and a cover up of these acts. While he was the potus. About this, there is no reasonable doubt.
The only question now is: will it matter?
13
The fact that nothing will happen shows how the Republican party has become a cult of grifters who hate government, but want to use it to hold on to power and line their own pockets and those of the oligarchs who fund their campaigns. They clearly have no real concern for the wishes of their constituents who are hoodwinked into voting them into office. I suspect if they steal the election with the help of Putin's trolls you will see massive gutting of social programs. Trump voters...be careful of what you wish for.
13
Trump team, starting with the top man down the pile of subordinates, is nothing to be proud of and the least patriotic group ever to rule in Washington.
3
For over half a century, from Wall Street to the White House American has been in the hands of criminals . They make a very good living by skirting laws, the Constitution and the American People. Trump will remain in office. But he and all the Senators that cover for him belong in jail.
BTW - Giuliani has always been this way. Anyone who thinks differently want paying attention when he first came to light.
3
President Pence will pardon everyone, prior to his own impeachment and removal from office by a Democratic Senate.
President Warren will not pardon Mike Pence.
4
On one side, there are a lot of fact witnesses whose accounts all match with reality and corroborate each other quite closely. On the other, there's a lot of angry shouting but no fact witnesses and precious little facts other than the cry, "Ya'll just hate the president!"
Well, it's true. We hate criminal liars who slander and attack the United States constantly. We hate having a Russian stooge in office. We resent his wholesale destruction of the State department, the decimation and abandonment of scientists and science, the attacks on the interior and the environment, the tax giveaways to the wealthy few, the self-dealing, the slander and attacks on anyone and anything that doesn't bow down to him as to a king. We even hate the destruction of the Republican party, even though it isn't our party. All resemblance to the party of Lincoln has vanished. What remains is a cult of personality.
Lev Parnus is the umpteenth person to come forward and attest to Donald Trump's wrongdoing. Yet somehow, Trumpists are still shouting that the emperor's new clothes are awesome, and the rest of us are dupes to facts and the evidence of our own eyes and ears.
There are none so blind as those who refuse to see.
45
This notion that Trump is unawares of the machinations of his horde of minions is absurd! He's never operated that way, and he's too set in his ways, and dare I say stupid, to have started now! Its been woefully obvious for 3 years, that he refuses to evolve and get more clever, so he is as he's always been; In the know.
He's a control-bully. Because he believes he's the smartest person in any room, even if he's not in it, he needs to have input, needs to know how his bigly-Plans are unfolding. All roads lead to DJT! Always!
Rudy tells him everything. His sons tell and told him everything about their Russian entanglements. Ivanka tells him about her foreign entanglements. The Kush. All the Kids do, because they are always now and forever beholden to Daddy! Or Mr President, or whatever title he insists they call him by.
Of course Trump knew about what Parnas and his cohorts were doing.
Trump only plays at being a big time, Mob-like boss. But he doesn't have the true skills of a real one, because he only adopted the characteristics of one. But even then, those guys always fail, because once they fall under constant scrutiny and investigation by smarter parties, some with agendas, but mostly those with real ethics and respect for their Oaths of office - work their real magic and eventually dismantle the artifice of Power.
All roads lead to DJT. He knows it all! He has to, his ego insists he knows it all. There is no happiness unless he knows the details of the scams.
16
Ah...birds of a feather.
To believe Les Parnas over DJT is not a stretch - given the tens of thousands of well-documented lies publicly uttered by DJT.
8
It would be one thing if Parnas was the only one to have made these accusations about Trump, Pence, and Barr. But he is not. Gordan Sondland's account is of the same thread. Every single witness in the house impeachment hearing gave their accounts of the shake down, and all the pieces fit together. Now we have heard from the man who was doing the actual dirty work of the shake down. I believe Parnas. We know why he was in Ukraine and that Trump was fully aware of and orchestrating all of it. It isn't rocket science if you have been paying attention.
This whole WH needs to be removed. Corrupt to the bone.
I don't have much faith however that the Republicans will do what's right for the country. But here is thier chance.
16
This latest information is as damming as the video showing the two Russian made proximity triggered missiles, fired by the Iranian military, destroying the Ukrainian passenger aircraft with 176 souls aboard, killing all including men, women, and children, an act which while Iran bears partial responsibility, the initial and triggering responsibility rests entirely in Trumps hands; he set in play, beginning with the withdrawal from the nuclear treaty, and the assassination of the Iranian General, the events that killed these innocents.
Trump is every bit as responsible for his actions as any other mass murderer.
8
Zelensky was overwhelmingly elected as the anti-corruption candidate. While trying to clean up his own government, he faced immense pressure to engage in a massively corrupt scheme by the President of the US and his henchmen.
Every American should be outraged.
10
Where is the NSA intelligence function?
Surely some calls where intercepted .
4
The Republican coverup is astounding. They were complicit in the crimes (Nunes, Barr, etc), and McConnell and lame Senators like Susan Collins will enable a sham of a "trial" and secure a cover-up for Trump, Pence, Barr and other Republicans. A very sad and dangerous time for our democracy,
Call your Senators ( (202) 224-3121) and demand a full trial with multiple witnesses and documentary evidence.
[(202) 224-3121 is the Senate switchboard]
8
Now the ball is in Mitch McConnell's court. How he proceeds will be both fascinating and consequential. Does he have the best interests of America in mind? Or will he continue to play partisan politics and protect President Trump from the fallout?
7
The next time trump or Rudy says or does what one would expect of those innocent of serious crimes will be the first. Will the tonnage of evidence, despite obstruction and coverups, lead the GOP to put country before party? Sadly, I fear the answer is no.
7
The president is the accused.
The Senators are the representatives of the people.
Not some of the people, all the people.
So, the republicans represent the democrats in their districts, just like the democrats represent the republicans, in their districts, in the Senate, right?
Shouldn’t that automatically mean that the Senate should (in doing their jobs, would HAVE TO) conform to the majority of the people? Meaning, if the majority want him removed, he should be removed, and if not, then leave him in office?
That way, no one could say ANY BODY was “trying to undo the last election”. That would simply be continuing “the will of the people”. As well, it would set the precedent that, the will of the people has be followed. As if such a precedent HAS to be set. Apparently.
To be fair and honest, I have ZERO clue just what the country, as a whole, does want. I DO know that Trumps approval rating, has never reached 50%, according to ALL reports and THAT may be a clue, but does the majority want him removed from office?
I do, because he passed top secret intelligence to the Russians, on May 10, 2017. Sure, he retroactively declassified the intel, but if a president can retroactively declassify top secret intelligence, surely he can just as easily retroactively repeal any law that he may have broken.
Just one mans opinion...
6
Everything fits. Is it any wonder why Trump did a roll call yesterday thanking all of "his" Senate. "A people that elect corrupt politicians, imposters, thieves, and traitors are not victims but accomplices". George Orwell. Seems like Devin Nunes, McConnell, etc. seem to "fit" the bill.
Thank you Ms. Pelosi. A profile in determination and courage to save our Constitution.
54
I can't recall a time in my lifetime, except the Iraq war justifications, where our leaders stone cold lied to the American public like Trump is doing on this issue. I get it that the Republican machine wants to keep their hands in the US Treasury and fatten their own pockets, but is that really all that matters? What is defensible about Trump's consistent and perpetual lies?
38
@Michael Katz
Actually, Reagan did it too.
1
It is the courts. Republicans frantically working to get as many Federalist judges packed onto the courts as possible. That is the long game. The decisions passed down from those lifetime appointees will last for generations.
The Republicans who stick with Trump are not so much cowardly as they are avaricious , with no principle except economic security. Their seat gives them access to the political world which can be played as lobbyists even after leaving Congress. Their desires are very much in tune with Trump's. Meanwhile they get the judges they want, the big tax cut for their donors. and keeping the lower class in their place. Not out of respect for Trump do they support him, but out of knowing on which side their bread is buttered.
