Mega-Thread: Impeachment Proceedings & Inquiry of Trump

[Breccia]

Well, if you want some insanity, here's Laura Ingraham suggesting that Lt. Col. Vindman might be a Ukrainian spy.

"Hey, we don't want Ukrainian spies in the military! You put them right back in Trump's campaign where they belong!"

[Edge-]

Well, if you want some insanity, here's Laura Ingraham suggesting that Lt. Col. Vindman might be a Ukrainian spy.

Think about it though.

What else do they have left beyond insane conspiracy theories?

They are terrified of addressing the substance of the inquiry, because it's true.

They're running out of procedural complaints now that Pelosi will hold the vote, so they can only retroactively complain that it took this long.

So what ammo do they have left to defend Trump with that's not something that they saw in their toilet after their morning visit?

[Flarelaine]

His administration is a national security risk, at this point.

International, actually. After all, the US has been the lynchpin of the whole web of Western and allied nations.

[Endus]

Think about it though.

What else do they have left beyond insane conspiracy theories?

We should bear pointing out that fascism relies on its insane conspiracy theories. And fascism succeeds because people are often willing to accept insane conspiracy theories.

That they're nonsense does not make them less dangerous. This shit can't be hand-waved away as idiocy. It needs to be hotly and aggressively contested, every time.

Because the alternative is encroaching fascism. It's how the USA got to here.

[Edge-]

https://thehill.com/homenews/house/4...oNsrf0J4oLcvzA

Liz Cheney, who you may remember from her time in the spotlight arguing with Rand Paul on Twitter over who's the bigger Trump supporter, is surprisingly coming out in defense of Vindman, the military official who testified today.

Why does she need to defend him?

“And that is questioning the patriotism, questioning the dedication to country of people like Mr. Vindman, Lt. Col. Vindman who will be coming today, and others who have testified. I think that we need to show that we are better than that as a nation.”

...“Their patriotism, their love of country — we're talking about decorated veterans who have served this nation, who put their lives on the line, and it is shameful to question their patriotism, their loving this nation, and we should not be involved in that process,” she continued.

But don't worry, she didn't forget about Democrats -

“It really is shameful what the Democrats have been doing in terms of attempting to try to impeach a sitting president in the basement of the Capitol,"

...

“We need to make sure that we are abiding by upholding the Constitution. Just because the Democrats refuse to do that does not mean that we have to let ourselves be dragged down to the level at which they're operating, and we won't do that as Republicans.”

[cubby]

Can't wait for Trump and his ilk start attacking active service men and women. The fun never ends with the Greatest Shitshow on Earth.

The above was yesterday.

Oh look. Don't even have to be Nostradomus to predict Trump and his Deplorables' behavior:

Trumpkins shit all over Military.

[Breccia]

Intelligence panel Democrat: It appears Sondland committed perjury

Rep. Joaquin Castro (D-Texas), a member of the House Intelligence Committee, said late Monday that he believes U.S. Ambassador to the European Union Gordon Sondland committed perjury in his congressional testimony to investigators in their impeachment inquiry.

“Based on all the testimony so far, I believe that Ambassador Gordon Sondland committed perjury,” Castro tweeted.

The tweet came hours before Lt. Col. Alexander Vindman, the highest-ranking Ukraine expert on the National Security Council, is expected to tell lawmakers on Tuesday that he twice reported concerns about President Trump's tactics in dealing with Ukraine.

Vindman also wrote in his opening statement that during a meeting between U.S. and Ukraine officials, Sondland — who was present at the meeting — started to talk to Ukraine about “delivering specific investigations” into former Vice President Joe Biden, a leading Democratic presidential candidate, and Biden's son in order to secure a meeting with Trump, adding that he told Sondland the statements were “inappropriate.”

But Sondland’s opening statement for his deposition said “nothing was ever raised to me about any concerns regarding our Ukrainian policy.”

One HIC member saying that is not a prison sentence, but, considering there's evidence leaning towards "Team Trump lied" Sondland shouldn't pre-order that PS5 just yet.

[Edge-]

The above was yesterday.

Oh look. Don't even have to be Nostradomus to predict Trump and his Deplorables' behavior:

Trumpkins shit all over Military.

