Pelosi: Impeachment Is Moving Forward

[Jimmy Higgins]

As a result, I have determined that the Complainant's information would constitute
an urgent concern, as de?ned in 50 U.S.C. provided that I also determine that
the information "appears credible," as required by 50 U.S.C. 3033(k)(5)(B).

Based on the information reported by the Complainant to the ICIG and the
preliminary review, I have determined that there are reasonable grounds to believe that
the complaint relating to the urgent concern "appears credible." The preliminary review
indicated that the Complainant has official and authorized access to the information and sources
referenced in the Complainant's Letter and Classified Appendix, and that the Complainant has
subject matter expertise related to much of the material information provided in the
Complainant?s Letter and Classied Appendix. The Complainant?s Letter acknowledges that the
Complainant was not a direct witness to the President?s telephone call with the Ukrainian
President on July 25, 2019. Other information obtained during the preliminary review,
however, supports the Complainant's allegation that, among other things, during the call the
President "sought to pressure the Ukrainian leader to take actions to help the President's 2020
reelection bid." Further, although the preliminary review identied some indicia of an
arguable political bias on the part of the Complainant in favor of a rival political candidate, such
evidence did not change my determination that the complaint relating to the urgent concern
"appears credible," particularly given the other information the ICIG obtained during its
preliminary review.

That is that.

 

[Artemus]

Whistleblower Complaint has been released.

Plenty of meat in there.

The term "cover-up" is now being used. That is often the turning point in public opinion. It's going to be fascinating to see how this unfolds.

 

[Jimmy Higgins]

Meanwhile in arguing in Bizarro Land, when Trump hasn't admitted the conversation, released the damning transcript, and Giuliani admitted going to Ukraine to dig up dirt...

Rep. Nunes (*): I just want to get one thing straight, because one of the quotes they're going to use from you is you saying that this was a credible complaint. That will be used and spun as you're saying that it was true. And I want to give you an opportunity to — you do not — you have not investigated the veracity or the truthfulness of this complaint.
DNI Maguire: That's correct, ranking member.

Nunes is trying to argue what is in the report is false, but the Administration... and Giuliani who isn't actually a member of the Administration, has admitted to most of it. AG Barr is currently booking a flight to a nation that doesn't have laws that would compel returning him for trial.

 

[Jimmy Higgins]

Whistleblower Complaint has been released.

Plenty of meat in there.

The term "cover-up" is now being used. That is often the turning point in public opinion. It's going to be fascinating to see how this unfolds.

The nation's future depends on the next few days and where this leads. Clearly the House is still sold on dictatorial leadership. What says the Senate?

 

[Jimmy Higgins]

Well, we appreciate you being here and have fun — be careful what you say because they're going to use these words against you.

That is chilling.

 

[Elixir]

Well, we appreciate you being here and have fun — be careful what you say because they're going to use these words against you.

That is chilling.

Coming from the midnight runner and Chief Deceiver for The President, this deserves to be laughed out of town.
Cheato solicited foreign help with his re-election. He admits it. End of story, nothing more is needed to remove him from office.
Impeach the fucker and his toady billybarr. Do it today.

 

[Jimmy Higgins]

Well, we appreciate you being here and have fun — be careful what you say because they're going to use these words against you.

That is chilling.

Coming from the midnight runner and Chief Deceiver for The President, this deserves to be laughed out of town.
Cheato solicited foreign help with his re-election. He admits it. End of story, nothing more is needed to remove him from office.
Impeach the fucker and his toady billybarr. Do it today.

There is still the cover-up. There are supposedly seven more calls with the Ukrainian President, and we are aware that White House officials were hiding at least the first one.

 

[Jimmy Higgins]

After saying he couldn't discuss anything regarding to his communications with the President...

Rep. Himes: Did you ever speak to the President about this complaint?

DNI Maguire: "My conversations with the President, because I am the Director of National Intelligence, are privileged, and it would be inappropriate for me because it would destroy my relationship with the President in intelligence matters to divulge any of my conversations with the President of the united States."