12
“When asked by The Times how he knew that Mr. Trump was aware of the pressure campaign, he said that Mr. Giuliani assured him that was the case.”
One word: Hearsay.
If that is all he has to offer, Trump needn’t worry.
1
@Ellen Directions from Trump's personal lawyer and conversations with the Ahearn who is not the co-chair of the Republican National Committee seem like a bit more than "hearsay".
6
If America weren’t so divided, uninformed, and blinded by the effective con-artist we have as president, this would be a slam dunk impeachment/removal.
29
We watched the Rachel Maddow interview tonight. Later, drifting off to sleep I said “It’s so horrible that even with all this, NOTHING is going to happen to Trump. The Republicans will do nothing.”
How has this come to pass? A criminal, mentally unbalanced, grifter runs our country with the support of an entire political party. Trump loses few supporters from his rabidly adoring, base. We are stuck with this man for almost another year and he may have taken us to war by then. The nation is polarized. Another four years is unthinkable.
All this affects the quality of people’s lives. Many of us take horror, disbelief and fear into our sleep state and wake up with the same feelings. We live in terrible times.
2071
@Kathryn
Yes, Trump's gross misconduct is directly responsible for a lot of the anxiety & depression afflicting patients I see. Nightmares interrupt their sleep, in a manner uncannily reminiscent of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. Fear & hopelessness torture them while awake.
Indeed, the reign of Trump has been one nonstop nightmare for the nation & the world. I try my best to treat my patients' symptoms, with some success. Still, it would help if the voters in November join my effort, since GOP senators seem determined to aid & abet the man who, via his own mental illness, continues to drag down the mental health of countless millions.
402
Perfectly stated. You speak for millions of us.
262
@Kathryn As a Canadian, I am saddened by the state of affairs in your government. It is unbelievable how he escapes justice time after time. 176 lives, many Canadians, are gone as a result of his ignorance and sociopathic behaviour. I never thought that a proud and decent country could sink so low and so quickly. Make America decent again!
414
He's not betting his whole life. He's giving an interview. His opinion is just that. Democrats need a smoking gun. What they have after their profound disappointment with the Mueller report is the charge that the President wanted to have the Ukrainians investigate whether the regime in Ukraine was corrupt or not and whether a former vice-President and his son knew about that before releasing 300 million to that regime. The House could have taken care of that with dispatch: Call Hunter and Joe Biden to the stand. They didn't. Why? The division in this country has brought us to a precipice. We had better step back and allow our electoral process to settle the matter. It has served us well for a long time.
2
This interview with Lev Parnas is not Lev giving “ his opinion” !
To continue willfully ignoring FACTS is a behavior that is threatening the democratic process !
8
Do you really expect us to believe that the guy behind Trump University is genuinely concerned about corruption? And if he actually was concerned, there's ways for the president to address the issue - offering up your personal lawyer and attorney general to chase conspiracy theories around the world isn't one of them. The President simply can't interject himself into investigations in what's supposed to be an independent process.
It's obvious the president wants to use the intelligence community as his own political weapon and you're OK with that?
8
@Bonnie Huggins I think his main motive very possibly was to discover if Biden and his son are corrupt and if he sends an emissary ( Rudy) to search for it I have no problem with that. This is not a conspiracy theory. I make no charges about the Biden's but I think it's reasonable to investigate both when Hunter was paid an obscene amount of money by a corrupt company and discussed it with his father. Hunter said, and I quote: " He only said he hoped I knew what I was doing". He was not under oath. There should be witnesses for both sides and both Bidens should give testimony under oath. Don't bet on any witnesses. Both sides want to protect their own.
Parnas's regrets about Trump sounds eerily like Michael Cohen, Trump's now disgraced lawyer. It is completely consistent with Trump's modus operandi - get acolytes to do his dirty work. Then they wake up to realize that they were disavowed by Trump and left hanging out to dry. If they are lucky, they save their reputations by resigning like Nikki Haley or John Bolton before the dirt hits the fan.
Trump may think he has the Midas touch, but in truth, he is toxic and radioactive and people need to be very wary, especially voters in November 2020.
25
Here is where Trump made his mistake with Parnas. When Parnas was first implicated, Trump said, I don't know him. Saying 'I don't know him' about someone you have worked closely with and who is loyal to you is not only a tremendous insult, it is a dead give away that he is about to be thrown under the bus. Parnas has reacted in self-defense.
Giuliani claims that Parnas is a liar. Trump lies constantly to everyone and about everything. Giuliani lies constantly about everything remotely related to Trump and his involvement with Trump. Giuliani is under criminal investigation and may soon be indicted.
If Giuliani is not a coconspirator here, then he should be able to produce documents and testimony that clears him. He cannot so he attacks the credibility of Parnas.
If Giuliani goes down, then Trump goes down because Giuliani, by his own repeated admission, operates as an extension of Trump. For all intents and purposes, Giuliani is Trump. Everything he has done has been done at he direction and benefit of Trump. That's what put Michael Cohen in jail.
Parnas has documentation that weaves all of this together. It implicates more people who should testify. The web of criminality is growing. The conspiracy is unraveling.
It's time for the courts to issue indictments. The House should open a new investigation into this expanding sphere of corruption. The Republicans investigated Hillary for decades, all based on nothing. This is a lot of something.
48
@Bruce Rozenblit I love your comments Bruce and I agree wholeheartedly. The house needs to investigate this because we know the Republican senate will not.
The Trump criminal syndicate is imploding.
7
@Bruce Rozenblit
I agree, if the Senate wiggles out, more charges can easily be pursued, since the lies, corruption, and harmful actions stretch from sea to shining sea and beyond.
1
I’ve seen commenters here reminding readers of what is “essential” to remember.
Well, here’s my “essential” point: none of this would be happening if we had a true democracy, in which the person with the most votes wins the presidency.
People, wake up. The Electoral College system is your enemy. Protest to abolish it. Speak out. March in the streets. Focus on the real enemy. If you don’t, Trump will be followed by another person just as evil.
22
Every Republican Senator within a 20 point margin during an election this year should be stuttering with fear.
9
Watch closely for the upcoming arrest of Rudi Giuliani. That will be a turning point in this sad farce, and will allow the hapless Rep. senators to convince trump to go away.
15
Trump will just claim he hardly knows Giuliani—and his supporters will nod in assent.
5
Drip, drip, drip. Another day another shoe drops. This should be the tipping point. Now all see why the GOP wants a swift denial and to move on. No witnesses and no documents is like no school and no test....what are we learning? I guess if the crime is so elaborate and complicated that at least 30% won't believe the eyes and ears that they have. Nothing to see here....move along. Swamp draining is messy!
5
“This should be the tipping point”
I have been saying that every day since the election of our Commander in Chief. There is a “tipping point “ every minute with this convicted felon.
2
A new witness with more dirt on Trump coming forward at the 11th hour with just the right information at just the right time for the Democrats. How convenient!.
I'm starting to get a picture and a bad feeling about what will happen next... My vision of the history is that Trump took money from the Russian mob to boost his bankrupted business. They needed favors as payback and Putin saw a stooge to cause trouble with the Nato partners, he was working on Brexit at the same time for the same reasons. With phase one of the plan completed, Putin seeks to consolidate his power and become the grand poobaa of the world. He doesn't need Trump anymore so to cause the ultimate disruption he will turn on Trump one way or the other (jail or other) to cause the ultimate fracture/instability between the right and left in this country. Trump should sing and sing like a bird at this point, and make sure it's the truth.
6
@Missy
word on the street back in the 90's was....where is he getting his money now that NY and NJ won't allow a 7th bankruptcy.
3
does it ring true? like a bell.
9
any other presidency would be over. not this one.
9
You can question the Integrity of Parnas’ testimony. But it is backed up by contemporaneous writings, emails and documents which bolster his credibility. Those who say he’s a convicted felon and his testimony should not be trusted ignore them the boost to his veracity those writings provide. He is credible despite his checkered past.
