https://www.rollingstone.com/politics/politics-news/trump-fox-news-republican-impeachment-inquiry-defenses-make-no-sense-911710/
"The bully tactics aren’t surprising. For Republicans to engage with the substance of the hearing in good faith would be to acknowledge how troubling Trump’s actions were."
Friday, November 15, 2019
Roger Stone Found Guilty of Lying to Congress to Protect Trump
https://www.thedailybeast.com/roger-stone-found-guilty-of-lying-to-congress-to-protect-trump
"Stone, 67, was convicted of seven charges, including lying to congressional investigators, witness tampering, and obstructing justice. The charges stem from former Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 election—and were the last to be filed before the probe ended."
"Stone, 67, was convicted of seven charges, including lying to congressional investigators, witness tampering, and obstructing justice. The charges stem from former Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 election—and were the last to be filed before the probe ended."
The Seven Ways Wednesday’s Hearing Clarified Trump’s Real Motives
https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2019/11/wednesday-impeachment-hearing-clarified-trump-motives.html
"Trump didn’t care about corruption. He betrayed his oath and his country."
"Trump didn’t care about corruption. He betrayed his oath and his country."
Ukraine Is Just A Continuation Of 2016
https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2019/11/14/1899358/-Ukraine-Is-Just-A-Continuation-Of-2016
"The larger story is that Ukraine is merely a continuation of what the Trump campaign did in 2016. They were relying on foreign help in 2016 and were attempting to line up similar foreign interference in 2020, using the same tactic they had used to get Ukraine to stop cooperating with Mueller and thereby obstruct justice. Rudy Giuliani orchestrated the critical attack against Clinton in 2016 and was attempting to do the same to Biden for 2020. The Trump administration has been a continuous reel of criminality and probable impeachable conduct and the Ukraine extortion is actually just a small, but incredibly important, part of that."
"The larger story is that Ukraine is merely a continuation of what the Trump campaign did in 2016. They were relying on foreign help in 2016 and were attempting to line up similar foreign interference in 2020, using the same tactic they had used to get Ukraine to stop cooperating with Mueller and thereby obstruct justice. Rudy Giuliani orchestrated the critical attack against Clinton in 2016 and was attempting to do the same to Biden for 2020. The Trump administration has been a continuous reel of criminality and probable impeachable conduct and the Ukraine extortion is actually just a small, but incredibly important, part of that."
Judge Napolitano: Trump 'Pretty Clearly' Violated Criminal Bribery Laws
https://crooksandliars.com/2019/11/judge-napolitano-gop-strategy-undermine
"When there are no facts in one's favor, there really isn't much else to do other than distract and attack witnesses."
"When there are no facts in one's favor, there really isn't much else to do other than distract and attack witnesses."
Taylor Testimony Nailed the Door Shut on GOP Claims of Trump’s Noninvolvement
https://truthout.org/articles/taylor-testimony-nailed-the-door-shut-on-gop-claims-of-trumps-noninvolvement/
"Standing in vivid contrast to Taylor and Kent were their Republican inquisitors, whose collective performance was a thoroughgoing disgrace to the very concept of representative government. Devin Nunes blurted out at least nine bald-faced lies during his opening statement alone, and Jim Jordan — a ballyhooed last-minute addition to the Intelligence Committee — attempted and utterly failed to achieve depth by dint of volume. Chairman Adam Schiff effectively rode herd over serial GOP attempts to throw sand in the gears of the hearing, though his eyes grew wider and wider as the day went on. Wending their way through every leaf in their well-worn tome of farfetched Breitbart balderdash, Republican after Republican threw everything they could against the wall, praying something would stick."
"Standing in vivid contrast to Taylor and Kent were their Republican inquisitors, whose collective performance was a thoroughgoing disgrace to the very concept of representative government. Devin Nunes blurted out at least nine bald-faced lies during his opening statement alone, and Jim Jordan — a ballyhooed last-minute addition to the Intelligence Committee — attempted and utterly failed to achieve depth by dint of volume. Chairman Adam Schiff effectively rode herd over serial GOP attempts to throw sand in the gears of the hearing, though his eyes grew wider and wider as the day went on. Wending their way through every leaf in their well-worn tome of farfetched Breitbart balderdash, Republican after Republican threw everything they could against the wall, praying something would stick."
Dangerous When Cornered
https://talkingpointsmemo.com/edblog/dangerous-when-cornered
"Coming off today’s hearing Joe DiGenova and Victoria Toensing appeared on Lou Dobbs show this evening pushing a noxious set of bananas conspiracy theories about George Soros controlling the State Department and the FBI. These may sound funny or loopy. But they are right out of the propaganda mills of Hungary’s Viktor Orban and other rightist anti-Semitic movements in Eastern Europe. Indeed, it’s basically the same set of conspiracy theories which led to Judicial Watch’s Chris Farrell being banished from Fox a year ago. I was the first one to highlight what he’d said and what was behind it. That was also on Lou Dobbs show. Farrell’s rhetoric and theories were identical to those which had only a short time earlier inspired the massacre at the Tree of Life synagogue in Pittsburgh. DiGenova and Toensing didn’t use the same “Soros-occupied State Department” line which is a reference to stock phrases used in neo-Nazi and white supremacist literature. But it’s the same argument, with the same origins."
