Mega-Thread: Impeachment Proceedings & Inquiry of Trump

[Cthulhu 2020]

Lev Parnas also stated in his interview with Rachael Maddow that the investigations Trump wanted in Ukraine had nothing to do with corruption and everything to do with the Bidens and getting the announcement of an investigation into them.

Not a shock to those of us in the reality-based community, mind, but it'll be a rude awakening for the Trump cult.

It's not going to be a rude awakening for anyone. The Trump cult has been ignoring evidence and reality for years now. Why should they stop now? Parnas is just fake news, etc.

[Drutt]

It's not going to be a rude awakening for anyone. The Trump cult has been ignoring evidence and reality for years now. Why should they stop now? Parnas is just fake news, etc.

It's elegant in its simplicity.

Once you convince people to ignore any news outlets willing to criticise you and dismiss everything reported as fake, you can do whatever you want because your supporters won't believe anyone who reports on it.

[mvaliz]

On the flip side, it was the Democrats who released the initial new evidence. Parnas is just icing on the cake with his interviews. This could be Pelosi engineering a fuck-ton more pressure on the Senate to allow witnesses and not get away with a quick trial. She is that good.

True on that as well. Pelosi knows where to hit Dump - like with comments that "He will be forever impeached" deliberately aiming to unsettle his ego.

[cubby]

True on that as well. Pelosi knows where to hit Dump - like with comments that "He will be forever impeached" deliberately aiming to unsettle his ego.

She is becoming the top champ in trolling our chump-in-chief.

[Masark]

I'm legitimately surprised there hasn't been an internal revolt against him at Foggy Bottom, yet.

Presumably all the worthwhile people there have either been fired or have resigned over the past 3 years.

[Cthulhu 2020]

It's elegant in its simplicity.

Once you convince people to ignore any news outlets willing to criticise you and dismiss everything reported as fake, you can do whatever you want because your supporters won't believe anyone who reports on it.

Not just that. I know we've joked about books like "Mom, there are Liberals Under my Bed!" (yes, that's an actual children's book, go look it up), but the sheer number of children's books about how awesome and righteous and wholesome and great Donald Trump is is just sky rocketing. https://www.amazon.com/Donald-Drains.../dp/1621579387

I thought these books were satire, but then when I read the reviews it's shit like "Great read! Exposes the liberal deep government for what it is and accurately portrays our hero Trump in a fun and simple way for children!" in non ironic fashion.

My one concession is that in about a decade, most people who have been staying in the Trump administration, gathering information and writing down tales of their time within the administration will have all been exposed, and the history books will paint a picture of Donald Trump as the most corrupt president in American history, and the dumbest wannabe dictator as well. All of these kids who grew up with their parents reading bedtime stories about super hero Donald Trump to them will have to face the reality that their parents were just forcing propaganda on them at a really young age, or drop out of school, because apparently school is a tool used by the liberal deep state to enslave the minds of America's children.

[starlord]

Not just that. I know we've joked about books like "Mom, there are Liberals Under my Bed!" (yes, that's an actual children's book, go look it up), but the sheer number of children's books about how awesome and righteous and wholesome and great Donald Trump is is just sky rocketing. https://www.amazon.com/Donald-Drains.../dp/1621579387

I thought these books were satire, but then when I read the reviews it's shit like "Great read! Exposes the liberal deep government for what it is and accurately portrays our hero Trump in a fun and simple way for children!" in non ironic fashion.

My one concession is that in about a decade, most people who have been staying in the Trump administration, gathering information and writing down tales of their time within the administration will have all been exposed, and the history books will paint a picture of Donald Trump as the most corrupt president in American history, and the dumbest wannabe dictator as well. All of these kids who grew up with their parents reading bedtime stories about super hero Donald Trump to them will have to face the reality that their parents were just forcing propaganda on them at a really young age, or drop out of school, because apparently school is a tool used by the liberal deep state to enslave the minds of America's children.

most of these types of people i know homeschool their kids (may also involve religious indoctrination.)

[Levelfive]

It is a little disconcerting that Parnas is running around giving up a lot of good information that is good for the United States' and shows Trump to be more of what we already knew him to be - almost like a little too good to be true, or does he have some yuge bombshell that is his insurance. Bolton wanting to testify as well bothers me because his audience (and paycheck) are those people he is purportedly wanting to tarnish with his testimony.

Is this high-end chess by McConnell? I don't think so, but I'm worried, too.

So, apparently (and this will surprise no one) Parnas's claim that Giuliani got him swept up in Yovanovitch's ouster in order to secure dirt on Biden from Lutsenko and Shokin doesn't match the timeline, which is to say, Parnas and Fruman were pushing for her to be fired even before Giuliani joined Trump and before there was any focus on Biden. Let's keep in mind, these guys are connected to Firtash, the Ukrainian oligarch with Russian mob ties who fled to Austria and is trying to avoid extradition. I've mentioned before that this whole thing started with Giuliani trying to discredit the Mueller report and get Manafort off the hook and they just stumbled into the Biden stuff (someone on this board, can't remember who, hilariously said something like, "Wait so they just stumbled into getting impeached? Perfect.") In any case, yes, he's sketch as hell and just as full of shit as everyone suspects. And we still don't know why, or who he was really working for (his wife got that 1 million dollar "loan" from Firtash's lawyer), or why they really wanted Yovanovitch out, or what they've actually been up to, then, or now.