It amazes me that, again, the party that claims to support the military is, again again, attacking US military members and their families.

It's almost like the military has never been anything but a convenient prop for them.

[cubby]

Basically, one of two things is going to happen in the next two years. 1) Trump will be removed and jailed. 2) The US will be an authoritarian dictatorship. No in between.

This I have trouble disagreeing with. I see a Trump victory in 2020 as the beginning of the end of the current "form" of the United States (intentionally left vague so I can claim I was right later ). But seriously, a 2020 victory means he's in for the next four years. That's at least one more SCOTUS seat, and another 10 dozen federal judge appointments. And as Stalin once said, "it's not the people who vote that matter, but the people who count the votes". And in our country, at the end of the day, the judiciary counts the votes (affirming Sec State rulings).

- - - Updated - - -

From the opening statement of Army Lt. Col. Alexander Vindman, the National Security Council's top Ukraine expert:

[will also tell lawmakers that he felt Trump's efforts to press Ukraine for investigations into former Vice President Joe Biden and his son undermined American national security]

For those not paying attention, that is the ballgame. This is the third independent corroboration that Trump broke the law (outside of him confessing on television and his Chief of Staff also confessing on television). Vindman's testimony isn't even about the violation of the law, but the national security implications. His testimony rolls through that part as if to say, duh, we already knew that part, here's my separate concerns.

How are Trumpkins dealing with all of this by the way?

- - - Updated - - -

What you see here is the death warrant for Trump's ability to shape foreign policy in any positive direction. It's been mentioned previously that this scandal has effectively made Trump radioactive since it colours any favorable relationship with him with the specter of gratuity. But here, veteran members of the American civil service are, in effect, declaring on the record for the entire world to hear that Trump and his administration were willing to throw the US' strategic allies under the bus for personal gain.

His administration is a national security risk, at this point.

The scary thing is that he still has two "chances" to continue his Residency. First, if the Senate GOP doesn't find it's moral courage and doesn't vote to impeach, he stays and then could win the 2020 election. Second, if the Senate Convicts but doesn't prevent him from running again, and then he wins the 2020 election.

If that happens, if Trump is still in office in Feb 2021, we are truly lost.

- - - Updated - - -

For bonus irony, a couple GOP Senators could ditch the retreat to give the Democrats a quorum in the Senate, which can then remove Trump from office and ban him from ever holding one again - all while MoscowMitch and his crew breathe a huge sigh of relief that they can blame "traitor RINOs" and "underhanded Democracts" for ridding them of the political equivalent of The Riddler (he has all the powers of a completely normal criminal, plus he's insane in a way that makes him easier to catch); I think it would take some deft parliamentary handling to make it happen, but it should be possible (especially if GOP leadership is quietly in on "get rid of him in a way that doesn't directly put the blame on us").

Moscow Mitch must have rules in place preventing votes from happening without him being on the floor. Because all joking aside, if a procedural move is available, that would be funny. Would be amazing if some backroom deal worked that out.

[Paranoid Android]

Intelligence panel Democrat: It appears Sondland committed perjury



One HIC member saying that is not a prison sentence, but, considering there's evidence leaning towards "Team Trump lied" Sondland shouldn't pre-order that PS5 just yet.

And...

BREAKING: EU Amb Gordon Sondland now tells Congress there was a quid pro quo involved with Trump and Ukraine, after previously denying it.

https://twitter.com/funder/status/11...005816320?s=19

Testimony now by Vindman, Sondland now is compelled to tell the truth.

Can't wait for Sondland to be labeled now a traitor and deep state.

[Edge-]

Testimony now by Vindman, Sondland now is compelled to tell the truth.

I'm sure there's more than a few Exorcist jokes to be made here.

[cubby]

Intelligence panel Democrat: It appears Sondland committed perjury

Rep. Joaquin Castro (D-Texas), a member of the House Intelligence Committee, said late Monday that he believes U.S. Ambassador to the European Union Gordon Sondland committed perjury in his congressional testimony to investigators in their impeachment inquiry.

“Based on all the testimony so far, I believe that Ambassador Gordon Sondland committed perjury,” Castro tweeted.

