# 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:** 164
**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 25, 2019, 12:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-impeachment-inquiry/840771/3261 "2019-10-25T12:43:46Z")
> [@Walken\_After\_Midnight](#): > > I like how their body language changes from [this](https://i.imgur.com/EuAlOPB.png) to [this](https://i.imgur.com/NQhE1Jj.png). I should think that if those were placed side by side in a single frame they would make a lovely, how do the kids say it, meme. ---
**Author:** ![DesertDog](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/desertdog/32/11503_2.png) [@DesertDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DesertDog)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2019, 1:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-impeachment-inquiry/840771/3262 "2019-10-25T13:06:18Z")
> [@JohnT](#): > > 1. The idiots forgot to remove their smart phones, _and then started lying about what they were doing even while they were doing it_. Tweets from staff, indeed! (This is my favorite, and I’m assuming the transmission medium was telepathy: [https://twitter.com/RepAndyBiggsAZ/status/1187041850286379009?s=20](https://twitter.com/RepAndyBiggsAZ/status/1187041850286379009?s=20) ) Andy Biggs is representing Arizona’s [5th CD](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/32/Arizona_US_Congressional_District_5_%28since_2013%29.tif/lossless-page1-1920px-Arizona_US_Congressional_District_5_%28since_2013%29.tif.png), the western border of which is about a half-mile east of my house, praise G\*d. ---
**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 25, 2019, 1:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-impeachment-inquiry/840771/3263 "2019-10-25T13:18:43Z")
[Kyle Cheney](https://twitter.com/kyledcheney/status/1187717986263748608), _Politico_: > [@](#): > > NEW: A crucial witness in the impeachment inquiry, Tim MORRISON, intends ot testify on 10/31 if he receives a subpoena - an indication he’ll to cooperate even if the White House tries to block him. > > He’d be the first current WH official to testify: > … > Morrison is also the first official believed to have been on the July 25 call between Trump/Zelensky who will talk to impeachment investigators: ---
**Author:** ![JohnT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnt/32/15048_2.png) [@JohnT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnT)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2019, 1:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-impeachment-inquiry/840771/3264 "2019-10-25T13:37:35Z")
Single-sourced for now: “!!! John Bolton’s lawyers have consulted with the impeachment inquiry committees about a possible deposition.” > ---
**Author:** ![Fiveyearlurker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/da6949/32.png) [@Fiveyearlurker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fiveyearlurker)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2019, 1:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-impeachment-inquiry/840771/3265 "2019-10-25T13:39:29Z")
> [@elucidator](#): > > I think that, pretty soon, the Senate Pubbies will offer a deal: censure. I think pretty soon, Senate Republicans might approach Trump about resigning or announcing he is not seeking reelection. “You’ve made America great again despite the evil liberals witch hunt! We can’t guarantee that you won’t get convicted in the Senate, so let’s deny the evil liberals the impeachment they so badly want to drag your family through.” ---
**Author:** ![Akaj](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/akaj/32/145_2.png) [@Akaj](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Akaj)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2019, 2:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-impeachment-inquiry/840771/3266 "2019-10-25T14:05:37Z")
> [@Walken\_After\_Midnight](#): > > [Kyle Cheney](https://twitter.com/kyledcheney/status/1187717986263748608), _Politico_: NEW: A crucial witness in the impeachment inquiry, Tim MORRISON, intends ot testify on 10/31 if he receives a subpoena - an indication he’ll to cooperate even if the White House tries to block him. He’d be the first current WH official to testify: … Morrison is also the first official believed to have been on the July 25 call between Trump/Zelensky who will talk to impeachment investigators: Does the House committee have any prior indication as to what his testimony might contain? My paranoid brain imagines a Trojan Horse scenario where they’re expecting damaging testimony, but instead he says “I was on the call and it’s been completely mischaracterized …” and completely torpedoes the public perception of the inquiry. ---
