Moral Treasoning (The Mueller Investigation Part 117)

Previous thread for reference:

thanks for the new thread. The previous one has been subscriber only for several days now

I think it's official now

We DO have a deep state but it's a REPUB/CONSERVATIVE deep state, not a "leftist liberal deep state" like what Trump, some repubs and Fox have been trying to convince the public of.

We have repubs in the government now actively blocking any oversight on Trump. From Barr to other names we don't even know of

this whistleblower thing takes the cake

Nice picture of a Halloween bitch, er witch, OP. Scary teeth, even with the fangs retracted.

Interesting, R2. Some were saying in the other thread yesterday that it was not subscriber only.

R4 OK well maybe it's different for different users but I haven't been able to post there since Sunday

R5 that's what I'm wondering. I wonder how it's determined. What message did you get when you tried to post?

I'm re-posting this from the other thread....

NYT: Trump Lawyers Argue He Cannot Be Criminally Investigated

R6 I can't try to post. There's a blue with this message written under the most recent posts of subscriber-only threads:

[quote]Only subscribers can post to this thread. Click Here to update your subscription information.

Most of the population of the earth knows that Trump does not do one good thing for the benefit of anyone but himself. Justice will be served.

R2 Completely correct. When they accuse us of something, they are actively doing it. Pres Bone Spurs is being protected, it seems, by those deep in the govt. Remember the NY office of the FBI, Guiliani and Hillary?

JUST REMEMBER FOLKS, clinton, bill that is, was impeached because he lied under oath (and willingly testified i might add!) about getting a blowjob! that's it!.........

Washington state sues Trump: Don't divert defense dollars to build your border wall

Going to subcribers only does reduce the foreign and domestic trolls and bots. That said, it hampers some responsible people, for whatever reason, who haven't signed up. It's $1.50 a month to sign up. Very reasonable. Sometimes though, one still has to log-in. Like not having all the annoying ads.

R11 It was nobody's business except Hillary's.

Trump, Facebook CEO Zuckerberg had 'good, constructive' meeting -Facebook

I completely agree, R14. I also think Monica has been punished enough.

I completely agree, R14. I also think Monica has been punished enough.

This whistleblower thing is too good. Please God, let it get out. If it’s so innocent, why won’t they show it to at least the committee, classified or not?

If Barr successfully blocks this, I will throw a brick at my TV.

I haven't watched much news today since Houston is experiencing yet another epic tropical rain storm from TS Imelda. 15-45 inches of rain. Mass flooding. We had epic flooding just 2 years ago with Hurricane Harvey. I flooded during Harvey but not today. Houston has had more epic floods in the past 8 years than the previous 20 combined. But lets deny it is caused by man-made climate change. One area 30 miles east of here received over 40 inches of rain in under 12 hours.

This whistle blower info looks to be esp troublesome for Pres Bone Spurs. Could this be the equivalent of the Nixon tapes?

Barr is an abomination. RFK held that position and for once nepotism wasn't a bad thing. He was a trusted, caring and intelligent human being who happened to be the brother of the president. No ill will was involved at all. They were in it for the good of the American people. No question.

[quote]This whistle blower info looks to be esp troublesome for Pres Bone Spurs. Could this be the equivalent of the Nixon tapes?

Even if it is, does it really matter?

r7, His lawyers are pushing it to the next level.

Per DoJ POLICY he cannot be INDICTED.

He can be investigated up the ass.

The next Democratic President needs to extend the statute of limitations on a President who the DoJ makes this claim.

Gotta see this movie!

Saving Private Bone Spurs

Asset since 1987?

The depths of criminality is just stunning. I’m *dying* to hear what this whistleblower has to say. How can they justify ignoring the whistleblower laws on the books?

*depth

Washington Post:

Whistleblower complaint about President Trump involves Ukraine, according to two people familiar with the matter

Ukraine!!

and remember Giuliani has been trying to get dirt on Biden from there

Does this mean Trump promised Putin more territory? or he won't support giving them more defense money?

President Donald Trump is suing his long-time accounting firm Mazars USA and New York district attorney Cyrus Vance to attempt to stop his accounting records and tax returns from being sent to the local prosecutor, arguing he can't be prosecuted while in the White House.

The suit is the boldest broadside yet against any local or state prosecutors who may want to investigate Trump while he serves in the White House. For the first time, Trump's private legal team pushes an argument into federal court that the President should be immune from criminal investigation while in office.

Shortly, Chris Cuomo of CNN is having on Rudy Giuliani. Being that it will he spin shit or "both sides" crap, I refuse to watch either way.

So once again, CNN is giving a criminal a platform to lie and get their narrative out to the public. Didnt anyone learn their lesson with the Mueller report and how it was disseminated ?

Putty wants all sanctions dropped, recognition he owns Crimea, have NATO weakened, buy more of his oil, control all of Ukraine, return to the G-8, and green light any meddling he wants to do. Cadet Spurs may be seeking help again in getting himself and cohorts elected for 2020, and granted secret cash to his enterprises and himself. Speculating, you know Putty controls Cadet Spurs; thus he controls the Republican Party.

R31 Chris Cuomo had previous relationships with assholes like Giuliani and Kellyanne and thinks getting people in the admin on his show actually does something. It doesn't. It just lets them spread their bullshit lies

but he loves the drama and fighting

he's only good to watch when he's wearing a t shirt during a hurricane

Honestly whether Trump wins or loses, I’m scared for 2020.

That was QUITE the interview between Chris Cuomo and Ghouliani, if you want to call it that. It was more of a shouting match between the two men, and there were a few moments there when I was sure Rudy was going to have a stroke live on air.

Cuomo tried to ask him questions about the whistleblower, and Rudy just kept screaming "Biden and his son!" "Hillary tried to get Ukraine to help her in the 2016 election!" and other crazy, bashless accusations. He wouldn't ask ONE question of Cuomo's without what abouting about some Democrat or other.

He looked and sounded like a lunatic.

make that "crazy, baseless accusations".

Well, I think we now know what the whistleblower has—there is no other reason for Giuliani to be on CNN other than to grease the skids for what’s to come.

What does the whistleblower have r37?

Dump threatened to withhold aid from the Ukraine unless they gave him dirt on Biden, r38. At least that’s what I surmise with the crap Giuliani was flinging. He’s priming the public into believing Biden did crooked deals in the Ukraine, and Dump HAD to threaten them.

yeah the repubs are trying to make it seem like Biden is guilty of the behavior that Trump has done with Russia. Projection and lies at their worst but because so much of the public doesn't watch the news, they could fall for it

NEVER doubt the stupidity of a majority of white heterosexual Americans. Sad but true. That is the group that reliably votes repubs and gave Trump just the margin of victory he needed

R40 I hope ALL their kids turn out LGBTQIA+

[quote]there were a few moments there when I was sure Rudy was going to have a stroke live on air.

Can't come soon enough.

I love how Ruby Julie always lets the cat out of the bag.

The Hill:

Giuliani says 'of course' he asked Ukraine to look into Biden seconds after denying it

On what authority did the Ghoul haul his ass to Ukraine to demand they dig up dirt on Biden?

yeah last time I checked that's not what lawyers do.

He's NOT a member of the government. He claims to be Trump's personal attorney

Putin made Trump President. There's a quid pro quo to that. Trump has to deliver. Now withholding aid from Ukraine may have been precisely what Putin wanted him to do. And the little bone he threw out there was a sweetner. He gave Trump a lead on a Biden story and Trump got Rudy to follow up and see how they could make use of it. That's my guess.

But the Biden scandal they were creating was not central. Delivering for Putin is central. Exposing our intel assets, our networks, and making sure our foreign policy doesn't conflict with Russia's goals. Putin is having troubles lately. So he won't take kindly to anyone balking after he has been so good to them.

And look at the resignations at National Intel: Coats, and then two others just before this whistleblower stuff leaked. When I first heard it I was sure it was connected to Jared. But it looks like it's the Orange Turd. It's going to come out. Once the committee gets it, and they will, one way or another, then it will "leak." It's likely Bolton and a couple others in the Intel community a re leaking it. They hate Trump, and they hate treason.

CNN AND CUOMO ARE SHAMEFUL, the sole reason and truth of why they have these people on, is for ratings ONLY! they know it gets people pissed off, riled up and like a car accident, people can't look away and watch, that's it folks, nothing more! and cuomo's sickening "thanking them" after each interview is ridiculous!....it's a game both sides play..

So the phone call the WB references may be him telling Ukraine we would give them aid in exchange for the political prosecution of a political enemy. Dear God, please let this be the end of him.

[R41]I don't, for their kids' sake.

Nothing is going to come of this, just like nothing comes of anything else. The Dems will go all over CNN yelling about how we have a lawless President, and maybe throw around some subpoenas that are ignored by whoever they’re for, and then everyone will move on to the next shady thing Trump does.

They should have declared Lewandowski in contempt right then and there, thrown his arrogant ass into the holding cells, and make Trump's lawyers come down there and explain how and why Lewandowski supposedly has executive privilege when he never worked in the administration in the first place AND has written two books about all the shit he now pretends he can't talk about. And do that with everyone who pulls this bullshit that every legal analyst says is bullshit. Trump and every one of his smug entitled little minions keep flipping Congress the bird and Congress keeps grumbling about it and then rolling over. It reminds me of Eddie Izzard's line in his bit about the leadup to WWII when Britain and France kept wagging their fingers at Hitler for gobbling up other countries, "after a few years we won't stand for that anymore!"

Nadler is weak. He looks befuddled half the time. They need someone like Adam Schiff running these hearings.

R51 Just shut up. Seriously. Quit downing the Dems who are the only ones doing ANYTHING. Turn your ire at the fucking traitorous GOP- where it belongs!

I do think Nadler might be in over his head. He's not mean enough to deal with these assholes.

R53... R51 is right! enough with the hand wringing and shouting! do something, take actual ACTION!.. . if it was the other way around? every democrat would be sitting in a jail cell right now!...

R55 The GOP did this for 8 years plus all through the campaign, got Hillary for 11 hours yet NADA.

Pelosi wanted Lewendowski held in contempt, but Nadler didn't know that and so he didn't do anything about Corey's horrible behavior at the hearing.

Is it too much to ask for the Speaker and the Chairman of the committee to be on the same fuckin' page as each other?

R57, there is some convoluted process to hold someone in contempt. From what I read, it couldn't really have been done on the spot at the meeting because it involves informing the person in writing, them being given a chance to respond in writing, followed by a committee vote, and some other stuff.

The overall problem is what it always is. The Democrats follow the rules while the Repugs lie and cheat with impunity. I'm not sure how you resolve that when the referee for such things is that fucking asshole Barr. My only hope at this point is that all the court cases the Democrats have in process start resolving in their favor one after the other in the next couple of weeks. Boom, boom, boom.

I just read on another thread that it doesn’t matter—if Someone is found in contempt, Congress doesn’t have the authority or process to jail them—they must refer it to the Justice Dept. who of course won’t do jack. Is this true?

R59 Basically. Today, someone on Nicolle Wallace's show said he has never used these words yet because they carry such weight but we are very, very close to a Constitutional Crisis where one party is so thoroughly corrupt there is no answer, no remedy. Sadly, this will not end once he is gone. His judges will live on and they are ready to stop any and everything progressive on flimsy to no grounds at all. The silver lining- we can still send the GOP packing at all levels. We must not allow that party any sort of power.

If you jailed Lewendowski you can bet that subpoenas really wouldn’t be honored then. This situation is so convoluted it’s going to take decades to sort out.

Why are these threads still ongoing? The investigation was a farce and it is over. Mueller is a coward, why do we keep propping this pointless thread?

R62 it keeps the Datalounge anti-Trump coalition together and stops multiple threads on his numerous misdeeds from flooding the board. Also, they’re behind the pay wall so we avoid the idiot Russian trolls, LSA Cunts, Timotay Stans and the smarter people are posting here.

They go behind the pay wall around post 450. This thread is currently open.

And they should transition to the Muller/Impeachment Investigation.

R63, it is pointless, there are still 10 concurrent threads on this whistleblowing business. I'm so sick of seeing that coward Mueller name being part of the resistance.

Today trump's lawyers said he can't be criminally investigated. Not trump, his company, or his cronies. He can do what he likes without interference from the law for the length of his presidency. If this came to pass you can be sure his presidency will never end.

It won't come to pass. It's another delay tactic. But the message clearly is that he's a criminal and plans on continuing his criminal activity. It's laughable.

I hate his putrid, stinking, orange, disgusting guts.

