Mega-Thread: Impeachment Proceedings & Inquiry of Trump

[Fugus]

I mean...Trump hired Rudy Giuliani to be his personal lawyer. It seems the Republican legal bench is emptier than the stands at a game in "Little League for Absentee Parents".

At this point, I am honestly wondering if Trump hired him because he had already dealt with him in the past and he was already in on what he is signing up for and Trump didn't hire him for his skills, he hired him specifically for his loyalty and the fact he had already proven to be willing to break the law and keep his mouth shut.

But age kills much of their mental faculties I guess.

[Cthulhu 2020]

I mean these testimonies being given by people who actually think their country is separate from their president.

I'm not sure what gave you the idea that the president and the country are the same, but that's one of the lamest defenses I've heard in this entire thing. Trump is the CEO of the United States. The people are the owners of the country. If a CEO breaks a law or steals money from the company, you're damn right we can fire him for his crimes.

But this just once again demonstrates that the Republican order of Loyalty is Orange Cheetoh God > Party > Dog Shit > Country > Laws. President over party, and a blatant disregard for the welfare of the country and the order of law.

The only treason I see are the people backing lawlessness by the White House. No, not even the White House, because White House staff are turning on Trump because they know what the laws are. The lawlessness by the IMPOTUS.

[Rasulis]

Sondland threw everybody under the bus. Pompeo, Mulvaney, Pence, etc. He definitely does not want to be the one left holding the bag at the end.

[Cthulhu 2020]

The only confusing part is the GOP pretending if you look at it from a certain point of view all the testimony is negated. They keep focusing on hyper specific shit instead of the big picture as though a serial killer not telling their mom they’re on their way to murder their next victim somehow proves they aren’t a serial killer. Or that them denying their actions negates them. The only thing that’s sadder is the realization that many MAGAts are so out of touch they can’t recognize the difference between 1970’s Nixon shit and Trump news. They just reflexively defend the dotard.

Back when they did this videos about Obama, it was pretty funny because it showed people just believed what they wanted to believe.

These days, we just know these types of people plug their ears and never educate themselves on current events.

[zealo]

Seriously, the "the impeachment inquiry is boring and confusing" is so fucking stupid.

This. Is. Not. Entertainment.

It is not meant to engage an audience. It is not meant to amuse. It isn't a platform for sound bites, as much as the Republicans wish otherwise. This is peeking behind the curtain, so to speak, at the grindingly boring process of governance. At the 148 hours of tedious bullshit that went into crafting what's normally a 3-minute highlight on the 6 o'clock news cycle.

If it's boring, then fuck off. Nobody's making you watch it, Tucker Carlson. You can just . . . fuck off and shut your yammering gob. That's totally an option.

Complaining that it's boring is nothing but a deflection in an attempt to avoid confronting the substance of the matter, to which they have no answers.

[Cthulhu 2020]

Complaining that it's boring is nothing but a deflection in an attempt to avoid confronting the substance of the matter, to which they have no answers.

Pretty much. They don't like what's happening. They know Trump is in a very bad spot. Or at least, facing facts would tell them that, but acknowledging that Trump is fucked within the cult of Trump probably gives them anxiety attacks, so they just avoid it with excuses.

[Captain N]

Pretty much. They don't like what's happening. They know Trump is in a very bad spot. Or at least, facing facts would tell them that, but acknowledging that Trump is fucked within the cult of Trump probably gives them anxiety attacks, so they just avoid it with excuses.

At the moment they're like a bunch of cockroaches who just had a light switch flipped on. They're going to scurry into whatever hole they can and wait until the Senate decides it's not a big enough deal to go on with. That's when the rational Americans need to do as Skroe mentioned and not let them forget or be forgiven for making the country look weak and our democracy a joke.,

[jakeic]

The Biggest Scandal in American History.

Seriously, this dwarfs... completely dwarfs Watergate, Tea Pot dome and Iran-Contra. It dwarfs Monica Lewinsky. It dwarfs the Gulf of Tokin. There is nothing like it.

In a world where America rigidly followed the rule of law, we'd be swearing in President Nancy Pelosi by the end of the week, because Sondland just implicated basically everyone in the White House in a criminal and un-Constitutional bribery conspiracy

We've never had one scandal that could, on the basis of the facts topple both top figures of the Executive Branch, and the Secretary of State. And several Ambassadors. It's unprecedented.

This is Dave come to life, except I think the President actually framed the VP in that instead of the VP giving his silent blessing.

[Skulltaker]

Yes, he said he called him multiple times from an insecure line but didn't discuss anything confidential during them.

Isn't that basically what they accused Hillary of doing?