...he gives the President some cover, in that the President didn't ask him to identify the whistleblower.

I can say — although I would not normally discuss my conversations with the President, I can tell you emphatically, no.

 

[hurtinbuckaroo]

This could backfire spectacularly. Make sure it's done right. If they try and fail to impeach him that will only mobilize votes in his favour. If you pull the trigger make sure you have a kill shot.

Trump talked with Ukraine, there was a whistleblowing event, the Trump Admin interfered (obstructed) with the claim being released through the proper channels. Trump denied everything, then parts, then admitted to most of it and we are stuck with the final piece over how the funding to Ukraine was delayed the week his call to Ukraine is made and only pushed through when the Senate got involved.

So that is either long-term false flag bullshit, or Trump did something really wrong and they are desperate to create this Biden shield to protect him. After all, if they knew Biden was dirty, they wouldn't need Ukraine to act, and they could use the info down the road. The Trump Admin is in panic spin mode and the only two things saving them are the GOP and Americans that have lost their fucking minds.

Pelosi is extremely shrewd and meticulous. She has to know more at this point, specifically info on the funding to Ukraine or quotes.

Yes, failing on this kills our country and applications to move to Canada will skyrocket.

Trump isn’t panicking. Trump doesn’t give a shit. He knows he could shoot someone on fifth avenue and Republican Senators won’t vote to impeach him. This will go nowhere fast. Well maybe slowly.

SLD

He can be prosecuted for things he did in office once he's out of office, and Moscow Mitch can't protect him.

 

[Fentoine Lum]

The term "cover-up" is now being used. That is often the turning point in public opinion. It's going to be fascinating to see how this unfolds.

The nation's future depends on the next few days and where this leads. Clearly the House is still sold on dictatorial leadership. What says the Senate?

Actually I think the future is pretty well locked in at this point, the public has already shown it will accept anything and remain docile. "Which" of our "two" parties is "in power" is rather a rather mute point, the donor class has it covered "either" way. The theater will be breathless to be sure and the corporate state media machine will revel in the chaos and division they can whip up for ratings, but the authoritarian kakistocracy that is america will roll right on down the road of empirical decline.

So let me get this right, your little community here, the authoritarians here issue negative reputation points based upon whether some nimrod likes what ya post? Oh that's rich, a safe space just for them.

 

[Fentoine Lum]

Trump isn’t panicking. Trump doesn’t give a shit. He knows he could shoot someone on fifth avenue and Republican Senators won’t vote to impeach him. This will go nowhere fast. Well maybe slowly.

SLD

He can be prosecuted for things he did in office once he's out of office, and Moscow Mitch can't protect him.

Pffffffffffffffffffft, see Jeff Epstein, the aristocracy is beyond the law.

 

[Elixir]

Coming from the midnight runner and Chief Deceiver for The President, this deserves to be laughed out of town.
Cheato solicited foreign help with his re-election. He admits it. End of story, nothing more is needed to remove him from office.
Impeach the fucker and his toady billybarr. Do it today.

There is still the cover-up. There are supposedly seven more calls with the Ukrainian President, and we are aware that White House officials were hiding at least the first one.

Sure. There are cover ups (plural), obstruction of justice, collusion, inciting violence, witness intimidation, lying to the public, attacking the US intelligence community and thousand other offenses, any one of which could give cause for removal from office. And that's the danger here; if Dems insist on assembling the full litany of offenses it will only muddy the waters. 'Pugs will find one weakness in one accusation and scream "WITCH HUNT!" to the delight of trumpsucking morons from sea to shining sea.
They should forget about more hearings and forget about all those almost-provable impeachable transgressions. Congress needs to simply do its job and impeach the motherfucker for what he has already admitted to: soliciting foreign help for his own re-election. Let the Republican senators cast their votes for allowing current and future presidents to enlist foreign powers in their election campaigns if they believe that's how it should be.