Trump is trying to make himself a dictator. I called this a long time ago.

Trump administration reinstates military aid for Ukraine... just TODAY

The whistleblowers are Coats and Gordon.

Fuck Monica Lewinsky, R17, and stop the fucking double posting.

R70 no, fuck that Fat Pig Cunt Linda Tripp!

Her too, R71, but nobody bothers with her because she doesn't bother us.

Lewinsky on the other hand, continues to play the endless victim. She spends her life, ahem, milking a few blowjobs she handed out 20 years ago. There are no other accomplishments in her life, just a few blowjobs followed by 20 years of failure. A wasted education (that her parents bought her), no career, no business, no family or long-term relationships, no successes of any kind. She hasn't even lost that flab.

And we're supposed to believe this is Linda Tripp's fault? This is President Clinton's fault?

No. It's Monica's fault. She brought her fucked up self, with her fucked up past, to Washington DC and she's still fucked up. She needs to go away and stay away.

Keep the anti-trump coalition together? Stop trump threads from being posted on the Datalounge?

WTF? Just go start your own website, ya freak. Your controlling cunt routine doesn't represent the Datalounge and it's fucking weird.

To me, Linda Trip was a minister and she deserved her ugly face. Monica was young and stupid, Bill was an asshole.

Linda Tripp was a minister? Of what religion?

If Monica were the endless victim, she would have taken legal action against Big Dog.

She didn't and she isn't.

She'd sue President Clinton? For what, not fucking her when she wanted him to?

r77, workplace harassment. She didn't. She took responsibility.

President Clinton didn't harass her. She went to DC to intern vowing to bring her "presidential kneepads" remember? She hit on him, snapping her thong underwear at him in the Oval Office. She's taken responsibility for that, has she? And the damage her stupid self indulgent behavior did to the country, has she owned up to her part in that? No. But she wants to waddle around calling herself a victim still? Idiotic, infantile woman.

The President never forced or coerced her. He never threatened her with the loss of a job if she didn't blow him. She wasn't harassed, she fucked her boss. *shrug* She runs around like "I'm a victim! I'm a #metoo too! They bullied me!" ME ME ME.

Monica is middle aged. It is not the fault of the American citizenry that she was inadequately parented. She needs to go away and stay away.

There is so much inaction towards Dump, that we’re revisiting the Clinton scandal.

That Giuliani interview was some next-level, A Few Good Men-style stuff. He just came out and fucking admitted it.

I can't watch Cuomo, he's a clown.

Kellyanne may have been up all night trying to gather talking points to spin, lie, filibuster, deflect, etc. for today's Hatch Act violation. It must be frustrating this time.

Frankly, this is in Nancy Pelosi's lap. She must seize the moment to go full throttle. Otherwise, it will be the biggest missed opportunity yet.

What about it Nancy? Is THIS enough to impeach HIM now?

Washington Post:

California sues Trump administration after revoking authority to limit car pollution

Washington Post:

Trump declines to say whether he discussed Joe Biden in call with Ukrainian president

^

Asked Friday if he had discussed Biden with Zelensky, Trump told reporters in the Oval Office, “It doesn’t matter what I discussed.”

Which means, of course, R87, that he 100% did.

Why is Mueller a "coward"? It was never his job to be some crusader marching into the White House and arresting Trump, and someone as by-the-book and straitlaced as him wasn't going to buck the DOJ "sitting President can't be indicted" regulation. If people inflated him into this Eliot Ness figure, that's on them, not him. He did the job he was appointed to do. What was done with the information he provided was on Congress, just as it was all along.

Trump goes before the media and utters bullshit and appears to wiggle away from the story as he does time and time again.

Congress should be enraged. Pelosi needs to be having Congress vote on Monday authorizing a formal impeachment inquiry. Stop dicking around. Literally, that is La Sénatrice's thing. The House has to go on the offensive, now! If they don't, nobody will.

Mueller could have recommended that the President be indicted against the OLC memo saying he could not be. There was nothing stopping him from making that recommendation. I agree that it really on the do-nothing Congress who were essentially provided a roadmap to impeachment in the form of Mueller’s report. But let’s not pretend that Mueller did everything in his power.

He was also very ill-prepared for his Congressional hearing and it very much did show. At times, it seemed like he had not even read the full report. And his refusal to read out loud passages from the report was lame as could be. He had an opportunity to really be a big hero and abdicated that role to be the Boy Scout we all heard he was.

It’s very disingenuous to imply that he did “all that he could.” I mean, honestly. Bitch, please.

R51 - Agree 100%. The Dems are acting over-cautiously and very much appear weak. They're trying to play by rules that no longer work because the GOP is ignoring and circumventing these rules every which way they can. Democrats in Congress look completely inept at this point. I don't expect any movement from them, just a rearrangement of stern words put out in official statements. I place blame firmly with the entrenched old guard in the Democratic party who idle on the fence, stalwartly guarding the expiring centrist middle. They're running on a hamster wheel of fossilized ideas that result in scant or zero progress. We need the vibrancy and ruthlessness of younger generations in office. Those who complain that the attitudes of the younger generations are entitled are wrong. These emerging generations are actually expressing a frustrated impatience because the dying status quo is still being genuflected to in 2019, and those that are causing or perpetuating outdated models of governance won't be alive to deal with all the resulting consequences.

The Hill:

Hillary Clinton: 'The president asked a foreign power to help him win an election. Again.'

[quote][R51] - Agree 100%. The Dems are acting over-cautiously and very much appear weak. They're trying to play by rules that no longer work because the GOP is ignoring and circumventing these rules every which way they can. Democrats in Congress look completely inept at this point. I don't expect any movement from them, just a rearrangement of stern words put out in official statements. I place blame firmly with the entrenched old guard in the Democratic party who idle on the fence, stalwartly guarding the expiring centrist middle. They're running on a hamster wheel of fossilized ideas that result in scant or zero progress. We need the vibrancy and ruthlessness of younger generations in office. Those who complain that the attitudes of the younger generations are entitled are wrong. These emerging generations are actually expressing a frustrated impatience because the dying status quo is still being genuflected to in 2019, and those that are causing or perpetuating outdated models of governance won't be alive to deal with all the resulting consequences.

This, R93. The Democrats Do Look Completely Inept at this point. Appreciate your summary.

Although nothing is the same, we've seen similar paths in history: for example, many surrounding Hitler as he became more and more brazen. It's creepy to think that the Old Guard Dems are hanging onto "the way things were" OR "the way things should be".

We've clearly blown beyond that. There is no going back now...although the Dems clearly seem to be trying...

Watched the presser with trump and the Australian PM this morning. When trump starts telling the reporters they lie, fake news, blah blah, why doesn’t anyone have the balls to shout back at him that he is a joke?

R96! exactly! i'm also waiting for someone, anyone to say to him "you WORK FOR US, WE ARE YOUR BOSS!"...WHAT CAN HE DO TO THEM IF THEY DO?

Boston Globe:

Trump describes intelligence complaint as ‘political hack job’

Ugly mouth.

CNN:

Nancy Pelosi calls for law to be able to indict presidents

Washington Post:

Judge orders President Trump to testify in 2015 lawsuit

NBC Nightly News just stared off, not with the new of high crimes over Ukraine, but of a fucking SUV running through a mall.

This, right there, is the problem.

R102, they are probably not sure if it was a terrorist thing like those assholes who drove into crowds in Europe. What was the second story? Guarantee is was Trump's bullshit.

R102, this really saddens me when I think of the great journalists who have come before. But I have a lot of hope. Only a couple of million (is it even that much?) watch nightly news. Most people are on sites line DL.

This is one of the reasons why the quality of the news inevitably went downhill after the development of the 24/7 news cycle, because it means the anchors and talking heads have to constantly be talking about SOMETHING, no matter how manufactured or inane it is.

R103 NOPE a tour bus crash.

Fourth story about a shooting in NOLA. Fifth story about Antonio Brown.

Sixth story on Ukraine but mainly HIS response.

He’s doing exactly what he did with Russia with Ukraine now and we know about it in real-time.

A troubled nation yearns to be embraced in the warm, comforting, and theraputic bosom of our national mother figure.

And we wonder why more than half the country has NO idea of all the crappy things Trump has done?

The poster who posted about the NBC nightly news has the answer.

CNN has been doing these "both sides" debates again today. Anderson Cooper just hosted one.

Presenting this scandal as some "equivalency" in arguments is ridiculous. The pro-Trump yappers just turn it into "Obama did it" and blame "Hillary" narratives while presenting Trump as a victim..

CNN does this for ratings. It turns-off a lot of viewers.

ProPublica:

Inside the Trump Administration’s Chaotic Dismantling of the Federal Land Agency

The environmental destruction in the Trump error is horrendous. The Trump cartel and corporate polluters are profiting bigtime from it.

Weld was talking about the possibility of Kasich getting into the race. Sounds like Kasich is sniffing around again for a run in 2020.

We need 4 brave Senate Republicans to go independent and caucus with Dems to strip Mitch of his power. They can still vote how they like but his power would be no more. They would go down in history.

Murkowski? Romney (He is safe- Utah also does not like this "president"), Collins (I know, I know), and Alexander?

Shannon Pettypiece said on MSNBC that Rudy has been itching to go on a media blitz and talk about "Biden corruption", and that he finally got what he wanted - he got interviewed and spun the Trump narrative, and that on the following day Trump began echoing it himself.

We are watching a carbon copy of the "Russia are you listening"and the Mueller report case. I hope something goes wrong with their strategy and this one turns into the scandal that gives.

I know Rudy can always go on Fox News and pull whatever latest conspiracy narrative out of his ass. But CNN is trash for allowing his unhinged mug on national TV.

yeah just like the right wingers have been trying to convince enough Americans that Clinton "colluded with Russia through the 'unverified Steele dossier' ", they're trying to convince everyone that Biden is corrupt instead of Trump

It's projection and lies at their worst but this is what repub political strategy has become

the question is this time will enough moderates/casual news viewers fall for it again

As numerous people have already stated, the repub strategy is not going to focus on how amazing Trump is-I mean they're going to say it but they're going to try and make all the Democratic top candidates as unpopular as Trump. They want a repeat of Trump vs. Hillary when both had such high unfavorables

we know a lot of white hetero christians will fall for the bullshit and believe it wholeheartedly but how about everyone else? The people who didn't vote in 2016 in the swing states are really the ones who matter

It's the women and the POC we need to get to the polls.

Most of them are fed up with this bullshit and endless drama. White women need to grasp that voting for this unhinged shitstain is endangering their children.

Most POC already understand what's at stake but white women feel they and their families are insulated from the cray.

They need to wake the fuck up.

R119, white women abandoned the Repugs in droves in 2018 and every special election so far.

How about trying to get some of the asshole straight white males to stop voting for Repugs to the tune of 70%? Stupid fuckers. Repug policies have done nothing but disadvantage the average white male for decades but the dumb animals keep voting for them because, what, the Repugs are white and have dicks? Is that really all that matters to the vast majority of white males? Repugs killed the unions that once gave them lifetime jobs with great pay and benefits. WTF is wrong with them?

What is with Trump trying to pull a Kennedy about Mars and the Space Force.

Does he know how stupid he looks?

Just another diversion and distraction.

Time to start deporting those terminally ill children...

Trump's claims about Biden sound like Uranium One, Pt. II. Watch the idiot Republican base fall for it again.

[post redacted because linking to dailymail.co.uk clearly indicates that the poster is either a troll or an idiot (probably both, honestly.) Our advice is that you just ignore this poster but whatever you do, don't click on any link to this putrid rag.]

WTF was that, R123? It looked like a commercial for Trump’s re-election. And did Melanie take an Uber back to Potomac, Maryland later that night or does she have to pretend she lives there when they have state visits?

They’re both complete cunts.

The thing is Biden probably won't win the nomination anyway. He is very vulnerable. Seems to me to be a wasted exercise in corruption.

Some pundit suggested that the Trump team no longer thinks Biden will be the nominee, R125, so they're launching this corruption storyline now as opposed to after the Dems select their nominee. Yeah, it's pointless, but the Trumpers put so much effort into it they feel compelled to follow through with it.

[quote]Nancy Pelosi calls for law to be able to indict presidents

What a great fucking idea! She can pass one and send it right over to Mitch McConnell who'll get on that [bold]RIGHT AWAY[/bold].

Jeeeee-zus.

What would you have her do, r127?

Biden will not be hit in the Dem polls over Republican criminality.

Divided convention with Biden the nominee on the 2nd/super delegate vote.

