# The Trump Impeachment Inquiry **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [September 24, 2019, 8:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-impeachment-inquiry/840771 "2019-09-24T20:23:47Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 148
**Author:** ![Fiddle\_Peghead](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fiddle_peghead/32/3506_2.png) [@Fiddle\_Peghead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fiddle_Peghead)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2019, 8:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-impeachment-inquiry/840771/2941 "2019-10-17T20:36:55Z")
> [@jsc1953](#): > > As I understand it: Trump has asked Ukraine to investigate 2 things, equally stupid and equally illegal: 1) dirt on the Bidens and 2) corroboration of the conspiracy theory that it was Ukraine, not Russia, that was behind the hack of the DNC servers in 2016 – and that the server itself may actually physically be in Ukrainian hands. \*\* Mulvaney admitted to the quid pro quo for the latter, but not the former.\*\* And this is not an insignificant distinction. My best guess as to their strategy: admit to this in regard to 2016. Who could argue with that, trying to get Ukraine to look into possible election fraud and the like? Get the idea ingrained in the American public that quid pro quos are by definition always good. Once that is done, a quid pro quo for the Biden investigation is all the more palatable, so they then acknowledge that that also happened, but hey, it was _all_for the good of the country. Need I stress that this is my idea of the Trump admins strategy and the above is how _they_ are thinking… ---
**Author:** ![jasg](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f0a364/32.png) [@jasg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jasg)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2019, 8:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-impeachment-inquiry/840771/2942 "2019-10-17T20:37:43Z")
> [@jasg](#): > > The guy at the end of the table is Robert C. O’Brien, Bolton’s replacement. Still haven’t ID’d the two in between O’Brien and Gen. Milley. Nope. Not O’Brien. It is Cipollone. So, to the right of Trump: Chairman Milley , Leader McConnell (face hidden), Dep. Sec. State John Sullivan, Minority Whip Steve Scalise and White House counsel Pat Cipollone (face partially hidden). > **[Analysis | Who was in the White House photo of the ‘meltdown’ meeting, annotated](https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2019/10/17/who-was-white-house-photo-meltdown-meeting-annotated/)** > > The Fix analyzes the reactions of everyone in the photo President Trump tweeted out of the White House “meltdown” meeting. ---
**Author:** ![Fiddle\_Peghead](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fiddle_peghead/32/3506_2.png) [@Fiddle\_Peghead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fiddle_Peghead)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2019, 8:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-impeachment-inquiry/840771/2943 "2019-10-17T20:40:24Z")
> [@Akaj](#): > > Maybe this is why he thought the call was “perfect” – because he so subtly got his demands across without saying the word “money.” Such a clever devil, he. Maybe. I don’t know what Trump thinks. But sure, that’s possible. ---
**Author:** ![Fiddle\_Peghead](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fiddle_peghead/32/3506_2.png) [@Fiddle\_Peghead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fiddle_Peghead)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2019, 8:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-impeachment-inquiry/840771/2944 "2019-10-17T20:45:08Z")
> [@HurricaneDitka](#): > > Is pursuing any policy objective that might benefit the president in a re-election campaign “using his office for personal gain” in your eyes? No. That would be ridiculous. You would need some reason to believe that an important motive was the personal gain. Btw, to me trying to discredit Biden fits the bill here. ---
**Author:** ![bobot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bobot/32/21622_2.png) [@bobot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bobot)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2019, 8:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-impeachment-inquiry/840771/2945 "2019-10-17T20:59:04Z")
> [@Ravenman](#): > > [Also Mick Mulvaney, clearing up another matter.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qnttBhGVytc) Thanks for the laugh! ---
