# 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:** 332
**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 24, 2019, 11:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-impeachment-inquiry/840771/6621 "2019-12-24T23:33:34Z")
> [@Sage\_Rat](#): > > And that’s not even getting to the discussion that alleging that the other side does corrupt things \* as well \* is not actually a defense nor an argument. No, the defense is that serving on the board of an American or foreign companies board is _not corrupt_. All I’ve ever heard about Biden Jr and Burisma was that a) he’s not qualified and so b) there’s something fishy because he has a famous father. If you have allegations to make about money laundering and pocket-filling, then by all means make them. You have not done so, just upped the level of fishiness, moving the goalposts when it was pointed out that other people serve on boards all the time and that that’s fine. ---
**Author:** ![Lance\_Turbo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lance_turbo/32/6156_2.png) [@Lance\_Turbo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lance_Turbo)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2019, 11:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-impeachment-inquiry/840771/6622 "2019-12-24T23:39:40Z")
> [@squeegee](#): > > No, the defense is that serving on the board of an American or foreign companies board is _not corrupt_. > > All I’ve ever heard about Biden Jr and Burisma was that a) he’s not qualified and so b) there’s something fishy because he has a famous father. If you have allegations to make about money laundering and pocket-filling, then by all means make them. You have not done so, just upped the level of fishiness, moving the goalposts when it was pointed out that other people serve on boards all the time and that that’s fine. Right. This. Sometimes people get seats on boards just so companies can brag about who is on theirs boards. That’s why Al Gore is on Apple’s board. That’s why Nikki Haley is on Boeing’s board. That’s what explains Theranos’s board. And… that’s why Hunter Biden was on Burisma’s board. Any argument that brings up Hunter Biden’s qualifications and/or oil and gas knowledge fails to appreciate what a board is and what one does. You don’t have to like it. That’s just the way it is. ---
**Author:** ![Ann\_Hedonia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ann_hedonia/32/319_2.png) [@Ann\_Hedonia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ann_Hedonia)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2019, 12:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-impeachment-inquiry/840771/6623 "2019-12-25T00:15:59Z")
Hee Hee Hee Rudy Giuliani did an absolute delightful interview with New York magazine’s Olivia Nuzzi. > **[A Conversation With Rudy Giuliani Over Bloody Marys at the Mark Hotel](https://nymag.com/intelligencer/2019/12/a-conversation-with-rudy-giuliani-over-bloody-marys.html)** > > “If they’re investigating me, they’re a\*\*holes,” he said. Over Bloody Marys ( and with his fly inadvertently unzipped) he denounced Marie Yovanovitch and the entire FBI as pawns of George Soros. He groused about how the Southern District of New York turned on him. He fantasized about defending Trump in his Senate trial ( oh, please Santa, I’ve been good, this is what I want for Christmas) This is a paywalled site, but one that allows a certain number of freebies. It’s worth using a freebie for, though. If you can’t get in, here’s an article about the article, with lots of excerpts. > **[POLITICO Playbook: The two profiles everyone’s talking about](https://www.politico.com/newsletters/playbook/2019/12/24/the-two-profiles-everyones-talking-about-487964)** > > And the House counsel signals openness to impeaching the president again. ---
**Author:** ![KarlGauss](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/karlgauss/32/3713_2.png) [@KarlGauss](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KarlGauss)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2019, 1:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-impeachment-inquiry/840771/6624 "2019-12-25T01:49:56Z")
> [@asahi](#): > > . . . Ordinary people by the millions are enabling authoritarianism, with an ‘ends justify the means’ manner of civic thought. > > . . . this is absolutely incompatible with democracy and incompatible with a free, fair, just, and open society. A small price to pay for preventing the murder of babies, the practice of homosexuality, and the pollution of the white race! Evidently. ---
**Author:** ![Superdude](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/superdude/32/13450_2.png) [@Superdude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Superdude)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2019, 7:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-impeachment-inquiry/840771/6625 "2019-12-25T07:33:07Z")
> [@Ann\_Hedonia](#): > > Hee Hee Hee > > Rudy Giuliani did an absolute delightful interview with New York magazine’s Olivia Nuzzi. > > [http://nymag.com/intelligencer/2019/12/a-conversation-with-rudy-giuliani-over-bloody-marys.html](http://nymag.com/intelligencer/2019/12/a-conversation-with-rudy-giuliani-over-bloody-marys.html) > > Over Bloody Marys ( and with his fly inadvertently unzipped) he denounced Marie Yovanovitch and the entire FBI as pawns of George Soros. He groused about how the Southern District of New York turned on him. He fantasized about defending Trump in his Senate trial ( oh, please Santa, I’ve been good, this is what I want for Christmas) > > This is a paywalled site, but one that allows a certain number of freebies. It’s worth using a freebie for, though. > > If you can’t get in, here’s an article about the article, with lots of excerpts. > > [https://www.politico.com/newsletters/playbook/2019/12/24/the-two-profiles-everyones-talking-about-487964](https://www.politico.com/newsletters/playbook/2019/12/24/the-two-profiles-everyones-talking-about-487964) That interview made my night. That is, without a doubt, the funniest and yet most disturbing thing that I’ve read in a long time. I almost want to buy some pot from him. ---