11
What is shocking is that nothing he said was shocking. Knowing what we know about Trump, Barr, Nunez, et al, it all fits and fill in so many gaps. Can this entire criminal gang be imprisoned?
16
The corpse is dead on Fifth Avenue and the murderer has congressional supported immunity. What has happened to this country?
16
This is what McConnell and Trump feared would happen if Pelosi delayed the articles. The constant drip will only grow. What Trump is going to do is take the Republican party right down the rabbit hole of his corruption with him and destroy their reputation with the generation just coming of age right now for decades.
14
The world's biggest ever pathological liar and criminal scheme designer in D.J. Trump cannot begin tweeting his lies around dawn, that Parnas's claims on Rachel Maddow's show are false, with them further exposing and implicating him and his so called lawyer Giuliani.
Parnas affirmed the similar testimony of those during the House impeachment trial which resulted in Trump's impeachment. That despite having no possession for up to months of any related documents, and his own communication devices recently turned over to House Democrats; of which they revealed Tuesday some additional incriminating evidence of both Trump and Giuliani on Trump's bribery plot involving Ukraine.
Other reasons for why Parnas displayed himself as being credible to Rachel, include that he exposed both Pence and Barr as being part of Trump's team on his Ukraine
scandal. In addition, Parnas was both a client of Giuliani, and also worked for him; while Rudy was an agent of Trump's deployed to Ukraine in being "a hand grenade" to pull off his Quid Pro Quo "drug deal."
In working in effect on Trump's behalf, Parnas said his main objective was to have Zelensky announce that investigation of the Bidens (for Trump's political and personal gain); and not about Ukraine corruption as Trump had falsely claimed, in being the first one on Earth needing to be investigated for his own corruption.
6
I fear there is no going back from this precedent if the spineless, moral corrupt, Fox propaganda cult Republicans don't give Trump the boot he has long deserved. Even voting him out in 2020 may now not be enough to restore what little dignity we had.
9
Evil. We cannot underestimate the lengths to which Trump and his cronies will go to get Trump reelected. This is all so much worse than what Nixon did.
10
Lev Parnas’ revelations are jaw dropping and incriminating against the President. Rachel Maddow did a televised interview with Parnas yesterday where Parnas said everyone was in-the-know, including Vice President Pence and AG Bill Barr.
The whole scandal is unraveling fast. Parnas’ revelations have the potential to take out this whole administration.
If the senate fails to call witnesses as part of the impeachment trial then you know the GOP are covering up. Nunes is up to his ears in the scandal. I would like to know how deep McConnell and Graham are involved. They should not be allowed to sit as jurors after their public proclamations that they will work with the administration in Trump’s defense.
Though Parnas is a dubious character, watching him in Maddow’s TV interview, he seemed for the most part believable. The only part he was questionable on was his explanation of Hyde in the Yavanovich scandal. I think there is more there.
10
First Stormy Daniels (and her child) was threatened by campaigner Trump's henchmen, now Marie Yovanavitch is threatened by President Trump's henchmen.
Who else will be physically threatened when Trump becomes king? Which other "proven liar" will he pay by check?
7
I am in my seventh decade and predict that history will look back at the impending acquittal of President Trump as a turning point for the Republican Party.
It will be the beginning of the end of the Party of Lincoln when it reached its apex as the Party of Trump.
Its downfall will not be the sham of a trial and the vote. That is but a minor matter.
Its downfall will be its aftermath as its emboldened, reckless, ignorant, and narcissistic leader completes his destruction of the moral foundations of our country.
7
You are who you surround yourself with. This is damming for both Trump and the Republican party. What a sorry bunch of wanna be gangsters, it’s also a tacit admission that without Putin’s help Trump and the Republicans know his electoral college win would never have happened, why else go down this road?
6
I would suggest a thought experiment around the idea of "proven liars", but hey, we're all grown up people - I wouldn't want to insult anyone's intelligence . . .
How deep into the sand will the republican congresspersons bury their heads so as not to face the truth staring them in the face. Drip, drip, drip, the truth keeps coming out but just as the truth about much else in our society this will likely be ignored.
3
Trump probably knew everything, and so what? Trump's level of knowledge of the details is irrelevant. Biden's son got a crooked deal from a Ukrainian gas company which created a massive family conflict of interest with his dad, Obama's point man for Ukraine. The idea that Trump should be removed from office for seeking to have (possible) corruption investigated is laughable.
@JB on that note how about Ivanka getting trademarks in China after having dinner with the leader of China or her husband family business getting a big loan from Saudi Arabia?
How do you know it was crooked deal? Have you any proof?
4
@JB
Trump had no interest in investigating corruption in Ukraine or anywhere else. He has never tried to fight corruption in Russia, Saudi Arabia, or North Korea, which are 3 of the most corrupt countries on the face of the earth. The only thing he told Ukraine's leaders to do was to dig up dirt to harm Biden, even if it had to be made up from whole cloth.
The idea that Trump could even claim to have one iota of interest in fighting corruption is itself laughable, & no one believes it unless they are willfully ignorant of the facts & blinded by partisan zeal.
7
@JB He has about 10 departments to investigate possible corruption, and indeed, aid is not handed out without serveral layers of processes. Indeed Biden Sr, and Europe and the IMF and Congress, all worked together to REMOVE a corrupt Ukrainian prosecutor.
Your President is supposed to uphold the law, and indeed be held to the highest standard. Here he is, with several shady mobsters, running around Ukraine, trying to throw shade. One, throw shade that Russia interferes in elections. Two, throw shade that Ukraine interferes in elections (whilst denying interference ever happens). Three, mobsters trying to get their foot in the door of any corrupt NavGaz deals they might imagine are still going on in Ukraine.
Trump is a wannabe mobster, always has been. Do better, next time, with your next President.
7
The American people are demanding witnesses.
8
The Republican pit bulls will read this article and will retain exactly eleven words:
"he did not speak with Mr. Trump directly about the efforts"
Giuliani, who is now calling his godson's father a proven liar, would probably not be the most effective witness in the Senate trial, but I must admit I would enjoy watching him squirm and writhe like Gollum if ever he gave testimony under oath.
6
With how intent President Trump was on destroying the Biden name it's become so obvious he's been along for the ride on everything we've heard thus far about our Ukraine involvement, from his denying the Ukraine military desperately needed weaponry to hold off Russian attacks, the recent innuendo-laden potential attempt to 'get rid of' ambassador Yovanovich, Giuliani's involvement with this whole Ukraine issue, and now the Parnas revelations discussed during the Rachael Maddow-Parnas interview last night on MSNBC broadcast television.
And with that said, just how much of a deny, deny, deny strategy can Trump try and hide behind to not begin to appear being unpresidential, so out of the loop, actually taking a two week 'golfing vacation' at Mar a Lago during this growing crisis?
His rope-a-doping can go just so far before his support in the Republican Congress begins to get ground down once these House and Senate membew have to answer to their constituents back home.
And now add Devin Nunes to the list of those having to fess-up to what they've been denying, and you can bet Nunes is scrambling on attorney advice to 'recall-afterall' he does remember the name Parnas in his telephone conversations.
It sure looks like this White House cabal is standing at the edge of a whole new precipice, and something about to be called The Ukraine Investigation.
4
To Anonymous,
Which is worse, the impact of a "midnight self-massacre" of mass resignations you reveal in your book, "A Warning", or allowing the realization of DjT's nascent dictatorship (that would be under the influence of a foreign power and dictator)?
You also suggested that you would step forward "in due course" and to publicly criticise a president you describe as "cruel, inept and a danger to the nation".
Now would be a good time for you and others, such as Mr Bolton, to step forward.
Or just you.
Please include documents with your public testimony.
3
Mr Trump surrounds himself with underachievers who are desperate for attention. He's an expert at exploiting the insecurities of others.
