The Impeachment Process Has Officially Begun (22 Viewers)

[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

 

[insidejob]

Bold choice Nunes, I will expect the same vigor from the Intel Committee when they are holding other hearings when trump appointees refuse to answer the committee's questions.

His attempt to out the whistle blower and complaining about not being able to subpoena the whistle blower when he's got two first hand witnesses sitting in front of him who've verified everything the whistle blower blew the whistle on proves he's still nothing more than Trump's lapdog.

 

[superchuck500]

The fact that there are Twitter groups called #coup and #rebellion and that there are people who are involved in the impeachment process who belong to those group is sufficient to raise concerns, in my opinion.

If the whistleblower was also part of groups like this, everything that transpired since is forever stained and it's all a travesty foisted on the nation by a group of malcontent government employees who don't want to abide with the decision of the American electorate, in my opinion.

Alas, we cannot know the whistleblower's identity. Too bad. Let's ignore the obvious and dig into the obscure and find something else! Oh, boy.

The whistleblower is not a material witness. The lawyer for someone that isn't a material witness is about as "involved in the impeachment process" as the songwriter for a grocery-store jingle is "involved" in the dinner I cooked after shopping there.

Saying this is just an attempt by malcontent government employees (including Trump appointees mind you) just shows how hopeless it is to try to have discussion with you about this - you simply can't be objective. It's okay - there are plenty like that on both sides.

But none of that changes the fact that Zaid isn't really part of the impeachment process. At all.

 

[Beach Friends]

Funny watching Schiff cut off questions because they would identify the WB, all the while pretending not to know his identity.

 

[V Chip]

The fact that there are Twitter groups called #coup and #rebellion

That's a hashtag, not a group. A hashtag is a keyword or topic, used to note that you are talking about a certain issue. If you use the hashtag #Falcons, you don't belong to the group Falcons or have anything else to do with it except that you are mentioning the topic and you want your comment to be easily identified for people searching that topic. Many hashtags mean nothing else than just a funny statement or comment, like #OKBoomer or #MethWeAreOnIt

You would think a learned guy such as yourself might already know that.

 

[insidejob]

Funny watching Schiff cut off questions because they would identify the WB, all the while pretending not to know his identity.

He doesn't have to know who the whistle blower is to stop Nunes from trying to get Vindman to reveal who it is since it appears he's the one who gave the information to the whistle blower - who is totally irrelevant to all of this at this point anyway.

 

[LA - L.A.]

Funny watching Schiff cut off questions because they would identify the WB, all the while pretending not to know his identity.

What evidence do you have that he knows the whistleblower's identity?

 

[insidejob]

That's a hashtag, not a group. A hashtag is a keyword or topic, used to note that you are talking about a certain issue. If you use the hashtag #Falcons, you don't belong to the group Falcons or have anything else to do with it except that you are mentioning the topic and you want your comment to be easily identified for people searching that topic.

You would think a learned guy such as yourself might already know that.

Why even entertain the schtick?

"Hey, look at that shiny object over there!!!"

 

[insidejob]

What evidence do you have that he knows the whistleblower's identity?

Fox News says he does! And they keep saying it over and over again without any evidence that he does.

 

[FullMonte]

What evidence do you have that he knows the whistleblower's identity?

You're actually going to ask that question? It's quite clear. Schiff is part of the deep state, the Whistleblower is part of the deep state. You think they don't know each other from their weekly "How can we get rid of Trump" meetings?

 

[superchuck500]

Pence aid Jennifer Williams testifies that Trump instructed Pence not to go to Ukraine. Yes, it shows that the story floated at the time about lack of arrangements now appears false, it more importantly also appears to show that Trump's efforts to get Zelensky to announce the investigation had multiple carrots and sticks.

 

[bdb13]

What evidence do you have that he knows the whistleblower's identity?

I'd be surprised if Schiff didn't know the identity being that the whistleblower contacted his aides.

His identity also doesn't matter, but yeah, I'd be rather surprised if Schiff legitimately doesn't know who the whistleblower is.

