# 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:** 80
**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 2, 2019, 8:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-impeachment-inquiry/840771/1581 "2019-10-02T20:49:18Z")
However… > > [@](#): > > Rep. @jamie\_raskin (D-MD) is showing off a packet of documents that the State IG just gave over to Congress. > > Raskin says it’s a bunch of propaganda & conspiracy theories about some of the State officials that Dems wanna talk to… apparently it had been given to Pompeo. > > It’s unclear where the documents came from, though Raskin said some of the folders appear to come from the Trump hotel. > > “We don’t know where it came from… the whole thing looks rather amateurish to me,” he says. > > “It does relate to efforts to… smear a number of employees who were getting in the way of the president,” Raskin says of the documents. > > It’s also really unclear why the State Department deemed this as an “urgent” matter. Raskin himself seemed to suggest it wasn’t very urgent. Curiouser and curiouser… ---
**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 2, 2019, 8:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-impeachment-inquiry/840771/1582 "2019-10-02T20:50:19Z")
> [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](#): > > I’m not sure how that’s cagey. I mean, the simple way out of perjury is always to tell the truth. If the IG has made that more appealing, is that cagey? If the IG is forcing the issue knowing there are people wavering, yes, cagey. Cagey enough. Anyway, if what I quoted above, from a journalist on the scene, is true, then never mind. 😃 ---
**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:** [October 2, 2019, 8:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-impeachment-inquiry/840771/1583 "2019-10-02T20:53:36Z")
> [@JohnT](#): > > Interesting. So your position is that the IG is supplying unknown documents in order to force people to tell the truth or 5th Amendment their way out of this. > > Very cagey, if true. It’s not a position, it’s a hypothetical that matches the information that we have been given - presuming that information to be accurate. I doubt that the IG is doing it for that express reason (if so). More likely, he caught wind that something bad was going to happen to the materials, so he decided to act. Obviously, the documents were requested for just such a use and whatever “bad thing” that was ordered would have been to try and prevent those documents from being available to Congress. But it’s the timing of the “bad thing” that prompted the IG to act, not political maneuvering. (Or, that would be my expectation.) ---
**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:** [October 2, 2019, 8:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-impeachment-inquiry/840771/1584 "2019-10-02T20:56:17Z")
> [@](#): > > “It does relate to efforts to… smear a number of employees who were getting in the way of the president,” Raskin says of the documents. I can see why it’s urgent. A bunch of bullshit, sent to Pompeo from “someone” at the Trump hotel, and it’s a bunch of crap intended to smear and intimidate witnesses. It’s witness tampering, and someone needs to investigate pronto to find out who is attempting to do this. ---
**Author:** ![Intergalactic\_Gladiator](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/intergalactic_gladiator/32/112_2.png) [@Intergalactic\_Gladiator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Intergalactic_Gladiator)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2019, 8:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-impeachment-inquiry/840771/1585 "2019-10-02T20:56:18Z")
A Finnish reporter asked the president of Finland “What kind of favors has Mr. Trump asked from you?” > ---
**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 2, 2019, 8:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-impeachment-inquiry/840771/1586 "2019-10-02T20:57:32Z")
“We don’t know where it came from… the whole thing looks rather amateurish to me,” he says." Oh that’s got team Trump all over it. ---
**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:** [October 2, 2019, 8:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-impeachment-inquiry/840771/1587 "2019-10-02T20:58:04Z")
> [@JohnT](#): > > Anyway, if what I quoted above, from a journalist on the scene, is true, then never mind. 😃 Hypotheticals can be shortlived. 😛 ---
**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:** [October 2, 2019, 9:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-impeachment-inquiry/840771/1588 "2019-10-02T21:00:03Z")
> [@bobot](#): > > “We don’t know where it came from… the whole thing looks rather amateurish to me,” he says." > > Oh that’s got team Trump all over it. Yep. Investigate. Find out who sent the bullshit. Charge them. Trial. Jail time. ---
**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 2, 2019, 9:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-impeachment-inquiry/840771/1589 "2019-10-02T21:00:06Z")
This IG report is turning into the smocking gun. (Sorry. Not.) ---