 

[Cheerful Charlie]

Apparently this Trump project started just hours after the new Ukrainian president, Zelensky was elected. Rudy was sent to Ukraine to facilitate the investigation of the Bidens. I had read some reports that Rudy had blabbed about going to Ukraine to do this. Now I see what was happening. It may very well turn out to be Rudy's big mouth was the tip off something odd was going on that demanded attention. Word is out that there were more than the whistleblower who was watching this unfold. I suspect they will soon be asked to speak to Congress about this. The state department seems to have initially been blind sided by this. It is going to take a few weeks for the new select committee to dig out all the facts and understand how they all fit together. And I suspect it is not going to happen behind closed doors, this is going to be very public.

Rachel Maddow how an odd take on all of this. When investigators found evidence Spiro Agnew was taking bribes and kickbacks, Spiro wrote the US Attorney General, Elliot Richardson, asking to be impeached. Spiro thought he would be impeached in the House but that the partisan GOP controlled Senate would refuse and he would get off scott free. Instead, the House refused. The next day, all the incriminating evidence was gathered up and sent to a Grand Jury. To save his skin from going to prison, Agnew pleaded nolo contendre and resigned.

The take on this from Trump and lawyers is that a sitting president cannot be indicted for a crime while holding office. A desperate ploy. It may well be that Trump gets Agnewed. Indicted for extortion perhaps. Saving us all an impeachment stymied by a partisan GOP. Forced to resign and agree not to ever run again or be involved in politics as Agnew was forced to sign to stay out of prison. Such a deal! I hear Trump is big on cutting deals.

Stay tuned for the next episode of the political soap opera "All My Trumps".

 

[Elixir]

The term "cover-up" is now being used. That is often the turning point in public opinion. It's going to be fascinating to see how this unfolds.

The nation's future depends on the next few days and where this leads. Clearly the House is still sold on dictatorial leadership. What says the Senate?

Actually I think the future is pretty well locked in at this point, the public has already shown it will accept anything and remain docile. "Which" of our "two" parties is "in power" is rather a rather mute point, the donor class has it covered "either" way. The theater will be breathless to be sure and the corporate state media machine will revel in the chaos and division they can whip up for ratings, but the authoritarian kakistocracy that is america will roll right on down the road of empirical decline.

Actually this a rare moment when a "re-set" is at least possible, if not probable.
Failing that, you're probably right; the decline of empires is as sure as any other form of entropy, and America is no exception.

 

[Fentoine Lum]

Actually I think the future is pretty well locked in at this point, the public has already shown it will accept anything and remain docile. "Which" of our "two" parties is "in power" is rather a rather mute point, the donor class has it covered "either" way. The theater will be breathless to be sure and the corporate state media machine will revel in the chaos and division they can whip up for ratings, but the authoritarian kakistocracy that is america will roll right on down the road of empirical decline.

Actually this a rare moment when a "re-set" is at least possible, if not probable.
Failing that, you're probably right; the decline of empires is as sure as any other form of entropy, and America is no exception.

What re-set will end our perversion for endless war and global occupations which are cannibalizing society economically? What re-set will end our for profit concentration camps? What re-set will end our denial of dealing with the climate threat? What re-set will end our for profit mass incarceration system? What re-set will end our police state murdering of citizens in the streets with impunity by "the law"? What re-set will end our inevitable "choice" between the lessor of two evils system of class rule? What re-set will end our "representation" which can be single highhandedly sodomized by one guy in Kentucky who does not answer to any voter outside KY?

The public has shown, repeatedly, we are utterly cucked to concentrated wealth, we'll just keep getting up and going into work regardless and change does not come from the top.

 

[Jimmy Higgins]

Obstruction of justice is complicated. Releasing a phone call transcript where you ask the Ukrainian President for a favor consisting of investigating a domestic political opponent isn't quite as complicated.

 

[dismal]

Obstruction of justice is complicated. Releasing a phone call transcript where you ask the Ukrainian President for a favor consisting of investigating a domestic political opponent isn't quite as complicated.

Do you actually believe a transcript was released that shows this?

I find that a bit frightening. A commentary on how people can be impervious to facts.

