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| Adam Schiff says Republicans in Congress face stark choice on Trump – live | Adam Schiff says Republicans in Congress face stark choice on Trump – live |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| Remember when Trump said “I don’t want to make money. I don’t care about making money” in explaining why he wanted to host the G7 summit at one of his struggling Florida resorts? | |
| Before departing for Walter Reed National Military Medical Center just then, Trump told reporters why he was pressuring Ukraine to announce an investigation of the owner of a gas company on whose board Joe Biden’s son once sat. | |
| “I don’t care about Biden’s campaign. I care about corruption,” Trump said. | |
| Trump also continued to insist that the text messages among diplomats and other evidence to come out so far in the impeachment inquiry do not establish a “quid pro quo”. | |
| “That’s the whole ballgame,” Trump said. | |
| “There is no pro quo,” Trump said, adding, “That was in the text message that I saw and it nullified everything.” | |
| Here’s the bit from the text messages Trump is referring to. It comes at the end of the material released by Congress last night, and is preceded by five pages of text message exchanges in which US diplomats and an assistant to the Ukrainian president try to arrange a deal which no person who does not also happen to be a strong Trump supporter has denied is a quid pro quo: | |
| Taylor [career diplomat]: As I said on the phone, I think it’s crazy to withhold security assistance for help with a political campaign. | |
| Sondland [political appointee and Trump donor, 4.5 hours later]: Bill, I believe you are incorrect about President Trump’s intentions. The President has been crystal clear no quid pro quo’s of any kind…” | |
| Does any elected Republican have an opinion about the coordinated state department effort, overseen by Mike Pompeo, allegedly to pressure Ukraine to mount a spectacle Trump could use to smear his anticipated 2020 opponent? | |
| GOP Senators choosing to stay quiet---neither criticizing Trump or defending him---seems like inaction, but one concrete consequence it has is that Trump has to roll out B-level surrogates to defend him in public. | |
| Or does anyone want to weigh in on Trump’s call for China to “investigate” Biden? | |
| CNN notes GOP Senators' silence on Trump urging China to investigate the Bidens pic.twitter.com/POxu9raVwn | |
| CNN: Trump "promised Chinese President Xi Jinping that the US would remain quiet on pro-democracy protests in Hong Kong while trade talks continued"https://t.co/YGZrmgAboN | |
| CNN reporting that Trump told China he would keep quiet on Hong Kong protests until trade war was over. What a deal - the U.S. loses hundreds of thousands of jobs from Trump’s insane tariffs and ALSO we abandon the people of Hong Kong. Is this real? | |
| Trump’s great anti-corruption crusade, which he claims was behind his pressuring the Ukrainian president to announce investigations of certain people, extends to... extends to... look over there! [runs away] | |
| I asked President Trump if he had ever asked any foreign leaders for corruption investigations of anyone who was NOT a political opponent of his. He said we’ll have to check that. pic.twitter.com/hKP7n9l1Kw | |
| Cornyn’s office is trying to say his misleading and confusing tweet (see earlier) this morning in defense of Trump was a mistake on the senator’s part. Whoops. At this writing the tweet has not been deleted. | Cornyn’s office is trying to say his misleading and confusing tweet (see earlier) this morning in defense of Trump was a mistake on the senator’s part. Whoops. At this writing the tweet has not been deleted. |
| Spox says Cornyn was referring to the ongoing probe led by Durham, the U.S. attorney in Connecticut who is investigating the origins of the Russia probe https://t.co/kLGAJLOjpb | Spox says Cornyn was referring to the ongoing probe led by Durham, the U.S. attorney in Connecticut who is investigating the origins of the Russia probe https://t.co/kLGAJLOjpb |
| The Durham probe has nothing to do with Biden so far as anybody knows. But Cornyn’s mischaracterization of the probe enabled him to draw a false and thin comparison between congress’ current investigation of Trump and the 2016 Russia investigation. | The Durham probe has nothing to do with Biden so far as anybody knows. But Cornyn’s mischaracterization of the probe enabled him to draw a false and thin comparison between congress’ current investigation of Trump and the 2016 Russia investigation. |
| An investigation into the origins of the Mueller probe is VERY MUCH NOT THE SAME THING as an investigation into the Biden family's business dealings in Ukraine. Yet top Republicans from the White House to the Senate keep conflating them. Weird! | An investigation into the origins of the Mueller probe is VERY MUCH NOT THE SAME THING as an investigation into the Biden family's business dealings in Ukraine. Yet top Republicans from the White House to the Senate keep conflating them. Weird! |
| Republicans have been trying for weeks now to hone their defense of Trump – there was no quid pro quo, the Democrats have lost their minds – and as Cornyn demonstrates, they still have some more trying to do. | Republicans have been trying for weeks now to hone their defense of Trump – there was no quid pro quo, the Democrats have lost their minds – and as Cornyn demonstrates, they still have some more trying to do. |
