So, at this point it seems like Trump is running a pretty efficient blackmail scheme in Washington to get what he wants (ultimately, I think that's fame and more money). He's villainized Rudy and Parnas, but before that, he had some important scragglers get cozied up to them for some photo ops. This way they can't break from ranks or else they'll risk possible involvement. Remind you of someone? For me, it reminds me a lot of what Epstein was doing. I said privately to some people that I wouldn't be shocked if Trump had more to do with Epstein than we know. That was before he was killed. I really wouldn't be shocked. I don't think anyone would be. Sadly, this is our president we're saying this about.
Another Ding Ding Ding. People forget that the Trump campaign has access to 100% of the documentation and financial information that the RNC possesses. When guys like Nunes are willing to put themselves in serious legal trouble you know there is a reason beyond re-election. Yes there is always the threat that he'll have the money & power to primary you from the right, but I think it's more than that. It's secrets about the party's skeletons in the closet that Trump is leveraging, and the threat is if you people don't defend me 110%, I'll take the party down, and when I leave i'll disown the party & make sure my cult never votes for another Republican again.
That would fit his lifetime MO 100% -- that's the art of the deal. Maximize leverage in any way possible. Laws are for sissies, and you're only guilty if you can't wriggle or sue your way out of a predicament.
The ultimate goal for him is 100% turning Democrats within the party by leveraging scandals. I would bet 1000 dollars right now that he's working overtime on the side having conversations like this where he's trying to insinuate he has info on Democrat X or Y, and trying to turn them.
Please tell me what evidence is there that Joe Biden has done anything illegal? Shouldn't what Joe Biden did be a separate investigation? If Trump had any evidence at all that Joe Biden was doing something illegal it would already have been made public by the President. It really has no bearing on whether or not the President with held aid for personal or political reasons. If members of congress or the senate believe Biden did something illegal or unethical, open up an investigation. Just keep in mind that it has already been investigated and no wrong doing was found. Did the prior investigations miss something? Perhaps, but that really has nothing to do with Trump's actions or the impeachment hearings. The funny thing is that the junior Biden and the senior Trump probably would get along really well together.
Ehhh..... I suppose you can make this argument if you want. It is a slippery slope but really so is any other basis for punishment. Also withholding money to another nation that was provided on a bipartisan basis for the specific purpose of forcing another nation to begin investigating your top political rival is pretty specific and not really as simple as "ANY corrupt motive". Concerning forcing the President to be more accountable to Congress, is the writer familiar with the last 20 year of government? The executive branch has overstepped their boundaries at an ever increasing rate from Bush through Obama and now Trump. Is the writer aware that the President recently decided to not inform congress that he intended to assassinate a military leader of another nation in a third nation? All of this with the guise that he did not have time to tell congress because it was an eminent threat....... but he had time to have the minority leader of congress staying with him in the days leading up to the attack, that he had time to tell Lindsay Graham days before it happened..... that he had time to have his legal staff draft a justification for not informing congress........... and it turned out that there is no documentation or any proof of eminent threat........ so in the end the President just decided he wanted to assassinate a leader of another nation without Congressional involvement... Before those in power (Republicans) belly ache, they should consider how they will feel when someone like Sanders or another extremist becomes President and decides to violate the separation of powers...... I suspect they will be quite upset.
Precisely. Well said. He's got a long documented history of it. He's always bullied people by threatening to sue them for $100 million. He's essentially a mobster that isn't committing murder. But he could. And he'd get away with it.
Another interesting action... I guess trump and his defenders are still pushing the ridiculous defense that ukraine was trying to interfere with the 2016 election, not russia?
If marsha marsha marsha was going to read a book during the senate impeachment, at least she could have chosen a history book. Hate to expect honesty and intelligence from a senator from Tennessee, but the big differences: the other presidents weren't doing in secrecy, they were working with the congress when doing the holds, and most important, they weren't putting the holds on in order to influence a foreign government to investigate a political rival. The Obama administration withheld the aid from countries amid diplomatic strife, including a coup in Egypt and the expulsion of American trainers from Pakistan. He didn't withhold aid as bait for personal benefit.
A reminder... Vindman was a highly decorated including a Purple Heart. But if she wants to talk about embarrassing our great nation in front of Russia, America’s greatest enemy...
I have been waiting for this. over the next month there should be commercials of what these sitting senators said during the Clinton impeachment. I guarantee the Senate will change hands this year.
Nah... if it gets realy ugly they can let the Republican senators in danger in 2020 vote against Trump if they wanted. Doesn't matter how you slice it. You aren't getting to 67 votes and Democrats face an extreme uphill battle to take the Senate in 2020.
