Impeach Trump Y/N

As a befuddled bystander, the heroism I consider somewhat noteworthy are those elements of the media who are able to maintain some objectivity while sticking to the pertinent facts of the matter. I maintain that Twitter in particular really has been a big fucking mistake, at least in its current guise. No props to FB or any of the other social media culprits either.

I'm a leftist somewhere near the Bernie camp and personally I've lately been convinced that despite my reservations of the political effectiveness of impeachment that it is now a historical necessity, if only to put this shit on the record. The phone call was where have him really crossing the line, and without this unironically brave hero of a whistleblower it too could have easily blown over like every other ill wind in this shitstorm.

In what should have been the least surprising development ever, the New York Times twisted a story about Schiff following procedure into something weird, and gave the right the ammunition they needed. Great job all around.

Campos has some good ideas about how to read the numbers: http://www.lawyersgunsmoneyblog.com/2019/10/poll-finds-nearly-two-thirds-of-americans-dont-oppose-removing-trump-via-impeachment-and-conviction

Just to be clear, Trump is currently, this morning, calling on foreign leaders to investigate Biden in the midst of an impeachment proceeding about whether he has encouraged foreign leaders to investigate Biden

— Sam Stein (@samstein) October 3, 2019

it's kind of classic trump: just do the thing, openly, that everyone is saying is wrong and illegal, while making the argument that it's fine (and later, that everyone else lied)

every now and then I step back and think: This is exactly the kind of shit we expected when Trump got elected. In fact, it's not even as bad as what we expected.

He's just forcing Republicans to support these things, and they will, gladly.

very trump 2019 video clips:

President Trump says he wants both Ukraine and China to investigate Joe Biden and his son https://t.co/61W3znhPM1 pic.twitter.com/dhC0tXKhww

— CNN Politics (@CNNPolitics) October 3, 2019

2/3 of the screen is given over to debunking the thing that he's screaming about, once again, over the deafening roar of helicopter blades

the aesthetic of this presidency is fucking disgusting

At least it turned out that he's too craven to actually declare war on anyone.

xpost

i know he's a teetotaler, but is he in the "god, someone please punch me *sobs* just punch me in the fucking face and in the niiiight *barf*" part of the blackout drunk night?

if yer gonna do crimes, do them daily on TV

maybe Trump would be more chill if he’d had a drink or two in his life

or, alternatively, maybe his heart & liver would have given out by now.

i get as annoyed at the attempts to psychologically evaluate trump as anyone else does

BUT

doesn't he exactly resemble a, say, 8-year-old spoiled shithead brat who never really gets in trouble? it's like he's begging for punishment! seriously

a drunken trump would be even worse, so imo he needs to smoke some fucking weed

Didn't his older brother drink himself to death? You've got to imagine that might have fucked him up. If he was a normal human being that is - which, of course, he isn't.

Trump may not drink, his surrogates otoh...

Last night on Fox Business, Corey Lewandowski looked so drunk that even the host asked him, "did you have a little Merlot with dinner?" pic.twitter.com/cvsBDztNUn

— Bobby Lewis (@revrrlewis) October 3, 2019

The fuzz brought him in for indecent exposure, and they expected his vehement claims of innocence but the simultaneous and incessant dick-waggling is making them question everything they thought they understood about human behavior and how reality is supposed to function.

Didn't his older brother drink himself to death? You've got to imagine that might have fucked him up

normally i'd imagine that to be the case, but in the case of the trump family i'm sure fuckface was just informed that his inheritance just increased 20%

anyway, fun detail on this morning's latest impeachable offense: trade talks with china are set to resume next week. does anyone have any doubt that (if Xi were 1% as dumb as trump) if China did provide any investigative assistance with biden, trump would make a deal with them on trade?

"hey china, we're in the middle of a years-long trade war that i started that affects billions of people - will you do me a political favor?"

It is not in China's interest to help Trump, more likely they want him out of office so they can have a more sensible/predictable negotiating partner

what would be funny is if they goaded him into making his situation worse - ie, "sure, we'll help you out, can you please spell out exactly what the quid-pro-quo you want is please? Also, speak clearly into this microphone...."

It is not in China's interest to help Trump, more likely they want him out of office so they can have a more sensible/predictable negotiating partner

exactly - i'm sure they're counting the days to nov 2020 just like all of us. it's hilariously sad that trump doesn't realize he's blown all his leverage

every now and then I step back and think: This is exactly the kind of shit we expected when Trump got elected. In fact, it's not even as bad as what we expected.

― Muswell Hillbilly Elegy (President Keyes), Thursday, October 3, 2019 10:57 AM (thirty-eight minutes ago) bookmarkflaglink

I mean I guess not as bad in that he hasn't yet started a new war, but I really didn't think he would so purposefully destabilize things internationally. He's made new wars more likely on multiple fronts and is really much worse even than what I expected.

"if i did it you wanted quid pro quo"

Did she say that she loves this country so much that she would like to hug it 'til it squeaks? Because that's equally if not more weird than Lewandowski slurring a few words. Like, I truly can't tell the difference between his little rant there and any other talking head on Fox, so why did she single him out?

because they're all crabs in the bucket at the end of the day

Kennedy tells Lewandowski he sounds a bit "Biden-esque", but isn't Biden teetotal?

