Mega-Thread: Impeachment Proceedings & Inquiry of Trump

[Endus]

Was that Jordan at the end whining about being attacked and wanting to respond? Schiff just straight up ignored him lmao.

It's particularly egregious given that a lot of today was spent addressing the meritless smears on Yovanovitch, even actively being made by the President during her testimony, and implicitly supported by Republicans on the panel.

No, you sheepfuckers, you don't get to respond. Not when you've been caught with your dick in a sheep, and you keep pounding away while bitching about how unfair the label is.

[Seiklis]

If this isn’t Adam Schiff’s finest hour, I don’t know what is. He’s knocking it out of the park.

He's a clear cut favorite to replace Feinstein at the rate this is going

[Shadowferal]

Well, I hope the Dems remember those witnesses regardless of their political affiliation.

[Draco-Onis]

He believes that a pardon is coming, so he won't say a word.

Then he is a bigger fool than Trump.

[Breccia]

Did Nunes really... i mean REALLY just make a comment about Television Ratings?

Reality TV host President. You expected something else? And yes, sycophant, he knew for a fact Trump was watching because Twitter.

I could be reading this wrong, but, I get the impression that this is a buildup to "we need more people to testify". That enough witnesses give enough cause to subpoena current active WH members. If the Republicans keep going on and on about the whistleblower and hearsay, their consent to having people who were actually involved testifying should just be assumed.

[PACOX]

Is there any particular reason why Republicans seem to elected the absolute dumbest pieces of shit in the country? McConnel looks like an evil genius compared to these dumbfucks.

Their one and only defense is to play dumb, they also think their voters are really done.

Its entertainment, but the Daily Show actually did a good breakdown of the spin on the right.

- - - Updated - - -

If this isn’t Adam Schiff’s finest hour, I don’t know what is. He’s knocking it out of the park.

Its a bit annoying when people say he isn't being tough enough. I think he is playing it just right. Be assertive and don't play their game because you make the rules as they as kids. Tell them to STFU when the grown folks are talking then move on, no time for their rebuttal or tantrums.

[Shadowferal]

Ex-Simpsons writer accuses Republicans of 'Sideshow Bob defense' in WaPo op-ed

Oakley invoked a line from the episode "Sideshow Bob Roberts," which he co-wrote with Josh Weinstein, in which the title character complains that he should not be in prison for attempted murder, rhetorically asking, "Do they give a Nobel Prize for attempted chemistry?"

Oakley, citing liberal columnist Jonathan Chait's coinage of the "Sideshow Bob defense," notes examples of Republicans who've defended Trump by arguing that even if he did seek a quid pro quo with Ukraine, there was no wrongdoing because it was unsuccessful.

"It's hard to believe that the Sideshow Bob defense of Trump will be long-lived, as it fails to stand up to even the slightest scrutiny. It is literally a joke," Oakley writes, noting that Rep. Joaquin Castro (D-Texas) drew a similar parallel in Wednesday's impeachment hearing when he asked Ambassador William Taylor whether attempted murder was a crime.

[Endus]

Its a bit annoying when people say he isn't being tough enough. I think he is playing it just right. Be assertive and don't play their game because you make the rules as they as kids. Tell them to STFU when the grown folks are talking then move on, no time for their rebuttal or tantrums.

Part of the problem is that American congressional procedure has limited ability to sanction members for the bullshit they pulled the last few days. So Schiff's doing what he can to keep a lid on it, and not letting himself get ruffled. Which is all we can really expect.

"Being tougher" would involve the kind of overreach we've been condemning Republicans for engaging in.

[Shadowferal]

It's like when Kanye West ruined Taylor Swift's moment at the VMA awards. The GOP tried the same thing with Yovanovitch.

[Paranoid Android]

Late to the show, but Trump Intimidating Yovanovitch in real time is an interesting strategy.

I hope Trump goes down hard. Oh wtf, am I saying the Republicans are a cult.

[Moonstream]

In opening statement, diplomat details Trump phone call with Sondland

David Holmes, the aide to diplomat Bill Taylor who overheard President Trump’s conversation with European Union ambassador Gordon Sondland, said that Sondland told the President that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky would do “anything you ask him to,” and that he confirmed the Ukrainians were going to “do the investigation."