The tweet came hours before Lt. Col. Alexander Vindman, the highest-ranking Ukraine expert on the National Security Council, is expected to tell lawmakers on Tuesday that he twice reported concerns about President Trump's tactics in dealing with Ukraine.

Vindman also wrote in his opening statement that during a meeting between U.S. and Ukraine officials, Sondland — who was present at the meeting — started to talk to Ukraine about “delivering specific investigations” into former Vice President Joe Biden, a leading Democratic presidential candidate, and Biden's son in order to secure a meeting with Trump, adding that he told Sondland the statements were “inappropriate.”

But Sondland’s opening statement for his deposition said “nothing was ever raised to me about any concerns regarding our Ukrainian policy.”

One HIC member saying that is not a prison sentence, but, considering there's evidence leaning towards "Team Trump lied" Sondland shouldn't pre-order that PS5 just yet.

I hope Pelsoi is attending to the release of large-impact pieces of information like the above, just so Dems can stay on message and not go off half-GOP'd. Regardless, the Dems might want to start getting strong on implications for lying to Congress. Jail would be a good start.

- - - Updated - - -

And...

BREAKING: EU Amb Gordon Sondland now tells Congress there was a quid pro quo involved with Trump and Ukraine, after previously denying it.

https://twitter.com/funder/status/11...005816320?s=19

Testimony now by Vindman, Sondland now is compelled to tell the truth.

Can't wait for Sondland to be labeled now a traitor and deep state.

That's four independent confirmations. Voting not to Convict on Impeachment is basically shitting on the Constitution.

[Crispin]

The above was yesterday.

Oh look. Don't even have to be Nostradomus to predict Trump and his Deplorables' behavior:

Trumpkins shit all over Military.

What the actual fuck lol.

So they're going after the man instead of playing the ball, it can only mean that they know they lost it.

[cubby]

What the actual fuck lol.

So they're going after the man instead of playing the ball, it can only mean that they know they lost it.

It's all they have. Attack the person or the process. The facts are entirely against them. I mean, Sondland just confirmed quid pro quo. After initially lying about it. You watch, the GOP will attack him as a liar now, rather than face reality.

[cubby]

GOP lawmakers not attending Impeachment depositions they are invited to join.

Why look at facts if you've already made up your mind?

He goes on to say in the interview that the hearings are a joke/sham because Pelosi didn't vote in on inquiry...blah blah blah. HOWEVER, he also tells the reporter that he will now attend Vindman's testimony.

Fucking GOP cocksuckers can't even keep a lie straight through one short interview.

[Julez]

I'm curious, if Trump asked the Ukraine to gather dirt on Biden as a quid pro quo, and Biden has not been nominated by the DNC to be their representative in 2020, wouldn't it be in Trump's best interest to gather dirt on all of his so-called political rivals?

Why hasn't Trump tried to gather dirt on Warren, Sanders, Beto, Klobuchar, and the rest of them? Why only focus on Biden? Biden is the least likely of all of them to get the DNC nomination. If Trump was really trying to gather dirt on his political rivals he should be focusing on Warren at the least.

[Rasulis]

It amazes me that, again, the party that claims to support the military is, again again, attacking US military members and their families.

It's almost like the military has never been anything but a convenient prop for them.

One is a U.S. Army Veteran and Purple Heart recipient.

The other one made his fame sitting around in a mansion with six strangers on an MTV reality show.

Which one do I trust more? Eeny, meeny, miny, moe, I picked the Vet.

[Edge-]

I'm curious, if Trump asked the Ukraine to gather dirt on Biden as a quid pro quo, and Biden is has not been nominated by the DNC to be their representative in 2020, wouldn't it be in Trump's best interest to gather dirt on all of his so-called political rivals?

Not from foreign governments. And not withholding legal aide to that country by leveraging the aide on the condition that they investigate a political rival publicly.

[Breccia]

Why look at facts if you've already made up your mind?

Speaking of which:



So while the GOP try to deflect with "but Biden!" just remember, there's a tweet for that. There's always a tweet for that. No fair digging up dirt on political opponents! Anyone who says that must be bad and sick! We don't have anyone bad or sick on these forums, do we?

[Belize]

Shit, I can speak passable French, I must be a French spy!

Oui, oui!

Everyone knows Omelet au Fromage is a french spy codephrase!