3
So many bizarre events coming from as many bizarre people in a bizarre situation that could wind up with bizarre results.
1
After what we have been through the past 3 years, hearing the president rant and rave at his rallies from everything to light bulbs to how many times he flushes I am left with the decision to believe Mr. Parnas, who not only has documents but also doesn't come off sounding like a raving self inflated maniac. His story is not altogether truthful with regards to tracking the Ambassador, it is clear if you have gone through the documents that they were tracking her but with his attorney sitting next to him he most likely did not want to spend too much time elaborating on that plot which would put him in even more serious jeopardy. This has to stop, hopefully yesterday was the beginning of the end. I called my Senator, Cory Gardner yesterday and I will call him again today. I hope others will do likewise. I spoke to a young man named "Justice" (how ironic) and politely and forcefully informed him that we are done fooling around with this. I hope others will join me and call the capital switchboard. Make your feelings known.
7
Could the Cohen Brothers have created a more disturbing black comedy than what we see unfolding now? Almost everyone involved, including the President, is like a caricature from a B-list gangster movie; and it would be comical—if not so frighteningly real.
Things are even more disturbing when one reads the exchange between Robert Hyde and Parnas concerning Surveillance of Ms. Yovanovitch.
It really is time to drain the swamp.
4
Trump is the very best of at least one thing: sleaze.
6
@Katherine Kovach Sleaze, lying and projection.
After much thought I think this is something that The House can work with. Regardless of what happens in the Senate Farce of a trial this can be beneficial in bringing the cabal down in November. Rudy should be sharing a cell with Parnas and Nunez should be investigated by the House Ethics Committee. Pence should be sent packing with Trump in November. As we wait for Trump's lackey Graham to try to spin this we should throw the first punch.
5
This is so obviously a timed, calculated "release" of unvetted slandor, designed to somehow make the Democrats politically motivated "investigation" of Trump seem legit, while accussing and attempting to criminalize the exact same behavior they are alleging Trump engaged upon. The transformation of the Democrats and their cheerleaders in the partisian "press" into full Stalin / Beria mode is now complete. "Show me the man and I'll find you the crimes" is their rallying cry.
It is always: follow the money. Hicks is co-chair of the RNC? No wonder McConnell said he would coordinate with the White House.
8
I have a feeling right-about-now, Trump wishes he was Vladimir Putin with the power to make everyone in Congress he didn't like- resign.
5
Parnas' motive for sharing his experiences and documents are not relevant. What is relevant is whether he is credible, and the way to find out is to have both him and Guiliani testify in the Senate trial, under oath.
19
@Joe Smith,
In any case he has a very compelling motivation- he wants to stay alive and not get “Putin-ed”.
8
After viewing Parnas' interviews, the first thought that came to mind was that Martin Scorsese could synthesize the crucial facts of both the Mueller Report as well as this mobster-style shakedown of Ukraine to produce a film that would be worthy of myriad nominations in 2022.
Thanks to SNL. the major characters can be performed by the wonderful actors whose portrayals have kept us amused for the past three years.
Of course, such a scenario would entail voting 45 and his GOP sycophants out of office on November 3rd, "a consummation devoutly to be wished."
8
Trump was already overheard by our US Ambassador and staff confirming his guilt. While it may be convenient for some to forget this testimony remains indisputable.
32
Except the actions for which you claim Trump lacks a feeling of "guilt" are not crimes, under any statutory authority. If the were, the Pelosi gang would have written impeachment articles which asserted a violation of a specific statute, which they did not. Joe Biden's conduct as VP and that of his adulterous, drug addeled son are not exempt from examination just because daddy is now a presidential candidate. Further, if asking for or conducting a politically motivated investigation into an opponent were "crimes" then Hillary, Nancy and Adam would all be under indictment too.
@Fred Rick Fred, you are mixing apples and oranges. The issue is one of Trump attempting to bribe foreign government for political gain and then lying about it.
The Biden issue is a completely separate issue. It may merit further examination but does not have any legal bearing on Trump's attempt to bribe, or, his continued lying about it.
Ditto for your other accusations. They have no bearing on the case against Trump.
I've noticed that the minds of Trump supporters run into the past and hide behind Hillary, or, Obama behavior, or, anything they can think of rather than face the facts on today's table on Trump.
I find your comment to be very immature,
similar to a child being caught red handed doing something wrong and when caught, shouting out, "Hillary did it too!" "Barrack did it too!" "Adam did it too!" It's time for Trump and his Dupes and Stooges to grow up, stand up and face the facts.
Don't you agree?
1
The question before Mitch McConnell and the Republican Party is no longer just whether Donald Trump is guilty of abusing the power of his office and obstructing Congress. The question has now become whether the 3 co-equal branches of government enumerated in the Constitution are a viable concept in the era of Trump.
If McConnell allows Donald Trump to set the terms of his trial in the Senate by not calling witnesses, then McConnell will not only have violated his sworn oath to uphold and defend the Constitution, he will have refuted the Congress’ standing as a co-equal branch of government and explicitly declared that the President is above the law.
Is the really the legacy that Mitch McConnell wants to leave?
40
McConnell has played the game of appearing dignified and pompously pious whilst in fact behaving exactly like the self-dealing, foreign-funded front for dark money that he is.
Watch what he does. Ignore what he says.
His journey to Majority Leader was the thin wedge of Chinese and dark money corruption overthrowing our norms and hollowing out our principles. Merrick Garland and court packing...his personal enrichment over the years...his opaque exterior and arranged-seeming marriage...Chao in the Cabinet...
McConnell is not and has never been on our side.
14
Since last fall when this story line emerged, my initial take was that Ukraine was acting as a go between. It is adjacent to Russia and prior reports of Trump's people's negotiations with Russians through Ukraine such as the Moscow Trump Tower and the entire Manafort scandal, made it obvious.
But now I fear people are giving too much legitimacy to Mr. Parnas. Suddenly, he appears highly cooperative? Are we sure there isn't a sinister motive? After all, we have been suffering under a Russian information war with Russia.
I'd like to add;
It is vital to understand that under the circumstances Ukraine was enduring, being threatened by Russia who had already invaded and annexed Crimea, had to be especially paranoid and under extreme pressure to comply with Trump and Giuliani to cooperate for the simple reason of getting that military aide that was held back. It wasn't just quid pro quo, it was a hostage situation of a nation by Trump who knew the desperation of Zelensky who was under literally death defying circumstances. It's as if Trump knew these facts. The 400 Million Dollars was just the tool of blackmail, but Trump played life and death with a nation his friend Putin was seeking to gain. You must see the major crime of aiding the enemy that it was.
13
@PATRICK
I believe Parnas is credible and he has provided tangible evidence to back it up. His motive is less jail time. He also knows Trump and Rudy will not be visiting him.
5
@PATRICK In a Thoughtful State --
You made key points. Cautionary re Parnas. Pointed re Trump's deliberate ploys against Zelensky. Plus, as usual, then there's Putin.
What Parnas did was give it context. He connected so many dots, he made it obvious the conspiracy so many of us suspected, was real.
Senate Republicans no longer refuse to call witnesses in good conscience. If they try to cover it up, they will face the wrath of the electorate.
31
A "conspiracy" to look into why the son of the VP was being paid $2.8 million to sit on the Board of a company engaged in an industry he knew nothing about? Sure, that makes sense. What's going on here is the Democrats are terrified of the public finding out what the Bidens were actually up to while daddy was VP, so they are trying to make it crime to even ask about it. Your faux astonishment about "why" Republicans won't go along with the phony narrative might be better used to ask why Democrats back grifters like the Bidens and are trying to make it a crime to even ask questions about their self-serving, money laundering conduct during the Obama presidency.
@Fred Rick
If Republicans are so sure it's Biden who's guilty and Trump is innocent, why is McConnell afraid to call witnesses?