| Republicans flail as they seek coherent strategy against impeachment | Republicans flail as they seek coherent strategy against impeachment |
| But they are a persistent bunch: | But they are a persistent bunch: |
| A reminder to federal officials: There is no limit on the number of individuals who can use the whistleblower statute. If you think you were involved in unlawful activity as a result of a directive from Mr. Obama or Mr. Brennan, now is the time to report it. https://t.co/RNMymRVmZP | A reminder to federal officials: There is no limit on the number of individuals who can use the whistleblower statute. If you think you were involved in unlawful activity as a result of a directive from Mr. Obama or Mr. Brennan, now is the time to report it. https://t.co/RNMymRVmZP |
| In one text message published overnight, Trump political appointee Gordon Sondland, a hotel company executive, major Trump donor and now US ambassador to the European Union, urges a colleague to procure a commitment by Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskiy to announce an investigation that Trump could tout as a probe into corruption supposedly linked to Joe Biden: “I think potus really wants the deliverable”, Sondland wrote. | In one text message published overnight, Trump political appointee Gordon Sondland, a hotel company executive, major Trump donor and now US ambassador to the European Union, urges a colleague to procure a commitment by Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskiy to announce an investigation that Trump could tout as a probe into corruption supposedly linked to Joe Biden: “I think potus really wants the deliverable”, Sondland wrote. |
| In a news conference Friday, the current prosecutor general of Ukraine, Ruslan Riaboshapka ,announced his office would undertake a review of all cases closed by his predecessor, including a criminal case against an oligarch who owns a gas company on whose board Hunter Biden, the former vice president’s son, once sat. | In a news conference Friday, the current prosecutor general of Ukraine, Ruslan Riaboshapka ,announced his office would undertake a review of all cases closed by his predecessor, including a criminal case against an oligarch who owns a gas company on whose board Hunter Biden, the former vice president’s son, once sat. |
| Did Trump just get his “deliverable”? This isn’t the public statement by Zelenskiy Trump was looking for, but the timing makes it possible that it is an attempt by the Ukrainians to play ball lest they endanger future military aid or the chances of Zelenskiy visiting Trump in Washington. | Did Trump just get his “deliverable”? This isn’t the public statement by Zelenskiy Trump was looking for, but the timing makes it possible that it is an attempt by the Ukrainians to play ball lest they endanger future military aid or the chances of Zelenskiy visiting Trump in Washington. |
| It’s important to note that there’s no evidence of any untoward behavior by either Biden in connection with that aforementioned or any other case the Ukrainian prosecutor might investigate. And “this is an audit not a re-opening of the investigations,” the BBC said. But it’s not hard to imagine how Trump might attempt to use news of this audit for his political ends. | It’s important to note that there’s no evidence of any untoward behavior by either Biden in connection with that aforementioned or any other case the Ukrainian prosecutor might investigate. And “this is an audit not a re-opening of the investigations,” the BBC said. But it’s not hard to imagine how Trump might attempt to use news of this audit for his political ends. |
| Lawfare quotes the Interfax-Ukraine news agency quoting the General Prosecutor as stating: | Lawfare quotes the Interfax-Ukraine news agency quoting the General Prosecutor as stating: |
| “Now we are conducting an audit of those cases that were previously investigated by the Prosecutor General’s Office (PGO). In the area you are talking about, where Zlochevskiy, [Ukrainian businessman Serhiy] Kurchenko and other people or companies could be involved, there are a half and a dozen such cases. We are now reviewing all the cases which were closed, fragmented or investigated earlier in order to make a decision on cases where illegal procedural decisions were taken,” he said, answering a question about the prosecution of defendants in the Burisma case. | “Now we are conducting an audit of those cases that were previously investigated by the Prosecutor General’s Office (PGO). In the area you are talking about, where Zlochevskiy, [Ukrainian businessman Serhiy] Kurchenko and other people or companies could be involved, there are a half and a dozen such cases. We are now reviewing all the cases which were closed, fragmented or investigated earlier in order to make a decision on cases where illegal procedural decisions were taken,” he said, answering a question about the prosecution of defendants in the Burisma case. |
| Read further. | Read further. |
| Basic stuff: | Basic stuff: |