[SirBeef]

Seriously, the "the impeachment inquiry is boring and confusing" is so fucking stupid.

This. Is. Not. Entertainment.

It is not meant to engage an audience. It is not meant to amuse. It isn't a platform for sound bites, as much as the Republicans wish otherwise. This is peeking behind the curtain, so to speak, at the grindingly boring process of governance. At the 148 hours of tedious bullshit that went into crafting what's normally a 3-minute highlight on the 6 o'clock news cycle.

If it's boring, then fuck off. Nobody's making you watch it, Tucker Carlson. You can just . . . fuck off and shut your yammering gob. That's totally an option.

This is the trump administration where everything is a fucking TV moment in his and their eyes. He treats his presidency as a TV show. It's no wonder all the Republitards in congress do the same.

- - - Updated - - -

Isn't that basically what they accused Hillary of doing?

Yup, which was the advise given to he from Colin Powell who he and the entire Bush administration did the same fucking thing.

- - - Updated - - -

Pretty much. They don't like what's happening. They know Trump is in a very bad spot. Or at least, facing facts would tell them that, but acknowledging that Trump is fucked within the cult of Trump probably gives them anxiety attacks, so they just avoid it with excuses.

Doesn't matter. They chose to get into bed with Trump and forever be known as the people that put party over country. I hope this truly destroys the GOP and leaves then as the regional party they truly are from now on.

- - - Updated - - -

I'm not sure what gave you the idea that the president and the country are the same, but that's one of the lamest defenses I've heard in this entire thing. Trump is the CEO of the United States. The people are the owners of the country. If a CEO breaks a law or steals money from the company, you're damn right we can fire him for his crimes.

But this just once again demonstrates that the Republican order of Loyalty is Orange Cheetoh God > Party > Dog Shit > Country > Laws. President over party, and a blatant disregard for the welfare of the country and the order of law.

The only treason I see are the people backing lawlessness by the White House. No, not even the White House, because White House staff are turning on Trump because they know what the laws are. The lawlessness by the IMPOTUS.

People with this defense are almost worse than the GOP on the committee claim there is no QPQ, bribery, or extortion because those words were not used, or that the orange turd cannot be guilty because he got caught before doing it. Morons. Every GOP politician and everyone that supports them.


Infracted.

[Flarelaine]

In case it was not made clear before, blanket insults against an entire political side are infractable simply because we assume one or more posters will feel included.

[unbound]

Seriously, the "the impeachment inquiry is boring and confusing" is so fucking stupid.

This. Is. Not. Entertainment.

It is not meant to engage an audience. It is not meant to amuse. It isn't a platform for sound bites, as much as the Republicans wish otherwise. This is peeking behind the curtain, so to speak, at the grindingly boring process of governance. At the 148 hours of tedious bullshit that went into crafting what's normally a 3-minute highlight on the 6 o'clock news cycle.

If it's boring, then fuck off. Nobody's making you watch it, Tucker Carlson. You can just . . . fuck off and shut your yammering gob. That's totally an option.

This is the Republican answer to impeachment at the end of the day. If you watch the hearings live (and completely), you are likely baffled by the bat**** insane things Nunes and other Republicans say (apparently Javelin missiles are really, really cool). This is being leveraged on Fox News where the viewer largely only see Nunes and other Republicans pontificate and ramble, not the actual hearing...and these bites get dropped on Facebook and 4chan where it is working just fine.

Buzzfeed finally figured it out. https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article...terprogramming

So, when you talk to your conservative family next week, don't be surprised when their gas-light views of the impeachment hearing sound completely alien to what you actually watched.

[Grapemask]

In case it was not made clear before, blanket insults against an entire political side are infractable simply because we assume one or more posters will feel included.

This is the silliest thing I've read all day. To be fair, it's early in the day, but for god's sake. This is ridiculous precedent.

That aside, the one failing of democrats I will note is that they have adhered strictly to the rules, which means they give Fox News their soundbytes and ridiculous statements go unchallenged unless the next democrat follows up. But at that point, the lie is already in the back of the viewer's mind.

Meanwhile, look at the Speier/Conaway episode. Speier started speaking, Conaway asked her to yield, she said no, but he interrupted and challenged her narrative anyway. If democrats did this for every single falsehood in these hearings, Fox News would have no sound bytes and no clear narrative. Just a whole bunch of lies being called out.

[Draco-Onis]

Sondland threw everybody under the bus. Pompeo, Mulvaney, Pence, etc. He definitely does not want to be the one left holding the bag at the end.