**Author:** ![FlikTheBlue](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fliktheblue/32/10972_2.png) [@FlikTheBlue](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FlikTheBlue)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2019, 2:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-impeachment-inquiry/840771/3267 "2019-10-25T14:16:30Z")
Barr and John Durham, the US attorney for the district of Connecticut, have now turned the “investigation of the investigators” into a criminal matter. > **[Barr's investigation into origins of Trump-Russia probe is now a criminal...](https://www.cnn.com/2019/10/24/politics/barr-probe-russia-2016-criminal-investigation/index.html)** > > Attorney General William Barr's probe into the intelligence and origins of the 2016 Trump-Russia investigation is now a criminal investigation, according to a person familiar with the matter. Is it wrong that I hope both of those guys get added to the list of people that the House is investigating, on the charge of official abuse of power? ---
**Author:** ![Pleonast](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pleonast/32/1183_2.png) [@Pleonast](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pleonast)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2019, 2:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-impeachment-inquiry/840771/3268 "2019-10-25T14:22:49Z")
> [@Akaj](#): > > Does the House committee have any prior indication as to what his testimony might contain? My paranoid brain imagines a Trojan Horse scenario where they’re expecting damaging testimony, but instead he says “I was on the call and it’s been completely mischaracterized …” and completely torpedoes the public perception of the inquiry. Bolton is a “screw-you–I’ll-see-you-in-hell” sort of guy. He’s wrong-headed about nearly every policy issue, but I think he has personal standards. He head-butted with the president, left the administration in a huff, and won’t be intimidated about his testimony. ---
**Author:** ![Akaj](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/akaj/32/145_2.png) [@Akaj](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Akaj)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2019, 2:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-impeachment-inquiry/840771/3269 "2019-10-25T14:27:19Z")
> [@Pleonast](#): > > Bolton is a “screw-you–I’ll-see-you-in-hell” sort of guy. He’s wrong-headed about nearly every policy issue, but I think he has personal standards. He head-butted with the president, left the administration in a huff, and won’t be intimidated about his testimony. Right, but I was asking about Tim Morrison – the first current WH official to testify and “the first official believed to have been on the July 25 call.” ---
**Author:** ![Aspenglow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aspenglow/32/76_2.png) [@Aspenglow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aspenglow)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2019, 2:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-impeachment-inquiry/840771/3270 "2019-10-25T14:28:58Z")
> [@Pleonast](#): > > Bolton is a “screw-you–I’ll-see-you-in-hell” sort of guy. He’s wrong-headed about nearly every policy issue, but I think he has personal standards. He head-butted with the president, left the administration in a huff, and won’t be intimidated about his testimony. You’re right, but he’s talking about Tim Morrison. 🙂 **Akaj** , I doubt Morrison is going to be a fulsome witness for the investigation in the way that Ambassador Taylor was, due to his current position within the “administration.” But there are verbatim transcripts of the call that exist and Morrison is mindful of that. I expect Morrison to answer truthfully about whatever he is asked, but to volunteer as little as possible. ---
**Author:** ![Akaj](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/akaj/32/145_2.png) [@Akaj](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Akaj)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2019, 2:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-impeachment-inquiry/840771/3271 "2019-10-25T14:53:54Z")
> [@Aspenglow](#): > > You’re right, but he’s talking about Tim Morrison. 🙂 > > **Akaj** , I doubt Morrison is going to be a fulsome witness for the investigation in the way that Ambassador Taylor was, due to his current position within the “administration.” But there are verbatim transcripts of the call that exist and Morrison is mindful of that. **I expect Morrison to answer truthfully about whatever he is asked** , but to volunteer as little as possible. Bolding mine. That’s what worries me, knowing zero about him. If he’s a decent human being, he’ll tell the truth, but he’s an official in this White House, so we can’t take “decent” for granted. Morrison could utterly perjure himself, saying that the call was completely on the up-and-up, that the Bidens are dirty as sin and that the entire inquiry is a sham. Sure, eventually the verbatim transcripts will reveal him to be a liar, but meanwhile Trump and Fox News score a huge PR victory that fuels their conspiracy theories and witchhunt narratives for weeks. And would a perjurer who helps the Trump cause really suffer any consequences from the Barr DOJ? Have I mentioned I’m paranoid? ---