"Coming off today’s hearing Joe DiGenova and Victoria Toensing appeared on Lou Dobbs show this evening pushing a noxious set of bananas conspiracy theories about George Soros controlling the State Department and the FBI. These may sound funny or loopy. But they are right out of the propaganda mills of Hungary’s Viktor Orban and other rightist anti-Semitic movements in Eastern Europe. Indeed, it’s basically the same set of conspiracy theories which led to Judicial Watch’s Chris Farrell being banished from Fox a year ago. I was the first one to highlight what he’d said and what was behind it. That was also on Lou Dobbs show. Farrell’s rhetoric and theories were identical to those which had only a short time earlier inspired the massacre at the Tree of Life synagogue in Pittsburgh. DiGenova and Toensing didn’t use the same “Soros-occupied State Department” line which is a reference to stock phrases used in neo-Nazi and white supremacist literature. But it’s the same argument, with the same origins."
The Evidence of Wrongdoing by Trump Is Overwhelming
https://www.nytimes.com/2019/11/13/opinion/trump-impeachment-defense.html
"Members of Congress must listen closely to what these witnesses are saying: President Trump used the power of his office to pressure a struggling ally to conduct investigations for his own personal, political benefit. They will face a vote as consequential to American democracy as any they have taken. The testimony spoken in these hearings, and the facts outlined by these witnesses, must be their only guide when they take that vote. Not to do so is to allow the president to succeed in damaging our democracy."
"Members of Congress must listen closely to what these witnesses are saying: President Trump used the power of his office to pressure a struggling ally to conduct investigations for his own personal, political benefit. They will face a vote as consequential to American democracy as any they have taken. The testimony spoken in these hearings, and the facts outlined by these witnesses, must be their only guide when they take that vote. Not to do so is to allow the president to succeed in damaging our democracy."
Twitter has a field day with Jim Jordan's craven behavior at impeachment hearing
https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2019/11/13/1899191/-Twitter-has-a-field-day-with-Jim-Jordan-s-craven-behavior-at-impeachment-hearing
"His positioning on the House Intelligence Committee during the impeachment hearings is a mystery in as much as he’s dumb and has nothing but enormous skeletons in his own closet. There are the numerous lawsuits and allegations that while an assistant wrestling coach at Ohio State University, Jordan knew about multiple young men being sexually assaulted and molested by Dr. Richard Strauss. However, the GOP seems to want to find the most craven and shameless of the Republican reps available to spin their wheels, since an actual defense of Trump’s actions surrounding the Ukraine eludes them. But, Jordan has a grotesque quality of speaking fast, saying nothing, and then acting like he’s smugly made a point. It’s a delusional quality that has kept him upright these past many years as he internally rationalizes being such a coward to those he perceives to be good for his career. But for all of Rep. Jordan’s bluster and fast-talking bullsh*t, most of the American public knows that he is a man that allowed younger men to be molested and raped by his coworker. He turned a blind eye to protecting the young people he was charged to tutor and help become adults. He’s a coward and a liar. No less than three hashtags have been trending today, all referring to Jordan. #GymJordan and #MrJordan and #RepJordan, are filled with nothing but the facts about Jim Jordan."
"His positioning on the House Intelligence Committee during the impeachment hearings is a mystery in as much as he’s dumb and has nothing but enormous skeletons in his own closet. There are the numerous lawsuits and allegations that while an assistant wrestling coach at Ohio State University, Jordan knew about multiple young men being sexually assaulted and molested by Dr. Richard Strauss. However, the GOP seems to want to find the most craven and shameless of the Republican reps available to spin their wheels, since an actual defense of Trump’s actions surrounding the Ukraine eludes them. But, Jordan has a grotesque quality of speaking fast, saying nothing, and then acting like he’s smugly made a point. It’s a delusional quality that has kept him upright these past many years as he internally rationalizes being such a coward to those he perceives to be good for his career. But for all of Rep. Jordan’s bluster and fast-talking bullsh*t, most of the American public knows that he is a man that allowed younger men to be molested and raped by his coworker. He turned a blind eye to protecting the young people he was charged to tutor and help become adults. He’s a coward and a liar. No less than three hashtags have been trending today, all referring to Jordan. #GymJordan and #MrJordan and #RepJordan, are filled with nothing but the facts about Jim Jordan."
At hearing, Republicans carry forward Trump’s effort to make lies into truths
https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2019/11/13/hearing-republicans-carry-forward-trumps-effort-make-lies-into-truths/
"Trump failed in his effort to extort Ukraine into manufacturing fake evidence to bolster his story lines. But he can’t let go of them — he seems to think his reelection depends on realizing this project — and he still has Republicans in Congress using the impeachment hearings to do it for him."
"Trump failed in his effort to extort Ukraine into manufacturing fake evidence to bolster his story lines. But he can’t let go of them — he seems to think his reelection depends on realizing this project — and he still has Republicans in Congress using the impeachment hearings to do it for him."
House Republicans Lash Out Because They Can’t Defend Trump’s Conduct
http://nymag.com/intelligencer/2019/11/devin-nunes-statement-impeachment-ukraine-testimony.html
"As the state-of-the-art Trumpist of the party’s congressional wing, Nunes’s opening statement reveals the best case they have been able to muster for his defense. As a matter of substance, it is almost nonexistent."
"As the state-of-the-art Trumpist of the party’s congressional wing, Nunes’s opening statement reveals the best case they have been able to muster for his defense. As a matter of substance, it is almost nonexistent."
Fox News Legal Analyst Andrew Napolitano Rips Republicans’ Main Argument In Defense Of Trump
https://www.huffpost.com/entry/andrew-napolitano-trump-impeachable_n_5dcb9089e4b0a794d1f76f58
"Andrew Napolitano says Trump’s activity is “clearly impeachable"."