8
@Fred Rick Oh please. Your willful blindness about Trump's incredibly corruption, along with Pence, is nauseating. The Democrats are not "afraid" of anything coming out about the Bidens because the Bidens did not commit any crimes. Meanwhile, Trump has done nothing but attempt to suppress evidence, silence and intimidate witnesses, even tried to have special prosecutor Mueller fired. He fired the director of the FBI when Comey refused to show sufficient "loyalty." What's wrong with you? Stop drinking the Kool-Aid.
4
So I know who Ben Parnas is and what he has to say. What I am still not sure of is why you think I care what Ben Parnas has to say about anything, but in particular Mr. Trump. That circuit has burned out long ago. If ever Never Trumper's opinion got through a live circuit couldn't process real information. So, did Parnas say something? If he did, I must have missed it.
Zelensky stated there was no pressure from Trump. The US Congress and Trump, as opposed to Obama, want to promote an ethnic war in Ukraine. Poroshenko was crushed in the last Ukrainian election for president. He was willing to play along with the USs efforts to stir up conflict with Russia. The voters though wanted an end to this ethnic war. Zelensky is involved in serious negotiations with Russia that hopefully put an end to this tragic travesty the US has tried to promote. Nancy Pelosi is charging anybody who disagrees with the House Democrats as being Russian dupes. Crazy.
Talk about a guy in need of a food tester or a safe house.He fits the description of The Man Who knew Too Much.
5
When told of this Parnas evidence Susan Collins complained that it looked like the House had not done an adequate job preparing the impeachment evidence. If someone is in the middle of trial for murder and the bloody knife shows up would she dismiss it as “too late”? Parnas has receipts and he turned them over before the trial. Bolton knows everything. The American public deserves to have it all aired out under oath. Parnas, the fall guy, will be smeared guaranteed, like all the actual sworn witnesses in the impeachment hearings but everything fits. To paraphrase Johnny Cochran: “If it fits, you can’t acquit”.
22
Parnas is not the buffoon he was billed as. He is very articulate and credible
Now McConnell now has a big problem; he likely won't get away with not allowing witnesses during the impeachment trial.
I predict Don the Con is toast.
Better call the the moving company.
15
I found Lev Parnas, who has incriminating documents and messages in his phone from months ago, to be credible and his information does not in any way conflict with what witnesses said during the House hearings. Rather they buttress them.
Parnas threw everyone under the bus: Trump, Giuliani, Pence, Barr, Pompeo. It was stunning. And yet if we watch how people like Barr and Pompeo have lied and broken their backs to insulate and protect Trump, Parnas accusations seem credible. This is the Attorney General Barr who sat on the release of the Mueller Report while cooking up "alternative facts" he claimed exonerated Trump to release instead.
The incredible thing is that all of these people believed they could keep this mess quiet, that a solid cover-up was in place. That even while Giuliani ran around on tv implicating the president and himself and told outrageous and conflicting lies on FOX NEWS. Whew!
Typical of the Trump administration every one in this fiasco comes with radioactive baggage.
I heard Trump wants to have Alan Dershowitz as one of his lawyers in the Senate Impeachment Trial. Dershowitz is being dragged along by accusations from the Jeffrey Epstein scandal but Trump wants to be tied to that?
"Everybody knew. Everybody was in the loop."
This is less "All the President's Men" and more "All the President's Stupid Men."
67
@fast/furious
Bill Barr is eying a seat on the SCOTUS and will do anything to get nominated.
4
I have few hopes of Mr. Trump's soon-to-begin impeachment trial. The Republican dominated Senate--we know what they are. Even now they are busy procuring RUGS--
--to sweep all evidence of Mr. Trump's ongoing malfeasance under.
And yet--step by step--not only in Congress--evidence mounts up, New York Times--mounts up--mounts up--
--this guy is a crook, pure and simple.
I have few expectations of the Senate.
I have more from the courts.
From prosecutors and investigators and juries and judges--
--and, of course, journalists--
--like you, New York Times.
The hope lives in my heart--my seventy-year-old heart--
--this guy must and shall be brought to justice--
--when all the lies and chicanery and obfuscations and deceit--
--are irrevocably laid bare--
--and we the people of America (whether in New York or Tennessee)--
--see Mr. Donald J. Trump--
--for what he is.
Fiat justitia et ruant coeli says the old saw. "Let justice be done though the heavens fall."
In this case, New York Times--
--the heavens'll stand fast.
Count on it.
36
@Susan Fitzwater
You say "--this guy is a crook, pure and simple."
Well you are right about the simple part. Pure... not so much.
2
Holy cow! This article should be at the top of page 1.
Interested to see how Republican House members react. How many of them took campain funds in thde 2016 cycle that traces back to Giuliani?
29
Of course Trump was orchestrating everything. And he has been impeached. Vote to convict!
34
I am unfamiliar with proper procedures and with exactly what he did. He might have asked the appropriate agency to do some quiet research and determine if there were a case against the politician and his son.
I hope everything is worked through – and with due process. The nation, I know, will survive and may come out of it stronger – whatever that might entail!
2
@Mark C. Major
" The nation, I know, will survive "
The Home of the Free's continued existence is very much in doubt at this time. Republicans are determined to enthrone our first dictator.
3
Once again, this is what it comes down to: What did he know, and when did he know it?.
Increasingly, we seem to be getting some clear answers to those two questions, just as we did last time. But there's one big difference: this time, the Republicans won't care.
27
The White House is saying that he's saying these thing because they have charged him with a crime, which is true and it's also true what he's saying.
Trump's as guilty as sin.
35
"Mr. Giuliani said in a text message on Wednesday that it was “sad to watch how the Trump haters are using” Mr. Parnas."
I find it sadder to watch how Trump acolytes have been running around the globe carrying out the president's wishes to corrupt the next election thorugh a scheme employing mob tactics and grisly actions to help a pro-Russian Ukranian oligarch escape justice.
While it made for riveting TV last night, the interview simply raised how serious Trump's overseas meddling was, and continues to be. We don't have a president, we have a mob boss whose only interest is self-protection and feathering his nest.
76
Russian businessman Lev Parnas's testimony yesterday against President Trump and his personal crony-lawyer, Rudolph Giuliani, will bring down our 45th presidency and his Republican enablers. The Senate Impeachment Trial will either acquit Donald John Trump of his certain high crimes and misdemeanors -- abuse of power, obstruction of Congress, and playing Ukraine's military assistance with quid pro quo -- or America will continue to suffer the unintended consequences of electing Trump in 2016. What Deus ex machina will transform our country's existential nightmare and shame today into the clear light of "Oh, beautiful for patriot dream, who more than self their country loved"?
13
Get ready for President Pelosi.
20
@Maria Buatti
I thought Ivanka was next.
Perhaps dynastic lines will cross over and we will end up with a Trump Kim alliance
1
@Maria Buatti Mria in Middletown: from your lips to God's ear!
3
If Giuliani was NOT carrying out the president's wishes, then why hasn't Trump said "You're fired!"
So long as Giuliani keeps working for Trump, this is plain evidence that he has been doing Trump's bidding all along.
43
Mr. Parnas supports what we have known all along. Trump is a mob boss, connected to the Russians and Russian mob figures.
If not before, it is now official. The Republicans have elected and support criminals.
88
Parnas made sense and was fully consistent with the testimony by the career officials.
I found him credible. His explanation of why the Ambassador was fired makes complete sense, horrible though it is.
Trump made a deal with a corrupt Ukrainian. Trump got his announcement of an investigation into Biden. The Ukranian got an anti-corruption Ambassador fired.
This fits the other evidence. It is consistent with Trump's character and is an egregious violation of his oath of office.
33
@RickP Especially considering that corruption is something Trump approves of, e.g. him bemoaning the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act passed in 1977 which prohibits Americans bribing foreign officials.
