The Impeachment of President Donald J Trump

[merithyn]

The relevant conversation is the one Giuliani had in Spain.  That's why Donald was so willing to release this transcript.

Expand on this, please?

[Admiral Yi]

Expand on this, please?

Rudy met in Spain with one of Zelensky's foreign policy guys.  *If* a quid pro quo was discussed it seems likely to have been done at this time.  I can't be arsed to go back and read the Economist article and give you the exact timeline, but the timing of the meeting strongly suggests it was related to the decision to "strategically review" (i.e. put on hold) the military aid.

[The Brain]

If Trump is convicted, what is the mechanism for physically taking over the control of government when he refuses to go?

[The Brain]

Of course the toadying is deliberate strategy.  Everyone knows that flattery of Donald gets you everywhere and straight talk puts you on the enemies list.  A temporary loss of dignity is a very cheap cost to pay.

Indeed. Every foreign leader has known this for years.

[Admiral Yi]

If Trump is convicted, what is the mechanism for physically taking over the control of government when he refuses to go?

Identical to removing a drunk passenger from an airplane.

[Sheilbh]

Transcript is out now. Seems pretty bad for Donald but I'm not a smart guy so who knows.

He offered the services of the Attorney General to help the Ukrainian President investigate Biden. That seems really, really shitty.

Especially given that it's not a transcript and there is no verbatim transcript. So was this released because they thought it was helpful?

The sycophantic flattery that the Ukrainian president heaps on Trump is disturbing on many levels.

I think that's World Leader 101 these days. They've all watched Kim Jong-Un.

I mean look at Scott Morrison or Modi's comments.

[The Brain]

If Trump is convicted, what is the mechanism for physically taking over the control of government when he refuses to go?

Identical to removing a drunk passenger from an airplane.

OK good luck.

[The Minsky Moment]

The initial hold on the military aid was done 1 week before the call.

[Admiral Yi]

OK good luck.

I hope they film it.

[Sophie Scholl]

Anyone think there is a connection between the resignation of Former Director of National Intelligence Dan Coats and this call/the whistleblower report?  The call was three days before he decided out of nowhere to resign.

[celedhring]

Especially given that it's not a transcript and there is no verbatim transcript. So was this released because they thought it was helpful?

Yeah, if that's the part they were comfortable with sharing, then the other stuff must be pretty bad.

[The Minsky Moment]

Anyone think there is a connection between the resignation of Former Director of National Intelligence Dan Coats and this call/the whistleblower report?  The call was three days before he decided out of nowhere to resign.

There are many reasons why Coates could have left but that temporal coincidence is interesting

[The Larch]

Anyone think there is a connection between the resignation of Former Director of National Intelligence Dan Coats and this call/the whistleblower report?  The call was three days before he decided out of nowhere to resign.

Maybe he received the whistleblower report and thought "Fuck it, I don't want to be in the middle of this shitstorm. Time to go".

[Sophie Scholl]

Apparently the very first thing presented to the guy who replaced him, Dan Maguire, was that very Whistleblower Complaint.  "I left on August 15. ... The very next day that was presented to Joe (Maguire). I feel so bad for Joe. He is caught in a squeeze here and the lawyers are divided. So they are trying to work all that out. That's about all I can say about that."

https://www.cnn.com/2019/09/24/politics/dni-dan-coats-ukraine-trump/index.html

[Sheilbh]

Anyone think there is a connection between the resignation of Former Director of National Intelligence Dan Coats and this call/the whistleblower report?  The call was three days before he decided out of nowhere to resign.

Maybe he received the whistleblower report and thought "Fuck it, I don't want to be in the middle of this shitstorm. Time to go".

Profiles in Courage: vol 72.