As someone pointed out in another thread (or maybe this one), those criticizing Democrats for not doing anything are probably Trumpian bots. They can’t actually have anyone who ignores a subpoena arrested. They don’t have a “Congress” police. And they can’t arrest anyone who refuses to answer questions, even if they hold them in contempt.

They’re forced to refer all law-breakers to the DOJ. And we know the DOJ will do nothing.

Are there any government experts who might be knowledgeable about alternatives?

r128, Oh I don't know, maybe she could show she's in favor of IMPEACHING THE BASTARD.

That's an option.

And not a smart one at this time, r131.....

Washington Post:

How Trump and Giuliani pressured Ukraine to investigate the president’s rivals

Giuliani and Trump. What a pair. A fucking Clown and a Mad Man... And it's anyone's guess which is which. LOL!

Washington Post:

Trump’s freeze on Ukraine aid draws new scrutiny amid push for Biden investigation

R131, do you have any idea how impeachment/removal works? Might be time to re-read the Constitution.

Barbara McQuade on Joy Reid's show #AMJoy just suggested that maybe Nancy Pelosi is putting PARTY before country herself without her continuing refusal to back an impeachment against Trump.

Sure she's trying to protect the Democrat's House majority, but she's also trying to protect HER job as House Speaker.

I mean "WITH her continuing refusal to back an impeachment against Trump" of course.

Who would have thought that the Mueller Thread would be the home of trolls and bots?

Keep on with the Biden and Pelosi attacks here while the rest of us actually discuss the Whistleblower ramifications on the other, truly informative threads.

At least y'all still have your entertaining Lindsay memes!

Most of the people on Joy's panel agree that it is high time that the Democrats went ahead and started impeachment proceedings against Trump, not just Barbara McQuade, but Jill Wine-Banks too (and she was there during the Nixon near impeachment).

r127, r128 Nancy Peolosi DOES NOT NEED A NEW LAW TO INDICT THE PRESIDENT...that is nothing but an excuse...all they have to do is IGNORE the DOJ OLC opinion...and thats all it is...AN OPINION...it is not a law, and it runs counter to the Constitution.

Regardless of if she wants impeachment or not, there is plenty to do to hold this corrupt administration accountable. 1. STOP ALLOWING THE GOP TO CONTROL THE NARRATIVE...2. Since McConnell wont impeach and DOJ wont prosecute, Congress needs to appoint a Special Prosecutor and start charging all the obstructionists who refuse to cooperate...starting with William Barr.

Its not rocket science...

It’s impossible to imagine Trump, with his lack self-control, going along with that, R126. If he believed that, say, Warren was destined to be the nominee, he could not stop himself from immediately attacking her.

I like it, r141, but as far as I know the House can REQUEST that the Attorney General appoint a special prosecutor. that is the problem here. The House just doesn't have much power by itself. It can subpoena and hold hearings, but it's obvious that there aren't a lot of options if subpoenas are ignored and hearings are just skipped, or everyone claims some made up "privilege." We are going to need to get creative, although it's risky. Money comes from the House. Should it just stop funding entire departments? Should it stop all routine government until subpoenas are complied with and actual questions are answered? I don't know. This is where I really count on a Nancy Pelosi who's been around since the dark ages to understand what unusual, unconventional ways there might be to totally fuck up the system, the way Mitch McConnell totally fucked up the Supreme Court.

Paywall, Muriel, please.

Congress might not have authority to appoint a special prosecutor, but they sure as hell can force DOJ to do so...thats how they got one during Watergate...withhold funding and block confirmations going forward. Although the AG typically appoints a special prosecutor, its a 3 judge panel of the appeals court who assigns them. Since the AG would be the 1st person prosecuted, Congress can appeal directly to the court and make a case for an exception.

[quote]Barbara McQuade on Joy Reid's show #AMJoy just suggested that maybe Nancy Pelosi is putting PARTY before country herself without her continuing refusal to back an impeachment against Trump.

[quote]Sure she's trying to protect the Democrat's House majority, but she's also trying to protect HER job as House Speaker.

What absolute bullshit. What good does it do the country if impeaching him and then watching him get exonerated in the Senate leads to the Dems losing the House? Oh, at least we'll have our principles as the Repugs control everything again. Fuck that. If she doesn't have the votes, she doesn't have the votes. There's also a timeline to consider. Do you want the trial in the Senate to find him not guilty in Spring 2020, which would allow that narrative of "innocence" to sway the election in November?

[quote]Do you want the trial in the Senate to find him not guilty in Spring 2020, which would allow that narrative of "innocence" to sway the election in November?

Is there a strict timeline that will force the House to impeach by the Spring? Can't they hold impeachment hearings as long as they want?

R147, can you imagine going into month 6 of impeachment hearings and the shit the Dems would be taking from all sides about how long it is taking and how inept they are and how they have no idea what they are doing and how they obviously don't have the proof, and on and on? No, they can't hold indefinite hearings or we're just right back here again.

I think we need to elect the Democrat in November and then hold an impeachment vote the next day. Don't let the fucker out of having impeachment in every single record in every single history book forever.

R148, you think in calendar months. Congress doesn't work that much lol, they have all kinds of recesses.

New theory:

Perhaps Bone Spurs was asking for something different or something extra. The former pee pee girls he hosted in 2013 in Moscow allegedly were Ukrainian. So, maybe he was asking the President of Ukraine to send over to him a couple of new, fresh pee pee girls under diplomatic cover?

The video at R123 is disgusting. trump does not deserve that pomp and circumstance and luxury. The turd thinks he's king. He's catered and pandered to every day. What's wrong with the sick fucks that support him? They are sucking the cock of Satan for favors. Totally twisted and sickening.

So, why didn't fat Donnie go begging to daddy Vlad for election help? Why is he beating on Ukraine's door for help?

Or is it any port in a storm and he doesn't want to tap out pooty until November 2020?

Seems to me you'd stick with what works.

I understand the whole Biden's son/Ukraine thing but shouldn't his all powerful master pooty be able to get that info?

Are he and pooty no longer BFFs?

[quote]As someone pointed out in another thread (or maybe this one), those criticizing Democrats for not doing anything are probably Trumpian bots.

Thanks for playing, doll. Nope. You're just simple.

[quote]They can’t actually have anyone who ignores a subpoena arrested. They don’t have a “Congress” police. And they can’t arrest anyone who refuses to answer questions, even if they hold them in contempt.

Look up "inherent contempt" and get back to us.

In terms of other outside the box ideas the House could pursue, they could zero out the budgets for for the White House and Justice Department.

They don't have the balls to do that of course. But they could.

R152, Trump hasn’t delivered for Russia. For all the mayhem he’s created, he hasn’t gotten sanctions lifted, and he did not restore the G8.

Trump has helped Putin tremendously. He might not have lifted sanctions completely, but he has done plenty....see Oleg Derepaska

We have no idea the extent he has helped Russia. If it ever comes to light, I bet he has given away the entire store.

He's helped Russia in at least several tangible ways. He got a pledge of support to the Ukraine taken out of the RNC party platform, he's holding up aid and military assistance, and he's weakening NATO which directly benefits Putin.

The Hill:

Trump accuses Democrats of launching a 'Ukraine Witch Hunt'

R159, gosh, that’s original.

AP:

Trump heads to UN with long list of deals he's yet to close

So's this!

People in Russia are protesting Putin. He'd be ousted if he didn't have absolute power of the government.

How do we know he didn't ask Putin for dirt on Biden?

Democrats in Congress detest Mitch McConnell moreso than con man Don.

Mitch has done damage to the country longer and deeper than Trump in many ways.

Sending good thoughts your way, R19/FCI.

My sister lives in Manvel, and had to cut short a visit with us to rush back to TX. She'd just crossed the state line from Louisiana when they closed I-10 at Beaumont, so she made it back in the nick of time.

So sick of climate change denialists. They should be outlawed like Holocaust deniers in Germany.

Sending good thoughts your way, R19/FCI.

My sister lives in Manvel, and had to cut short a visit with us to rush back to TX. She'd just crossed the state line from Louisiana when they closed I-10 at Beaumont, so she made it back in the nick of time.

So sick of climate change denialists. They should be outlawed like Holocaust deniers in Germany.

Washington Post:

To pay for Trump’s wall, a hurricane-wrecked base in Puerto Rico loses funding

[quote]Rudy can always go on Fox News and pull whatever latest conspiracy narrative out of his ass.

Pics please.

R168 I thought Mexico was paying for it...........

George Conway blasts Trump about Ukraine allegations.

[quote]Great night in Michigan speaking about the need for Americans to unite and answer the call to stand up to evil and restore American leadership in a dangerous world.

Is Sarah Huckabee Sanders speaking about Trump? Nawh.

Projection.

Hope Hicks wears the scarlet T.

Ewww.... The wages of contempt.

R172, there is no way in HELL I would risk being anywhere near an arena-sized projection of Sarah Huckabee Sanders.

Those poor people, I feel so sorry for th...Nah, not really. They should be struck blind and deaf. When did God get out of the smiting business, anyway?

R172, there is no way in HELL I would risk being anywhere near an arena-sized projection of Sarah Huckabee Sanders.

Those poor people, I feel so sorry for th...Nah, not really. They should be struck blind and deaf. When did God get out of the smiting business, anyway?

So sorry for all the multiple posts, guys. My DL is super wonky today.

Pence in Michigan on Mackinac Island.

Jared & Ivanka want him dumped from the 2020 ticket.

r150, Everybody who talks about the girls in Russia who supposedly urinated on Trump's bed forget the same exact thing: IF the incident even happened (and as yet there is NO evidence that it actually did), Trump did not do it for sexual arousal, he did it because of his hatred towards President Obama and his wife, because it was their bed that he supposedly had the girls urinate on. It was an act of derision not sex.

I don't know why almost everybody always plays it off as some kind of sexual act. It wasn't.

Weren't Ivanka and Jared the ones who thrust Pence upon Trump in the first place? I'm doubtful DJT even knew Mike Pence existed before Javanka put him atop their VP list.

No, Pence was Manafort’s choice, R180. Ivanka and Jared tried to get rid of Pence a few months ago but got huge donor pushback.

Specifically, Javanka wanted Nikki Haley, on the ground that she would “appeal to suburban women.” That didn’t fly.

Haley is not going to tarnish herself serving as Trump's VP.

R179 I agree with you. But this is my thing: I can forgive anybody a harmless, vanilla sex fetish. I think what Trump allegedly did was far more disturbing.... and totally within his amoral character.

Didn't someone in these threads, an insider, spill it about Javanka wanting to dump Pence for Haley?

R185, yes, I remember that. Immediately after that, stories about Haley did start to appear—that must have been the work of Jared and Ivanka pushing her.

R186 Who was the insider who told us?

It has been reported that JaVanka's first choice was Gingrich. When the choice was between Pence and Christie, they went with Pence. Ironically, Christie would have been a better choice for them, even in spite of putting Kushner's dad in jail.

R188 but what about #bridgegate? That's the one thing that could weigh Christie down. It was a HUGE scandal in NY/NJ

If Christie had been the VP choice, the entire Republican party would have defended him on Bridgegate, claiming that the mainstream media was out to get him, it was just a few rogue actors, etc... The fact that the Democratic legislature investigated and found nothing would have been trumpeted all over Fox and the mainstream media. Bridgegate would have been a talking point for the Democrats, but it could have been turned around and used against them.

As for the trial itself, I wouldn't have been surprised if it was postponed until after the election, and assuming that nothing else about the trial was changed, the Republicans would have been trumpeting all over the news that Wildstein testified that Bridgegate was his own idea and he never discussed lane re-alignments with Christie, and Kelly testified that she told Christie there was going to be a legitimate bridge study. Sean Hannity would have done night after night comparing Bridgegate with how Hillary was never charged with anything, riling up the anti-Hillary base. The usual Republican talking points.

Fox's Jesse Watters with Diamond & Silk.

Fox is a Trump propaganda network more than ever..

Watters compares Elizabeth Warren to Rachel D.?

To bash Trudeau's "blackface" while D & S are repeatedly used to entertain Trump's base, is rather ironic.

Race baiting will be a big part of the 2020 GOP tactics.

This is avery important FYI: With or without Trump we have a problem.

Trump will not replace Pence with Haley.He doesn't trust Haley. In his own mind he sees himself living forever and if he were thinking about who takes over after him that person would be Ivanka. He feels too competitive with Don Jr. and thinks he's dumb....which we all can agree on.