The problem I see is the large number of people on the Right who believe the end justifies the means. They don't care whether Donald Trump's actions are legal or ethical. They don't care whether the precedents he cites are fictional or the powers he assumes aren't his, as long as they get what they want. Demographically speaking, the largest percentage of Republicans in this group are congressmen and senators. They've abandoned ethics 101 and embraced Mitch McConnell's scorched earth strategy. It's 'the end justifies the means' all the way.
Pray for America.
2
If all of this sleaze is ignored by the Republican Senators, can they all be impeached? Is there a way to get rid of and punish all this corruption? Other than through elections? (Which are also getting more and more corrupted, it seems.)
19
So when were the facts of the case ever in doubt; Donald J. Trump should obviously have been impeached by the House and should subsequently be convicted by the Senate. Lev Parnas simply provided here the inside color, a smoking gun. However, so what will now happen in the trial in the Senate, Republicans will obviously find Trump not guilty, who will then proceed to take multiple victory laps on his way to re-election. Bye, bye democracy; American's don't care.
10
Though we need to parse what Parnas says in light of his less-than-stellar reputation for honesty, the fact that he has text messages and other inside information that corroborates the testimony from the impeachment hearings, adds to the argument that the Senate must call witnesses.
We especially need to hear from Bolton and other insiders and Trump must be forced to turn over the documents he's been withholding. Anything short of this will backfire on the Republicans and Trump in the court of public opinion.
Regardless of where one stands on the liberal-moderate continuum, any of the Democratic candidates on the stage in Iowa will be a welcome respite from this corrupt, ignorant, inpet president and his enablers.
19
If you have ever witnessed corruption in the Third World or the shaky, young democracies of the former Eastern Bloc, this is wincingly familiar.
It’s nauseating to see brazen corruption and self-dealing come to the US, and for the Presidency and Gooey Oligarchs Party to fall so easily.
If we do not rip this out by the roots this very second, we will be fighting a 40-year war of attrition to take our country back from a corrupt, election-stealing, mob-colluding controlling party, as in today’s Mexico or Russia.
Good luck wiping out the new oligarchy in a nation that has always prioritized profits over people.
50
@Bohemian Sarah
And the US supporting Putin-allied and other corruption in the Ukraine, rather than trying to help, which was Ambassador Yovanovich's "sin".
1
We watched the Parnas interview last night and saw someone who seemed as credible, if not more so, than trump and his team of misfits. He laid it all out quite simply and implicated just about everybody who sits close to the president.
So let's see how this all plays out in the Senate over the next few weeks. How many more people need to come forward, ripping the curtain back, before Senate republicans crack?
22
Parnas seems credible to me because I’m a partisan above all else.
4
Mr. Parnas names Trump, Giuliani, Pence, Bolton, Barr, McCarthy and Nunes as all being aware of every detail of the plan to get Ukraine to announce an investigation of BIden. He name checked them all.
The interview laid out the case for a senate trial and the need to clean house, do it quickly and get on with the election.
17
Mr. Parnas can share a cell with Michael Cohen and Pres. Trump will be protected by Moscow Mitch and the rest of his GOP enablers.
8
Why is it always, "I've got number 1 in it," who thinks no. 1 is secret code? All these jr gmen. The incompetence is matched only by the grifting.
18
Who knows whether this guy is creditable or not. If he is,
it won't make a scintilla of difference to the Republican Senate.
What I find fascinating is how Trump and his majordomo Giuliani have managed to attract such a vast collection odd Russian, Eastern European, and American swamp creatures like Parnas. A new one seems to surface everyday; see today's NYT about Robert F. Hyde.
14
Is this the Hong Kong moment for American democracy? Parnas is singing like a canary. People should be out in the Mall to prevent slouching towards dictatorship.
6
Of course he was aware, he orchestrated it FGS.
11
Lev Parnas should be called as a witness in he Senate trial. He has ample evidence that corroborates Trump's extensive pattern of wrongdoing.
More & more evidence continues to emerge in spite of Trump & Co.'s frantic cover up efforts. Any continued claim that Trump is innocent can only be based on blind partisan loyalty & willful disregard for the facts. Blind partisan loyalty? Disregard for the facts? Sounds like the definition of Republicans in the era of Trump.
6
Consider what Parnas claims. Parnas claims that he is "betting" that Trump knew what "Rudy Giuliani was doing in Ukraine." The "betting" qualifier suggests that Parnas doesn't know for sure. Putting that aside, clearly Trump could not possibly know "everything" that Giuiliani was doing in Ukraine. On the other hand, so what if Trump knew in a general way that Giuliani was looking out to see what was up with the Bidens and Burisma Holdings, why prosecutor Shokin was fired, and what Shokin's successor Zlochevsky was looking into? Nothing illegal about any of that as far as I can see. So a sitting president doesn't get to explore on the side his political opponent's possibly criminal conduct?
1
@Dave Oedel Of course Trump did NOTHING illegal. In fact, as a law-abiding citizen he was obliged to launch an investigation into a large scale corruption scheme in which a top US official was directly involved. Trump was simply trying to uphold the Corrupt Foreign Business Practices Act.
1
@Dave Oedel
A sitting president doesn't get to hold up $391 million and a White House meeting while he pressures a foreign government to announce phony investigations into his political opponent.
You know it but sidestep it beautifully, darling.
4
It’s fun to equivocate but it’s just not believable. Shokin was corrupt and it was Obama’s policy to move him out and he did it with his VP and state departments- not as a secret drug deal with a “personal lawyer” and a bunch of thugs.
3
Giuliani continues to be a liability to Trump. The only reasonable explanation is that Trump believes Rudy will stay loyal and take the political bullets that are sure to come. The risk is that, like Trump, Rudy is a spurious loud mouth who can only backtrack from his false narrative so many times before the leaky barge that is this administration will ultimately sink in the Potomac.
7
I'm not taking this one.
He's up for gaol time and has a similar disposition to others doing gaol time of telling belated truths or straightup lying.
"Mr Parnas, who is facing separate criminal charges, said Mr Giuliani was never investigating corruption and that the intention was to damage Mr Biden — who was viewed as a potential threat to Mr Trump's 2020 re-election chances."
2
Good grief, the amount of effort expended on shady doings, seamy dealings, slimy tactics and plain, old-fashioned 'threateners' is appalling. If we could harness the energy devoted to just this one miserable man and his endlessly miserable grifting presidency we could power all of North America and maybe even Greenland too.
The efforts of investigators, detectives, journalists and whistle-blowers, legislators, good citizens, the police, State Attorneys General, and prosecutors, collectively, are seemingly no match for the cheats in the orbit of Donald Trump and family. Were ALL these people raised to be grotesques, without honor, integrity or even basic manners?
Sometimes, reading this stuff makes me want to wash my eyes out with soap.
7
I found Parnas to be credible, but I have one question. Is English his second language? If so, isn't it odd his notes, for himself, would be in English?
2
Came to US as a young child. He grew up in the US. Went to college in the US. You could see/hear him on Maddow speaking English like a native.
3
All the best people... more like the lowest of the lows
3
Let's list who else needs to be investigated: Nunes, McCarthy, Hyde, PENCE, BARR, POMPEO and Bolton needs to talk IF he was perhaps the one person "on the team" who was not comfortable with this illegal and unprecedented game.
How on earth will any R senator continue to support the criminal occupying the White House? The deluge of incriminating evidence is literally piling up.
AND is anyone else worried about what type of games are going on with Russia, Saudi Arabia, and China that are not yet being investigated? Highly likely this Ukraine scheme is but the tip of the iceberg.
39
Lev Parnas seems to be today’s Michael Cohen. A bit shady, devoted to Trump, thinking he was doing something bigger than himself, until he realized he was being conned all along. And so it will be with all the Trump supporters (perhaps not all shady) once they realize they were being conned all along. The question is not will it happen but when? And will they all want to come clean? The dominos are slowly falling, hopefully the momentum will push the rest of the blindly devoted to reality sooner or at least before the next election.