 

[Don2 (Don1 Revised)]

Obstruction of justice is complicated. Releasing a phone call transcript where you ask the Ukrainian President for a favor consisting of investigating a domestic political opponent isn't quite as complicated.

Do you actually believe a transcript was released that shows this?

I find that a bit frightening. A commentary on how people can be impervious to facts.

So President Trump did not ask the Ukrainian President for a favor consisting of investigating past events that involved a domestic political opponent?

The President did not arrange for his personal lawyer to meet with Ukrainian officials to discuss this?

 

[TV and credit cards]

If you listened to the Maguire testimony, Adam Schiff had a pretty good close. Good note to leave it on.
All in all, the Republican’s shit seemed pretty weak. Mostly the usual hurt feelings that the Democrats are doing this. Little addressing and challenging of the issue.
Atkinson’s testimony should be well worth it.
I like that it was brought up that Giuliani is running around conducting the country’s/president’s business on international affairs and he has never been vetted for any security clearance.

So this phone conversation was recorded and stored inappropriately on a server designated for sensitive material? I thought there was no actual recording.

 

[Koyaanisqatsi]

Here is an enlightening twitter feed (Jesus, did I just type that?): Bradley Simpson. I've transcribed it here:

1/9 For the non-historians out there: I am a historian of US foreign policy who has read more documents like this than I can remember, so a few thoughts on the Trump MemCon. 1) This is not verbatim, as the document states. It is a sort of summary, which is very different.

2/9 The references to Giuliani strongly suggest that Zelenskyy is familiar with his efforts over the preceding months to dig up dirt on Joe Biden. When reading documents like this, historians often assemble timelines to interpret references to people and events.

3/9 Before getting on phone calls like this, both Trump and Zelenskyy will have gotten briefing materials with talking points and what the other party wants to talk about, Congress will of course subpoena these. Zalenskyy's briefing materials would be super interesting here.

3.5/9 Zelensky's briefing materials would summarize the state of play of US econ and military assistance, diplomacy, etc. There was *no need* for Trump to specifically mention US mil aid. Zelensky knew the US was holding up military assistance, and why, and what he had to say.

4/5 After the call, officials at State, NSC, and other agencies would have circulated the MemCon to relevant officials whose job is to act on whatever was said. They will often annotate the memo, refer to previous meetings, cables, so everyone can follow the conversation.

5/ Congress can and must subpoena all the follow up documents from this call, because State, DOD, DOJ, and others will have created documents from this call that say "here's what we do now." This MemCon is one data point in a narrative, referring to many other relevant events.

5.5/9 When I and other historians at places like @NSArchive use the Freedom of Information Act to request documents related to Presidential conversations, we request all documents from weeks or months before and weeks or months after, because there is prep work and follow up.

6/9 We can read much into the tone, tenor, and other 'cues' in the memo. This is at the heart of what we do as historians - trying to 'read' an incomplete transcript and come to best interpretation of language used. The tone is of a supplicant (Zelenskyy) buttering the President.


7/9 Zelensky flatters Trump in ways I have never seen in such a conversation - mentioning he stayed at Trump's hotel, etc. Its almost certain he was briefed that this is the way to get on Trump's good side: kiss his ass, flatter, praise. This is a weird, weird thing to read.


8/9 Trump mentioning Giuliani repeatedly in the call is a enormous tell. Normally President will refer to Sect State, Ambassador, or cabinet officials as his point person on a policy issue. Trump mentions his personal lawyer, and Zelensky will have known exactly what this means.

9/9 The few paragraphs referring to Barr, Giuliani, Biden, etc. are, from a historian's perspective, very, very clear in their meaning. Take 100 historians, and 99 will see this document in the same way, even if we interpret it with great caution. This is very, very damning.

10/ here is an example of a follow up document resulting from a Presidential phone call (this example is from Bill Clinton calling Indonesian President Suharto in 1998): https://nsarchive2.gwu.edu//dc.html?doc=4616938-Document-05-White-House-Memorandum-of