 

[superchuck500]

I'd be surprised if Schiff didn't know the identity being that the whistleblower contacted his aides.

His identity also doesn't matter, but yeah, I'd be rather surprised if Schiff legitimately doesn't know who the whistleblower is.

Unless he knew that having that knowledge would be problematic and intentionally shielded it. That might seem less realistic but it's entirely possible that he anticipated that issue and took measures to protect against it.

Don't really know. It's not really relevant now. Will be interesting to see how the Senate treats it if it goes to the Senate. Seems likely at this point.

 

[insidejob]

Unless he knew that having that knowledge would be problematic and intentionally shielded it. That might seem less realistic but it's entirely possible that he anticipated that issue and took measures to protect against it.

Don't really know. It's not really relevant now. Will be interesting to see how the Senate treats it if it goes to the Senate. Seems likely at this point.

I think this is entirely plausible. I doubt the whistleblower just walked up to Schiff's office and started talking. If I were the whistleblower, I'd have had a proxy contact Schiff before revealing anything to protect myself.

 

[efil4]

The fact that there are Twitter groups called #coup and #rebellion and that there are people who are involved in the impeachment process who belong to those group is sufficient to raise concerns, in my opinion.

If the whistleblower was also part of groups like this, everything that transpired since is forever stained and it's all a travesty foisted on the nation by a group of malcontent government employees who don't want to abide with the decision of the American electorate, in my opinion.

Alas, we cannot know the whistleblower's identity. Too bad. Let's ignore the obvious and dig into the obscure and find something else! Oh, boy.

American electorate = popular vote?

As i think you have stated here before, many moons ago you were a journalist. Explain to me how you defy journalistic principles to arrive at the supporting of "not protecting the whistleblower " from outside influence, pressure, or fear of retribution.
Especially when the information they provided has been corroborated by unrelated persons.

 

[FullMonte]

I'd be surprised if Schiff didn't know the identity being that the whistleblower contacted his aides.

Why? What is suspect about the "official" story? The story is that the whistleblower contacted an aide to the Intelligence Committee with a vague description of the allegations. The aide instructed the whistleblower to contact legal counsel and file a report/complaint with the IG. The aide then told the head of the Intelligence Committee a portion of what the whistleblower told them.

So,it sounds like:

Whistleblower (to aide): "Hey, I have concerns that a high level individual in the intelligence committee may have abused their position."
Aide (to whistleblower): "Ok, contact a lawyer and file a report with the IG."
Aide (to Schiff): "Sir, just a heads up, I was contacted today by someone who said they had concerns about a high level individual so I told them to contact their attorney and file a complaint with the IG."

 

[Zardnok]

I think this is entirely plausible. I doubt the whistleblower just walked up to Schiff's office and started talking. If I were the whistleblower, I'd have had a proxy contact Schiff before revealing anything to protect myself.

It is my understanding that the Whistleblower worked on Biden's staff back when he was VP along with two other folks that now work as staffers for Schiff's committee. The WB contacted his friends and former colleagues to ask them their opinion and they suggested he do the Whistleblower thing. It is my understanding that Schiff himself never met the WB and those two staff members for his committee are the only ones who officially know his identity due to their friendship and prior working relationship. Again, this is all my understanding that I derived by diving deep down a rabbit hole online following the reported name and link after link to try and understand it all. Everyone in Washington unofficially knows the WB since he has already been outed in multiple media outlets and the Republicans are just trying to get it out in the open so they can begin their attack in earnest.

Most importantly, nothing to do with the WB changes the material facts that Trump used US Aid to extort a foreign power for his own personal political benefit.

 

[DJ1BigTymer]

Funny watching Schiff cut off questions because they would identify the WB, all the while pretending not to know his identity.

And it was Vindman's lawyer who initial interjected and asked Schiff to shut it down. But hey, never let the facts get in the way of a cool story.

 

[wardorican]

It must be a visual thing
On the radio he comes across fine

I am listening on radio. His opening statement and opening questioning, he was garbled and misspoke a few times...

Since then, he's a lot better. Think it was early nerves. Big spotlight for anyone.