Both Gingrich and Christie were too high profile and too "smart" for DJT. He is the star of the show. Someone like Pence was perfect. Plus Pence had been someone the Koch brothers were fond of and supported ever since he was in Indiana. Manafort thought ingratiating himself to the Kochs was smart. I really had to laugh at the people who were shocked and scandalized when it was reported the Manafort continued to be consulted and had influence even after he left the Campaign.LOL! He never technically left the campaign.

What? There are no black folks living in or near Irvine, CA? R191

I see in the pic white Trump base supporters, middle aged and seniors, most of whom are probably not possessing formal education beyond high school and are loyal Fox News watchers. One Asian female is seen in the photo.

Apparently, Dump is none too pleased at Dumpy Jr's relationship with Guilfoyle. Trump had expressed interest in her himself.

Ganga Tarot on Barr

It is apparent. The Republicans are going to run a 2020 campaign using race as the divide. Ole Kellyanne knows what polls with the base.

NBC News:

A combined 69% of registered voters say they don’t like Trump personally, regardless of their feelings about his policy agenda.

A record 50% say they dislike him personally and dislike his policies, while another 19% say that they dislike him but approve of his policies.

Just 29% say they like Trump personally, with 25% saying they also approve of his policy agenda and 4% saying they disapprove.

Majorities of voters said they personally liked Obama, Clinton, George W. Bush, George H.W. Bush, and Ronald Reagan, even though they might disagree vigorously with their political agenda.

R187, it wasn't anyone who identified himself. I remember mocking the possibility when he mentioned it, but then there were articles about it, such as this one.

Considering who they both are I believe her 100%. Unfortunately the cardinal points on their moral compass are Treason, Greed, Lies, and Theft.

How ironic that the guy who allowed our country to be attacked by terrorists, killing thousands of people, then turned over his entire foreign policy to the NeoCons who commenced an invasion of the wrong country, totally destabilizing the entire region, and who then botched the response to a catastrophic hurricane, Katrina, and finally, presided over the worst financial meltdown since the Great Depression, can now be regarded as a "nice guy even though I disagreed with his policies" because Trump makes even the worst President seem just fine in comparison to himself, a repulsive, despicable monster.

Trump's supporters won't believe any accusations unless Fox tells them to believe. But with that said, I have to believe this is only going to accelerate Trump fatigue.

Wasn't Kimberly Guilfoyle the ex-Fox pundit who had a dick pics rolodex and mentioned on "The Five" she had a crush on Ben Carson during the '16 GOP primary campaign? She wears a ton of make-up.

Wonder if she sold that rolodex to Miss Thang?

It’s obviously a low bar, but Don Junior is probably the most attractive Trump child.

I suppose we really have yet to see what Barron turns out to be. Wasn’t Trump heard calling Barron retarded?

The dick pics Fox firing of 'Pooh Bear' Guilfoyle from the summer, 2018.

R202, I think the fact that Michelle Obama clearly really likes him has rehabbed his personal image for a lot of Democrats.

R206, no dick pics. You disappoint me.

Australian journalist shocked by Trump's incoherance. Has he always talked this way or is he going senile?

He's definitely cognitively going downhill.

I joined as the president was explaining at length how powerful the concrete was. Very powerful, it turns out. It was unlike any wall ever built, incorporating the most advanced “concrete technology”. It was so exceptional that would-be wall-builders from three unnamed countries had visited to learn from it.

There were inner tubes in the wall that were also filled with concrete, poured in via funnels, and also “rebars” so the wall would withstand anyone attempting to cut through it with a blowtorch.

The wall went very deep and could not be burrowed under. Prototypes had been tested by 20 “world-class mountain climbers – That’s all they do, they love to climb mountains”, who had been unable to scale it.

It was also “wired, so that we will know if somebody is trying to break through”, although one of the attending officials declined a presidential invitation to discuss this wiring further, saying, “Sir, there could be some merit in not discussing it”, which the president said was a “very good answer”.

The wall was “amazing”, “world class”, “virtually impenetrable” and also “a good, strong rust colour” that could later be painted. It was designed to absorb heat, so it was “hot enough to fry an egg on”. There were no eggs to hand, but the president did sign his name on it and spoke for so long the TV feed eventually cut away, promising to return if news was ever made.

He did, at one point, concede that would-be immigrants, unable to scale, burrow, blow torch or risk being burned, could always walk around the incomplete structure, but that would require them walking a long way. This seemed to me to be an important point, but the monologue quickly returned to the concrete.

He looks absolutely repulsive at R209. Such mottled, damaged skin and an ugly face. He looks like an orange frog.

[quote]Australian journalist shocked by Trump's incoherance. Has he always talked this way or is he going senile?

But even the journalist doesn't quote him in full. As one of the article's commenters does by transcribing a YouTube video -- and it's horrifying. It's even more horrifying that the video is from 4 years ago!

“Look, having nuclear — my uncle was a great professor and scientist and engineer, Dr. John Trump at MIT; good genes, very good genes, OK, very smart, the Wharton School of Finance, very good, very smart — you know, if you’re a conservative Republican, if I were a liberal, if, like, OK, if I ran as a liberal Democrat, they would say I’m one of the smartest people anywhere in the world — it’s true! — but when you’re a conservative Republican they try — oh, do they do a number — that’s why I always start off: Went to Wharton, was a good student, went there, went there, did this, built a fortune — you know I have to give my like credentials all the time, because we’re a little disadvantaged — but you look at the nuclear deal, the thing that really bothers me — it would have been so easy, and it’s not as important as these lives are — nuclear is so powerful; my uncle explained that to me many, many years ago, the power and that was 35 years ago; he would explain the power of what’s going to happen and he was right, who would have thought? — but when you look at what’s going on with the four prisoners — now it used to be three, now it’s four — but when it was three and even now, I would have said it’s all in the messenger; fellas, and it is fellas because, you know, they don’t, they haven’t figured that the women are smarter right now than the men, so, you know, it’s gonna take them about another 150 years — but the Persians are great negotiators, the Iranians are great negotiators, so, and they, they just killed, they just killed us, this is horrible.”

The headline would probably be: TRUMP CALLS IRANIANS "GREAT NEGOTIATORS"

All the GOP has is their racism and hate. They have had ZERO actual policy principles since Reagan.

They've been running on the same bullshit lies for nearly 40 years and stupid racist cunts will always vote for them as they slit their own throats.

Anyone who voted for these lying, disgusting racist cunts deserves to lose everything.

Washington Post:

Trump’s Ukraine call reveals a president convinced of his own invincibility

Politico:

Trump's Ukraine conversations must be 'private,' Pompeo and Mnuchin say

AP:

Democrats blast latest Trump crisis. But what will they do?

CNN:

Schiff: Impeachment may be 'only remedy' to Trump keeping whistleblower complaint and Ukraine call private

NBC:

'The most profound violation' yet: Democrats assail Trump's Ukraine phone call

Washington Post:

‘We’ve been very weak’: House Democrats decry their oversight of Trump, push Pelosi on impeachment

Washington Post:

Trump’s takeover of GOP forces many House Republicans to head for the exits

AP:

How the past informs Trump's vision of America's future

[quote]Democrats blast latest Trump crisis. But what will they do?

Go on all the Sunday news programs and talk a big deal about how serious and unprecedented this is. Shake their fists, stomp their feet, hit the dislike/angry button, maybe talk about opening an investigation.

Did I leave anything out?

FCI -

Why are the Democrats so ineffectual now?

I’m noticing an uptick in Concern Trolling . . .

[quote]‘We’ve been very weak’: House Democrats decry their oversight of Trump, push Pelosi on impeachment

This is why they are ineffectual right now. You know what you'll never hear from a Repug? "We've been very weak." Fuck this enlightened bullshit. You are on a fucking team. Right now, that team is the only chance to save this fucking country. You don't attack your own fucking team in public. Ever.

And after all this, Nancy is STILL not for impeachment.

She may not be, but I'm ready for a new House Speaker.

[quote]You know what you'll never hear from a Repug? "We've been very weak."

That's because every last Republican attacks with the ferocity of a junkyard dog when the party directs it. See: Benghazi.

That's exactly my point, R228.

Republicans have very limited analytical abilities. That’s nothing to envy.

Cohen said "We've been very weak" and guess what? He's absolutely RIGHT 100%!!!

WTF are the Democrats in the House doing? How long are they going to let Trump get away with all this shit?

IMPEACH HIM NOW!!!!!

Ivanka’s beginning to resemble...

The Mueller Treason threads should switch the name to "I'm SO SICK of Democrats! Part 118" based on all of the anti-Democrat posts here.

For all of you screaming "IMPEACH NOW!!!", I want you to lay out the timeline after that. When would you time his '100% total and complete exoneration!!!' in the Senate so that it won't get the fucker re-elected? The Repugs know the answer to that. Do you?

They can drag an impeachment hearing out until election day if they wanted...there is no time limit...and the purpose would be to get as much dirt and facts into the public sphere. What do YOU suggest ? Waiting until hes reelected ? Or letting him walk altogether ?

R224 There is an argument to be made that impeachment is necessary no matter what. The other side of that is how divisive it is in an already divisive country. Our side has everything going for it. Impeachment could hand the other side an issue to rally around and we know how great they are at driving home a message.

Plus, we are seeing unprecedented obstruction that must have a judicial answer to it. It is one thing the Dems are waiting on and it takes time.

Btw- I was the one who gave the scoop about Javanka wanting Pence out for Haley. Actually, I don't think I was told Javanka, and I don't think I reported it here as being them, rather it was some on his team pushing this. I don't post 99% of what I hear but that one I was highly confident was accurate.

When the court decisions start coming down over and over and over in our favor, you'll see why the Democrats are following the rule of law to a 'T'. It's too early for impeachment. We can wait until we get the court decisions and give Trump a nice Christmas present.

It's too early for a VOTE on articles of impeachment.

An impeachment INQUIRY, on the other hand, is way the fuck past due.

Details are important. Especially as the GOP everything through the Bullshit Tornado of their messaging.

R238, all the arguments and whining about impeachment will just shift from "why haven't we started the official inquiry" (even though we have) to "waah, why is it taking sooooo loooooong?" Whiners gonna whine. I'll wait for the court decisions to force the Repugs hand.

DL fave (not really) Maureen Dowde of NYT, writing on Trump

Dowd^

Dowde works.

[quote]good genes, very good genes

jeebus, r213, fuckin Trump and his senile old bullshit obsessions. uncle was a genius, so I'm a genius. Fuck, we seriously have to get rid of this guy. he is so stupid and dangerous.

Debunking Trump's conspiracy bullshit. And this from the Wall Street Journal.

[quote]All the GOP has is their racism and hate. They have had ZERO actual policy principles since Reagan.

Nonsense. Their principles have been unchanged for generations, and include the end to the social safety net, the rape and pillage of the environment, and the subjugation of anyone who is not a straight white male.

AXIOS: Conservative leaders are circulating data to White House staff that claims adults who vape will turn on President Trump if he follows through with his planned ban on flavored e-cigarettes.

The data reveals that the number of adult vapers in key battleground states greatly outweighs the margins by which Trump won those states in 2016 — and they argue it could cost him reelection.

(Sad that it wouldn't be kids in cages, obstruction of justice, a disastrous trade war and any of about one thousand other things he deserves to go down for ... but I'll take what I can get. We'll see now if he goes through with his proposed ban.)

Facebook promised this wouldn't happen again: A massive Facebook Page called "I Love America" — which has 1.1 million followers — is actually run by Ukrainians.

Recently, the page has started pushing caustic pro-Trump propaganda — repurposing memes used by the Internet Research Agency, the Russian group highlighted in the Mueller report that interfered in the 2016 election.

The big difference is this operation is much bigger. Over the last 90 days, just the major pages in this network have as much reach on Facebook than the New York Times and Washington Post combined.

Mark Zuckerberg hasn't changed. Facebook made only a couple of cosmetic changes. That doesn't hinder Vlad.

Did Jerry Nadler have lap-band surgery or something? I’m trying to figure out his body right now.

My Deplorable aunt and cousins share shit from that “I Love America” Facebook page all the time. They love to also post anything that has a black person attached to it to somehow prove they’re not racists.

TIME FOR FACEBOOK TO BE ENDED ASAP!

Washington Post:

White House press secretary noncommittal about releasing transcript of Trump call with Ukrainian president

NYT:

As Trump Confirms He Discussed Biden With Ukraine, Pressure to Impeach Builds

Won’t the White House just doctor the transcripts?

Politico:

White House infighting thwarts movement on guns

If a transcript is ever released, it will be full of blacked-out text, just like the Mueller report. They’re probably working on it right now.

