# 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:** 263
**Author:** ![Ravenman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ravenman/32/2929_2.png) [@Ravenman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ravenman)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2019, 7:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-impeachment-inquiry/840771/5241 "2019-11-20T19:25:04Z")
> [@Jim\_Peebles](#): > > The Republicans need to list perfectly acceptable cases cases where foreign aid was conditioned on another country taking actions, and ask Sondland if those are “quid pro quos”, and also maybe ask him things like “is marriage a quid pro quo?” The sound bite is “Sondland said there was a quid pro quo”, but he may not be saying it is a nefarious quid pro quo. I’d love to hear all these other examples of conditioning foreign assistance on cooperation with political campaign activities. Whoever ordered those quid pro quos should also be thrown out of office. ---
**Author:** ![Euphonious\_Polemic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/euphonious_polemic/32/3002_2.png) [@Euphonious\_Polemic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Euphonious_Polemic)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2019, 7:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-impeachment-inquiry/840771/5242 "2019-11-20T19:26:08Z")
According to Seth Abramson: > [@](#): > > Mike Pompeo had planned to stay at State until early spring 2020, but he is now concerned that his connection to Mr. Trump, particularly through the impeachment inquiry, is hurting his reputation." ---
**Author:** ![MulderMuffin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/muldermuffin/32/2862_2.png) [@MulderMuffin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MulderMuffin)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2019, 7:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-impeachment-inquiry/840771/5243 "2019-11-20T19:26:52Z")
> [@Dr.Colossus](#): > > I guess Pompeo is[resigning since “Trump is hurting his reputation.”](https://twitter.com/SethAbramson/status/1197198439890784256) > > Can you imagine still believing Trump is #winning? Pompeo plans to resign?! That is big. ---
**Author:** ![MulderMuffin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/muldermuffin/32/2862_2.png) [@MulderMuffin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MulderMuffin)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2019, 7:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-impeachment-inquiry/840771/5244 "2019-11-20T19:36:51Z")
Tried to find more information on Pompeo. Looks like Pompeo himself has not said he is resigning out loud in public. People are saying that he plans to resign. Doesn’t mean it’s not true, depending on the reputations of the people saying it. But at this point it’s more of a rumor than a fact. Damn. I was excited for a minute. If we’re get an honest person in the DOJ they might actually investigate corruption. ---
**Author:** ![asahi](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asahi/32/8693_2.png) [@asahi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/asahi)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2019, 7:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-impeachment-inquiry/840771/5245 "2019-11-20T19:40:56Z")
My read on the Pompeo resignation rumors is that Trump and Pomp are having it out behind closed doors. Trump’s probably mad at Pompeo because of something Pompeo warned him not to do, but did anyway. I think it’s time now for a pitching change. Time for Schiff to go to the bullpen and bring in the closer: John Bolton. ---
**Author:** ![TroutMan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/troutman/32/6721_2.png) [@TroutMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TroutMan)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2019, 7:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-impeachment-inquiry/840771/5246 "2019-11-20T19:43:00Z")
Rudy posts a tweet and quickly deletes it. But not before everyone gets the [screen cap](https://twitter.com/Chinchillazllla/status/1197208399454330880). > [@](#): > > I came into this at Volker’s request. Sondland is speculating based on VERY little contact. I never met him and had very calls with him, mostly with Volker. > > Volker testified I answered their questions and described them as my opinions, NOT demands. I.E., no quid pro quo! Yeah, that makes about as much sense as anything Rudy says. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Stainless\_Steel\_Rat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_stainless_steel_rat/32/5727_2.png) [@The\_Stainless\_Steel\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Stainless_Steel_Rat)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2019, 7:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-impeachment-inquiry/840771/5247 "2019-11-20T19:45:14Z")
> [@MulderMuffin](#): > > Pompeo plans to resign?! That is big. Or not. From the Independent: [Mike Pompeo planning to resign because Trump ‘hurting his reputation’, report claims | The Independent | The Independent](https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-politics/mike-pompeo-resign-trump-administration-impeachment-state-department-senate-a9210191.html) > [@](#): > > However, State Department officials said Mr Pompeo has dismissed the story as “completely false” and insisted he is “100 per cent focused on being President Trump’s secretary of state.” And considering the testimony, has anyone heard from Rudy Giuliani today? ETA: see the above tweet; wonder if he’ll be on the Sunday interview shows this weekend… ---