"Andrew Napolitano says Trump’s activity is “clearly impeachable"."
The System Was Blinking Red
https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2019/11/system-was-blinking-red/601960/
"Wednesday’s testimony drove home the fact that Trump’s July 25 phone call with Ukraine’s president wasn’t just a one-off conversation. It was, to the contrary, at the heart of a remarkable series of events—a push to enlist a foreign government to assist Trump’s domestic reelection campaign that had sparked ordinary officials to do extraordinary things. Their threats of resignation and referrals to White House lawyers reflect a profound sense that something bad was unfolding. The system was again, as the first day of testimony made clear, blinking red."
"Wednesday’s testimony drove home the fact that Trump’s July 25 phone call with Ukraine’s president wasn’t just a one-off conversation. It was, to the contrary, at the heart of a remarkable series of events—a push to enlist a foreign government to assist Trump’s domestic reelection campaign that had sparked ordinary officials to do extraordinary things. Their threats of resignation and referrals to White House lawyers reflect a profound sense that something bad was unfolding. The system was again, as the first day of testimony made clear, blinking red."
Referee says he told Rep. Jim Jordan that Ohio State doctor performed sex act in shower
https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/referee-says-he-told-rep-jim-jordan-ohio-state-doctor-n1078476
"Jordan, a powerful Republican congressman and a top defender of President Donald Trump in the ongoing impeachment inquiry, has repeatedly denied knowing anything about what Strauss did to the wrestlers he helped coach from 1986 to 1994."
"Jordan, a powerful Republican congressman and a top defender of President Donald Trump in the ongoing impeachment inquiry, has repeatedly denied knowing anything about what Strauss did to the wrestlers he helped coach from 1986 to 1994."
Diplomats: Trump Effort to Extort Ukraine ‘Undercut,’ ‘Damaged’ U.S.
https://www.thedailybeast.com/diplomats-trump-effort-to-extort-ukraine-undercut-damaged-us
"Longtime U.S. diplomats outlined their discomfort and disapproval with what they described as a campaign by President Donald Trump’s allies to hijack Ukraine relations for Trump’s reelection, the central issue in Trump’s potential impeachment."
"Longtime U.S. diplomats outlined their discomfort and disapproval with what they described as a campaign by President Donald Trump’s allies to hijack Ukraine relations for Trump’s reelection, the central issue in Trump’s potential impeachment."
Wednesday, November 13, 2019
First day of impeachment hearings: Once again, all roads lead to Putin
https://www.salon.com/2019/11/13/first-day-of-impeachment-hearings-once-again-all-roads-lead-to-putin/
"It was a chilling reminder that there are no limits for Republicans when it comes to defending Trump. In order to defend their embattled orange president, Republicans went on live TV and threw the entire nation of Ukraine under the bus. Until now, Ukraine has enjoyed strong U.S. support, on a bipartisan basis, for its continued independence from Russian rule or Russian domination. But because of Trump's idiotic conspiracy theories and his resulting crimes, all that is under threat. Putin must be thrilled. At the end of his opening remarks, Taylor discussed his vision of Ukraine's future: "Young people in a young nation, struggling to break free of its past, hopeful that their new government will finally usher in a new Ukraine, proud of its independence from Russia, eager to join Western institutions and enjoy a more secure and prosperous life." One clear story comes out of the first day of impeachment hearings on Donald Trump: His actions threaten that vision of Ukraine. There can be no doubt that Trump took his actions for personal gain, because he wanted to cheat in the 2016 election and demonize his opponent in the 2020 election. But as with so many things Trump has done, his actions also benefited Putin. The Trump-Russia scandal isn't over. After today, it's clear that it's ongoing."
"It was a chilling reminder that there are no limits for Republicans when it comes to defending Trump. In order to defend their embattled orange president, Republicans went on live TV and threw the entire nation of Ukraine under the bus. Until now, Ukraine has enjoyed strong U.S. support, on a bipartisan basis, for its continued independence from Russian rule or Russian domination. But because of Trump's idiotic conspiracy theories and his resulting crimes, all that is under threat. Putin must be thrilled. At the end of his opening remarks, Taylor discussed his vision of Ukraine's future: "Young people in a young nation, struggling to break free of its past, hopeful that their new government will finally usher in a new Ukraine, proud of its independence from Russia, eager to join Western institutions and enjoy a more secure and prosperous life." One clear story comes out of the first day of impeachment hearings on Donald Trump: His actions threaten that vision of Ukraine. There can be no doubt that Trump took his actions for personal gain, because he wanted to cheat in the 2016 election and demonize his opponent in the 2020 election. But as with so many things Trump has done, his actions also benefited Putin. The Trump-Russia scandal isn't over. After today, it's clear that it's ongoing."