The Hill:

Giuliani can't say 100 percent Trump didn't threaten Ukraine aid

Gotta love Giuliani. Every fucking time he goes on a mission he fucks up, then tells on himself and implicates Trump, digging a deeper hole. Hell yeah, I'd invite him on TV. Chris Cuomo knew exactly how to play him. When I saw Rudy boarding a plane for the Ukraine I smiled. And now, here are the results. LOLOL! If someone were writing a screenplay, a political Satire, they'd have to include Rudy And Trump. What a fucking combo.

AP:

At UN, Trump to face questions about Ukraine, Iran, allies

That's what's too weird R257. They are blatantly out in the open. It's as if someone is gaslighting Trump.

Trump is pissed because his scheme leaked out and there are probably 20 people who are suspects in his mind. He'd love to find the leakers and prosecute them, as he has stated he'd do when there were previous leaks. Putin is expecting Trump to deliver and so far he is not meeting his goals. LOLOL! Trump is looking really bad lately. Unhealthy. And if you really look at his facial expressions, his eyes, etc. He looks like he is definitely mentally vacant.

USA Today:

Bill Weld says Donald Trump committed 'treason' amid Ukraine scandal

This is a good column by Paul Krugman explaining "regulation rage," one of the pillars of rabid conservatism and currently damaging the planet and its creatures with extreme regulatory rollbacks.

From the column:

"Regulation rage has a couple of distinctive features. One is its dis-proportionality, in which fairly mild restrictions set off volcanic anger. The other is the sheer pettiness of many of the ragers’ complaints. Trump, by his own account, dislikes modern light bulbs because they make him look orange — which isn’t even true. (He does indeed look orange, but it’s probably because of his addiction to artificial tanning and excessive use of bronzer.)

Oh, and do people remember Trump’s opposition to regulations that protect the ozone layer because, he claimed, his hair spray wasn’t working as well as it used to?

So what’s really driving regulation rage? I’d love to see some serious political science research into the phenomenon. I suspect, though I don’t know for sure, that there are strong correlations between regulation rage and other attitudes, like support for unregulated gun sales and racial hostility."

Regulations = consumer protection

Simple.

Like I've stated before, these fuckwits are so goddamned dumb, they're slitting their own throats and are too stupid to notice.

Re: R264. I recently had an argument with a Republican friend of mine – she voted straight-ticket Dem in 2016 because she loathes Trump – over regulation. I listed a whole bunch of things that make us and our world safer, and she agreed that they're needed ... but she still maintained that "businesses are way over regulated" (though she couldn't name any specifics.)

She also said she'd vote for Biden but she'd stay home if Warren or Sanders got the nom, because they're "socialists." I pointed out how stupid that was. She hasn't talked to me since then.

Are you feeling the loss r265?

[quote]Are you feeling the loss [R265]?

Ha! She's actually someone I know I could rely on if I ever needed anything and she's very smart & entertaining aside from her political beliefs. It helps that she's hated every Republican prez since Reagan.

Washington Post:

Trump questions patriotism of whistleblower central to Ukraine firestorm

R268 - “Washington Post:

Trump questions patriotism of whistleblower central to Ukraine firestorm”.

Of course he does. What else does this jack ass have to say to defend himself. Nada.

Meanwhile, he looks terrible in that picture. There are more colors on his face than in a rainbow.

After waiting a few days, you just know Lindsey would get involved in this, spinning for Trump. There's been collaboration, and Lindsey would not be doing this without a coordinated strategy.

[quote]“I believe that President Trump is going to blow you away with his willingness to disclose and be transparent about this phone call, because I think he did nothing wrong and he has nothing to hide,” the South Carolina Republican and frequent Trump ally said on conservative talk radio host Hugh Hewitt’s show.

On DL here, there is a "protective" element per Graham. Nevertheless, Lindsey is Trump's prime, vocal point person and agenda practitioner in the Senate. He gets away with it, even elevated with it, by his Senate colleagues and the corporate media. They love to reference Graham who craves attention.

[quote]blow you away

Something Miss L has much expertise.

Politico:

Moderate Democrats weigh impeachment as Trump-Ukraine furor builds

[quote] On DL here, there is a "protective" element per Graham.

No there isn't. We think he's repellent. We just like mocking him for his obviously sexuality.

if the moderate Democrats do not come out in support of impeachment based on this Ukraine scandal, they are no fucking better than the repubs. The House could at the very least put a fucking stain on Trump's record even if the repubs in the Senate won't impeach him. I say put pressure on the repubs and make them vote not to convict that despicable piece of shit. They'll look worse.

It's not enough for moderate Democrats to simply back Democratic bills. They need to sound the alarm about how dangerous Trump is.

The liberal Democrats have to be louder than the repubs attacking Biden.

[QUOTE]Senate won't impeach him

As has been explained here many, many times, the House impeaches and the Senate removes.

And it seems, r275, that it will have to be continually explained.

No real change in impeachment tracking as of late.

Democrats: 133

Republicans: 0

Independents: 1

So a total of 134 out of 218 (61%) required to impeach. Overall, 31% of Congressional Representatives support impeachment, or at least an impeachment inquiry.

R265 did you tell her that Warren and Sanders are as socialist as Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Israel, Ausria, Australia, Japan and tons of other countries with universal healthcare systems? And ask her if she's claiming these countries are all socialist?

Given the chance, also ask her that since the U.S. is the only developed nation without mandated paid maternity leave, does she consider the rest of the developed world "socialist"?

R277 absolutely pathetic.

Who knows how long it will take to get the transcript which I bet is the excuse the moderates are using "before they make a decision"

[quote]No real change in impeachment tracking as of late.

Yes, but -- NYT's Jonathan Martin reports that he was in touch this weekend with some of the freshman Dems who have been uneasy about impeachment, and they're "closely watching Thursday's hearing with the DNI." Martin opines: "That could be THE pivot point for the Dems Pelosi is attuned to going into '20. BUT these freshmen are still wary; few would go on the record Sunday."

[quote]blow you away

[quote]Something Miss L has much expertise.

Oh, I doubt that. A more virginal queen never existed.

It's shocking to me how easy it was for a criminal cabal to take over our government and that a sizable number of republican senators, congresspeople, business people, and ordinary citizens are just fine with it. I can only think trump's supporters are all sorts of con men, crooks, racist, sexist, morally corrupt ignoramuses like him.

After growing up being taught the heroism of the founders of this country in their attempt to shake off tyranny and create a nation governed for and by the people, I still can't get over how far we've fallen. Whatever heroism, bravery, intellectual superiority, statesmanship, vision, and compassion is left is being shunted aside by loud, rich, cruel cheating bullies. It's a disgusting disgrace and trump's ugly face grows uglier by the day as he struggles to keep in power, a power he uses to hurt and destroy in a bizarre attempt to make his sorry stupid self a king. Asshole times infinity, I hate his guts.

A simple statement that a political/legal scholar could possibly explain to me: One person physically assaults a second person. There is evidence, (injury), and witnesses. The Second person decides to not press charges. Yet, (I believe), the first person can still be charged and convicted of a crime. The reason being that a crime WAS committed and the first person could commit the crime again. Is this true? and if so, why doesn't that apply to the crimes Trump has been so obvious to commit? So what if not a single Republican votes to impeach. A crime was still committed for all to see.

So again, could someone explain this to me? Thanks.

Now if only the rest of the Country would follow suit.

So why is Trump freaking out? And why is Nancy Pelosi dragging her heels?

Not just Trump is implicated in this Ukrainian impeachable offense - but Pence is as well. They both threatened Ukraine with withholding funds unless they got dirt on Biden. So they're scared shitless.

And Pelosi? Well, she is next in line for the presidency. Going for impeachment without overwhelming support would look nothing more than a naked grab at power. She wants to make 100% sure that everything is airtight, and that the case made to the American public shows no favoritism for her, even though she would be eligible to take the office with both Trump and Pence impeached.

Impeachment alone is not enough to remove either Trump or Pence so Nancy has nothing to worry about as far as that goes.

Impeachment is in the House, and ONLY in the House. If the House votes to impeach, the President is indicted and then the trial takes place in the Senate. There is basically NO CHANCE this McConnell led Senate will vote to convict or remove Trump or Pence so again, Nancy has nothing to worry about.

Trump has no respect for the Law. In his view the law is just rules and he breaks rules, and the legal system is a game to be won. He doesn't give a shit because he always beats the Law. But he is terrified of public embarrassment or public humiliation. He is terrified of losing because he is a Winner. So if you really want to get him expose him and make him look really bad and that, combined with the fact that he is definitely losing support, could send him over the edge.

None of the GOP has respect for the law. They've brought us to the most dangerous place we've ever been in.

R205, I’m the one who posted many threads ago about the time someone at a party told a bunch of us that Trump sat down on the Celebrity Apprentice set in LA and said loudly “I’ve just been on the phone to NY with my wife and our son, the retard.”

Miss Lindzey has been having a hissy fit today. She demands Biden be investigated.

As I understand it, R283, it’s not typically up to the victim to "press charges." As explained to us by an assistant DA when I served on a Grand Jury, it’s up to the justice system. In your scenario, the cops would investigate and collect evidence and take statements from the victim, witness and perpetrator. Then they'd submit their findings to the district attorney, who decides whether they think the evidence is sufficient to get a conviction. If so, the evidence, including in-person testimony from the cops, witnesses and victim (under subpoena), is then presented to the GJ, who decide whether to indict the perpetrator and send the case to trial.

As for Trump, the DOJ policy established in the Nixon and Clinton cases says that a president cannot be indicted while in office. So the alternative is impeachment by the House which is analogous to the police investigation and indictment, and removal from office through trial in the Senate.

It's against the law to assault someone. So if you assault someone, and the police arrive and believe you have committed a crime they can arrest you and charge you and your victim is a witness. Now if other people saw you, or if there is video of you, then the victim doesn't even have to testify. So no. the victim doesn't need to press charges.

CALL! IMPEACH!

With Republicans in Congress not being enough, Trump is sending out his big guns!

Politico:

Dems moving to formally condemn Trump as impeachment fever grows

R286 it's not in McConnell's hands in the Senate. The trial is presided over by the SCOTUS Chief Justice. At that point, MoscowMitch would be a bystander.

Washington Post:

Trump ordered hold on military aid days before calling Ukrainian president, officials say

NYT:

Instead of ‘No Collusion!’ Trump Now Seems to Be Saying, So What if I Did?

It's clear from R297 that not only did Trump personally put a hold on military aid to Ukraine for no discernible reason, the amount he blocked was almost $400 million, much more than had been previously reported.

I think I'm beginning to understand what Pelosi meant when she said Trump was "self-impeaching." She waited, she held out, and then now he's actually forcing the House to act. No one can now claim that this is a political stunt or just about hurt feelings. He gave them no choice.

[quote]Facebook promised this wouldn't happen again: A massive Facebook Page called "I Love America" — which has 1.1 million followers — is actually run by Ukrainians.

Well, now we know why the Ukrainians have "denied" that Trump demanded anything. Because, they accepted his demands to get their money.

My friend said she may have news for me tomorrow. I'm not sure how big or not. I will let you all know if I hear something juicy.

So ALL these Republicans who supposedly say behind closed doors how their fainting couches need new springs, crickets. The entire party. I truly never thought I would see this day. Even Alexander, Murkowski, Concerned Collins (showing her true colors), Romney, crickets. Portman?

Murkowski- too much into fossil fuels to ever move over and help get rid of Moscow Mitch.

Collins- we all know. No need to rehash it.

Romney- What does he actually stand for? He's like one of the blow dolls with wavy arms on the top of used car lots. Any way the wind blows.

Portman- Lost cause.

Alexander- supposedly the last of the "good" ones but that is loosely defined within the GOP and all modern reality.

can someone explain though...Congress approves money appropriation. How does it work out that Trump could withhold the aid to Ukraine? Doesn't it have to go there regardless of what he says/wants?

I think this was something specific to this deal, R303.

Also, relatedly, for those who wonder why the House doesn't just cut off funding to the Executive Branch until they start cooperating, I heard on the radio today that they can't actually pull funding, they can only not renew funding. So, whenever the next round of funding bills come around is when that can happen.

We need to "cut off" more than just funding.

You know what I'm sayin?

We've been talking about how if the Republicans want to replace Trump, they ideally need to do it before December. Seems like the timetable has been moved up.

The real question is if the Party sticks with Pence or dumps him too.

R300 Sounds like Zuckerberg is a player in this...again.

The pain is so deep when when you know your old friend has fallen into the clutches of a lecherous succubus.