**Author:** ![Euphonious\_Polemic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/euphonious_polemic/32/3002_2.png) [@Euphonious\_Polemic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Euphonious_Polemic)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2019, 7:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-impeachment-inquiry/840771/5248 "2019-11-20T19:47:43Z")
Sondland’s actual words today: > [@](#): > > Everyone was in the loop. It was no secret. Everyone was informed via email on July 19, days before the Presidential call. As I communicated to the team, I told President Zelensky in advance that assurances to ‘run a fully transparent investigation’ and ‘turn over every stone’ were necessary in his call with President Trump. > > “I know that members of this Committee have frequently framed these complicated issues in the form of a simple question: Was there a ‘quid pro quo?’ As I testified previously, with regard to the requested White House call and White House meeting, the answer is yes.” Fox News headline right now: > [@](#): > > Sondland implicates top officials on Ukraine, but says he ‘never heard’ quid pro quo from Trump OK then. That’s what they’re going with. “Are you going to believe us or your lying ears?” ---
**Author:** ![Fiveyearlurker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/da6949/32.png) [@Fiveyearlurker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fiveyearlurker)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2019, 7:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-impeachment-inquiry/840771/5249 "2019-11-20T19:51:32Z")
I love that they are asking whether the guy who contributed 1 M to Trump’s inauguration knows what a quid pro quo is. ---
**Author:** ![guizot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guizot/32/3636_2.png) [@guizot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/guizot)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2019, 7:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-impeachment-inquiry/840771/5250 "2019-11-20T19:54:54Z")
Who’s that schizo street person that keeps getting to the mic and ranting about something or other? Why can’t security ever stop him? Oh wait–that’s Gym Jordan. ---
**Author:** ![CairoCarol](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cairocarol/32/3825_2.png) [@CairoCarol](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CairoCarol)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2019, 7:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-impeachment-inquiry/840771/5251 "2019-11-20T19:54:54Z")
Alright, I’ve been resisting the urge to post this for quite some time now, but … am I the only one who thinks Sondland bears more than a passing resemblance to [the Great Vizzini?](https://www.google.com/search?as_st=y&tbm=isch&hl=en&as_q=&as_epq=the+great+vizzini&as_oq=&as_eq=&imgar=&imgcolor=&imgtype=&cr=&as_sitesearch=&safe=images&as_filetype=&as_rights=#imgrc=OCS6uEVvdrawRM:) ---
**Author:** ![Euphonious\_Polemic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/euphonious_polemic/32/3002_2.png) [@Euphonious\_Polemic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Euphonious_Polemic)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2019, 8:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-impeachment-inquiry/840771/5252 "2019-11-20T20:01:21Z")
> [@CairoCarol](#): > > Alright, I’ve been resisting the urge to post this for quite some time now, but … am I the only one who thinks Sondland bears more than a passing resemblance to [the Great Vizzini?](https://www.google.com/search?as_st=y&tbm=isch&hl=en&as_q=&as_epq=the+great+vizzini&as_oq=&as_eq=&imgar=&imgcolor=&imgtype=&cr=&as_sitesearch=&safe=images&as_filetype=&as_rights=#imgrc=OCS6uEVvdrawRM:) Why that’s… that’s… INCONCEIVABLE!! ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Colossus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr.colossus/32/9423_2.png) [@Dr.Colossus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Colossus)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2019, 8:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-impeachment-inquiry/840771/5253 "2019-11-20T20:03:08Z")
> [@The\_Stainless\_Steel\_Rat](#): > > Or not. From the Independent: [Mike Pompeo planning to resign because Trump ‘hurting his reputation’, report claims | The Independent | The Independent](https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-politics/mike-pompeo-resign-trump-administration-impeachment-state-department-senate-a9210191.html) > > And considering the testimony, has anyone heard from Rudy Giuliani today? ETA: see the above tweet; wonder if he’ll be on the Sunday interview shows this weekend… Anyone know off-hand if there’s been any history of Trump’s appointees getting sideways with him and it leaking they plan to resign, only to deny that leak, all just to actually resign imminently? ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2019, 8:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-impeachment-inquiry/840771/5254 "2019-11-20T20:05:00Z")