**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 25, 2019, 3:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-impeachment-inquiry/840771/3272 "2019-10-25T15:30:28Z")
From [Tim Morrison’s Wikipedia page](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tim_Morrison_(arms_control_expert)): > [@](#): > > Morrison is known as a “Bolton loyalist” and has been characterized as a “nuclear superhawk”. > … > He was a primary source of information regarding the matter to William B. Taylor, Jr., the acting US ambassador to Ukraine. ---
**Author:** ![Aspenglow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aspenglow/32/76_2.png) [@Aspenglow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aspenglow)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2019, 3:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-impeachment-inquiry/840771/3273 "2019-10-25T15:35:30Z")
> [@Akaj](#): > > Bolding mine. > > That’s what worries me, knowing zero about him. If he’s a decent human being, he’ll tell the truth, but he’s an official in this White House, so we can’t take “decent” for granted. > > Morrison could utterly perjure himself, saying that the call was completely on the up-and-up, that the Bidens are dirty as sin and that the entire inquiry is a sham. Sure, eventually the verbatim transcripts will reveal him to be a liar, but meanwhile Trump and Fox News score a huge PR victory that fuels their conspiracy theories and witchhunt narratives for weeks. And would a perjurer who helps the Trump cause really suffer any consequences from the Barr DOJ? > > Have I mentioned I’m paranoid? If ever there were a time to indulge in paranoia, I suppose this is it. But I think there are more reasonable extrapolations we can make. Not many people are willing to pull a Manafort and go to prison to protect a corrupt politician, especially one as corrupt as Trump. Remember, Trump already admitted what he is accused of just by releasing the call summary and stating it was a “perfect” call. Trump was cooked right there. Why would Morrison perjure himself in a situation where the facts are already so clear? My hope is that there is not going to be a Barr DOJ for much longer. Barr’s own corruption comes more into view every day. Nixon’s AG, John Mitchell, was actually convicted of crimes and did time for them in his own efforts to protect Nixon. Bush the Lesser’s AG, Alberto Gonzales, was forced to resign for engaging in similar baldly partisan acts. Barr himself made a serious misstep by failing to pursue an investigation into Trump’s Ukraine corruption – which is why the House is having to investigate it now. As I understand it, there were 3 separate referrals from within the “administration” for Barr to open an investigation due to obvious abuses of power by Trump. Barr buried them all. Oops. As for Barr failing to bring perjury charges against Morrison in the (unlikely in my opinion) event that he, Morrison, lies to Congress, the House has tools they have not yet used. Lying to Congress is a crime and the House can pursue remedies through its inherent contempt powers if they choose. They can even use those powers against Barr himself. Remember too that the Trump “administration” has attempted to forbid Morrison from testifying. He is defying that request and has made it clear he will cooperate so long as a subpoena is issued, as it has been. The House has chosen to use its powers lightly, and in my opinion, that is wise. They need public opinion on their side before using their big guns. Sure, the Fox “News” consumers will holler like stuck pigs – but they were going to holler no matter what. Plus what **Walken** said. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Akaj](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/akaj/32/145_2.png) [@Akaj](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Akaj)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2019, 3:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-impeachment-inquiry/840771/3274 "2019-10-25T15:36:19Z")