No! he's a secret drunkard! He pours Negronis into his O'Doul's!

he only drinks o'douls (0.4% ABV), but he drinks around 20 to 30 of them a day

O'Doul riles!

Oops

No quid pro quo? Bill Taylor, the top US diplomat to Ukraine, certainly thought there was. "I think it's crazy to withhold security assistance for help with a political campaign," he texted to fellow diplomats -- texts Kurt Volker just gave to Congress. https://t.co/apYDBshJTL

— Michael Weiss (@michaeldweiss) October 3, 2019

deep state department

GOP will certainly just focus on the response to that text, by trump's ambassador to the EU:

In the exchange, obtained by ABC News, the concerns are expressed by Bill Taylor, the top U.S. diplomat to Ukraine. Gordon Sondland, the United States Ambassador to the European Union, responds to Taylor, saying, "Bill, I believe you are incorrect about President Trump’s intentions. The President has been crystal clear: no quid pro quo’s of any kind. The President is trying to evaluate whether Ukraine is truly going to adopt the transparency and reforms that President Zelensky promised during his campaign."

I'm shocked you'd even suggest that, Bill

- SEND -

The President is trying to evaluate whether Ukraine is truly going to adopt the transparency and reforms that President Zelensky promised during his campaign."

How odd that Trump's "evaluation" was going to be based on whether or not Zelensky did him the "favor" of investigating someone who happens to be the leading contender to oppose him?

do the bidens even have any connection to china? or is it just that every country in the world should be investigating them?

I am not a federal prosecutor but this apparently widely-disseminated direction that “if you don’t say it in so many words there’s no crime!” seems... like magical thinking?

it's the I didn't do it boy!

the playground argument reaches the crucial moment of "nuh uh!"

Ignorance of law excuses not. Unless you're prez, in which case shine on, you crazy diamond.

New USA Today poll:

Americans support House *impeaching* Trump by 45-38

They support *Senate conviction and removal* by 44-35 (!)

Note: 30% of Republicans say pressure on Ukraine to smear Biden is an abuse of power.

And it's early. More will come out.https://t.co/nIaJRZgP7E

— Greg Sargent (@ThePlumLineGS) October 3, 2019

mitt romney has 45% concerns

McConnell not sure about steak or chicken for dinner.

do the bidens even have any connection to china? or is it just that every country in the world should be investigating them?

― mookieproof, Thursday, October 3, 2019 1:21 PM (five hours ago) bookmarkflaglink

*tim heidecker voice* investigate the china connection!!!

re: mookieproof's “do the Bidens even have any connection to China?” I'm not knowledgeable about financial matters but I found this:

https://www.seattletimes.com/nation-world/trump-says-hunter-biden-walks-out-of-china-with-1-5-billion-bidens-lawyer-says-thats-not-true/

“Hunter Biden did travel with his father on Air Force Two to China on Dec. 4, 2013.

Twelve days later, Hunter Biden joined the board of a just-formed investment advisory firm, known as BHR, whose partners included Chinese entities. Affiliates of the advisory firm said they planned to raise $1.5 billion.
Some media reports over the past five years have described Hunter Biden as an owner of a private equity company that sought to raise that amount.

However, George Mesires, a lawyer for Hunter Biden, said in an interview earlier this year that his client’s role has been misconstrued. He said Hunter Biden was on the board of the advisory firm that did not directly invest, but instead advised those who did.

Moreover, Mesires said, it was not until October 2017 that Hunter Biden acquired a financial stake in BHR. Hunter Biden bought a 10 percent equity interest that was worth $430,000 in July, Mesires said. At least half of the firm’s stake is owned by Chinese entities, according to business records.

Mesires, asked about the matter in July, said: “To date, Mr. Biden has not received any return or compensation on account of this investment or his position on the board of directors. The characterization of Mr. Biden as owning a $1.5 billion private equity firm funded by the Chinese seriously misconstrues Mr. Biden’s role with BHR.””

Is anyone else feeling an increasing sense of dread the more this shit spins out of control? It seems like the prevailing mood is "aha, we got him now!" but these blatant calls for foreign intervention are forcing Republicans into a position where they either have to accept straight up lawlessness and a Trump dictatorship or go against their team. We all know which way they'll go.

NEW: Text messages from Kurt Volker (US Special Envoy to Ukraine), Bill Taylor (top US diplomat in Kyiv), Gordon Sondland (US ambo to EU), Andriy Yermak (advisor to Zelensky).
1. Taylor relays Z’s reluctance to become “instrument in Washington domestic, reelection politics.” pic.twitter.com/WhfAnu8ktd

— Michael Weiss (@michaeldweiss) October 4, 2019

🚨 🚨 Bill Taylor to Sondland: "Are we now saying that security assistance and WH meeting are conditioned on investigations?" pic.twitter.com/sAEETFY51Q

— Jacqueline Alemany (@JaxAlemany) October 4, 2019

come on!!