# 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:** 293
**Author:** ![Moriarty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/moriarty/32/49_2.png) [@Moriarty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Moriarty)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2019, 2:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-impeachment-inquiry/840771/5841 "2019-12-02T02:31:48Z")
> [@drad\_dog](#): > > What do you mean here? > > You think it matters whether turnp decided to do this without prompting, or was given the idea by rudy? They are pretty much equally reprehensible in any sense that matters for our politics. Also to a judge or jury they aren’t very different. Yeah, I’m not seeing a difference. It’d be like debating whether Nixon decided to bug his opponents or one of his staffers gave him the idea. It’s trivial. I’m completely willing to accept that Rudy is whispering nutty conspiracy theories in Donald’s ear, and Trump laps them up, because in his addled brain they _should_ be true since they are to his advantage. And I also bet that Putin is confirming similar nonsense when he and Trump surreptitiously speak, in part because Russia is responsible for some of the misinformation. None of that absolves Trump of anything. ---
**Author:** ![Chisquirrel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6bbea6/32.png) [@Chisquirrel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chisquirrel)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2019, 4:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-impeachment-inquiry/840771/5842 "2019-12-02T04:23:26Z")
> [@Fiddle\_Peghead](#): > > In that I said that during a discussion of the impeachment hearings, I would think it obvious that I meant during the time period of the hearings. I guess it was not obvious, so thanks for allowing me to make that clear. The hearings that are still ongoing? ---
**Author:** ![Fiveyearlurker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/da6949/32.png) [@Fiveyearlurker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fiveyearlurker)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2019, 2:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-impeachment-inquiry/840771/5843 "2019-12-02T14:26:46Z")
I just don’t get the “it’s not impeachable” defense at all. He cheated in the 2020 election. If you cheat in an election, you don’t get to say that we should all have to rely on the tainted election to decide your fate. ---
**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:** [December 2, 2019, 5:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-impeachment-inquiry/840771/5844 "2019-12-02T17:19:20Z")
> [@Fiveyearlurker](#): > > I just don’t get the “it’s not impeachable” defense at all. He cheated in the 2020 election. If you cheat in an election, you don’t get to say that we should all have to rely on the tainted election to decide your fate. Apparently nothing that happens in the 18 months before an election – even if it’s an effort to cheat in that election – counts anymore. See: Merrick Garland. ---
**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:** [December 3, 2019, 12:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-impeachment-inquiry/840771/5845 "2019-12-03T00:16:40Z")
[Josh Gerstein](https://twitter.com/joshgerstein/status/1201627676265435136), _Politico_: > [@](#): > > BREAKING: Judge denies Trump admin request to stay order requiring McGahn to appear for testimony. Also flays DOJ, calling its arguments ‘disingenuous’ & ‘unacceptable mischaracterization’. Doc: _Axios_: [GOP impeachment report claims Trump did nothing wrong](https://www.axios.com/republican-impeachment-report-trump-quid-pro-quo-b959b349-e353-475e-87c4-429f76362300.html) > [@](#): > > President Trump committed “no quid pro quo, bribery, extortion, or abuse of power,” Republicans on the House committees investigating the Ukraine controversy have concluded in a 110-page report reviewed by Axios ahead of its formal release. _[Includes 110-page report]_ ---
**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:** [December 3, 2019, 3:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-impeachment-inquiry/840771/5846 "2019-12-03T03:13:22Z")
> [@Walken\_After\_Midnight](#): > > _Axios_: [GOP impeachment report claims Trump did nothing wrong](https://www.axios.com/republican-impeachment-report-trump-quid-pro-quo-b959b349-e353-475e-87c4-429f76362300.html) Having glanced at it, Nunes seems to have been smart enough, this time around, to let someone smarter than himself do most of the writing. But, on the whole, it seems to be 110 pages of denial. I’ll leave it to someone else to hunt through it for something like evidence of innocence. My feeling is like that’s liable to be an effort of futility. ---
**Author:** ![Kolak\_of\_Twilo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kolak_of_twilo/32/73_2.png) [@Kolak\_of\_Twilo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kolak_of_Twilo)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2019, 3:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-impeachment-inquiry/840771/5847 "2019-12-03T03:17:09Z")
> [@Walken\_After\_Midnight](#): > > [Josh Gerstein](https://twitter.com/joshgerstein/status/1201627676265435136), _Politico_: > > > [@](#): > > > > BREAKING: Judge denies Trump admin request to stay order requiring McGahn to appear for testimony. Also flays DOJ, calling its arguments ‘disingenuous’ & ‘unacceptable mischaracterization’. Doc: [Here is a direct link to the decision](https://www.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.dcd.210013/gov.uscourts.dcd.210013.53.0_3.pdf). Only 17 pages and it is a fun read. The judge isn’t having any of DOJ’s bullshit. ---