**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 25, 2019, 2:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-impeachment-inquiry/840771/6626 "2019-12-25T14:02:01Z")
> [@UltraVires](#): > > The Take Care Clause and the Executive Clause. The President is the executive. If the President wants to have my cousin Dave conduct an investigation for him, that is his right. Just because past presidents have done things a certain way doesn’t mean that all future presidents must do it the same way. Do we at least agree on that? Not only no, but _hell_ no. As was explained above, historically the Justice Department was relatively independent. Of course, you will still have this opinion even when, inevitably, a Democrat president is in power again. :dubious: ---
**Author:** ![simster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/simster/32/1047_2.png) [@simster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/simster)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2019, 6:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-impeachment-inquiry/840771/6627 "2019-12-26T18:46:42Z")
> [@UltraVires](#): > > The Take Care Clause and the Executive Clause. The President is the executive. If the President wants to have my cousin Dave conduct an investigation for him, that is his right. Just because past presidents have done things a certain way doesn’t mean that all future presidents must do it the same way. Do we at least agree on that? Then why is Trump (and the republicans) so up in arms about Obama “spying” on Trump using legal means? ---
**Author:** ![Monocracy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/monocracy/32/4493_2.png) [@Monocracy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monocracy)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2019, 6:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-impeachment-inquiry/840771/6628 "2019-12-26T18:48:00Z")
I’m not sure if anyone mentioned this already, but in the heavily redacted emails that were released a few days ago show that Trump ordered a halt on the aid 90 minutes after the phone call with Zelensky. And later on in the email chain: > [@](#): > > Finally, on the evening of September 11, Duffey alerted McCusker that he is releasing the money for Ukraine. > “Copy. What happened?” McCusker asks. > The first line of Duffey’s response is redacted. He goes on to say he hopes to sign the apportionment to release the money that evening and signs off, “Glad to have this behind us.” From CNN: [Effort to freeze Ukraine aid began about 90 minutes after call between Trump and Zelensky](https://www.cnn.com/2019/12/21/politics/emails-ukraine-aid-timeline/index.html) ---
**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:** [December 26, 2019, 7:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-impeachment-inquiry/840771/6629 "2019-12-26T19:23:32Z")
I was happy to read [this](https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-trump-impeachment/republican-senator-disturbed-by-mcconnells-work-with-white-house-on-impeachment-trial-idUSKBN1YT0O2) yesterday. (Reuters) > [@](#): > > Republican U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski said she was “disturbed” by the Senate leader’s approach to working with White House counsel on the impeachment trial of President Donald Trump, saying there should be distance between the two. Also not surprised to note it is a woman who got it started. And I have to believe there will soon be more Republican senators that make their discomfort known. ---
**Author:** ![BobLibDem](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boblibdem/32/3149_2.png) [@BobLibDem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobLibDem)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2019, 7:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-impeachment-inquiry/840771/6630 "2019-12-26T19:45:00Z")
> [@Aspenglow](#): > > I was happy to read [this](https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-trump-impeachment/republican-senator-disturbed-by-mcconnells-work-with-white-house-on-impeachment-trial-idUSKBN1YT0O2) yesterday. (Reuters) > > Also not surprised to note it is a woman who got it started. And I have to believe there will soon be more Republican senators that make their discomfort known. I’ll believe it when I see it. Is she sincere or is she trying to have it both ways? Is she playing to more traditional Republicans now and then falling in line like the rest of the party when the rubber meets the road? We’ll see. I remember Susan Collins being torn over putting an alcoholic serial sexual predator on the Supreme Court but in the end she put the MAGA hat on. At this point acquittal in inevitable, we need to extract the last pound of flesh out of it while we can. I think Nancy should hold on to those papers until Moscow Mitch agrees to call witnesses. I say make a deal, let Bolton testify in exchange for Hunter Biden coming in. ---
**Author:** ![QuickSilver](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quicksilver/32/7832_2.png) [@QuickSilver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/QuickSilver)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2019, 7:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-impeachment-inquiry/840771/6631 "2019-12-26T19:49:56Z")
Don’t get over-excited. Murkowski has overplayed the _deeply concerned_ bit. She is as fickle and spineless as the rest of the GOP. ---