| Mike Pence in the 2016 vice presidential debate: "This is basic stuff. Foreign donors — and certainly foreign governments — cannot participate in the American political process." pic.twitter.com/vbrPjqda1i | Mike Pence in the 2016 vice presidential debate: "This is basic stuff. Foreign donors — and certainly foreign governments — cannot participate in the American political process." pic.twitter.com/vbrPjqda1i |
| Further reaction to the news of day... and the Republicans’ insistence that there was no quid pro quo baked into Trump’s chat with the Ukrainian president: | Further reaction to the news of day... and the Republicans’ insistence that there was no quid pro quo baked into Trump’s chat with the Ukrainian president: |
| As everyone knows, if you say “but this isn’t a quid pro quo” during your conspiracy, that automatically makes it legally permissible. It’s like touching base in freeze tag | As everyone knows, if you say “but this isn’t a quid pro quo” during your conspiracy, that automatically makes it legally permissible. It’s like touching base in freeze tag |
| Some commentators are spotlighting the role of acting US ambassador to Ukraine Bill Taylor, who wrote a text saying, “As I said on the phone, I think it’s crazy to withhold security assistance for help with a political campaign”: | Some commentators are spotlighting the role of acting US ambassador to Ukraine Bill Taylor, who wrote a text saying, “As I said on the phone, I think it’s crazy to withhold security assistance for help with a political campaign”: |
| Bill Taylor is a West Point grad, Vietnam vet, and career public servant. He is our chief diplomat in Ukraine and an expert on the country.If Taylor believes the aid was withheld to get the interference, that’s big news. https://t.co/ixp8nqdf3q | Bill Taylor is a West Point grad, Vietnam vet, and career public servant. He is our chief diplomat in Ukraine and an expert on the country.If Taylor believes the aid was withheld to get the interference, that’s big news. https://t.co/ixp8nqdf3q |
| I keep imagining him walking around the last couple months asking "can you say that again a little more clearly and right into this lapel?" https://t.co/Bj44Vwet3q | I keep imagining him walking around the last couple months asking "can you say that again a little more clearly and right into this lapel?" https://t.co/Bj44Vwet3q |
| Will Republicans continue to stand behind Trump, as he sells out the United States, allegedly, in an effort to remain president? | Will Republicans continue to stand behind Trump, as he sells out the United States, allegedly, in an effort to remain president? |
| Texas senator John Cornyn is on board this morning, in a rather confusing way, which confusion might be the point. Cornyn compares a current justice department probe of the roots of the Russia investigation, which itself is tendentious, to the Barack Obama-era FBI investigation of the Trump campaign. Same thing, Cornyn contends, no impeachment necessary. | Texas senator John Cornyn is on board this morning, in a rather confusing way, which confusion might be the point. Cornyn compares a current justice department probe of the roots of the Russia investigation, which itself is tendentious, to the Barack Obama-era FBI investigation of the Trump campaign. Same thing, Cornyn contends, no impeachment necessary. |
| But Trump does not face impeachment over a justice department investigation. He faces impeachment because he is allegedly pressuring foreign countries to tamper in the upcoming US election. (And so far as is publicly known, the justice department is not investigating “VP Biden conflicts of interest,” as Cornyn says.) | But Trump does not face impeachment over a justice department investigation. He faces impeachment because he is allegedly pressuring foreign countries to tamper in the upcoming US election. (And so far as is publicly known, the justice department is not investigating “VP Biden conflicts of interest,” as Cornyn says.) |
| Now, the Trump Justice Department is investigating foreign government influence, VP Biden conflicts of interest, and possible corruption, | Now, the Trump Justice Department is investigating foreign government influence, VP Biden conflicts of interest, and possible corruption, |
| Cornyn’s tweet underscores the stakes here. Trump does not need to convince all of America he’s not a criminal. He just needs to keep Republicans onside. | Cornyn’s tweet underscores the stakes here. Trump does not need to convince all of America he’s not a criminal. He just needs to keep Republicans onside. |
| For Trump to "win" he doesn't need to have a credible legal defense against the charges levied against him, he just needs to ensure 20 GOP Senators don't switch sides. It's about a political argument to their supporters. If they can be convinced by lies, fine. A win's a win. | For Trump to "win" he doesn't need to have a credible legal defense against the charges levied against him, he just needs to ensure 20 GOP Senators don't switch sides. It's about a political argument to their supporters. If they can be convinced by lies, fine. A win's a win. |
| Conservative commentator Matt Lewis thinks Republicans might turn on Trump: | Conservative commentator Matt Lewis thinks Republicans might turn on Trump: |