**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:** [December 3, 2019, 3:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-impeachment-inquiry/840771/5848 "2019-12-03T03:25:24Z")
> [@Sage\_Rat](#): > > Having glanced at it, Nunes seems to have been smart enough, this time around, to let someone smarter than himself do most of the writing. > > But, on the whole, it seems to be 110 pages of denial. I’ll leave it to someone else to hunt through it for something like evidence of innocence. My feeling is like that’s liable to be an effort of futility. I haven’t read it but as I understand it the Republican strategy is to claim that he had legitimate concerns that the Ukraine was corrupt. Never mind that all of his actions and words were more about finding out if the bidens were corrupt. That’s their story and they’re evidently going to stick to it. Sent from my SM-G935P using Tapatalk ---
**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:** [December 3, 2019, 3:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-impeachment-inquiry/840771/5849 "2019-12-03T03:40:06Z")
> [@John\_Stamos\_Left\_Ear](#): > > I haven’t read it but as I understand it the Republican strategy is to claim that he had legitimate concerns that the Ukraine was corrupt. Never mind that all of his actions and words were more about finding out if the bidens were corrupt. That’s their story and they’re evidently going to stick to it. > > Sent from my SM-G935P using Tapatalk And, as said, I welcome anyone to find any evidence to support the position statement in the document. ---
**Author:** ![squeegee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/squeegee/32/14537_2.png) [@squeegee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/squeegee)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2019, 5:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-impeachment-inquiry/840771/5850 "2019-12-03T05:42:24Z")
> [@Kolak\_of\_Twilo](#): > > [Here is a direct link to the decision](https://www.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.dcd.210013/gov.uscourts.dcd.210013.53.0_3.pdf). Only 17 pages and it is a fun read. The judge isn’t having any of DOJ’s bullshit. The story I read is that: A) The **Fed circuit** judge says, nope: you have to respond to the subpoena, like _right now_. B) The **Fed appeals** court has put the case on “administrative hold”, arguments scheduled for Jan 3. Does that mean that McGahn must testify **now** , or has the can been kicked to Jan 3? It’s two different courts. 😕 ---
**Author:** ![Kolak\_of\_Twilo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kolak_of_twilo/32/73_2.png) [@Kolak\_of\_Twilo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kolak_of_Twilo)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2019, 9:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-impeachment-inquiry/840771/5851 "2019-12-03T09:50:33Z")
> [@squeegee](#): > > Does that mean that McGahn must testify **now** , or has the can been kicked to Jan 3? It’s two different courts. 😕 IANAL, so I could be wrong, but my reading of it is something along the lines of, DOJ’s arguments are so weak and unlikely to succeed on appeal that McGahn has to testify NOW. Part of the reasoning seems to be that since he already testified under oath for Mueller there is little or no harm that can happen if he appears before a congressional committee exercising their constitutional investigative authority. The entire opinion seems to me a big slap down to Barr and pretty much says the idea of all encompassing immunity for the executive is bullshit. I await input from any of our lawyers to correct me if I have this wrong. ---
**Author:** ![Fiveyearlurker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/da6949/32.png) [@Fiveyearlurker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fiveyearlurker)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2019, 2:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-impeachment-inquiry/840771/5852 "2019-12-03T14:57:32Z")
Sit back and realize that the Republican party’s actual defense is that Trump was so singularly concerned about Ukrainian corruption that he enlisted the Ukrainian government to investigate corruption in the United States. In what world does this make any sense? ---
**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:** [December 3, 2019, 3:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-impeachment-inquiry/840771/5853 "2019-12-03T15:10:53Z")
[Katherine Faulders](https://twitter.com/KFaulders/status/1201829476172214273), _ABC News_: > [@](#): > > Today in impeachment — House Intel members will continue viewing the impeachment report behind closed doors. I’m told it’s approx 175 pages long. The Intel committee will vote on the report around 6pm and it will be made public shortly thereafter. [David M. Drucker](https://twitter.com/DavidMDrucker/status/1201837136057655296), _Washington Examiner_: > [@](#): > > NEW: Congressional Republicans are gradually embracing the claim of Ukrainian interference in the 2016 election, concluding the allegation is the most politically expedient way to defend @realDonaldTrump against #impeachment. [https://washex.am/2PbkwNA](https://washex.am/2PbkwNA)@dcexaminer [_NYT_](https://twitter.com/ilyamarritz/status/1201877153769541633): > [@](#): > > “The Zelensky administration, Ms. Zerkal said, is most concerned about placating Mr. Trump, having decided that the impeachment inquiry will fail in the Senate and that Mr. Trump could be re-elected.” ---