**Author:** ![bobot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bobot/32/21622_2.png) [@bobot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bobot)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2019, 9:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-impeachment-inquiry/840771/2946 "2019-10-17T21:02:22Z")
> [@Fiddle\_Peghead](#): > > … > My best guess as to their strategy: admit to this in regard to 2016. Who could argue with that, trying to get Ukraine to look into possible election fraud and the like? … I could. Anything they’d like investigated can be left in the hands of the AMERICAN investigative agencies. Period. Really. If any help is needed from other countries, that can be dealt with by the FBI, CIA etc. Not the friggin white house and their friends. ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2019, 9:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-impeachment-inquiry/840771/2947 "2019-10-17T21:11:07Z")
> [@bobot](#): > > I could. Anything they’d like investigated can be left in the hands of the AMERICAN investigative agencies. Period. Really. If any help is needed from other countries, that can be dealt with by the FBI, CIA etc. Not the friggin white house and their friends. You misspelled “sycophants”. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![I\_Love\_Me\_Vol.I](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/i_love_me_vol.i/32/521_2.png) [@I\_Love\_Me\_Vol.I](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/I_Love_Me_Vol.I)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2019, 9:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-impeachment-inquiry/840771/2948 "2019-10-17T21:48:28Z")
> [@](#): > > Originally Posted by I Love Me, Vol. I View Post > Is it Pence yet? > [@drad\_dog](#): > > [Impeachment inquiry: Mike Pence refuses to give Democrats documents](https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2019/10/15/impeachment-inquiry-mike-pence-refuses-give-democrats-documents/3991036002/) > > He’s refusing to cooperate. Hmmm… so Martyr Mikey is throwing _himself_ under the bus. OK: Is it Pelosi yet? ---
**Author:** ![John\_Stamos\_Left\_Ear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_stamos_left_ear/32/3198_2.png) [@John\_Stamos\_Left\_Ear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Stamos_Left_Ear)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2019, 9:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-impeachment-inquiry/840771/2949 "2019-10-17T21:56:42Z")
This isn’t an article from May, **KidCharlemagne**. > [@MulderMuffin](#): > > It has been my observation that almost every time Pelosi comes to the mike for her weekly press conference she begins with a recital of what bills the House is currently working on. > > But that’s not what the reporters want to talk about. As soon as she was done speaking the questions about impeachment started coming fast and furious. She almost pleaded for them to as questions about the bills that were being discussed. > > Oct 15 > > And again, they reporters only ask about impeachment inquiry proceedings: > > There weren’t. > > They’re working on legislation. They’re trying to talk about their work on legislation. But there is absolutely no interest from the press in reporting on it. ---
**Author:** ![drad\_dog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/aeb1de/32.png) [@drad\_dog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drad_dog)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2019, 10:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-impeachment-inquiry/840771/2950 "2019-10-17T22:10:31Z")
> [@I\_Love\_Me\_Vol.I](#): > > Hmmm… so Martyr Mikey is throwing _himself_ under the bus. OK: > > Is it Pelosi yet? OK so you are referring to succession and not “time in the barrell”? ---
**Author:** ![Fiveyearlurker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/da6949/32.png) [@Fiveyearlurker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fiveyearlurker)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2019, 10:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-impeachment-inquiry/840771/2951 "2019-10-17T22:10:58Z")
Mulvaney now saying that he didn’t say what we heard him say. ---
**Author:** ![Fiveyearlurker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/da6949/32.png) [@Fiveyearlurker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fiveyearlurker)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2019, 10:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-impeachment-inquiry/840771/2952 "2019-10-17T22:13:43Z")
> [@Fiddle\_Peghead](#): > > And this is not an insignificant distinction. > > My best guess as to their strategy: admit to this in regard to 2016. Who could argue with that, trying to get Ukraine to look into possible election fraud and the like? Get the idea ingrained in the American public that quid pro quos are by definition always good. Once that is done, a quid pro quo for the Biden investigation is all the more palatable, so they then acknowledge that that also happened, but hey, it was _all_for the good of the country. > > Need I stress that this is my idea of the Trump admins strategy and the above is how _they_ are thinking… He specifically said that the investigation was in reference to an opponent: _“Just to clarify… this is about investigating political opponents. Are you saying–” Mul: “The DNC server–” “Are you saying it’s okay to hold up aid and require a foreign gov’t to investigate an opponent?” … Mul: “That’s just bizarre to me that you think you can’t do that.”_ Also, on edit, Mulvaney releases a statement saying that he didn’t say what he said. ---