| As more info drops out, I’m starting to think there’s actually a *chance* Trump could lose 20 Senate Republicans. (The odds of this are still waaaay low, but this is the first time I’ve thought it was even within the realm of possibility.) | As more info drops out, I’m starting to think there’s actually a *chance* Trump could lose 20 Senate Republicans. (The odds of this are still waaaay low, but this is the first time I’ve thought it was even within the realm of possibility.) |
| But Trump’s normalizing technique to make his alleged crimes acceptable has been shown to be effective. | But Trump’s normalizing technique to make his alleged crimes acceptable has been shown to be effective. |
| Trump covers up his high Crimes until they’re exposed — then says “So what? I’ll do it again: here, watch me. See? That didn’t hurt so much, did it?” It’s a normalizing technique that works — until it doesn’t. | Trump covers up his high Crimes until they’re exposed — then says “So what? I’ll do it again: here, watch me. See? That didn’t hurt so much, did it?” It’s a normalizing technique that works — until it doesn’t. |
| Adam Schiff, the chairman of the intelligence committee, which is heading up the impeachment inquiry, replies to a Donald Trump tweet in which Trump claims he was acting against “corruption” when he used military aid and the promise of a White House visit to pressure the Ukrainian president to create a public spectacle that Trump could use to attack Joe Biden: | Adam Schiff, the chairman of the intelligence committee, which is heading up the impeachment inquiry, replies to a Donald Trump tweet in which Trump claims he was acting against “corruption” when he used military aid and the promise of a White House visit to pressure the Ukrainian president to create a public spectacle that Trump could use to attack Joe Biden: |
| It comes down to this.We’ve cut through the denials. The deflections. The nonsense.Donald Trump believes he can pressure a foreign nation to help him politically. It’s his “right.”Every Republican in Congress has to decide: Is he right? https://t.co/DpftzJ0ydN | It comes down to this.We’ve cut through the denials. The deflections. The nonsense.Donald Trump believes he can pressure a foreign nation to help him politically. It’s his “right.”Every Republican in Congress has to decide: Is he right? https://t.co/DpftzJ0ydN |
| Just how serious is Donald Trump in his worldwide quest to root out corruption, wherever it may arise? | Just how serious is Donald Trump in his worldwide quest to root out corruption, wherever it may arise? |
| Inside Trump's DC hotel, where allies and lobbyists flock to peddle their interests | Inside Trump's DC hotel, where allies and lobbyists flock to peddle their interests |
| Trump University: court upholds $25m settlement to give students' money back | Trump University: court upholds $25m settlement to give students' money back |
| Nepotism and corruption: the handmaidens of Trump's presidency | Jill Abramson | Nepotism and corruption: the handmaidens of Trump's presidency | Jill Abramson |
| FBI releases documents on Trump Organization after years of resistance | FBI releases documents on Trump Organization after years of resistance |
| How many of Donald Trump's advisers have been convicted? | How many of Donald Trump's advisers have been convicted? |
| New York tax authorities investigating Trump fraud allegations | New York tax authorities investigating Trump fraud allegations |
| Am getting tired of hearing about how "corrupt" Ukraine is. You know which country is corrupt? The United States. We have a president who is using the White House to make money, presidential children who are using their father's prestige to make money. | Am getting tired of hearing about how "corrupt" Ukraine is. You know which country is corrupt? The United States. We have a president who is using the White House to make money, presidential children who are using their father's prestige to make money. |
| With this new “rooting out corruption” line, the GOP is going all in on OJ’s search for the real killers https://t.co/qh2ghLd6sI | With this new “rooting out corruption” line, the GOP is going all in on OJ’s search for the real killers https://t.co/qh2ghLd6sI |
| Hello and welcome to our US politics live blog coverage. It’s Friday and the overnight news in the United States is big. | Hello and welcome to our US politics live blog coverage. It’s Friday and the overnight news in the United States is big. |
| Just before midnight Thursday, three House committees involved in the impeachment inquiry against Donald Trump released a letter advising colleagues of discoveries they had made over the course of nine hours of testimony that day by Kurt Volker, the former US special envoy to Ukraine. | Just before midnight Thursday, three House committees involved in the impeachment inquiry against Donald Trump released a letter advising colleagues of discoveries they had made over the course of nine hours of testimony that day by Kurt Volker, the former US special envoy to Ukraine. |
| Attached to the letter were six pages of transcripts of text messages among Volker; acting US ambassador to the Ukraine Bill Taylor; US ambassador to the European Union Gordon Sondland; and an aide to Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelinskiy. | Attached to the letter were six pages of transcripts of text messages among Volker; acting US ambassador to the Ukraine Bill Taylor; US ambassador to the European Union Gordon Sondland; and an aide to Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelinskiy. |