“Sondland told Trump that Zelensky ‘loves your ass,’” Holmes said, according to a copy of his opening statement reviewed by CNN. “I then heard President Trump ask, ‘So, he’s gonna do the investigation?’ Ambassador Sondland replied that ‘He’s gonna do it,’ adding that President Zelensky will do ‘anything you ask him to.’”
Holmes explained that Sondland placed the call to Trump, and he could hear Trump because the call was so loud in the restaurant where they were with two others.

“While Ambassador Sondland’s phone was not on speakerphone, I could hear the President’s voice through the earpiece of the phone. The President’s voice was very loud and recognizable, and Ambassador Sondland held the phone away from his ear for a period of time, presumably because of the loud volume,” Holmes testified.

“Even though I did not take notes of those statements, I have a clear recollection that these statements were made,” Holmes added.
Holmes also confirmed Taylor's testimony about the President’s thoughts on Ukraine, saying he asked Sondland “if it was true that the President did not ‘give a s—t about Ukraine.'”

Holmes said Sondland responded Trump only cares about “big stuff.” When Holmes said that the Ukraine war was big, Sondland responded "'big stuff' that benefits the President, like the Biden investigation that Mr. Giuliani was pushing,” Holmes said.

Well there we have it.

- - - Updated - - -

Also, from the same page-updated.

Rep. Ted Lieu, a Democrat from California, told reporters that, along with Holmes, at least two more witnesses overheard the Sondland and Trump conversation.

[Grapemask]

This was a really draining testimony to watch compared to the first day of hearings.

Somewhat because she was a very powerful and very human witness, but mostly because Republicans shot for the fucking moon with how absurd they were. It was soul crushing to watch, in real time, as Republicans proved that there isn't a shred of service to country behind them - this whole thing is about loyalty to party and power.

Elise Stefanik right out of the gate. She knew the rules, broke them, then lied every moment of the day about what transpired. It was a clearly staged and clearly very coordinated move, too: every GOP member with a pulse tweeted the same two or three "interpretations" of what happened within seconds, every conservative outlet had articles ready to go. Over something so stupidly simple and so easily disprovable.

And that was really the theme of the day going forward. Every question was utter nonsense. Last time, on day one, you could argue they were just going after the weird arguments for defending Trumps. Today, they went full speed for Fox News sound byte horseshit. Everything was intended to be a Fox News sound byte, able to removed wholly from its context and sold as something entirely different.

People like Sulla are probably still swimming in a pool of jizz from all the nonsense they get to peddle from these sound bytes, but for the people who actually sat and watched the whole thing through, they understand why Yovanovitch left with a standing ovation while the GOP are heard feebly trying to protest.


Infracted.

[Flarelaine]

Stone has his own thread now. Keep discussion of him in there - or the shitshow thread at worst.

[Draco-Onis]

It's like when Kanye West ruined Taylor Swift's moment at the VMA awards. The GOP tried the same thing with Yovanovitch.

That woman has more balls than all the men in GOP combined.

[Poopymonster]

Anyone else feel like Schiff is leading the GOP into a Trap on this Whistleblower thing? He is letting them run this ridiculous parade where they demand to hear the whistleblower, but if they get their wish they may not like it. I feel like this is all a trap, and the Whistleblower may already be planning to testify, and blow the socks off this talking point by being extremely sympathetic and credible.

Shows over folks, we're done, let's go home.
WE DEMAND THE WHISTLEBLOWER TESTIFY BEFORE US!
They already did.
WE DE-what?

[Ripster42]

I think this is my favorite part of these hearings so far:

Several Republicans on the Intelligence Committee dodged the topic entirely. Rep. Mike Turner (R-Ohio) refused to answer questions about the tweets as he ducked on to the House floor, while Rep. John Ratcliffe (R-Texas) quickly whipped out his cell phone and began talking into it, even though his home screen was visible and there was no call in progress.

[PACOX]

CNNs supercut of Fox News (and the Rights) spin. Wonder how they feel about the intelligence of their viewers.



A new Whistleblower has entered the game!

David Holmes said he heard the call, and hasn't perjured himself like Sondland.

[Gestopft]

If this isn’t Adam Schiff’s finest hour, I don’t know what is. He’s knocking it out of the park.

His speech after the Mueller report (Maybe you think (x) is ok, but I don't) was pretty awesome too.

[Stormspellz]

My favorite part was when they asked to treat tweets as evidence...

its already been established that Trump's tweets are official communications (by the courts when the snowflake tried to block people), and such why wouldn't they be evidence?

[Pendulous]

When the best you got is "hey look at that guy drinking water", you've slipped into "BUT TAN SUIT", levels of hopelessness.