14
Has hard work, a strong moral compass and hope for the future ever been the actual ticket to the political party? Or has it always been what we are seeing now? All the Trump did was let people take their masks off and show themselves as the swamp creatures that they have always been.
I hope I’m wrong.
9
@Midwest No, sadly, you're not wrong. That said, there is, in my view, one upside to the Trump presidency. The racists, bigots and fascists, who've been hiding amongst us since 8 May 1945, have removed their masks. No slinking back into the shadows or crawling back under the rocks from which they emerged. They've willilngly and eagerly exposed themselves for the world to see.
After Trump goes down, try as they might, they'll never be any forgiveness, redemption or salvation.
1
I don't know the logistics of what it takes to get a lawyer disbarred, but I sure wish somebody would step up to the plate and begin the process against Rudy Giuliani.
29
Mr. Parnas also implicated Mike Pence and Bill Barr, right in line with the story line supported by career diplomats, the Trump-Zelensky telephone call read-out, and other supporting documents and claims.
This whole thing is playing out like a Columbo episode. We already know who did and how, but now the GOP audience refuses to acknowledge what is known.
21
Vote them out? Of course.
BUT what about jail time for law breakers that are continuing to ruin OUR country?
19
Remember the last guy who submitted calendars as evidence? He got a seat on the Supreme Court.
8
I guess calling this guy a "businessman" is easier to write than "person with questionable business dealings who may or may not be telling the truth". This guy lives by siphoning off money that changes hands in the name of foreign aid.
All this being said, he isn't much different than Rudy Giuliani.
1
or Trump. or Choen. or Manifort. I am sensing a pattern...
1
It is a saga out of a John Grisham novel: "Follow the money." Rachel Maddow discussed payments with Parnas, but the interview did not go into the source of funds. A hundred thousand dollars here, a million dollars, there, who is bankrolling all of this subterfuge? Indeed, people may find Lev Parnas to be a shady character, but he is a witness, and on the Maddow program, he was quick and forthright in his responses. It is Watergate redux, but with the twist that the public can see the people, witnesses and commentators, in high-definition video and in real-time.
15
Mr. Parnas is unable to prove what he is saying is true. It is that simple. What he is saying is a lie and 100% false according to the response given by the Federal Government people he is trying to implicate in a scheme. If the House wishes to bring him into the mix they should recall the impeachment articles and get back to interviewing people and collecting "evidence". The Senate is not going to turn the trial into a circus the way the house did with their inquiry.
There should not be a trial until the House is finished. They rushed through their part and want the Senate to do what they should have done. That should not happen. Everything should go back to the House and they should finish what they started and then send their finished product to the Senate.
@NYChap
First, while I didn't see the interview I gather he had documents to back up at least some of what he had to say. Second, do you really believe a spokesperson for this administration when they say "100% false"? Translation: "100% damaging to trump".
But maybe you are right: maybe all of the dozens or more people (many of them with impeccable characters and years of service to the US) who provided direct or indirect evidence that trump used American foreign policy to subvert American democracy are wrong, while trump the grifter and his merry band of blind apologists are right.
6
@NYChap Tough, the story is out there, and Republicans are going to let Trump off anyway.
2
Saw the first of the Rachel Maddow interviews last night and found him totally convincing. And it shows just how long this pressure campaign has been going on and how widespread it was amongst Trump’s inner circle. Pence was involved and specifically did not show up to Zelensky’s inauguration because the new government would not make a public statement about Biden. Nunes is clearly an outrageous lier as he clearly knew Parnas and was coordinating with him and Barr is implicated as well. And of course, it clearly shows that Trump was part of this from the very beginning and deeply involved through Giuliani.
The second part of the interview airs tonight. I hope many Americans tune in.
Why this dramatic turn around? Very simple. He fears for his life. By making this as public as possible he knows that they can’t make him or the information he has in his phone and elsewhere “disappear”. When you have a gangster President, that’s a legitimate fear.
29
I was so wrong about Trump, giving him the benefit of the doubt and just chalking his behavior up to dementia.
Nope, he is a genuine Mob boss doing what he can to turn America into a pretend democracy like Russia, and there is a very good chance he will get away with it.
Seems that when turns over any rock with a Republican sitting on it, one finds secret deals and hidden ways to take from the poor and give to the rich. Most every Republican Presidency has worked to create an economic euphoria by both lowering the taxes on the rich, and upping the national debt by waging wars without paying for them. That can only end in chaos, which the divide and conquer Republican Party revels in.
Now, if we had a Robin Hood...
Hugh
7
What we are witnessing is the Russian model of the path to oligarchy/autocracy being played out on American soil, with complicity from the highest levels of our government.
29
Oh, all this evidence and testimony will go down so bad in history, if not immediately.
2
If the world were not upside down, Trump AND Pence would be ousted and President Pelosi would be in full charge. What poetic justice that'd be!
24
And it means nothing. Moscow Mitch has the votes. More tax cuts for the rich!
2
Republicans have broken away from reality. Not sure how long the nation can last as a union when half of its leadership & roughly a third of the voters are lock stock & barrel in the tank for Trump Inc.
Lies are now truth - the new normal. Are there not any Republicans left that can think for themselves & understand that continuing down this path is NOT an option ?
12
So far the only people who have had dealings with corrupt Ukraine officials are people in the trump administration.
6
In one interview Parnas said the thought trump was "the savior".
How in the world can there be a cult of personality that turns people like Parnas into mindless gnomes? Not to defend Parnas, but he came across as reasonably intelligent in the Maddow interview. I can understand the "disaffected" who show up with red hats at the trump rallies as taking the con, but how is it people with a mind succumb to the same con?
5
“Aware”. Thought crimes are not typically prosecuted. Yawn
Nothing happens to benefit Trump so, sadly, no quid pro quo
This theatrics is transparent politics and has zero chance to succeed.
Outside of the echo chamber we know we must win at the polls, not in posturing and theatrics.
1
The most important thing we as US citizens can do today is to call or write our Senators and demand witnesses in the impeachment trial. Likewise, call or write your Congressman and demand the House open additional investigations into additional articles of impeachment.
2
The choice can be made. Live in darkness or live in the light.
Truth enables freedom.
6
Peter Chavkin, a lawyer for Mr. Ahearn, said, “Nothing in the communications seems out of the ordinary or sparks any concern.”
If that is true--that none of this is out of the ordinary--our country is doomed.
6
The entire GOP senate, other than possibly one or two okay apples (who tend to go bad before any final vote), deserve to be impeached for gross dereliction of their constitutional responsibilities.
3
A stunning and confirmatory interview of what most sane people knew of Trump, especially those of us who grew up in the tristate area. Trump has always been a wannabe tough guy and he has always been a sleazy character. The media gave this guy a platform (including MSNBC) to mouth off and spew his simplistic conspiracy theories, fanning the flames of hate of the other. A crook resides in the White House, surrounded by crooks and zealots. Hate sells. And the price we are paying is having to see and hear from the denizens of the swamp of sleaze. The most disgusting thing about all this is the impact on children and the country they may be inheriting. Mr. Parness' reputation will be attacked by Republicans all for their Monarch.
29
I was most struck by the fact that after the interview Rachel said Parnas feels that providing this information (which seems to contain backup notes, texts, email and voice messages) to the committee and giving this interview keeps him safe.
Which just shows the type of characters Giuliani and Trump know.
84
I guess Jeffrey Epstein didn’t know the right people.
A quick look at both Fox News and Fox and Friends this morning not a word of the stunning Parnas interview. Focus was on the arguments between Sanders and Warren concerning the statement Sanders supposedly made about women not being able to get elected to the presidency. Interviews with farmers on the price of pork sold to China.
Last nights interview on the Rachael Maddow show compares to the reporting of Bob Woodward, Carl Bernstein during the Nixon impeachment. Both were bombshell revelations that eventually led to Nixon resigning and could do the same to trump's eventual departure.