| The text messages capture a running conversation among the diplomats about how to fulfill a demand from “Potus” and his personal agent, Rudy Giuliani, that Zelinskiy make a public statement that Ukraine would investigate a company tied to Hunter Biden, Joe Biden’s son. | The text messages capture a running conversation among the diplomats about how to fulfill a demand from “Potus” and his personal agent, Rudy Giuliani, that Zelinskiy make a public statement that Ukraine would investigate a company tied to Hunter Biden, Joe Biden’s son. |
| In exchange for the public statement, the diplomats dangle an official White House invitation for Zelinskiy. Also on the table is a large military aid package for Ukraine that Donald Trump had suspended. | In exchange for the public statement, the diplomats dangle an official White House invitation for Zelinskiy. Also on the table is a large military aid package for Ukraine that Donald Trump had suspended. |
| While Volker and Sondland appear to scurry to seal the deal, (“I think Potus really wants the deliverable,” Sondland writes), Taylor uses the text exchange to memorialize what he believes is outrageous conduct. “As I said on the phone, I think it’s crazy to withhold security assistance for help with a political campaign,” he says in one text. | While Volker and Sondland appear to scurry to seal the deal, (“I think Potus really wants the deliverable,” Sondland writes), Taylor uses the text exchange to memorialize what he believes is outrageous conduct. “As I said on the phone, I think it’s crazy to withhold security assistance for help with a political campaign,” he says in one text. |
| Sondland replies, implausibly, that nobody is talking about a quid-pro-quo here. | Sondland replies, implausibly, that nobody is talking about a quid-pro-quo here. |
| Read our news coverage: | Read our news coverage: |
| US diplomats told Zelenskiy that Trump visit was dependent on Biden statement | US diplomats told Zelenskiy that Trump visit was dependent on Biden statement |
| At the center of the current impeachment inquiry against Trump is the allegation that he used the power of the presidency to wrest help for his political campaign from foreign countries. | At the center of the current impeachment inquiry against Trump is the allegation that he used the power of the presidency to wrest help for his political campaign from foreign countries. |
| Many people read the text exchange as jaw-droppingly powerful evidence of exactly that conduct. | Many people read the text exchange as jaw-droppingly powerful evidence of exactly that conduct. |
| All week I’ve been saying you never see direct written evidence of a quid pro quo. I stand corrected. https://t.co/DIWPEy5b0X | All week I’ve been saying you never see direct written evidence of a quid pro quo. I stand corrected. https://t.co/DIWPEy5b0X |
| ‘I think potus really wants the deliverable’ is going to go down in the history books along with ‘do us a favor though’ #ukraine | ‘I think potus really wants the deliverable’ is going to go down in the history books along with ‘do us a favor though’ #ukraine |
| Waking up to all of this new evidence. Shows impeachment constitutionally required. Damning and sad.This is just the first week of the investigation. Trump's factual defense has already collapsed. https://t.co/WU4V1tHwyo | Waking up to all of this new evidence. Shows impeachment constitutionally required. Damning and sad.This is just the first week of the investigation. Trump's factual defense has already collapsed. https://t.co/WU4V1tHwyo |
| The question at this point is how many times, and with how many foreign leaders, has Trump offered to alter US policy in exchange for help from abroad in interfering in US elections. | The question at this point is how many times, and with how many foreign leaders, has Trump offered to alter US policy in exchange for help from abroad in interfering in US elections. |
| A Note to US Gov't Employees:If you've seen illegal acts by Trump or Trump appointees & you keep it to yourself, not only are you failing in your responsibility to the country you're opening yourself up to liability & speculation about your motives.See something, say something. | A Note to US Gov't Employees:If you've seen illegal acts by Trump or Trump appointees & you keep it to yourself, not only are you failing in your responsibility to the country you're opening yourself up to liability & speculation about your motives.See something, say something. |
| Don’t call these texts dumb. Taylor was building a file. If we save the country, his determination to put the facts on record will be an important reason why. Sonderland not dumb either. He recognized what Taylor was doing and demanded Taylor cease. Which Taylor refused to do | Don’t call these texts dumb. Taylor was building a file. If we save the country, his determination to put the facts on record will be an important reason why. Sonderland not dumb either. He recognized what Taylor was doing and demanded Taylor cease. Which Taylor refused to do |
| Ambassadors Yovanovitch and Taylor are American heros. | Ambassadors Yovanovitch and Taylor are American heros. |
| Thanks for reading today. | Thanks for reading today. |