**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:** [December 3, 2019, 3:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-impeachment-inquiry/840771/5854 "2019-12-03T15:47:40Z")
> [@Fiveyearlurker](#): > > Sit back and realize that the Republican party’s actual defense is that Trump was so singularly concerned about Ukrainian corruption that he enlisted the Ukrainian government to investigate corruption in the United States. In what world does this make any sense? It makes sense in a world where Putin has enough compromat on senior Republican leaders to make it so. Republican politicians are now fully embracing obvious Russian propaganda, and repeating it for the media. They are Russian assets. ---
**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:** [December 3, 2019, 4:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-impeachment-inquiry/840771/5855 "2019-12-03T16:00:09Z")
Emphasis on “ass.” ---
**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:** [December 3, 2019, 5:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-impeachment-inquiry/840771/5856 "2019-12-03T17:21:49Z")
Robert Reich on impeachment and unpardonable offenses: [Robert Reich: If Impeached by the House, Trump is Literally Unpardonable | Opinion](https://www.newsweek.com/trump-impeached-house-literally-unpardonable-1475096) ---
**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:** [December 3, 2019, 5:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-impeachment-inquiry/840771/5857 "2019-12-03T17:33:53Z")
_CNBC_: [Trump loses appeal to block Deutsche Bank, Capital One from handing his financial records to Congress](https://www.cnbc.com/2019/12/03/trump-loses-appeal-to-block-deutsche-bank-capital-one-from-handing-his-financial-records-to-congress.html?__source=twitter%7Cmain) Trump lawyer [Jay Sekulow](https://twitter.com/dsamuelsohn/status/1201899390241329154) responds: > [@](#): > > “We believe the subpoena is invalid as issued. In light of the Second Circuit decision, we are evaluating our next options including seeking review at the Supreme Court of the United States.” [Mitt Romney](https://twitter.com/Grace_Segers/status/1201894591705894912) breaks with Republicans: > [@](#): > > “I saw no evidence from our intelligence community, nor from the representatives today for the Department of State, that there is any evidence of any kind of that suggests that Ukraine interfered in our elections." [Trump wants](https://twitter.com/KFaulders/status/1201900366708854785) Pompeo, Mulvaney and Rick Perry to testify, but in the Senate: > [@](#): > > “I want them to testify but I want them to testify in the senate where they will get a fair trial.” ---
**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:** [December 3, 2019, 5:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-impeachment-inquiry/840771/5858 "2019-12-03T17:42:05Z")
> [@Walken\_After\_Midnight](#): > > [Trump wants](https://twitter.com/KFaulders/status/1201900366708854785) Pompeo, Mulvaney and Rick Perry to testify, but in the Senate: “I want them to testify but I want them to testify in the senate where they will get a fair trial.” So he still doesn’t realize that **he’s** the one on trial? ---
**Author:** ![Happy\_Lendervedder](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/happy_lendervedder/32/8488_2.png) [@Happy\_Lendervedder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Happy_Lendervedder)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2019, 5:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-impeachment-inquiry/840771/5859 "2019-12-03T17:46:02Z")
> [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](#): > > Robert Reich on impeachment and unpardonable offenses: [Robert Reich: If Impeached by the House, Trump is Literally Unpardonable | Opinion](https://www.newsweek.com/trump-impeached-house-literally-unpardonable-1475096) I’m not a smart man, and not a Constitutional scholar by any means, but I don’t think Reich is correct about that “in cases of impeachment” clause. I think it means a president can’t pardon to _prevent an impeachment_, not that impeachment is some magical button that makes those “unpardonable offenses.” I could be wrong, but that’s how I always read that. ---
**Author:** ![Kolak\_of\_Twilo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kolak_of_twilo/32/73_2.png) [@Kolak\_of\_Twilo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kolak_of_Twilo)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2019, 6:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-impeachment-inquiry/840771/5860 "2019-12-03T18:02:04Z")
> [@Walken\_After\_Midnight](#): > > … > [Trump wants](https://twitter.com/KFaulders/status/1201900366708854785) Pompeo, Mulvaney and Rick Perry to testify, but in the Senate: > > > [@](#): > > > > “I want them to testify but I want them to testify in the senate where they will get a fair trial.” So it appears the President doesn’t understand his trial in the Senate will be run by House Democrats acting as the prosecutors. Moscow Mitch won’t be doing anything other than acting as a juror. What a maroon. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-impeachment-inquiry/840771.md?page=292) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-impeachment-inquiry/840771.md?page=294)