A concise analogy of the arguments by Nunes, Jordan, et al: > [@](#): > > “The defense of Trump resembles the Star Wars saga: a universe of storytelling, in multiple parts, much of it comprehensible only if you venture beyond the visual franchise to a huge appendix of fan fiction and Wikipedia pages.” > **[Devin Nunes Is Living in a Fantasyland](https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2019/11/devin-nunes-attack-press-misguided/602347/)** > > The representative’s claims about stories reporting on the Trump administration are part of a universe of untruth. ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2019, 8:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-impeachment-inquiry/840771/5255 "2019-11-20T20:07:44Z")
Remember the Republican convention, when the nomination speech for Trump was given by Jar-Jar Binks? ---
**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:** [November 20, 2019, 8:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-impeachment-inquiry/840771/5256 "2019-11-20T20:10:34Z")
“Vote your conscience”. Yes, yes I do. Stirring speech! ---
**Author:** ![asahi](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asahi/32/8693_2.png) [@asahi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/asahi)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2019, 8:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-impeachment-inquiry/840771/5257 "2019-11-20T20:13:53Z")
> **[Analysis after Gordon Sondland, Laura Cooper and David Hale's impeachment...](https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/trump-impeachment-inquiry/live-blog/nov-20-impeachment-hearings-live-updates-n1086301/ncrd1086786#liveBlogHeader)** > > Ambassador Gordon Sondland, Defense Department official Laura Cooper and State Dept. official David Hale testified Wednesday about Trump and Ukraine. > [@](#): > > Goldman pointed out that one thing Holmes testified that he had overheard was Sondland telling Trump that Zelenskiy “loves your ass.” > > Sondland replied, smiling, “That’s how Trump and I communicate … a lot of four-letter words.” > > “In this case, three letters,” he added. It sorta reminded me of the “Yeah, the family had a lotta buffers” scene in the Godfather II. [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/aK9OgXRDXxs/maxresdefault.jpg "Buffers") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aK9OgXRDXxs) ---
**Author:** ![Sage\_Rat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sage_rat/32/399_2.png) [@Sage\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sage_Rat)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2019, 8:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-impeachment-inquiry/840771/5258 "2019-11-20T20:19:13Z")
> [@Max\_S](#): > > Then I will be disappointed. But in the likely case that the administration didn’t have legitimate investigations running, the point is moot. > > ~Max I suspect that you will find that the DOJ has been asked to testify and has refused. Adam Schiff is neither magical nor is he a genius hacker who can break into DOJ systems to see what all things they are or are not working on. On the other hand, we can reasonably assume that the Republican attorney can and will be supplied with any and all material which would be useful to him in putting forward a defense and he has almost certainly sent requests for the types of exonerating materials that should exist if the President was acting in an above-board manner. If it existed, he would ask the individuals who could present that information - e.g. members of the DOJ - to answer their subpoenas and come forward to testify. If it didn’t exist… Then we would see what we are seeing. This is how Obstruction of Justice works. It prevents the investigators from being able to make a case - positive or negative. It’s unreasonable to put the blame on them for incompleteness, when they’re being denied the ability to do their job. ---
**Author:** ![Sage\_Rat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sage_rat/32/399_2.png) [@Sage\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sage_Rat)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2019, 8:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-impeachment-inquiry/840771/5259 "2019-11-20T20:24:02Z")
> [@Fear\_Itself](#): > > A concise analogy of the arguments by Nunes, Jordan, et al: > [Devin Nunes's Attack on the Press Is Misguided - The Atlantic](https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2019/11/devin-nunes-attack-press-misguided/602347/) I wouldn’t say that “tldr” is a rebuttal of an argument that should be endorsed. ---
**Author:** ![Sage\_Rat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sage_rat/32/399_2.png) [@Sage\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sage_Rat)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2019, 8:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-impeachment-inquiry/840771/5260 "2019-11-20T20:26:56Z")
> [@Fiveyearlurker](#): > > I love that they are asking whether the guy who contributed 1 M to Trump’s inauguration knows what a quid pro quo is. One does feel like this would be a good moment for the FBI to start talking to Sondland about a non-prosecution deal for cooperation on the Inauguration investigation. He seems to have recently seen the light that going to jail ain’t no fun. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-impeachment-inquiry/840771.md?page=262) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-impeachment-inquiry/840771.md?page=264)