Why We Must Impeach
https://www.rollingstone.com/politics/politics-features/sean-wilentz-why-we-must-impeach-donald-trump-897246/
"The nation’s founders understood, having fought a revolution against monarchy, that no government of the people was invulnerable to such egregious abuses of power. They were particularly concerned, as Alexander Hamilton wrote in the Federalist Papers, that a president, through “cabal, intrigue, and corruption,” might help “foreign powers to gain an improper ascendant in our councils.” In their wisdom, they created a mechanism to halt this disloyal corruption in its tracks: impeachment. Impeachment is a severe measure of last resort, which ought to be used only in the most extreme cases. In the United States, the voters are supposed to decide who governs. That’s what the Framers of the Constitution had in mind when they formed a new government in which, at every level, ultimate sovereignty lay in “We, the People.” Elections legitimately won cannot be illegitimately undone at the whim of a faction or party. They should only be undone by throwing the bum out at the next election. What happens, though, if a president uses the powers of office to disrupt the next election? What if that president does so by brazenly enlisting the aid of a hostile foreign power? Or if he does so by trying in secret to extort cooperation from a foreign ally threatened by that same hostile power? What if the president has denied the existence of an ongoing systematic cyberattack from the hostile power, which every U.S. intelligence service calls a clear and present threat to our democracy? What if the actions of that president raise urgent questions about the legitimacy of the next election and cast a darker cloud over how he gained the office in the first place? There have been earlier impeachments and interferences with democratic institutions in our history, but nothing like this one. In this, as he likes to say, Trump truly stands alone. He has assaulted American democracy, claimed he has the authority to do so, and dared anybody to do anything about it"
"The nation’s founders understood, having fought a revolution against monarchy, that no government of the people was invulnerable to such egregious abuses of power. They were particularly concerned, as Alexander Hamilton wrote in the Federalist Papers, that a president, through “cabal, intrigue, and corruption,” might help “foreign powers to gain an improper ascendant in our councils.” In their wisdom, they created a mechanism to halt this disloyal corruption in its tracks: impeachment. Impeachment is a severe measure of last resort, which ought to be used only in the most extreme cases. In the United States, the voters are supposed to decide who governs. That’s what the Framers of the Constitution had in mind when they formed a new government in which, at every level, ultimate sovereignty lay in “We, the People.” Elections legitimately won cannot be illegitimately undone at the whim of a faction or party. They should only be undone by throwing the bum out at the next election. What happens, though, if a president uses the powers of office to disrupt the next election? What if that president does so by brazenly enlisting the aid of a hostile foreign power? Or if he does so by trying in secret to extort cooperation from a foreign ally threatened by that same hostile power? What if the president has denied the existence of an ongoing systematic cyberattack from the hostile power, which every U.S. intelligence service calls a clear and present threat to our democracy? What if the actions of that president raise urgent questions about the legitimacy of the next election and cast a darker cloud over how he gained the office in the first place? There have been earlier impeachments and interferences with democratic institutions in our history, but nothing like this one. In this, as he likes to say, Trump truly stands alone. He has assaulted American democracy, claimed he has the authority to do so, and dared anybody to do anything about it"
The Opening Statements from Devin Nunes and Adam Schiff at the Impeachment Hearing Said Everything
https://www.esquire.com/news-politics/a29785590/adam-schiff-opening-statement-impeachment-hearing-devin-nunes/
"It was a complete contrast: one dealt in the evidence provided by witnesses under oath. The other spouted Fox News conspiracies."
"It was a complete contrast: one dealt in the evidence provided by witnesses under oath. The other spouted Fox News conspiracies."
A Who’s Who of Ukraine Witnesses
https://www.justsecurity.org/66972/a-whos-who-of-ukraine-witnesses/
"The list of witnesses complying with congressional subpoenas and thereby defying the White House directive not to cooperate with the House impeachment inquiry seems to grow longer by the day. Senior officials from the State Department, the Pentagon and the National Security Council have all given depositions, telling remarkably similar stories about how the Trump administration’s Ukraine policy shifted from what was best for the United States to what was best for Donald Trump and his bid for reelection."
"The list of witnesses complying with congressional subpoenas and thereby defying the White House directive not to cooperate with the House impeachment inquiry seems to grow longer by the day. Senior officials from the State Department, the Pentagon and the National Security Council have all given depositions, telling remarkably similar stories about how the Trump administration’s Ukraine policy shifted from what was best for the United States to what was best for Donald Trump and his bid for reelection."
Fox News’ Andrew Napolitano Challenges Trump’s Fitness For Office
https://www.huffpost.com/entry/andrew-napolitano-donald-trump-fitness-for-office_n_5dc9f231e4b00927b2384840
"Fox News legal analyst Andrew Napolitano challenged President Donald Trump’s fitness for office on Monday because of his “disparagement of the Constitution, which he is sworn to uphold"."
"Fox News legal analyst Andrew Napolitano challenged President Donald Trump’s fitness for office on Monday because of his “disparagement of the Constitution, which he is sworn to uphold"."
Send in the clowns: Impeachment is serious stuff, but GOP wants a circus
https://www.salon.com/2019/11/12/send-in-the-clowns-impeachment-is-serious-stuff-but-gop-wants-a-circus/
"At its worst, Trumpism has indoctrinated millions of Americans who doubt or outright reject reality, the very existence of empirical fact. Instead, they accept as truth the shriekings of one man whose reputation for corruption and mendacity stretches back to the 1970s — a man who, among other horrendous deeds, just admitted in court that he stole $2.8 million from military veterans, of all people. Defying all things commonsensical, this is their guy, their Chosen One, and they’re willing to burn everything down in defense of this clown. Consequently, House Democrats aren’t engaged in an impeachment of choice. Given the stakes — the voluminous record of crimes, unprecedented stunts and defiant incompetence by this president, impeachment is a compulsory law-enforcement action by patriots who gratefully recognize where Trump’s brand of autocratic generalissimo-style leadership is headed if provided too much oxygen. The public impeachment hearings are designed to be administered by both parties commensurate with the seriousness of the charges. But I think we all know what’s really going to happen, at least on the Republican side."