Listening to the right wing talking points looks like the bus is coming for old Rudy, they seem set to make him the fall guy. It's going to be fun watching the snakes turn on each other.

[Belize]

Listening to the right wing talking points looks like the bus is coming for old Rudy, they seem set to make him the fall guy. It's going to be fun watching the snakes turn on each other.

I don't think Rudy can be used as the fall guy, since all he has to say is "I was working at the behalf of the President", which is literally required when working as a lawyer.

[Moonstream]

I'm confused, is Nunes actually talking about republicans right now? "Poisoned the minds of fanatics..."

[D3thray]

This is the Republican answer to impeachment at the end of the day. If you watch the hearings live (and completely), you are likely baffled by the bat**** insane things Nunes and other Republicans say (apparently Javelin missiles are really, really cool). This is being leveraged on Fox News where the viewer largely only see Nunes and other Republicans pontificate and ramble, not the actual hearing...and these bites get dropped on Facebook and 4chan where it is working just fine.

Buzzfeed finally figured it out. https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article...terprogramming

So, when you talk to your conservative family next week, don't be surprised when their gas-light views of the impeachment hearing sound completely alien to what you actually watched.

Believe it or not there are people who don’t watch FoxNews or ascribe to ‘right wing talking points’ that still lean toward this whole thing being the political circus and opinion feud it appears to be. Quid pro quo is the status quo of business, politics, and international relations; there’s nothing relevatory about that and it’s certainly not impeachable unless you can prove intent. This is simply the opinion of the Democrats vs the opinion of the Republicans and I’m not about to jump off the deep end and support impeachment over an opinion.

If this was about principle as Pelosi claims and they could prove intent we literally wouldn’t be talking right now, Trump would be impeached. Seeing as he isn’t anyone not drinking the kool-aid has to be wondering why not. This is theatre and the Republicans at least are playing their part in the drama with gusto. The Democrats are still trying to pretend it isn’t and that they have legitimacy (technically correct in that the stated basis of the inquiry is a legitimate function of Congress) which ironically makes the Republicans look more trustworthy. I’ve watched the cries of Russian collusion amount to nothing. I’ve watched a Supreme Court confirmation turned into an ugly fist fight. I just don’t trust the line telling me the impeachment inquiry is about principle and is all above board. The Democrats cried wolf too many times and if their claims are indeed legitimate they’ve set themselves an even higher bar to hurdle proving it to the American public. This is not how you gain political power, you do it at the ballot.

[Breccia]

We have another development in the impeachment inquiry.

Trump tweets, because of course he did, that Sondland could not have overheard his phone call because that's impossible.

No, really.

I have been watching people making phone calls my entire life. My hearing is, and has been, great. Never have I been watching a person making a call, which was not on speakerphone, and been able to hear or understand a conversation. I’ve even tried, but to no avail. Try it live!

First of all,

In opening statement, diplomat details Trump phone call with Sondland

Thanks @Moonstream and also Holmes is back testifying today, if I read the schedule correctly.

Second of all,

Dude, whenever I go out to dinner with my father, and my grandmother or uncle call, he always speaker phones them to talk to them while listening near his ear.

I think you're right. It is ABSOLUTELY the kind of thing these very old fashioned people would do.

Thanks @Skroe

Remember, Trump is old, in poor health -- apparently taking a turn for the worse of late -- and we also know he's nearly blind:

He's old and needs reading glasses...but is too proud to let anyone see him wear them. Were reports he won't let people see him tweet cause of this.

So this, therefore, is Trump's defense: an old, overweight, nearly blind man who writes in 36-point font in ALL CAPS in Sharpie, tweets in ALL CAPS, can't read his own phone, and is having chest pains apparently, was not, in fact, yelling into his phone, despite at least two people now testifying under oath he did, and as such, we're supposed to believe they committed perjury and instead accept Trump's claims on his own health made via tweet instead.

Okay, that's a lot to swallow. But even the attempt is, well, pretty Trumpian. "I am the best at everything, and everyone else is a traitor liar" is a pretty flimsy defense without any evidence to back any of it up.

I strongly suspect Holmes will be asked about exactly this, by Schiff.

[Belize]

Believe it or not there are people who don’t watch FoxNews or ascribe to ‘right wing talking points’ that still lean toward this whole thing being the political circus and opinion feud it appears to be.

You clearly have either:
A. Not been watching the hearings or
B. Been getting your opinion from right-wing talking points that this is all O.K.

There is no excuse for the President to blackmail another country into starting a political investigation into an opponent.

This is not how you gain political power, you do it at the ballot.

[PosPosPos]

The dude lives in an alternate reality.

Most conservatives seem to live an alternative reality for that matter.