**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:** [December 26, 2019, 7:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-impeachment-inquiry/840771/6632 "2019-12-26T19:53:22Z")
**BobLibDem** , I agree, but just the act of publicly stating that what Moscow Mitch is doing is not how the process should be done is a notable act of defiance. I’ll take the good and not expect the perfect. It is Murkowski’s public statement that may bring along the 3 other senators needed to force McConnell to call those witnesses. I disagree that Hunter Biden should be called. His testimony is utterly irrelevant to Trump’s actions. If there are charges that can be brought against Hunter Biden, then he should be charged. Otherwise, Republicans’ carping for his testimony is just another red herring, chum in the water to distract from Trump’s abuse of power. ETA: For the record, I don’t think Hunter Biden did anything illegal. Ill-advised, perhaps. But people forget this situation was reviewed by an ethics board in 2014, at the time Hunter Biden took the position with Burisma. They said it was a bad look, but not illegal or even a conflict of interest so long as the Bidens maintained a firewall between their activities. Which they did. ---
**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 26, 2019, 8:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-impeachment-inquiry/840771/6633 "2019-12-26T20:18:35Z")
> [@UltraVires](#): > > The Take Care Clause and the Executive Clause. The President is the executive. If the President wants to have my cousin Dave conduct an investigation for him, that is his right. Just because past presidents have done things a certain way doesn’t mean that all future presidents must do it the same way. Do we at least agree on that? The definition of corruption is “using your legal powers for personal benefit”. Saying that the President has those powers is not a defense against corruption and the Take Care Clause is among the things saying that corrupt use of powers is bad, specifically “faithfully”. As in, with good intent. ---
**Author:** ![BobLibDem](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boblibdem/32/3149_2.png) [@BobLibDem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobLibDem)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2019, 8:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-impeachment-inquiry/840771/6634 "2019-12-26T20:19:14Z")
I don’t think Hunter Biden did anything wrong either. But if putting him on the stand will get us some juicy testimony from Bolton, then I’ll take the deal. If Hunter is on the stand, what could they ask him? He’s no different than many other figurehead board members. ---
**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 26, 2019, 8:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-impeachment-inquiry/840771/6635 "2019-12-26T20:23:49Z")
> [@simster](#): > > Then why is Trump (and the republicans) so up in arms about Obama “spying” on Trump using legal means? This. Is. Brilliant. ---
**Author:** ![Bijou\_Drains](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bijou_drains/32/2814_2.png) [@Bijou\_Drains](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bijou_Drains)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2019, 8:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-impeachment-inquiry/840771/6636 "2019-12-26T20:33:37Z")
> [@QuickSilver](#): > > Don’t get over-excited. Murkowski has overplayed the _deeply concerned_ bit. She is as fickle and spineless as the rest of the GOP. it’s standard for the “concerned” GOP members to vote the way Trump wants. ---
**Author:** ![Fugazi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/f08c70/32.png) [@Fugazi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fugazi)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2019, 8:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-impeachment-inquiry/840771/6637 "2019-12-26T20:39:05Z")
> [@Moriarty](#): > > This. Is. Brilliant. Brilliant how? Sure, normal people can look at that and say “jeez, hypocrite much?” But do you think a single banana Republican will? Everything Obama did was illegal, immoral, evil, and probably fattening. When Trump does the same exact thing it’s perfect. ---
**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 26, 2019, 8:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-impeachment-inquiry/840771/6638 "2019-12-26T20:43:11Z")
> [@BobLibDem](#): > > I don’t think Hunter Biden did anything wrong either. But if putting him on the stand will get us some juicy testimony from Bolton, then I’ll take the deal. If Hunter is on the stand, what could they ask him? He’s no different than many other figurehead board members. Is that on offer, somewhere? Pelosi could probably arrange a twin trial of the Bidens (in the House) and Trump in the Senate, at the same time. Just tell the White House that you’ll agree to a Biden trial if they’re allowed to retrieve records and emails from the Obama era and receive testimony from the people who served during that time. Publicize the hell out of that offer and let the Republicans turn it down, because they know that Biden will be cleared and that Trump won’t, and the double-spectacle will ensure that everyone is watching. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Bredin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/96bed5/32.png) [@John\_Bredin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Bredin)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2019, 9:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-impeachment-inquiry/840771/6639 "2019-12-26T21:11:24Z")
> [@Sage\_Rat](#): > > Is that on offer, somewhere? Pelosi could probably arrange a twin trial of the Bidens (in the House) and Trump in the Senate, at the same time. Just tell the White House that you’ll agree to a Biden trial if they’re allowed to retrieve records and emails from the Obama era and receive testimony from the people who served during that time. (Emphasis added.) “Deep state conspiracy” arble garble. 😉 ---
**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 26, 2019, 9:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-impeachment-inquiry/840771/6640 "2019-12-26T21:16:22Z")
> [@Fugazi](#): > > Brilliant how? Sure, normal people can look at that and say “jeez, hypocrite much?” But do you think a single banana Republican will? Everything Obama did was illegal, immoral, evil, and probably fattening. When Trump does the same exact thing it’s perfect. Touche. When I first wrote that post, I also wrote that, “Sure, Republicans are impervious to charges of hypocrisy, but”… [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-impeachment-inquiry/840771.md?page=331) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-impeachment-inquiry/840771.md?page=333)