"At its worst, Trumpism has indoctrinated millions of Americans who doubt or outright reject reality, the very existence of empirical fact. Instead, they accept as truth the shriekings of one man whose reputation for corruption and mendacity stretches back to the 1970s — a man who, among other horrendous deeds, just admitted in court that he stole $2.8 million from military veterans, of all people. Defying all things commonsensical, this is their guy, their Chosen One, and they’re willing to burn everything down in defense of this clown. Consequently, House Democrats aren’t engaged in an impeachment of choice. Given the stakes — the voluminous record of crimes, unprecedented stunts and defiant incompetence by this president, impeachment is a compulsory law-enforcement action by patriots who gratefully recognize where Trump’s brand of autocratic generalissimo-style leadership is headed if provided too much oxygen. The public impeachment hearings are designed to be administered by both parties commensurate with the seriousness of the charges. But I think we all know what’s really going to happen, at least on the Republican side."
Rank partisan solidarity is all Trump’s defenders have left
https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/rank-partisan-solidarity-is-all-trumps-defenders-have-left/2019/11/11/be0a290c-04cb-11ea-ac12-3325d49eacaa_story.html
"Evidence clearly indicates that Trump conditioned official acts — release of nearly $400 million in military aid and an invitation to the White House — on a commitment by Zelensky to meddle in the 2020 U.S. election. Republican members of Congress used to deny there was any quid pro quo, which in this case is Latin for bribery. Now they say there was, but it doesn’t rise to an impeachable offense. Assuming no exculpatory evidence surfaces, articles of impeachment will surely be drafted and brought to the House floor. I hope that some Republicans — perhaps a number of the 20 who have announced they are retiring — vote conscience over party. But if the entire GOP caucus puts party before duty, so be it. Democrats and the lone independent congressman (former Republican Rep. Justin Amash of Michigan) will have honored their oath to defend the Constitution."
"Evidence clearly indicates that Trump conditioned official acts — release of nearly $400 million in military aid and an invitation to the White House — on a commitment by Zelensky to meddle in the 2020 U.S. election. Republican members of Congress used to deny there was any quid pro quo, which in this case is Latin for bribery. Now they say there was, but it doesn’t rise to an impeachable offense. Assuming no exculpatory evidence surfaces, articles of impeachment will surely be drafted and brought to the House floor. I hope that some Republicans — perhaps a number of the 20 who have announced they are retiring — vote conscience over party. But if the entire GOP caucus puts party before duty, so be it. Democrats and the lone independent congressman (former Republican Rep. Justin Amash of Michigan) will have honored their oath to defend the Constitution."
GOP's opening salvo on impeachment hearings requires America's absolute ignorance of the facts
https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2019/11/12/1898928/-GOP-s-opening-salvo-on-impeachment-hearings-requires-America-s-absolute-ignorance-of-the-facts
"The GOP's final talking point rests on the idea that simply because everything turned out okay, there was no harm done—yet another exercise in cognitive dissonance. As multiple officials will tell Americans during the hearings, a desperate scramble ensued both inside the administration and among Ukrainians to get the funds released before they would disappear by the end of September. But either way, seeking foreign help in a U.S. election is a criminal offense, not to mention that Trump's actions clearly endangered Ukraine's national security and, therefore, damaged U.S. national security in the process. All of the Republican talking points require a studied aversion to the truth that will fall flat to anyone who actually watches the public hearings with the intention of gathering the facts."
"The GOP's final talking point rests on the idea that simply because everything turned out okay, there was no harm done—yet another exercise in cognitive dissonance. As multiple officials will tell Americans during the hearings, a desperate scramble ensued both inside the administration and among Ukrainians to get the funds released before they would disappear by the end of September. But either way, seeking foreign help in a U.S. election is a criminal offense, not to mention that Trump's actions clearly endangered Ukraine's national security and, therefore, damaged U.S. national security in the process. All of the Republican talking points require a studied aversion to the truth that will fall flat to anyone who actually watches the public hearings with the intention of gathering the facts."
Stone Trial Reveals Trump Likely Lied to Mueller
https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2019/11/stone-trial-reveals-trump-likely-lied-to-mueller/
"The revelations came from Rick Gates, a former Trump campaign aid who took the stand as federal prosecutors wrapped up their case against Stone, the longtime Trump adviser who was charged with lying to Congress about his efforts to interact with WikiLeaks in 2016."
"The revelations came from Rick Gates, a former Trump campaign aid who took the stand as federal prosecutors wrapped up their case against Stone, the longtime Trump adviser who was charged with lying to Congress about his efforts to interact with WikiLeaks in 2016."
The Whistleblower’s Identity Doesn’t Really Matter Anymore
https://www.rollingstone.com/politics/politics-news/whistleblower-identity-irrelevant-910496/
"The whistleblower’s complaint may have kicked off of the impeachment inquiry, but it is no longer essential to it. Nearly all of its claims have been independently corroborated, as NPR recently pointed out in an exhaustively annotated version of the complaint. Here are a few examples: ALLEGATION: This is the thesis of the whistleblower’s complaint: “In the course of my official duties, I have received information from multiple U.S. Government officials that the President of the United States is using the power of his office to solicit interference from a foreign country in the 2020 U.S. election. This interference includes, among other things, pressuring a foreign country to investigate one of the President’s main domestic political rivals. The President’s personal lawyer, Mr. Rudolph Giuliani, is a central figure in this effort. Attorney General Barr appears to be involved as well.” CORROBORATION: Every point of this paragraph was confirmed explicitly in the partial transcript of Trump’s July 25th call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, not to mention by multiple witnesses with first-hand knowledge. The complaint goes on to detail what the whistleblower was told transpired in the call. All of these points were confirmed by the partial readout released by the White House, as well. ALLEGATION: That the White House “intervened to “lock down” all records of the phone call” and that White House officials were told by White House lawyers to move the transcript of the call to a highly classified server typically reserved for material pertaining to national security. CORROBORATION: Lt. Col. Alexander Vindman testified that the transcript of the call “into a different type, a different, more secure system” after he relayed his concerns about the call to National Security Council lawyers."