**Author:** ![bobot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bobot/32/21622_2.png) [@bobot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bobot)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2019, 10:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-impeachment-inquiry/840771/2953 "2019-10-17T22:15:56Z")
> [@Fiveyearlurker](#): > > Mulvaney now saying that he didn’t say what we heard him say. Oh yeah, you knew that was coming. A wise, drunk man recently wondered: (Drunk in general, sober at work during the wondering) > [@bobot](#): > > So is this the part where Mulvaney claims that what he said was not what he said and that the press is mean? > > ETA: Also, a loophole: > _"Senior DOJ official, reacting to Mulvaney: "If the White House was withholding aid in regards to the cooperation of any investigation at the Department of Justice, that is news to us.”_ > > _Yeah, the investigation was requested of Ukraine, not the Dept. of Justice._ ---
**Author:** ![Rick\_Kitchen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rick_kitchen/32/522_2.png) [@Rick\_Kitchen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rick_Kitchen)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2019, 10:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-impeachment-inquiry/840771/2954 "2019-10-17T22:37:33Z")
Elijah Cummings was signing subpoenas on his hospital bed. [https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-politics/elijah-cummings-trump-impeachment-death-subpoena-house-investigation-baltimore-a9160436.html](https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-politics/elijah-cummings-trump-impeachment-death-subpoena-house-investigation-baltimore-a9160436.html)? ---
**Author:** ![Walken\_After\_Midnight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/b487fb/32.png) [@Walken\_After\_Midnight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Walken_After_Midnight)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2019, 10:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-impeachment-inquiry/840771/2955 "2019-10-17T22:59:18Z")
[Alex Mallin](https://twitter.com/alex_mallin/status/1184906033183023106), _ABC News_: > [@](#): > > A senior DOJ official has now provided this statement to reporters further distancing the department from Mulvaney’s comments: “If the White House was withholding aid in regards to the cooperation of any investigation at the Department of Justice, that is news to us.” ---
**Author:** ![bobot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bobot/32/21622_2.png) [@bobot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bobot)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2019, 11:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-impeachment-inquiry/840771/2956 "2019-10-17T23:28:10Z")
Right. Because no one requested any mother fucking investigation that was to be done by the Dept. of Justice. The ONLY request for an investigation was made to Ukraine. (Tap, Tap) Is this thing on? ---
**Author:** ![ThelmaLou](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thelmalou/32/390_2.png) [@ThelmaLou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThelmaLou)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2019, 11:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-impeachment-inquiry/840771/2957 "2019-10-17T23:52:37Z")
> [@Walken\_After\_Midnight](#): > > [Alex Mallin](https://twitter.com/alex_mallin/status/1184906033183023106), _ABC News_: > > > [@](#): > > > > A senior DOJ official has now provided this statement to reporters further distancing the department from Mulvaney’s comments: “If the White House was withholding aid in regards to the cooperation of any investigation at the Department of Justice, that is news to us.” “Donald Trump? Never heard of him. This is the G.W. Bush administration, isn’t it? I’ve been away…” ---