**Author:** ![Jack\_Batty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jack_batty/32/3201_2.png) [@Jack\_Batty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jack_Batty)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2019, 9:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-impeachment-inquiry/840771/1590 "2019-10-02T21:20:36Z")
> [@bobot](#): > > “We don’t know where it came from… the whole thing looks rather amateurish to me,” he says." > > Oh that’s got team Trump all over it. I was thinking that it smelled like a Jacob Wohl joint. ---
**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 2, 2019, 9:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-impeachment-inquiry/840771/1591 "2019-10-02T21:24:19Z")
Yeah, good point. We should try to narrow this down. Was there any Sharpie? ---
**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 2, 2019, 9:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-impeachment-inquiry/840771/1592 "2019-10-02T21:28:55Z")
Wait… another tweet… ugh, might go to bed, let y’all tell me what happened: > > > Andrew Desiderio @AndrewDesiderio (Congressional Reporter for Politico) “Dem source says the WH “sent an envelope to Sec. Pompeo … The envelope contained a bunch of TRUMP HOTEL folders. **Those folders contained notes from interviews that took place at Rudy Giuliani’s NYC office with various Ukrainians about debunked conspiracies related to Ukraine.** ”” ---
**Author:** ![Defensive\_Indifference](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/defensive_indifference/32/6502_2.png) [@Defensive\_Indifference](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Defensive_Indifference)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2019, 9:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-impeachment-inquiry/840771/1593 "2019-10-02T21:33:19Z")
> [@bengangmo](#): > > No he can’t… > > “the president may appoint a vice president to fill a vacancy in that office, subject to approval by both houses of Congress.” Ah, thanks! ---
**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:** [October 2, 2019, 10:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-impeachment-inquiry/840771/1594 "2019-10-02T22:10:40Z")
Looks like these documents were intended to smear former ambassador to Ukraine Marie Yovanovitch, just before she testifies to congress. This is called witness tampering, and is illegal. Find out who sent these documents, investigate them, have a trial and jail them for 20 years. ---
**Author:** ![Defensive\_Indifference](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/defensive_indifference/32/6502_2.png) [@Defensive\_Indifference](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Defensive_Indifference)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2019, 10:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-impeachment-inquiry/840771/1595 "2019-10-02T22:12:04Z")
> [@JohnT](#): > > He has corrected his tweet, saying he misheard President Mumbles. > [@Defensive\_Indifference](#): > > Well, poop. However, WaPo is reporting that Pence was “involved” in the effort to pressure Ukraine, and one of his top advisers was on the 7/25 call. Pence “could have” had the transcript “within hours”. Pence traveled to Warsaw to meet Zelensky on September 1. His aides say that he either hadn’t read or didnt fully register the call before his trip. I haven’t read the article, which is paywalled, but a WaPo reporter tweeted about it here: [https://twitter.com/JoyceWhiteVance/status/1179515559572058112?s=19](https://twitter.com/JoyceWhiteVance/status/1179515559572058112?s=19) What do you think President Pelosi’s first executive order will be? ---
**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:** [October 2, 2019, 10:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-impeachment-inquiry/840771/1596 "2019-10-02T22:16:47Z")
Some background on Marie Yovanovitch that is useful: > **[President Trump Faces Criticism For Recalling U.S. Ambassador To Ukraine](https://www.npr.org/2019/10/01/766176662/president-trump-faces-criticism-for-recalling-u-s-ambassador-to-ukraine)** > > NPR's Audie Cornish speaks with Philip Gordon, a former assistant secretary of state, about President Trump's treatment of former U.S. ambassador to Ukraine Marie Yovanovitch. ---
**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 2, 2019, 11:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-impeachment-inquiry/840771/1597 "2019-10-02T23:22:31Z")
> [@Euphonious\_Polemic](#): > > Looks like these documents were intended to smear former ambassador to Ukraine Marie Yovanovitch, just before she testifies to congress. > > This is called witness tampering, and is illegal. > > Find out who sent these documents, investigate them, have a trial and jail them for 20 years. Trump made a rather clumsy threat about Yovanovitch, in his call to Zelinsky: > [@](#): > > …And Trump, in the reconstructed record of the call with Zelensky that the White House released last week, made plain his own animosity. > > “The former ambassador from the United States, the woman, was bad news,” Trump told Zelensky, who took office in May. “And the people she was dealing with in the Ukraine were bad news, so I just wanted to let you know that.” > > Vaguely but ominously, Trump added: “She’s going to go through some things.” [Ousted U.S. diplomat could be crucial to impeachment inquiry](https://www.latimes.com/politics/story/2019-09-30/ousted-u-s-diplomat-could-be-crucial-to-impeachment-inquiry) Now we can speculate that the “things” were whatever smears Team Trump had cooked up to reveal in the Trump Hotel doc-package. ---