ETA: https://www.emptywheel.net/2019/10/1...e-yovanovitch/

[Edge-]

https://www.cnn.com/2020/01/17/polit...ing/index.html

Barr was in at least one additional meeting with Giuliani that was not previously disclosed.

He had already been briefed by the DoJ about the Manhattan investigation into Parnas and Fruman, who were connected to Giuliani.

Interesting note

The September meeting, led by attorneys from the Justice Department's fraud section, was unremarkable, and sit-downs of the kind are a common practice in high-stakes investigations. What's unusual is for the attorney general to be involved. High-profile attorneys often demand meetings to make their case with top Justice officials, and usually have to settle for prosecutors much lower in the chain of command, if they get a meeting at all.

This sure adds evidence to Parnas' claims that Barr knows more than he's admitted to so far.

[Orbitus]

Ken motherucking Starr? Really? I guess he does have impeachment experience, but him and Dershowitz...the White House is scraping the bottom of the barrel.

Not that it matters, most Republicans seem to have made up their minds anyways and don't even want to entertain this new evidence.

Or have Parnas testify.

They can't get anyone else. All the other lawyers that are available are saying he is guilty as sin, because he is guilty as sin.

[omerome]

So the lawyer for Devin Nunes was threatening to sue Rep Ted Lieu. Here is part of the letter, and then there is Lieu's response:

https://twitter.com/tedlieu/status/1218301644007333888

[Edge-]

So the lawyer for Devin Nunes was threatening to sue Rep Ted Lieu. Here is part of the letter, and then there is Lieu's response:

https://twitter.com/tedlieu/status/1218301644007333888

Well, he's doing justice to the stereotype that Americans/Californians love their frivolous lawsuits, and threats of lawsuits.

[xanzul]

Ken motherucking Starr? Really? I guess he does have impeachment experience, but him and Dershowitz...the White House is scraping the bottom of the barrel.

Not that it matters, most Republicans seem to have made up their minds anyways and don't even want to entertain this new evidence.

Or have Parnas testify.

This trial is going to be an absolute circus and while will be likely vastly entertaining it will also be scary and sad that this is where we are in the US. It is surreal how Starr is one of the lawyers given his past history of investigating Whitewater/Vince Foster and his involvement in the investigation of Clinton's affair which led to his impeachment. All of this sounds like a shitty soap opera and not reality but no this is literally where the United States is right now.

[draynay]

He did sue a twitter cow, so yeah.

And it seems every article on the subject is obliged to mention Nunes is a co-sponsor of the "Discouraging Frivolous Lawsuits Act" because of course he is.

[xanzul]

It is a little disconcerting that Parnas is running around giving up a lot of good information that is good for the United States' and shows Trump to be more of what we already knew him to be - almost like a little too good to be true, or does he have some yuge bombshell that is his insurance. Bolton wanting to testify as well bothers me because his audience (and paycheck) are those people he is purportedly wanting to tarnish with his testimony.

Is this high-end chess by McConnell? I don't think so, but I'm worried, too.

Maybe there is an end game here that we aren't aware of.

- - - Updated - - -

She is becoming the top champ in trolling our chump-in-chief.

I got bored (and was a little drunk) and went to the thedonald subreddit last night and saw so many posts about Pelosi. She is definitely trolling Trump along with all his supporters.

[cubby]

Maybe there is an end game here that we aren't aware of.

Pelosi has to be aware that the fervor for the Impeachment process will be degraded by the weekend and the slow roll of the Senate trial process. I wonder if there is more bombshell material ready for next week.

I got bored (and was a little drunk) and went to the thedonald subreddit last night and saw so many posts about Pelosi. She is definitely trolling Trump along with all his supporters.

Lol - that place is hysterical.

[xanzul]

So the lawyer for Devin Nunes was threatening to sue Rep Ted Lieu. Here is part of the letter, and then there is Lieu's response:

https://twitter.com/tedlieu/status/1218301644007333888

I don't understand why people aren't calling for Nunes to be removed from office given his involvement with this whole mess not to mention his conflict of interest in being part of the impeachment proceedings.

[Edge-]

https://www.politico.com/news/2020/0...-parnas-100732

Another dump from Lev Parnas texts, this time with top Devin Nunes aide Derek Harvey.

I haven't had time to dig through them yet, but I'm sure seeing John Solomon's name pop up a lot in the first few pages alone.

- - - Updated - - -

I don't understand why people aren't calling for Nunes to be removed from office given his involvement with this whole mess not to mention his conflict of interest in being part of the impeachment proceedings.

They are. But he's in a pretty safe Republican district and Republicans don't seem to have much concern for ethical violations.

I have two words: Duncan Hunter.

[xanzul]

Pelosi has to be aware that the fervor for the Impeachment process will be degraded by the weekend and the slow roll of the Senate trial process. I wonder if there is more bombshell material ready for next week.




Lol - that place is hysterical.

If there are any bombshells they will be ignored by right wing media and Trump supporters and worse yet ignored by the very senators who are supposed to be impartial in this whole process. Party over country even when it concerns a treasonous president.

[omerome]

I don't understand why people aren't calling for Nunes to be removed from office given his involvement with this whole mess not to mention his conflict of interest in being part of the impeachment proceedings.

Well, Ted Lieu actually went to MSNBC on the Hardball show and said Nunes should be removed. That based on the evidence, Nunes did conspire with Parnas and again said that he responded to the lawyer by telling him to take that letter and shove it. I love that for once, the Democrats aren't playing nice anymore.

"Truth is a defense".

https://twitter.com/hardball/status/1218332588621869056