> [@Walken\_After\_Midnight](#): > > From [Tim Morrison’s Wikipedia page](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tim_Morrison_(arms_control_expert)): Morrison is known as a “Bolton loyalist” and has been characterized as a “nuclear superhawk”. … He was a primary source of information regarding the matter to William B. Taylor, Jr., the acting US ambassador to Ukraine. Thanks for the reassurance. What strange times … progressives such as myself cheering the testimony of a “nuclear superhawk” because his loyalty to an indiscriminate warmonger (or maybe, just maybe his respect for the law) exceeds his loyalty to the scumbag whose administration he serves. ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2019, 3:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-impeachment-inquiry/840771/3275 "2019-10-25T15:50:27Z")
> [@FlikTheBlue](#): > > Barr and John Durham, the US attorney for the district of Connecticut, have now turned the “investigation of the investigators” into a criminal matter. > > [https://www.cnn.com/2019/10/24/politics/barr-probe-russia-2016-criminal-investigation/index.html](https://www.cnn.com/2019/10/24/politics/barr-probe-russia-2016-criminal-investigation/index.html) > > Is it wrong that I hope both of those guys get added to the list of people that the House is investigating, on the charge of official abuse of power? The NYC Bar Association is already demanding [Barr recuse himself from the Ukraine investigation](https://www.foxnews.com/politics/william-barr-must-recuse-himself-from-ukraine-probe-new-york-city-bar-association-says). It’s not much, but it’s a shot across Barr’s bow to signal that his freedom to do whatever he wants isn’t unlimited. This being FoxNews, this tidbit was buried at the bottom of the article: > [@](#): > > The bar also suggested that Barr be forced to resign, face sanctions or be removed if he doesn’t recuse himself from the probe. ---
**Author:** ![Skypist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skypist/32/169_2.png) [@Skypist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skypist)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2019, 3:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-impeachment-inquiry/840771/3276 "2019-10-25T15:59:37Z")
Does the NYC Bar have any authority over Barr or are they just suggesting that somebody do something? ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2019, 4:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-impeachment-inquiry/840771/3277 "2019-10-25T16:01:33Z")
Here’s CNN Politics on why Bill Clinton’s impeachment playbook won’t work for Trump: [Trump: Why Bill Clinton's impeachment playbook won't work for the President | CNN Politics](https://www.cnn.com/2019/10/25/politics/donald-trump-impeachment-bill-clinton-republicans-democrats/index.html) ---
**Author:** ![Tired\_and\_Cranky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a87d85/32.png) [@Tired\_and\_Cranky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tired_and_Cranky)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2019, 4:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-impeachment-inquiry/840771/3278 "2019-10-25T16:02:08Z")
> [@Gyrate](#): > > The NYC Bar Association is already demanding [Barr recuse himself from the Ukraine investigation](https://www.foxnews.com/politics/william-barr-must-recuse-himself-from-ukraine-probe-new-york-city-bar-association-says). It’s not much, but it’s a shot across Barr’s bow to signal that his freedom to do whatever he wants isn’t unlimited. > > This being FoxNews, this tidbit was buried at the bottom of the article: It’s not only not much, it’s almost nothing. The NYC Bar has no official powers. It’s a social club. This is little more significant than saying “The Tulsa Ladies’ Auxiliary is calling for AG Barr to resign because he wore white shoes after Labor Day.” ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2019, 4:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-impeachment-inquiry/840771/3279 "2019-10-25T16:19:12Z")
> [@Tired\_and\_Cranky](#): > > It’s not only not much, it’s almost nothing. The NYC Bar has no official powers. It’s a social club. This is little more significant than saying “The Tulsa Ladies’ Auxiliary is calling for AG Barr to resign because he wore white shoes after Labor Day.” As well he should. Can you imagine Barr wearing white shoes at all? Too horrible to contemplate. ---
**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 25, 2019, 4:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-impeachment-inquiry/840771/3280 "2019-10-25T16:21:11Z")
> [@VinylTurnip](#): > > Do the Senate rules dictate which wrist gets slapped, or would he get to choose? Neither, but he gets to choose Al Dente or overcooked for the noodle. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-impeachment-inquiry/840771.md?page=163) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-impeachment-inquiry/840771.md?page=165)