175
@Bob81+3
Yes, and by the same token there wasn't (and still isn't) a mention of interviews Shonkin and Lutsenko gave to investigative reporters at those outlets.
What makes Parnas any more credible than Shonkin and Lutensko?
The latter two haven't been charged/convicted with anything (in the Ukraine, EU or US) despite claims in the media that they're corrupt and taking that as fact of their malfeasance.
What makes their evidence matter less in the matter of quid pro quo re: Biden?
On matters of evidence alone, Shonkin and Lutskenko supplied journalists with sworn affidavits and emails - documents that can easily be verified for their authenticity. Parnas just claims to have handwritten notes.
@Bob81+3
Since the Republican Party and propaganda machine has gone so far into the tank to protect Trump, and themselves, we will now have to rely solely on the media for information about the Impeachment allegations, as well as other alleged wrongdoing by this Administration. I fear that the Impeachment Trial will be over (Trump acquitted), even as more and more evidence comes to light showing him to be guilty as sin. Because Trump ordered everyone in his Administration to defy requests and lawful subpoenas for testimony and/or documentary evidence in this affair, executing a practically complete coverup, all of the evidence will not be available for the Senate Trial. Ironic that the Senate Republicans will acquit Trump on the charge of Obstruction of Congress, citing lack of evidence. I just hope that the American people remember the denials and coverup as the evidence becomes clear between now and the election.
10
@Bob81+3
Fox laid the foundation for Trump.
With their help, he was able to convince
close to half the nation that chickens are
really cows. And even if you show them
actual cows and chickens, they are
unpersuaded.
2
I am highly skeptical of this new information from Parnas. For one, he seems too eager to give it. For two, some of the documents, such as the handwritten notes on the hotel stationery, seem too easy to fabricate and too difficult to corroborate. I worry that people are believing him because he’s telling them what they want to hear. And that, somehow, this is all a ploy to weaken the case against Trump, Giuliani, etc.
10
@MP In addition to his notes he has phone records, which have been given to Congress. He also has travel documents and photos with various individuals that follow a specific timeline. I have the same concern of you, his "shady" background makes him an easy witness to impugn.
3
Tweedledee Parnas does not strike me as a criminal mastermind. The scribbles, cross-outs and fluid character of the writing seems entirely consistent with notes written haste in during an urgent phone call.
The notes are genuine.
I hope he lives until the trial. He needs witness protection.
8
It’s remarkable how you can ignore an avalanche of corroborative evidence in the service of Mr Trump.
Apparently everyone around him were liars and cheats, but the President himself - who lies on a duly basis- was merely a victim of people who he himself enlisted, who were secretly against him
10
I just wish someone would ask Republican senators if there is anything Trump could do which would lead to their voting for his impeachment. If they acknowledge there was nothing it would save a lot of time and money spent trying to assemble arguments trying to persuade them to change their minds.
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@Minty - A Trump lawyer argued in court that Trump could, in fact, shoot someone on 5th Avenue and not be investigated or charged with a crime. Not a single GOP congress member spoke up to dissent this notion. You're right to ask whether there is a bridge too far. The Democrats would do well to move along with deliberate speed and to continue to defend our Constitution, along with their oaths.
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@Minty
But the more incontrovertible evidence is uncovered, the more GOP senators who continue to support trump will look like they are betraying the constitution and the American people. Surely *some* of the 40ish% of trump supporters have their eyes open, and it will only take a small number to come around in order to send trump to the political dustbin (and then perhaps to Auberge Leavenworth) in November.
9
Trump supporters continue to be spellbound by this magician of mass media. They ride emotional highs whenever the entertainer messages in the ways that push their buttons. The fact that it is all fakery and of no substance is of no matter.
As the layers of significant corrupt acts, the attempt to coordinate with foreign governments to influence the US electorate become further peeled back, it becomes more evident that Trump was the orchestrator.
The GOP, spellbound that their agenda is being solidly pursued and that their vitriol against the former administration is being appeased, will gladly turn their heads to this administration's crimes and in fact, defend the president himself.
The supporters of this president need to acquire some realization of the acute damage their president is doing to the country. Otherwise, like Mr. Parnas and other former members of Trump's inner-circle who are indicted or in jail, those supporters might all be saying - "my biggest regret is trusting so much."
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@biijii
"Otherwise, like Mr. Parnas and other former members of Trump's inner-circle who are indicted or in jail, those supporters might all be saying - "my biggest regret is trusting so much."
That would require a conscience.
5
All of this will make an enormously entertaining movie someday. Right now, every time news about the current occupants of the White House and their various criminal associates seeps into my consciousness, I need to take a long, hot shower to wash off the muck.
How on Earth did the United States sink so far, so quickly, with the slavish support of an established political party and a substantial minority of the adult population? How are we supposed to explain this to our children and our grandchildren?
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@chambolle
When one quarter of the population still hates - with the white heat of a thousand suns - that a black man got to be president, they would have voted for a rock. Add to that one AG who was navigating uncharted waters, 125M election tampering foreign messages and a female opponent with the tact of Harry Truman, and there you go. The people who voted for other-than-Trump can face their maker with no hesitation. Those who cannot assemble a comprehensive argument for him, plus 51 GOP senators will have some splainin’ to do as Ricky would say.
17
@chambolle You tell them that despite the giant, marble buildings and the immense, stone monuments throughout this country, democracy really is “a candle in the wind.” It needs protection, and a social contract among an engaged and honest populace. And courage, immense courage, as against the many who seek to blow it out. Like these people. Like now.
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@chambolle
It didn't happen so quickly. Remember back to the days of Ronald Reagan, the "teflon President," and his base: the "silent majority." It advanced over the decades since, with more and more tax cuts, increased influence of money in politics, the invasion of Iraq based on a pack of lies (WMDs), death threats to critics of that invasion, de-regulation induced deep recession, enormous increase in wealth and income inequality, increased hate crimes. It has been obvious for decades; I think people just looked away and were in denial, which only enabled the continued right wing takeover of our society and our political system.
20
I wonder, how many of Republican voters who saw the interview with Rachel Maddow aren't troubled to the point that they recognize that Trump is indeed at the head of a badly cooked drug deal? and I wonder if they do so will they reach their senators and demand an honest trial?
If GOP senators do not call Parnas and Bolton to testify and if they do not garner enough votes to remove Trump when an honest trial has concluded, then this Republican controlled Senate is colluding in a monstrous crime.
Furthermore, a special counsel should be named to get to the bottom of this drug deal; Barr should pay for abating and conspiring to defend the indefensible. Is he the AG of US or Trump's lackey?
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Republican voters didn’t watch the interview. They have an alternative reality from the true “fake news” of Fox. Much of the division in the country is based on hearing two vastly different narratives.
44
He has total control over the way people on the right think now. The interview was fake news. RIP America
8
Republicans are as likely to watch Rachel Maddow as Democrats are to watch Sean Hannity.
13
Dont you understand. The end justifies the means, everybody knows that.
Thus, since Trump is the best President ever, the best man ever, he is perfectly justified in getting "dirt", even false, on his opponent in order to get reelected for the good of the American people.
Any other President would be a disater, so Trump would be right to even torture any one if that could help his reelection;
Indeed, not only should Trump be reelected but, by a Presidential Orde,r he should make himself President for Life, and his heirs his successors.
Thus God will save America
15
@Max Lewy
I imagine you are being tongue-in-cheek (then again, maybe not: there is a thin line between a rational person's irony and a trump supporter's sincerity). But it has often occurred to me that in trump's self-worshiping mind, cheating to get himself re-elected is an act of patriotism because what could be better for the US than a president who is a Stable Genius of Great and Unmatched Wisdom?
6
@Max Lewy
You just stole a few lines from the 2020 GOP platform.
4
Unfortunately no matter what the evidence, a substantial number of Americans will continue to believe Trump is the 2nd Coming of Christ. And the politicians and plutocrats are happy to support that belief while they pick the rubes' pockets.
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