The Impeachment Process Has Officially Begun (1 Viewer)

[Andrus]

By Laura Bassett

After months of internal arguing among Democrats over whether to impeach President Donald Trump, the dam is finally breaking in favor of trying to remove him from office. The Washington Post reported that House Speaker Nancy Pelosi would announce a formal impeachment inquiry on Tuesday, following a bombshell report that Trump illegally asked Ukraine’s government to investigate former Vice President Joe Biden, one of his political opponents. (He essentially admitted to having done so over the weekend.)

“Now that we have the facts, we’re ready,” Pelosi said Tuesday morning at a forum hosted by The Atlantic. At 5 p.m. the same day, she was back with more. "The actions taken to date by the president have seriously violated the constitution, especially when the president says Article Two says I can do whatever I want," referring to the segment of the Constitution that defines the power of the executive branch of the government. Pelosi's message was that checks and balances of those branches are just as central to the Constitution. And one more thing: "Today, I am announcing the House of Representatives is moving forward with an official impeachment inquiry," she said at a conference broadcast on Twitter by the Huffington Post. ...

Read the Full Story - InStyle

 

[wardorican]

 

[wardorican]

 

[MT15]

As I listened to little bits and pieces today in the car, I was struck by the basic similarities to Nixon. Nixon had authorized an illegal act to further his re-election chances. He lied about it and refused to cooperate with Congress when they started investigating. He said “if the president does it, it’s not illegal” (IIRC). He almost got away with it, if not for a piece of tape on an office door, a “plumber” willing to tell the truth, and his decision to record himself discussing it all.

In the end, Trump went outside the normal diplomatic channels and caused properly appropriated aid to be withheld in order to extort an ally to interfere with the next US presidential election. He lied about it, and he has obstructed Congress’ investigation. He almost got away with it, too, Zelensky was two days away from going on CNN and saying what Trump wanted him to say, specifically trying to smear Joe Biden, before the WB report got the attention of Congress.

IMO, what Trump did was worse than what Nixon was removed from office for doing, due to the fact that he was trying to extort a foreign country into interfering with our election to his personal political benefit.

It will be fascinating to watch how the members of his party react to this, and to compare the current members of the Republican party with the Republicans of Nixon’s era.

 

[Beach Friends]

As I listened to little bits and pieces today in the car, I was struck by the basic similarities to Nixon. Nixon had authorized an illegal act to further his re-election chances. He lied about it and refused to cooperate with Congress when they started investigating. He said “if the president does it, it’s not illegal” (IIRC). He almost got away with it, if not for a piece of tape on an office door, a “plumber” willing to tell the truth, and his decision to record himself discussing it all.

In the end, Trump went outside the normal diplomatic channels and caused properly appropriated aid to be withheld in order to extort an ally to interfere with the next US presidential election. He lied about it, and he has obstructed Congress’ investigation. He almost got away with it, too, Zelensky was two days away from going on CNN and saying what Trump wanted him to say, specifically trying to smear Joe Biden, before the WB report got the attention of Congress.

IMO, what Trump did was worse than what Nixon was removed from office for doing, due to the fact that he was trying to extort a foreign country into interfering with our election to his personal political benefit.

It will be fascinating to watch how the members of his party react to this, and to compare the current members of the Republican party with the Republicans of Nixon’s era.

I don't think there is any chance at all that you are going to see Trump waving as he is about to board AF 1 for the last time. Trump is no slump away in the shadows Nixon type. He loves the fight - and his supporters love to see him fighting.

He's like a glorious mix of Stone Cold Steve Austin, Johnny Cash and the Cheetos' cat.

 

[Joe Okc]

I don't think there is any chance at all that you are going to see Trump waving as he is about to board AF 1 for the last time. Trump is no slump away in the shadows Nixon type. He loves the fight - and his supporters love to see him fighting.

He's like a glorious mix of Stone Cold Steve Austin, Johnny Cash and the Cheetos' cat.

It's a shame that this country couldn't give 100% attention to the President of Turkey's visit... You know.. Our country has more important things to do.. Or at least I heard someone say that they heard it from someone else who heard it from someone else.

 

[Beach Friends]

Therapy dogs visit stressed Congressional staffers at impeachment hearings

It’s a ruff time in politics. An army of therapy dogs was on hand Wednesday to help stressed-out Capitol Hill lawmakers and staffers weary after a year of impeachment-related drama. Hundreds …

nypost.com

 

[cuddlemonkey]

It's a shame that this country couldn't give 100% attention to the President of Turkey's visit... You know.. Our country has more important things to do.. Or at least I heard someone say that they heard it from someone else who heard it from someone else.

I agree. Important things like attempt to hold our Commander in Chief responsible for attempting to shake down an ally for his own gain.

 

[wardorican]

It's a shame that this country couldn't give 100% attention to the President of Turkey's visit... You know.. Our country has more important things to do.. Or at least I heard someone say that they heard it from someone else who heard it from someone else.

I think 100% attention is too high a bar.