R303, this is a shorthand version of how it works: The Executive branch departments and agencies develop their budgets. These are"requests." Congress then passes legislation Let's pick an example. Hypothetically: We'll use FEMA: So if FEMA goes before Congress and asks for $500 Million for emergency resources for disaster relief, they can argue and bicker at their Congressional Budget hearing, and finally Congress can pass an appropriations bill that includes $450 Million to FEMA. (compromises.)

Once a bill is passed, there is a fair comment hearing within the department that interested parties can attend to comment on the legislation while the department decides HOW it gives the money out. This is important and it gives stakeholders and interested parties a chance to have input. This is when FEMA can establish rules or criteria for what would qualify, and how it would be distributed.Then Congress would pass enabling legislation to actually put the money in FEMA's budget.

Now, if FEMA decides to reprogram some of that money, they have to go back to Congress to get permission, unless it falls within certain guidelines. So ideally. If FEMA wanted to build a Wall, they would have to get permission because there's nothing within their mission or within the appropriation guidelines that would let them build walls. If the President wanted to take FEMA funds to build a wall, similarly the Executive Branch, WH would have to make that request to Congress. Trump, of course ignores these rules. So Congress took him to court for taking money out of the budget of the Department of Defense to build his wall. Those funds were supposed to go to Defense department construction projects. However theasshole judge allowed it.

According to our Constitution Congress, specifically the House of Representatives, has the power of the purse for a reason. Just as only the House can declare war. If a President wants to go to War, they must request the House to declare war. But since 9/11, Congress gave Presidents permission to "take action" less than a declaration of war. I forget the wording and I forget the name of the Act but it was part of the Patriot Act legislation I think. Short answer: Yes, Congress can withhold funds. And also, once funds are given to a department, the department can choose not to spend them and they just sit there. But I think there are ruls governing how long they can get away with sitting on unused funds.

Underlying data in R246 article undoubtedly supplied by lobbyists for JUUL

[quote]So why is Trump freaking out?

I saw three different reporters on two networks say last night that "Trump is loving this," according to insiders they talked to. Sounds like spin to me, but Trump is such an idiot, who knows --he's been getting away with crimes in plain sight the last two years, why would he think this is different?

To add to R309’s excellent post, the federal fiscal year runs 10/1-9/30. (Happy last week of the FFY!) Most agencies are required to obligate all of their funds within the year appropriated. Obligation does not necessarily mean spent. Funds “sunset” (go back to the Treasury) five years after obligation if the aren’t spent by then.

You can tie federal grant funding back to its purpose in the enabling legislation through the CFDA (catalog of federal domestic assistance) number. That number is ##.###. The first two numbers represent the federal agency. (Wish me a big 93 morning.) USA spending is a wonky site, but you can theoretically track that there.

If I remember correctly, sometime in January or February of this year there was a post on one of these here Mueller Investigation threads that Speaker Pelosi was playing a long game. That she would resist and resist impeachment until sometime in September or October and then say the evidence for impeachment was overwhelming and that the will of the people demanded that Congress act.

R313 that sounds like Nancy. People have to remember. She is second in the line of succession. The Speaker's role is in the Constitution, and she is very old school traditional about that. She is not going to lead the charge in an obvious way. She is more likely to "facilitate". So when she speaks for her caucus, she has already got them on board.

Thank you R312. My memory was a bit foggy on that part. It's been a while.

R312 - I hope you have a big 93 morning!

What the fuck is a big 93 morning?

LOL! Back in the day, I remember how we'd scramble the last two weeks in September getting unused federal funds "committed" or "Obligated" so we wouldn't have to return them for various grant programs. If a reporter wanted to have a little fun they should check out the purchases by Ben Carson, Delaney, DoD, etc. Interior, Commerce, to see how much fancy furniture they're buying this week.

Okay, impeachment support on the Axios tracker went up overnight. We went from 134 to 142. (133 Dems and 1 Independent).

But according to Scott Dworkin, there are 157 Democrats now supporting impeachment. I don't know where Dworkin got the extra 15 Democrats, but I'll take it.

All these cowardly Republican Congressmen who have announced their retirement, because they are tired of pretending they support Trump, ought to get on the Impeachment train because it is getting ready to leave the station. And honestly I like the way this is playing out. If they had reacted too quickly it would have made it look highly partisan. Right now they are looking deliberate, careful, and responsible. They were actually waiting for the reckless, arrogant bastard to hand them the smoking gun, and he has! LOLOL. And do keep in mind, the international community, Intelligence and otherwise, wants Trump out. They will be very helpful in supplying ammunition for the media and for Congress. Most of them like Biden and want to see a restoration of the Obama years.

I agree with R319. It seemed like the D's were very deliberative in their approach and completely rebuffed at every turn. As Nancy says Trump is self-impeaching. There is no choice now.

[quote]All these cowardly Republican Congressmen who have announced their retirement, because they are tired of pretending they support Trump, ought to get on the Impeachment train because it is getting ready to leave the station.

They never will, though. They’ll need to keep in the good graces of their local Republicans to make any kind of living, even if it’s in the private sector. This is their world and they’ll never leave it.

that's disgusting r321.

Former DHS Chief's warning....

[quote]Former DHS Chief's warning....

Yes, but his opinions are invalid because, we’ll, you know...

R321.. exactly! otherwise, no private firm, no lobbying, no consultation, no fox paid appearances, no possible radio program host, etc...even more pathetic, sickening and evil, is that they COULD just go back to being a lawyer or some other well paying profession, but Noooooo!......if it isn't about having any power and attention, it's about the money and make mo money...

If it’s a federal crime, as laid out in R323’s link, why can’t Rudy Giuliani be indicted for it right now? He doesn’t have any sort of presidential protection and there is no executive privilege.

Junior Mint, with Guilfoyle by his side, is running for the GOP Presidential nomination for 2024.

Speculatice chatter suggests SHS will leave Fox in a couple of years to run the campaign along with Kellyanne.

[quote]But according to Scott Dworkin, there are 157 Democrats

Politico counts 158.

Oh god, here we go. Who will be his running mate? Ivanka?

By 2024 the effects of the Trump era will be felt by most Americans in a bad way and he'll have no chance.

[quote]Sen. Marco Rubio: "It is possible to do something that is wrong and not be an impeachable offense and people are throwing that term around so loosely it's lost all meaning."

Republican logic: Lying about a sexual encounter -- impeachable. Bribing a foreign country to produce dirt on a political rival -- like driving 75 in a 70 mph zone.

Trump is making an asshole of himself with his speech at the UN right now

Agent Orange now speaking at the UN. Squinty eyed, and scowling, while reading the teleprompter in an Adderall haze. The perfect audience to witness a massive stroke of the man-baby genius.

YES! R332

r 333

YES! R332

r 333

Dear god his speech at the UN is excruciating.

[quote]Squinty eyed, and scowling, while reading the teleprompter in an Adderall haze.

He looks exactly like Alec Baldwin's imitation of him!

Washington Post:

Trump confirms he withheld military aid from Ukraine, says he wants other countries to help pay

R 232 How dare you insult Janice like that?

AP:

Prosecutor says Trump wants 'sweeping immunity' in tax fight

Trump just said "do not pay the coyotes" in his speech. He sounds barely awake. You can also tell he is being fed lines through an earpiece.

He looks absolutely disgusting in the pic at R338. Why is his skin so ashen and multi-colored. He is physically repulsive.

God almighty, what’s with his “late night soothing speech tone”? It sounds like he’s trying to lull a child to sleep. Nauseating. The blank stares coming from the audience are embarrassing and horrifying.

LIVE.....

It must have been whatever they gave him to come down from the adderall. He sounds like he's going to off himself.

And whenever he hits an "s" he hisses like a snake.

we will reach new heightsssssssss. We must paussssssse.

Live coverage of what, R344?

CNN just said "Trump speaks for 37 minutes in a VERY SLOW and deliberate tone that we are used to hearing when he has to read a speech.

CNN - "the delivery was particularly low energy and rather flat."

I am not sure Trump was "live." He seemed brain dead and Epstein-Barr syndrome.

I am not sure Trump was "live." He seemed brain dead and Epstein-Barr syndrome.

he speaks like that when reading because he has no emotion. What he is reading has nothing to do with him, positive or negative so he can't inject any emotions. If he was talking on his own he would be praising himself and insulting others and with that he can inject his emotions.

He is just hollow.

Shouldn't there be a cabinet level secretary of something-or-other whose responsibilities include holding little color strips next to the president's face in order to ensure that there is at least some level of consistency to his facial hue from one appearance to the next?

I think that is partially true, but I think it is more about the fact he can barely read. He has to go very slow like that or he will screw up more than usual.

The ... way ... he ... reads ... one ... sentence ... from ... the ... teleprompter ... on ... the ... right, ... then ... turns ... his ... entire ... fat ... carcass ... to ... read ... the ... next ... sentence ... from ... the ... teleprompter ... on ... the ... left.

r328, site now says 159.

On NPR this morning, one commentator said that if Trump loses in 2020, one scenario is that he would resign so that Pence can serve the last few months and give Trump a blanket pardon to shield him from any future federal charges. I can see his doing that.

Of course, that won't help with state charges...

I don't know why but maybe because he doesn't want to come across as "angry" when lecturing about Iran and China?

I totally agree with him about China, those thieving cunts! And poor Hong Kong...what's gonna happen to them?

The Hill:

Senate Republicans back Trump on $5B border wall funding request

I think Nancy has 218 votes after the caucus lunch.

That's what whips are for r359.

I was just waiting until I decided it was time to use them.

We are up to 168 Democrats, 1 Independent, 0 Republicans. That's 39% of the House, and 71% of Democrats.

This is moving faster than I thought.

Private meeting at 4pm between Pelosi and team...

link

So when do these stonewalling thugs go to jail?

Because as soon a Steve mnuchin, fat Billy Barr or lying lewendowski goes to jail for refusing to comply with a subpoena, the rest of them will crawl over broken glass to cut deals and escape the trumptanic.

Does impeachment mean these stonewalling fuckers go to jail? Or is it just more bullshit and obstruction? Because if the fat slob Barr is involved, nobody will be held accountable for anything.

R364: I wish Pelosi and Nadler would understand that! Showing a real backbone with those fuckers would earn Dems respect and more votes. Weak/non-action talk turns people off - including those who voted for you last year.

NYT:

House Barrels Toward Impeachment Decisions as Democratic Resistance Crumbles

Graham & Nunes, yeah those two, are on an elevated FISA diversion effort

Hampering and trying to prosecute intelligence agents at this moment won't go over so well in the wake of Ukrainegate.

Trump said that he will release the transcript of the phone call tomorrow. Is this the one where he brings up Biden eight times? Will it be doctored? Heavily redacted? I am very suspicious and with obvious good reason.

Did Vlad tell Miss Thang to fight this or else?

Okay...

And here we are - Pelosi has announced a formal impeachment inquiry of Trump.

Current blurb on MSN news page: BREAKING NEWS: House Speaker Pelosi to announce formal impeachment inquiry of Trump. Details to come.

No story yet linked to that blurb.

R368 The release better be complete and unredacted. Barr sticking his fat face into this could be added obstruction.

The whistle blower may have matiicalous notes and added evidence, plus there may be others that can verify.

It's about fucking time.

NOW can we start throwing these obstructing cunts in jail?

Lock them all up and throw away the keys.

YES! It is about fucking time!!!!

Washington Post:

Trump says he has authorized release of transcript of call with the Ukrainian president

I want to see/hear the full whistleblower report, not just a transcript of one phone call.

Puhleeze, if Trumpy is going to release the transcript, we already know what it's going to say.

"Hello, President Trump!" "Its me, just innocently calling you." "Just let me state for the record, Oh mighty and good looking President, there is no Collusion!" Thanks for the call! I have to go now."

R377, that is an absolute must.

And we will see about this transcript. Trump has promised a lot and failed to deliver.

Exactly R377. That call is just a a piece of the complaint. Otherwise, why withhold what was reported?

Dump did this because he knew formal impeachment was pending... It doesn't matter. Now, the House can get all the documents they need and throw assholes in jail.

If Trump is indeed releasing the transcript, it means there's no explicit quid pro quo in it. The White House will call it exculpatory—while it suppresses the whistleblower's complaint, which reportedly involves more than the call.

^meticulous

(spelling)

R381, if the call shows Trump repeatedly urging Ukraine to investigate Biden and his son, there doesn’t need to be an explicit quid pro quo. There would already evidence of him attempting to conspire with a foreign government to influence the election.