"The whistleblower’s complaint may have kicked off of the impeachment inquiry, but it is no longer essential to it. Nearly all of its claims have been independently corroborated, as NPR recently pointed out in an exhaustively annotated version of the complaint. Here are a few examples: ALLEGATION: This is the thesis of the whistleblower’s complaint: “In the course of my official duties, I have received information from multiple U.S. Government officials that the President of the United States is using the power of his office to solicit interference from a foreign country in the 2020 U.S. election. This interference includes, among other things, pressuring a foreign country to investigate one of the President’s main domestic political rivals. The President’s personal lawyer, Mr. Rudolph Giuliani, is a central figure in this effort. Attorney General Barr appears to be involved as well.” CORROBORATION: Every point of this paragraph was confirmed explicitly in the partial transcript of Trump’s July 25th call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, not to mention by multiple witnesses with first-hand knowledge. The complaint goes on to detail what the whistleblower was told transpired in the call. All of these points were confirmed by the partial readout released by the White House, as well. ALLEGATION: That the White House “intervened to “lock down” all records of the phone call” and that White House officials were told by White House lawyers to move the transcript of the call to a highly classified server typically reserved for material pertaining to national security. CORROBORATION: Lt. Col. Alexander Vindman testified that the transcript of the call “into a different type, a different, more secure system” after he relayed his concerns about the call to National Security Council lawyers."
This Is What a White Nationalist Administration Looks Like
https://www.rollingstone.com/politics/politics-news/stephen-miller-leaked-white-nationalist-emails-911312/
"Miller recommended white nationalist literature and websites"
"Miller recommended white nationalist literature and websites"
Trump just claimed Ivanka created 14 million jobs. The entire economy added 6 million.
https://www.vox.com/2019/11/12/20961764/trump-ivanka-created-14-million-jobs-whopper
"Trump’s lie about Ivanka creating more jobs than have been added to the entire American economy since he took office shows how he just can’t help himself. He builds on his lies until what he’s saying becomes so untethered from reality that it’s impossible to take seriously. The dynamic would be comical if Trump wasn’t supposed to be the leader of the free world."
"Trump’s lie about Ivanka creating more jobs than have been added to the entire American economy since he took office shows how he just can’t help himself. He builds on his lies until what he’s saying becomes so untethered from reality that it’s impossible to take seriously. The dynamic would be comical if Trump wasn’t supposed to be the leader of the free world."
Feds have more authority to regulate colored pencils than to ensure election security, report warns
https://www.newsweek.com/us-election-cybersecurity-attack-severe-risk-need-federal-regulation-brennan-center-warning-1471248
"Only three private vendors control more than 80 percent of U.S. voting systems across the country and the federal government has almost zero oversight power, a new election report warns. The Brennan Center for Justice issued a report about the vulnerability of U.S. voting equipment and election vendors who control an overwhelming majority of the country's electoral process. The report cautions that the federal government has more authority to regulate colored pencils than it does to enforce regulations on the nation's election infrastructure. The Brennan Center warns that voting technology vendors have "little financial incentive" to prioritize election security and guard against cyber attacks or foreign interference ahead of the 2020 presidential election. The report repeatedly urges Congress to set up a federal certification process for election vendors instead of allowing states to circumvent voting technology standards. And the findings corroborate several recent reports that lawmakers, who themselves were elected using these very same vendors and machines, have little to no incentive to implement election safety standards. "The ability of a foreign power to exploit the vulnerabilities of a vendor in a single county in Pennsylvania could have extraordinary repercussions for the country," the report released Tuesday reads. "Ultimately, the best course of action would be for Congress to create a uniform framework for election vendors." The federal certification program proposed by the Brennan Center's report would empower the Election Assistance Commission (EAC) to conduct independent oversight of vendors outside of "partisan political manipulation." The three companies, Dominion, ES&S and Hart InterCivic, control and oversee a vast majority of all U.S. voting machines. And as a September 2018 New York Times report indicated, this select few dominates the $300-million-a-year voting machine industry."
"Only three private vendors control more than 80 percent of U.S. voting systems across the country and the federal government has almost zero oversight power, a new election report warns. The Brennan Center for Justice issued a report about the vulnerability of U.S. voting equipment and election vendors who control an overwhelming majority of the country's electoral process. The report cautions that the federal government has more authority to regulate colored pencils than it does to enforce regulations on the nation's election infrastructure. The Brennan Center warns that voting technology vendors have "little financial incentive" to prioritize election security and guard against cyber attacks or foreign interference ahead of the 2020 presidential election. The report repeatedly urges Congress to set up a federal certification process for election vendors instead of allowing states to circumvent voting technology standards. And the findings corroborate several recent reports that lawmakers, who themselves were elected using these very same vendors and machines, have little to no incentive to implement election safety standards. "The ability of a foreign power to exploit the vulnerabilities of a vendor in a single county in Pennsylvania could have extraordinary repercussions for the country," the report released Tuesday reads. "Ultimately, the best course of action would be for Congress to create a uniform framework for election vendors." The federal certification program proposed by the Brennan Center's report would empower the Election Assistance Commission (EAC) to conduct independent oversight of vendors outside of "partisan political manipulation." The three companies, Dominion, ES&S and Hart InterCivic, control and oversee a vast majority of all U.S. voting machines. And as a September 2018 New York Times report indicated, this select few dominates the $300-million-a-year voting machine industry."