Also, the president of Turkey isn't exactly an honored guest lately.

 

[Sledge Hammer]

The following is the entire public hearing. It starts around 6 minutes in. Picked CNN because the others on youtube were hours longer.

 

[DJ1BigTymer]

...
Also, the president of Turkey isn't exactly an honored guest lately.

At least he shouldn't be, considering his last visit resulted in his security team beating down American citizens with impunity.

 

[B4YOU]

It's a shame that this country couldn't give 100% attention to the President of Turkey's visit... You know.. Our country has more important things to do.. Or at least I heard someone say that they heard it from someone else who heard it from someone else.

You should start a thread about it. What did we miss? Or is this just a distraction technique.....

 

[Taurus]

It's a shame that this country couldn't give 100% attention to the President of Turkey's visit... You know.. Our country has more important things to do.. Or at least I heard someone say that they heard it from someone else who heard it from someone else.

Screw Erdogan and the dead Kurds he rode in on.

 

[samiam5211]

It's a shame that this country couldn't give 100% attention to the President of Turkey's visit... You know.. Our country has more important things to do.. Or at least I heard someone say that they heard it from someone else who heard it from someone else.

I agree with this 100%. What did Trump give up to Erdogan yesterday while we were all hearing about the President's use of his authority to serve his personal interests?

Why are none of us as asking how the President of Turkey stood on stage with the POTUS and admonished our legislative branch with absolutely no push back from our president?

It was embarrassing. I wish more of us would have paid attention to that.

 

[Sledge Hammer]

It's a shame that this country couldn't give 100% attention to the President of Turkey's visit... You know.. Our country has more important things to do.. Or at least I heard someone say that they heard it from someone else who heard it from someone else.

I think 100% attention is too high a bar.

Also, the president of Turkey isn't exactly an honored guest lately.

At least he shouldn't be, considering his last visit resulted in his security team beating down American citizens with impunity.

You should start a thread about it. What did we miss? Or is this just a distraction technique.....

Screw Erdogan and the dead Kurds he rode in on.

I agree with this 100%. What did Trump give up to Erdogan yesterday while we were all hearing about the President's use of his authority to serve his personal interests?

Why are none of us as asking how the President of Turkey stood on stage with the POTUS and admonished our legislative branch with absolutely no push back from our president?

It was embarrassing. I wish more of us would have paid attention to that.

Yes, this topic should be on it's own thread.

I may remove these posts and start one, if I am free later.

 

[wardorican]

We won't know for a few days or a week, but it will be interesting to see if the public opinion polls show another shift towards people supporting impeachment or of it stays flatlined (or slow decay).

Regardless of the facts or how we interpret them, public support from independents and republicans will be key measures.

 

[superchuck500]

I don't think there is any chance at all that you are going to see Trump waving as he is about to board AF 1 for the last time. Trump is no slump away in the shadows Nixon type. He loves the fight - and his supporters love to see him fighting.

He's like a glorious mix of Stone Cold Steve Austin, Johnny Cash and the Cheetos' cat.

Agree. Plus he doesn't have nearly as much to lose - at least not from his perspective.

I think Nixon resigned because (1) he was cooked, (2) he wanted to try to save some nugget of reputation and legacy without the heavy stain of full impeachment, and (3) he wanted to keep the benefits (salary, security detail, etc.) that ex-presidents get that may have been denied to him had he been removed.

Trump doesn't have those same concerns. (1) he's almost certainly not going to be convicted by the Senate, (2) he obviously views his legacy from a different lens than most - he obviously doesn't really value being seen as a "good, decent guy" and I'm not trying to be insulting with that, it's just who he is - he values other metrics, and (3) he certainly doesn't need the benefits afforded past-presidents.

 

[Lazybones]

Agree. Plus he doesn't have nearly as much to lose - at least not from his perspective.

I think Nixon resigned because (1) he was cooked, (2) he wanted to try to save some nugget of reputation and legacy without the heavy stain of full impeachment, and (3) he wanted to keep the benefits (salary, security detail, etc.) that ex-presidents get that may have been denied to him had he been removed.

Trump doesn't have those same concerns. (1) he's almost certainly not going to be convicted by the Senate, (2) he obviously views his legacy from a different lens than most - he obviously doesn't really value being seen as a "good, decent guy" and I'm not trying to be insulting with that, it's just who he is - he values other metrics, and (3) he certainly doesn't need the benefits afforded past-presidents.

Both this post and the one you quoted are accurate descriptions. The left doesn’t realize that this inquiry is just making his ego and his base stronger.

 

[superchuck500]

Both this post and the one you quoted are accurate descriptions. The left doesn’t realize that this inquiry is just making his ego and his base stronger.

I prefer not to view it in terms of "left versus right" - there are people on "the right" that have had enough of Trump's version of how the executive branch should run. But for Trump and his defenders, I think you're right that they're not moved by any of this and probably angered enough to make them more resolute than ever.

But I also don't think anyone ever had any illusion that it would be any different.