Some of the Rump's WH enablers will be looking to make deals in exchange for testimony. The rats won’t go down with ship.

The Hill:

McConnell: 'I was not given an explanation' for Ukraine aid delay

Well, did you ask for one, you ugly cunt?

These people are ridiculous.

We need the whole whisteblower report!

R387: They will get it now.

Don't trust Trump's transcript of the call. Congress needs to get Ukraine's recordings of the call.

This is getting intense. Why is the DNI refusing to hand over the whistleblower's report?

R390 - Because there is more to it than the Ukraine call!

R389 - They will get it now!

The Whistleblower's counsel has been talking with Adam Schiff and he/she wants to testify. Yay!!!!!!!!!!!!

The transcript is the least of it. They need to get the Whistleblower's FULL, UNREDACTED complaint and then we need to learn why exactly it was being withheld from Congress.

[quote]McConnell: 'I was not given an explanation' for Ukraine aid delay

Dear God, don't tell me Moscow Mitch is actually pulling his lips away from Trump's ass. Are these End Times?

Looks like McConnell is suddenly trying to cover his ass.

Yikes - here’s Trump at the UN this afternoon. Sad!

He's retaining fluid I see edema and he looks constipated. Bet they have him medicated. Opiates.

when they get Trump to resign they will take Pence down at the same time

Pence ain't clean in this. He's part of the Manafort-Mercer-Koch cartel.

his make up was extra bad today

Pence met with the Ukraine president during his trip to Poland last week, and discussed "corruption" and US support, on orders from Trump. He’s involved.

Along with Trump and Pence, Pompeo and Mulvaney need to go.

Are you guys in NYC? Go walk around midtown, so many hot, hot secret service agents around! From all over the world! Damn, I saw so many cute ones today!

If they take down Pence and Trump guess who becomes POTUS?

The Russian trolls are out in force - trying to make this about Nancy Pelosi and bumping the Megan Markle hate threads. You're too late Boris. Trump is dead meat.

Turtle is just trying to distract.

Fat Billy Barr will do everything to block and obstruct the whistleblower from testifying. Watch.

Don't believe a word that any GOP cunt utters. They all lie.

Washington Post:

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi announces formal impeachment inquiry of Trump, says his actions were a ‘betrayal of national security’

Probably another brief victory. GOP and fat ass Barr will fuck it up somehow.

Concern troll at R408

Be prepared. Trump is going to release the howling monkeys very soon

Well it took 117 threads but we finally reached impeachment!🎉🎉

Pink Champale for everybody!

A sneak preview of the Rachel Maddow show!

NYT:

The Impeachment Process, Explained

r403, if they are taken out simultaneously, then Nancy does.

If Trump goes out first, then Pence gets to nominate a VP.

And that VP nominee has to be approved by both the House and the Senate. I’m guessing he’ll have trouble with the House.

State Department re: Ruby Julie: "I don't know her"

As happy as I am about this step towards impeachment, it will get even worse before it gets better

We cannot expect the transcript to be accurate and original. I'm sure it will be redacted or doctored in some way.

Additionally that asshole from Louisiana, Kennedy (who has quite possibly the worst southern accent I've ever heard), telegraphed the repub response on Meet The Press. He said he expects there will not only be the impeachment inquiry but also an investigation into Hunter and Joe Biden. I'm sure the Senate and Barr will do this. So repub media can focus their coverage on that during the election cycle while everyone else is focused on impeachment. Repubs (who we should just call deplorables at this point as true repubs are not supporting them now) will not be getting all the impeachment inquiry updates and will be even more fired up than before.

Hopefully the damn mainstream media does not give the Biden non-scandal much attention

Barr must go

Rudy and Donnie walked right into the trap. LOL! This is a dream come true. Nancy needed to get the moderate Dems in swing districts on board. And Rudy and Donnie gave her a GIFT!!!!! BEcause Biden is popular with those Dems and now Trump has done something with a foreign government to attack and smear Biden. This is a fucking masterclass, bitches!

MSNBC Congressional reporter heard from Congressional sources that Pelosi and Trump had a phonecall earlier today, in which he told her, Can we do something about this whistleblower complaint?

And she allegedly said, What you can do is follow the law.

They will investigate Hunter Biden AFTER they investigate Ivanka, Jr. and Eric.

The fairness of bothsderizm.

Is DL on subscriber only?

I don't know, r423.

Boston Globe: How Trump is reacting to news of the impeachment inquiry

I guess I'm jaded, I can't really get that excited over the news. I'm just waiting for the Rethugs to break even more laws to protect Dotard.

Fucking DESPAIR TROLL at R425!

The right wing trolls on my local paper's comment section are going into high gear and creating sock puppets galore.

Go fuck yourself, R426. I've been here longer than you and have contributed much more to these threads than you have.

NO R425. R426 is spot on in his/ her characterization of your dark and gloomy trolling sentiment. And I don’t care how long you’ve been here; just shut the fuck up.

Yeah, no, you can shut the fuck up, R429. NO NO NO!

Anyone that doesn't see how someone could feel like the Rethugs are just going to pull some shit again after they've been doing just that after 2 years can go ahead and shut the fuck up.

People have every right to feel however they want to. No one is telling you how to feel about it.

SO SHUT THE FUCK UP!

Well, one thing Rethugs won't do... turn on each other.

Well, unless money is involved.

Non thread related question.

Does anyone have an issue where DL won't reload new replies, no matter how many times you refresh? I often need to open a new browser before the new replies will load.

R430 “See how that works?”

That’s all you got Mary? That’s right up there with, na-na-na-na-na; I know you are but what am I; sticks and stones may break my bones....

And R431; take those capital letters and shove them down your pie hole. We have good reason for hoping that we could bury the tard-in-chief, and I’m in no mood to listen to some gloomy naysayer.

Tweet by David Avellone:

Of all the impressive things Nancy Pelosi has done in her life, turning Chuck Todd into a real boy today might be the most miraculous.

Yup, it's all I needed to get under your skin, obviously.

Then don't R434. HIt ignore and quit your bitching.

WaPo outlines a sequence, involving:

*The abrupt removal of the U.S. ambassador to Ukraine

*The circumvention of senior officials on the NSC

*The suspension of hundreds of millions of aid

This as key officials struggled to piece together Giuliani's activities from news reports.

Did anyone see Virginia Congresswoman Elaine Luria on MSNBC yesterday? Brilliant and articulate with a solid background in military security.

Check out the video, it's worth watching and very impressive.

Turned to Fox for a minute to see what's happening.

Sean Hannity is raging. Then he's hosting Miss Lindzey.

"Oh, those horrible cities run by Democrats."

Rachel's interview with Elaine Luria starts at about 3:10 into the video above.

Anyone else having issues with images/links loading?

Also, can anyone tell me if they can tell whether or not this thread is Paywalled?

Links are loading for me.

Yes, R443. I normally do not have an issue viewing images and links, but I am tonight.

[quote]They have nothing to lose considering Trump has +50% approval, so let’s try impeachment over Biden’s crime. Yeah, that’s it. Go for it.

A Trumptard comment. 50%? Where the fuck do they get this shit. Even Fox doesn't exaggerate that much.

[quote]U.S. Sens. Mazie Hirono and Brian Schatz and U.S. Rep. Ed Case of Hawaii, all Democrats, support the inquiry. But Rep. Tulsi Gabbard, who is seeking the Democratic presidential nomination, opposes it.

Tulsi is against it. I'm shocked!

White House officials fought for months to prevent Trump from speaking with Ukraine's president because they assumed Trump would use the phone call as an opportunity to pressure him into helping him smear Biden. Take that in. They assumed he was going to do this.

[quote]They assumed he was going to do this.

Of course they did and they still protect him.

What the hell does a soccer ref have any say in any of this?

Busy, busy, tonight with Rudy & company redacting????

JFC he's repulsive, R458.

Meanwhile, is Mulvaney driving the streets of D.C. trying to find a couple of pee pee girls to take back to the WH to help calm Bone Spurs down?

Constantly having to reload page for posts tonight.

Also, what is this about?

Re-Upping this tweet from 2 days ago. ATTN: Military & Americans overseas who vote by absentee ballot or military ballot. Trump is suspending regular Postal Union Service prior to this Nov Election. Contact local election bureau.

^more cheating.

R436 - “Yup, it's all I needed to get under your skin, obviously.

—Mary!

You’re not under my skin Skippy, you’re ON my skin like a gloomy, downtrodden, pessimistic, flea. You’re gonna have to do better than that. Enjoy wallowing in your tedious, unwelcome sorrow.

Keep telling yourself that as you keep replying, Skippy!

Someone should also really look up the definition of, "tedious."

Link to the names of Reps who currently support the inquiry:

Trumpsters on FB are losing their shit. I’ve seen a ton of Hilary for Prison memes and declarations of uprisings if Trump is impeached. Lol

"Uprisings," sure they will.

Someone in one of my FB groups started posting a bunch of Memes about Hillary, Biden, and how Climate Change is a Hoax.

I can't figure out if this is some sort of paid troll or if this person is just profoundly stupid.

The better question is why are you in a group like that ?

It's a music discussion group that normally doesn't discuss politics. As stated, someone today just started posting all these Memes randomly.

Or rather, "randomly."

Did anyone notice on Maddow when sh mentioned several of the cases Mueller brought have inexplicably been dismissed.

to the person who asked earlier, DL as a whole was put on subscriber only for most of the day today. It's back open now

R475 yes I saw that. The judge presiding over the Bijan case is a judge who was appointed by Bush in 2008.

lmfao tonight Hannity tried shaming Democrats who got elected in flip districts. He had a scroll listing their names and districts and even showed clips of some of them talking about how they favor the impeachment inquiry. Intimidation tactics at their worst. I just hope no deplorable nutjobs try something crazy like trying to harm them.

This is going to keep worse folks

just like the most bratty of children, the deplorables are having meltdowns over this

Tulsi is all about Russia.

lmfao so now we know at least the initial defense of Trump by his goons and supporters...

they're going to try and prove the whistleblower had a political bias against him. pathetic!!

even if they can prove that, it has NO bearing on the allegations. If what the whistleblower claims about Trump is true, that's what matters.

[quote]Did anyone notice on Maddow when sh mentioned several of the cases Mueller brought have inexplicably been dismissed.

If a great proportion of them are Repug appointees, we should impeach those fuckers, too.

Gabbard is a Russian pawn just like Jill Stein. If she was ugly, she'd have no support at all. Everyone I've seen or heard who supports her is a middle aged white dude who thinks she's hot.

R476 thanks for the info. I figured as much since DL seemed rather slow today but also wasn't sure if this thread had also been paywalled.

Shaming people for actually doing their jobs when it's clear to anyone with half a brain that he's committed impeachable offenses. JFC.

Tulsi's a Chaos Agent like Jill Stein before her.

This thread was turned off earlier for prime time.

Team Trump may want cover things up, but I suspect the Republican establishment is ready to cut him loose. If the Whistleblower complaint is redacted too much, someone will find a way to leak the entire complaint, if the media hasn't seen it already.

Can the next thread please be titled:

LIED ORANGE TRAITORS AT THE WHITSLEBLOWER CAFE

The Rethuglians will blame Trump's stagnant, fruitless, lame duck presidency on having to fight "all these sore-loser legal battles".

Muriel always panics when this thread heats up or there’s bad news for Trump. She then goes prime time until everything settles down. Good luck with that as a long term strategy.

“If I only had a brain”

R487, that's what he will say when he announces his resignation.

I was paywalled last night. It was frustrating. But y'all posted some good articles, so I read those. Muriel needs to realize we are living through a very unusual time, and she shouldn't paywall the Trump related threads. (Or the Pelosi ones.) Because it affects our mental health. We need our group therapy sessions. Now she's acting like some insurance company insisting we our our deductibles. Please, Muriel, be kind to the less fortunate.

Fox clips got bizarre even for them. They had the Hannity craze and rage with panelists of scandalous, Baylor fired, Ken Starr, Bushes' Karl Rove, and of course this distorting Sarah Huckabee Sanders. And then there's Miss Lindzey, always Miss Lindzey.

Is Hannity all clean with this? He chats and advises with DJT regularly for a very long time. He did business with Cohen when Cohen was still DJT's lawyer and fixer.

And 'pac-er' Miss Lindzey took a truckload of cash from a Pooty oligarch.

Sounds like Hannity & Lindz need to answer some questions themselves.

[quote]Muriel needs to realize we are living through a very unusual time, and she shouldn't paywall the Trump related threads.

Or you could just cough up the measly sum I am asking for you fucking miserable worm.