**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 2, 2019, 11:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-impeachment-inquiry/840771/1598 "2019-10-02T23:49:11Z")
> [@septimus](#): > > [“Shields and Brooks on the politics of impeachment.”](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4kPVNUlXqJ4) That Trump’s phone call to Ukraine is clearly criminal is not in dispute, but beginning at 5:30 they discuss whether impeachment is a mistake. David Brooks (R) thinks so — it’s the fight Trump wants, it will distract from Democratic debate on the issues, and the Senate will never convict. Mark Shields (D) applauds Pelosi’s statesmanship over two decades, thinks impeachment is a moral necessity and, unlike Brooks(R), thinks the Republicans may not be “irredeemable” — as though twenty R Senators might admit that their leader is a criminal. > > Shields obviously has the moral high ground, but I’m afraid Brooks is right. Amusing that the Democrat commentator thinks twenty Republican Senators just _might_ put the country and the rule of law ahead of politics, while the Republican commentator is certain they won’t! Well, the Republican is 100% right: the Republican Senators \*won’\*t put the country or rule-of-law ahead of politics. But if the politics change, they _will_ vote to convict. It comes down to that. Some combination of poll numbers combined with major-donor messaging, that signals to Republican Senators ‘I’ll make out better if Trump is removed than if he stays’…that’s what would do it. Today’s Dow drop\* is one of those factors that if continued, could make the difference. And yes, it’s awful to be rooting for the Dow to drop—but much worse than that awaits the world if Mr. Lawless remains in power. \*Just under 500 points:[Dow Jones Industrial Average (^DJI) Charts, Data & News - Yahoo Finance](https://finance.yahoo.com/quote/%5EDJI/) ---
**Author:** ![SlackerInc](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slackerinc/32/275_2.png) [@SlackerInc](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SlackerInc)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2019, 12:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-impeachment-inquiry/840771/1599 "2019-10-03T00:20:09Z")
Jesus. Local wingnut Chris Berg, who comes on after the CBS Evening News here, intensely grilled ND senator Kevin Cramer on why the Senate isn’t going hard after “crooked Joe Biden”. :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![nelliebly](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nelliebly/32/5422_2.png) [@nelliebly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nelliebly)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2019, 12:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-impeachment-inquiry/840771/1600 "2019-10-03T00:47:49Z")
> [@Defensive\_Indifference](#): > > Let’s say someone smarter than Trump sees that Pence is going down, and Trump convinces Pence to resign. Can Trump then appoint a replacement so the Republicans hold the White House when Trump is evicted? Actually, the answer to your question is YES. Trump can’t appoint his own Presidential replacement, but he could appoint the person he wants to replace himself (Trump) as VP if Pence resigns, knowing that if he, Trump, also resigns, Pence’s replacement would then become Trump’s replacement, keeping the White House GOP until the 2020 election. Of course, whoever Trump would pick as Pence’s replacement would have to be confirmed by the (GOP-majority) Senate. And this scenario has happened before. In October, 1973, Richard Nixon’s VP, Spiro Agnew, resigned after pleading nolo contendere to charges of tax fraud and corruption when back Agnew had been governor of Maryland. Nixon appointed Gerald Ford as his new VP. The Senate confirmed Ford. The following August, Nixon resigned, and Ford became President and then pardoned Nixon. Ford then appointed Nelson Rockefeller his VP, and the Senate confirmed. From then until Jimmy Carter’s inauguration in 1977, the President of the United States had never appeared on a ballot as a nominee for US President/Vice-President. And in fact, this would be a more likely scenario than Trump and the GOP allowing Pelosi to assume the Oval Office as successor. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-impeachment-inquiry/840771.md?page=79) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trump-impeachment-inquiry/840771.md?page=81)