Tuesday, November 12, 2019
Send in the clowns: Impeachment is serious stuff, but GOP wants a circus
https://www.salon.com/2019/11/12/send-in-the-clowns-impeachment-is-serious-stuff-but-gop-wants-a-circus/
"At its worst, Trumpism has indoctrinated millions of Americans who doubt or outright reject reality, the very existence of empirical fact. Instead, they accept as truth the shriekings of one man whose reputation for corruption and mendacity stretches back to the 1970s — a man who, among other horrendous deeds, just admitted in court that he stole $2.8 million from military veterans, of all people. Defying all things commonsensical, this is their guy, their Chosen One, and they’re willing to burn everything down in defense of this clown. Consequently, House Democrats aren’t engaged in an impeachment of choice. Given the stakes — the voluminous record of crimes, unprecedented stunts and defiant incompetence by this president, impeachment is a compulsory law-enforcement action by patriots who gratefully recognize where Trump’s brand of autocratic generalissimo-style leadership is headed if provided too much oxygen. The public impeachment hearings are designed to be administered by both parties commensurate with the seriousness of the charges. But I think we all know what’s really going to happen, at least on the Republican side."
"At its worst, Trumpism has indoctrinated millions of Americans who doubt or outright reject reality, the very existence of empirical fact. Instead, they accept as truth the shriekings of one man whose reputation for corruption and mendacity stretches back to the 1970s — a man who, among other horrendous deeds, just admitted in court that he stole $2.8 million from military veterans, of all people. Defying all things commonsensical, this is their guy, their Chosen One, and they’re willing to burn everything down in defense of this clown. Consequently, House Democrats aren’t engaged in an impeachment of choice. Given the stakes — the voluminous record of crimes, unprecedented stunts and defiant incompetence by this president, impeachment is a compulsory law-enforcement action by patriots who gratefully recognize where Trump’s brand of autocratic generalissimo-style leadership is headed if provided too much oxygen. The public impeachment hearings are designed to be administered by both parties commensurate with the seriousness of the charges. But I think we all know what’s really going to happen, at least on the Republican side."
Rank partisan solidarity is all Trump’s defenders have left
https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/rank-partisan-solidarity-is-all-trumps-defenders-have-left/2019/11/11/be0a290c-04cb-11ea-ac12-3325d49eacaa_story.html
"Evidence clearly indicates that Trump conditioned official acts — release of nearly $400 million in military aid and an invitation to the White House — on a commitment by Zelensky to meddle in the 2020 U.S. election. Republican members of Congress used to deny there was any quid pro quo, which in this case is Latin for bribery. Now they say there was, but it doesn’t rise to an impeachable offense. Assuming no exculpatory evidence surfaces, articles of impeachment will surely be drafted and brought to the House floor. I hope that some Republicans — perhaps a number of the 20 who have announced they are retiring — vote conscience over party. But if the entire GOP caucus puts party before duty, so be it. Democrats and the lone independent congressman (former Republican Rep. Justin Amash of Michigan) will have honored their oath to defend the Constitution."
"Evidence clearly indicates that Trump conditioned official acts — release of nearly $400 million in military aid and an invitation to the White House — on a commitment by Zelensky to meddle in the 2020 U.S. election. Republican members of Congress used to deny there was any quid pro quo, which in this case is Latin for bribery. Now they say there was, but it doesn’t rise to an impeachable offense. Assuming no exculpatory evidence surfaces, articles of impeachment will surely be drafted and brought to the House floor. I hope that some Republicans — perhaps a number of the 20 who have announced they are retiring — vote conscience over party. But if the entire GOP caucus puts party before duty, so be it. Democrats and the lone independent congressman (former Republican Rep. Justin Amash of Michigan) will have honored their oath to defend the Constitution."
How ‘Citizens United’ Decision Paved Way for Giuliani's Clients Parnas and Fruman to Buy influence in America
https://www.commondreams.org/views/2019/10/11/how-citizens-united-decision-paved-way-giulianis-clients-parnas-and-fruman-buy
"As I pointed out last week, the most powerful intervention in US politics allowing foreign influence in US elections, which contributed to Trump’s victory in 2016, was the Supreme Court’s Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission (2010) decision. Like Michaelangelo’s God creating Adam with a pointing finger, SCOTUS created out of thin air a doctrine the corporations are persons. They added to this ridiculous conclusion their previous creatio ex nihilo, the terminally stupid argument that money is speech and so money in politics can’t be regulated. The result is that corporations can now donate on their own to Super-Pacs. Since corporations are often opaque as to ownership and since foreigners can be prominent on their boards, SCOTUS has allowed foreigners to donate to and influence US elections Lev Parnas and Igor Fruman associates of Rudy Giuliani, were arrested attempting to leave the US with one-way tickets to Austria, after they had been subpoenaed to testify before the House. One of the charges on which they were arrested was that they set up a dummy corporation, represented as a gas and oil enterprise but which did not actually exist, calling it Global Energy Producers. GEP then made a donation of $325,000 to America First Action, a pro-Trump political action committee, in May of 2018, They donated big sums to other PACs via their corporate personhood, funneling money from the Ukraine and $1 million from one Russian businessman alone. Citizens United allowed them to operate anonymously and to give as much as they liked (or as their foreign patrons liked). They also used GEF to influence Republican congressman Pete Sessions to write a letter to secretary of state Mike Pompeo, demanding that he fire the US ambassador to the Ukraine, Marie Yovanovitch. They also did illegal fundraisers for Florida governor Ron DeSantis, helping him win the governorship."