**Author:** ![I\_Love\_Me\_Vol.I](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/i_love_me_vol.i/32/521_2.png) [@I\_Love\_Me\_Vol.I](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/I_Love_Me_Vol.I)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2019, 11:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-impeachment-inquiry/840771/2958 "2019-10-17T23:53:17Z")
> [@Ravenman](#): > > You’re saying that Ukraine NEVER knew that they were supposed to provide political dirt on Biden to get the aid Congress intended to provide them? You guys sure like piling on **Ditka**. The whole impeachment investigation is steeped in legal language and gray area exploitation (even if it’s not technically a process of the Law). It seems to me that **Ditka** is taking a bit of a Devil’s Advocate position or perhaps make that “Trump’s Advocate” or maybe just “ **Ditka** ’s Advocate”. Whatever it is IMO, in this thread he’s offering up examples of the weak points (as he sees them) in the case against Trump. IMO, Trump misused the power of his office to benefit himself. I wonder if\*\* Ditka\*\* would totally disagree with the _spirit_ of my opinion (though I won’t ask him to do the SDMB equivalent of a MSNBC Dem debate “raise your hand if…” gotcha question) or, if he is mostly confining his argument here to the “letter of the law” like an attorney would do. I think it’s fair to say there’s not yet an open-and-shut-case against Trump (vis-a-vis the “letter of the law”). At the same time anyone looking at what is publicly known to have happened might reasonably reach the opinion that POTUS acted in such a way that an inquiry into impeachment and maybe even impeachment itself is warranted. ---
**Author:** ![Sherrerd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sherrerd/32/8_2.png) [@Sherrerd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sherrerd)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2019, 11:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-impeachment-inquiry/840771/2959 "2019-10-17T23:56:09Z")
> [@bobot](#): > > I could. Anything they’d like investigated can be left in the hands of the AMERICAN investigative agencies. Period. Really. If any help is needed from other countries, that can be dealt with by the FBI, CIA etc. Not the friggin white house and their friends. That, of course, is the biggest source of trouble for those Trump enablers who want to pretend that this is all above board. If a President wants to “investigate corruption” in a nation voted aid by the Congress, then he has official channels through which to launch that investigation. Clearly, that is not what Trump’s interactions with Ukraine were about. And the efforts by some to pretend otherwise are ridiculously ineffectual. > [@Fiveyearlurker](#): > > “Did he also mention to me the corruption related to the DNC server? Absolutely. No question about it. But that’s it. That’s why we held up the money…Get over it. There’s going to be political influence in foreign policy.” > > They held up the money to investigate the DNC. Quid pro quo against his political opponent, the DNC. > > Trump’s people are now d[istancing themselves](https://twitter.com/Acosta/status/1184914782253699072)from Mulvaney: > > _"Trump outside attorney Jay Sekulow to CNN: “The legal team was not involved in the Acting Chief of Staff’s press briefing.”_ There is a theory floating around that Mulvaney—possibly unconsciously—is trying to hurry the day when his fellow-fundamentalist Mike Pence will assume the Presidency. Of course that would require a belief that Mulvaney knows Pence to be free and clear of all the, er, excrement. I’m not sure if I buy that; Pence does appear to be at least somewhat immersed in the, er, ordure. There’s also the theory that White House denizens (Stephen Miller? Ivanka?) have decided that the ‘say it out in the open and that proves it’s perfectly okay’ tactic will work. (As previously mentioned in this thread.) But of course that theory has to simply ignore the complication that they’ve been lying about the wrongdoing for weeks…making the ‘we did it in the open so that means it’s fine’ claim rather dubious. Personally I think Mulvaney’s brain just decided for him, independent of his will, _enough is enough: we’re getting out of here, and admitting this will get us fired, and that will be better than spending one more day watching that idiot scream and drool._ ---
**Author:** ![CarnalK](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnalk/32/486_2.png) [@CarnalK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CarnalK)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2019, 12:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-impeachment-inquiry/840771/2960 "2019-10-18T00:07:34Z")
> [@I\_Love\_Me\_Vol.I](#): > > You guys sure like piling on **Ditka**. > > The whole impeachment investigation is steeped in legal language and\*\* gray area exploitation\*\* (My emphasis) What do you mean? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-impeachment-inquiry/840771.md?page=147) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-impeachment-inquiry/840771.md?page=149)