Looking at the chyron in R492, seems clear that Trump is cooking up the documents.

The bad parts will be redacted, and they'lll give something to Hannity, Rudy, Lindz etc. that they will try to spin as "political bias". It's no coincidence that Trump repeated the same phrase about the whistleblower a coupe days ago. This will be the attack accusation.

Do Trump's followers know that he thinks they're fucking morons?

I hope they are doctoring the shit out of everything. The coverup is where people fuck up.

[quote]Fox clips got bizarre even for them.

You didn't mention Rudy telling another Fox panelist to shut up and calling him an idiot and a moron.

I think Rudy may be hearing the sounds of a bus rumbling to life, and he fears the WH may throw him under it.

Rudy was out of control last night. LOL I've seen the clips.

I'd love to see him disbarred by the end of this, and put in prison for his part.

Anyway, 207 Democrats on board (and 1 Independent) for impeachment inquiry as of this morning. 0 Republicans (shame, shame).

WAAAAAAAAAAH!

Are there even any swing district Republicans left in the House? The last one standing was Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, and she retired last year and her seat flipped.

I mean, Duncan Hunter had a pretty tough fight, but he's not going to break with Trump.

PLEASE let Rudy go to jail over this.

He looks like Aunt Bee.

Trump is a fucking amateur who doesn't know how to do a proper cover up or quid pro quo. LOL.

Rot in jail you fat fuck!

[quote]Be prepared. Trump is going to release the howling monkeys very soon

Come on, don't be speaking about Diamond & Silk in this mean way.

R493, if you really are Muriel and you are truly responding to me, I feel much closer to you. YOu truly are the gold standard of DL. As soon as I clear up the matter of my maxed out credit cards I will do the right thing. But even you must admit that I post some excellent stellar shit on here. So there's that.....

I’d be happy to give money to this site, but it almost never works properly on my iPad. It glitches and reloads constantly. I’m not going to pay money to be irritated.

R499 That's Trump playing victim and being incapable of accepting responsibility for his own behavior.

Caught bullies act that way.

Impeachment count up to 211 according to MSNBC (all Dems and no Repubs, 1 independent)

Oh BTW, Tulsi Gabbard is against the impeachment inquiry.

Big Surprise (NOT)

Seriously, is she just a plant?

7 more to go!!!!

Not a single Rethug for the inquiry... no surprise there. They have no shame.

R508 DJT, Bernie, Stein, and Gabbard, have that Puttie helicopter swirling overhead.

Even very conservative CNN has the impeachment count up to 200 now.

Where the fuck are all the retiring GoP House members? There is a shitload of them and they have nothing to lose. Do they have any principles? I guess not.

Was that a serious question r513?

Of course these Trump era Repubs have no principles.

R513, they're not going to put their future lobbying gigs in jeopardy.

If Warren get her way, they can’t escape the consequences of their actions simply by retiring.

And they are all in danger of being disbarred, no?

And if impeached, that bit about not being able to hold public office again — does that extend to lobbying or being employed on news programs where information is disseminated to the masses?

If Warren get her way, they can’t escape the consequences of their actions simply by retiring.

And they are all in danger of being disbarred, no?

And if impeached, that bit about not being able to hold public office again — does that extend to lobbying or being employed on news programs where information is disseminated to the masses?

The transcript was released and it makes Trump and Giuliani look terrible...but it also locks William BArr into the mix. Trump tells the President of the Ukraine that Barr is going to be working with Giuliani.

Havent been able to check the news. Someone catch me up... How'd they get an unredacted transcript released?

Havent been able to check the news. Someone catch me up... How'd they get an unredacted transcript released?

It's not a verbatim transcript -- the document itself says so -- it's the notes of somebody(ies) who listened in to the call.

Apparently even the redacted transcript is a shit show for Trump

This is the CLEANED UP version of what transpired? Oh wow.

If the edited version is such a shit show imagine what the original looks like, Jesus.

It’s a “summary,” based—apparently—on notes. It still shows a quid pro quo: weapons for an investigation into Biden.

Prepare for Turtle to proclaim that a President cannot be impeached during an election year!

Prepare for Turtle to proclaim that a President cannot be impeached during an election year!

It also, as noted above, completely implicates Barr.

The MSM reporting that the IG went to the Justice Dept with a criminal referral about campaign finance violation with regard to this call because of the quid pro quo, and the JD said there was no thing of value here so it was refused.

Also, Barr is all, I don't know her, about Trump telling the Ukrainian pres to connect with the US Attorney General.

And with this in mind, it's okay for Barr to nix the Whistleblower report?!?! He's fucking IN i!

Yeah R539 but that won't stop him!

Nadler calls for Barr recusal from this matter.

What he should be demanding is Barr's resignation. This isn't even close to Bill Clinton chitchating with Loretta Lynch.

Now Up to 206 votes for impeachment.

I think this is big—I was watching milktoast ABC news and Jonathan Karl, and they were pretty much saying this is explosive.

I agree, R534. I've felt that since yesterday.

Sitting here watching the news unfold following the release of the "transcript". First off, this was a half hour phone call that's been summarized into a 5 page document.

This stinks of Barr's synopsis of the Mueller Report, version 2.0. The WH is desperate to get ahead of the narrative and control it. Since they know they're so royally fucked, they figured "let's just release the transcript and rally all our troops (Miz Lindz, etc) to get in front of the cameras immediately after it happens and push the "nothingburger" narrative. It's NOT going to work this time. I think the media at large knows they got snowed big time by the Barr synopsis of the Mueller report, and it was only AFTER the public opinion formed that everyone released it was all bullshit.

THEY CANNOT LET THAT HAPPEN AGAIN. The WH cannot control the narrative here. Trump stepped in it big time, and the American public needs the facts straightforward and unimpeded. Hopefully this time around, the media is wise to the games the WH plays with disclosure and the truth and doesn't let that happen again. If it does, it's a major blow to convincing America what a treasonous criminal DJT is.

The media can start by calling this a memo and not a “transcript.”

[quote]First off, this was a half hour phone call that's been summarized into a 5 page document.

Did you see his Trump's UN speech yesterday? He speaks vvvveeeerrrrryyyy sssssllllloooowwwwllllyyyy...

Listening to the news (radio) and they're saying that defenders are calling this no big deal because there was no quid pro quo.

Listening to the news (radio) and they're saying that defenders are calling this no big deal because there was no quid pro quo.

[quote]First off, this was a half hour phone call that's been summarized into a 5 page document. This stinks of Barr's synopsis of the Mueller Report, version 2.0

I don't dismiss this possibility but part of the reason is there would've been translators on both sides which takes up time.

Sorry I don't know why posts are duplicating.

Even without outright blackmail, isn't this still colluding with a foreign power to influence the election? Is this really so much better?

Yes, there does not need to be quid pro quo for that, R543. Conspiring with a foreign government to influence the election is a crime.

For everyone who's complained about Pelosi, I only point to this. She's kind of badass.

[quote]Speaker Nancy Pelosi and President Trump were discussing gun violence over the telephone Tuesday morning when the president abruptly changed the topic to an intelligence community whistle-blower complaint that had Democrats talking about impeachment.

[quote]Ms. Pelosi stopped him short.

[quote]“Mr. President,” she declared, according to a person familiar with the conversation, “you have come into my wheelhouse.”

I didn't realize she had been Ranking Member of the Intelligence Committee prior to becoming Minority Leader and then Speaker.

Adam Schiff kicking butt right now on MSNBC.

Adam Schiff: POTUS is shaking down a foreign government for his explicit political gain.

Heard Mitt Romney asked to comment on MSNBC.

MR: It's deeply troubling.

Reporter: What do you do beside being deeply troubled?

Lol

[r493, not the real Red M, because she shows up as Red M]

The original whistleblower complaint was about MULTIPLE incidents.

It wasn’t just this one.

We need to hear from the whistleblower, who has come forward through lawyers asking to speak to congress.

We need to see the complaint, not some cliffs notes of the phone call.

We need to know what else was in the FULL complaint.

Republican strategist Mike Murphy on msnbc: I was told that if there was a secret vote, 30 GOP Senators will vote in favor of impeachment / removal.

House Dem count for impeachment: 212

r551, and you do know that Moscow Mitch can block a trial in the Senate, don'tcha?

R552 how?

An interesting read, R533.

r552...he can try, but he wont succeed....he doesnt preside over the trial....the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, John Roberts does....let Mitch tell Roberts what to do or not to do and see what happens.

R551 hope that's true but I don't believe any damn Rethug until I see them actually follow through with what they, "say," they're going to do.

R553, I don't put anything past this fucker.

But it's gonna be a stinking bad look, and provide ammunition for the Dem Senate candidates in 2020.

Anybody curious about the other “multiple” incidents in the whistleblower complaint?

What could they be?

That's why the WB needs to be brought before Congress.

I'm sure Dotard's gonna pressure the Ukrainian president to make a statement today favorable to him. Maybe that he wasn't pressured, that things were on the up and up.

The Ukrainian Prez knows he is fucked because Trump signed off on the occupation of Crimea and he knows that Trump is in Putin's pocket.

Either way he is battling Putin.

It might be better if he spills the beans on Trump's treason and appeals directly to the American people.

The Hill:

Graham rips Democrats for impeachment over 'nothing (non-quid pro quo) burger'

wow shockingly this thread is still open. Can the OP who comes up with great titles start a new one though as this will either be full soon or payrolled? It's not far from 600

Bloomberg:

Senate Votes Again to Block Trump’s Border ‘Emergency’ Wall Fund

NBC:

Lawmakers react to text of Trump's Ukraine call: 'A classic mob shakedown'

Just how many loads must Graham be taking in whatever sex vid is being held over his head?

I hope Giuliani is forced to testify publicly before the House at some point.

His old ugly evil ass needs to be in jail. Surely what he's done is against the law?

Washington Post:

Senate Republicans split over Trump urging Ukrainian leader to investigate Biden

MSNBC has 213 House Dems for impeachment (or some form of impeachment action)

CNN has 204.

Oopsie. The White House sent out a Ukraine-Biden "talking points" memo for Repugs, but sent it to Dems by mistake. Now they’re asking Dems for it to be "recalled". 😂

Marco Rubio chimed in

Wah-wah

The incompetence is staggering within the Rethug party and yet... they continue to get away with all this shit.

One of the "talking points" at R570 is that Pompeo spoke to Ukraine first before releasing the summary, presumably to pressure Ukraine into not contradicting the WH account of the call.

So any bets on what dumb thing Dotard is going to do in order to distract from all of this?

[quote]So any bets on what dumb thing Dotard is going to do in order to distract from all of this?

He's holding a press conference at 4 -- he'll try to throw all sorts of shit at the wall.

R575, I'm waiting for the day he actually takes a shit and throws it at some one or something. You know it's coming.

Cable media darling, macho Lindsey, dares House Democrats to hold formal vote on impeachment.

Is Lindsey going to beat them up if they don't listen? Doubtful Nancy Pelosi is subdued by macho Graham's seminal threats.

He's daring them and then what?

The orange turd is on TV right now. FUCK THIS CUNT!!!

Turd is talking about Biden's son. What about Jared? He got millions of dollars too!

Count 214 now. Need 4 more for 218.

The sheer arrogance that angry Graham has in thinking he can tell the House what to do or not do.

A plague on all of them.

R581 is there an updated list somewhere of those who are for it?

And just who are the fucking Democrats who are not already on board? And why?

They should be publicly shamed.

This is the list I found but it only has 204.

He just hoped that Putin and the President of Ukraine get together and help him out!!

I gave you anti-tank busters.

Washington Post:

Trump offered Ukrainian president Justice Dept. help for Biden investigation, memo shows

Link to new thread for when this one maxes out.

I changed the naming as I thought it made more sense. Hope it's okay with you all.

TRUmp about to stroke out during the presser right now with ukraine president. Yelling about Hillary’s emails and Biden. A complete freakout - he’s gonna crack if its months of this. Health crisis coming soon!

Now he's saying Nancy has been taken over by radical left. She no longer cares about guns and guns control. She has lost her way...

FUCK THIS CUNT!

He looks very troubled, and worried!

(good thing!)

Hope he eats more McDonalds!

Link to new thread for when this one maxes out:

The President of Ukraine pushed him away, although Trump didn't notice. Said that they had a new prosecutor and he had a lot to do. I.e., he's not working on Trump's shit.

Closing

this

thread

Out

Link to new thread below:

Thread Closed

Bajour.....it means to swindle someone

Thread Closed.

Link to new thread.