"As I pointed out last week, the most powerful intervention in US politics allowing foreign influence in US elections, which contributed to Trump’s victory in 2016, was the Supreme Court’s Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission (2010) decision. Like Michaelangelo’s God creating Adam with a pointing finger, SCOTUS created out of thin air a doctrine the corporations are persons. They added to this ridiculous conclusion their previous creatio ex nihilo, the terminally stupid argument that money is speech and so money in politics can’t be regulated. The result is that corporations can now donate on their own to Super-Pacs. Since corporations are often opaque as to ownership and since foreigners can be prominent on their boards, SCOTUS has allowed foreigners to donate to and influence US elections Lev Parnas and Igor Fruman associates of Rudy Giuliani, were arrested attempting to leave the US with one-way tickets to Austria, after they had been subpoenaed to testify before the House. One of the charges on which they were arrested was that they set up a dummy corporation, represented as a gas and oil enterprise but which did not actually exist, calling it Global Energy Producers. GEP then made a donation of $325,000 to America First Action, a pro-Trump political action committee, in May of 2018, They donated big sums to other PACs via their corporate personhood, funneling money from the Ukraine and $1 million from one Russian businessman alone. Citizens United allowed them to operate anonymously and to give as much as they liked (or as their foreign patrons liked). They also used GEF to influence Republican congressman Pete Sessions to write a letter to secretary of state Mike Pompeo, demanding that he fire the US ambassador to the Ukraine, Marie Yovanovitch. They also did illegal fundraisers for Florida governor Ron DeSantis, helping him win the governorship."
Top NSC Official Says Mick Mulvaney Was Key Player in Trump-Ukraine Quid Pro Quo
https://www.motherjones.com/impeachment/2019/11/top-nsc-official-says-mick-mulvaney-was-key-player-in-trump-ukraine-quid-pro-quo/
"Hill testified that Rudy Giuliani, who is Trump’s lawyer, was helping Russian disinformation efforts by spreading the debunked (but Trump-favored) conspiracy theory that Ukraine intervened in the 2016 US election. She also told lawmakers that Giuliani and his now-indicted business associates, Lev Parnas and Igor Fruman, mounted a campaign to oust US ambassador to Ukraine Marie Yovanovitch to advance their own business interests—and that she suspected Giuliani might have been involved in criminal activity."
"Hill testified that Rudy Giuliani, who is Trump’s lawyer, was helping Russian disinformation efforts by spreading the debunked (but Trump-favored) conspiracy theory that Ukraine intervened in the 2016 US election. She also told lawmakers that Giuliani and his now-indicted business associates, Lev Parnas and Igor Fruman, mounted a campaign to oust US ambassador to Ukraine Marie Yovanovitch to advance their own business interests—and that she suspected Giuliani might have been involved in criminal activity."
Ex-U.S. Ambassador Was Warned to Leave Ukraine on ‘Next Flight’ Over Threats to Her Safety
https://www.rollingstone.com/politics/politics-news/marie-yovanovitch-former-ukraine-ambassador-threatened-by-trump-907836/
"Marie Yovanovitch, the former U.S. ambassador to Ukraine, told congressional investigators she was advised to leave Ukraine on “the next plane” in April because her security was at risk, and that she still fears for her safety because of comments President Trump made about her during his July 25th call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. The revelation comes as part of her October 11th testimony to Congress that was released Monday by the chairmen of the Intelligence, Foreign Affairs, and Oversight committees. The Democrats will continue to release the full depositions of witnesses who have testified as part of the impeachment inquiry into Trump. In her testimony, Yovanovitch shed light on the details surrounding her abrupt departure from her post this spring, noting that the State Department “had been under pressure from the president to remove me since the summer of 2018,” despite an assurance from a department official that she had “done nothing wrong.” The issue? Trump and allies like Rudy Giuliani couldn’t trust her not to interfere in their efforts to extort Ukraine into investigating the 2016 election and the Bidens."
"Marie Yovanovitch, the former U.S. ambassador to Ukraine, told congressional investigators she was advised to leave Ukraine on “the next plane” in April because her security was at risk, and that she still fears for her safety because of comments President Trump made about her during his July 25th call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. The revelation comes as part of her October 11th testimony to Congress that was released Monday by the chairmen of the Intelligence, Foreign Affairs, and Oversight committees. The Democrats will continue to release the full depositions of witnesses who have testified as part of the impeachment inquiry into Trump. In her testimony, Yovanovitch shed light on the details surrounding her abrupt departure from her post this spring, noting that the State Department “had been under pressure from the president to remove me since the summer of 2018,” despite an assurance from a department official that she had “done nothing wrong.” The issue? Trump and allies like Rudy Giuliani couldn’t trust her not to interfere in their efforts to extort Ukraine into investigating the 2016 election and the Bidens."
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