# Trump II, The Revenge of the Trump **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [February 7, 2020, 11:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-ii-the-revenge-of-the-trump/847608 "2020-02-07T23:40:53Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**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:** [February 7, 2020, 11:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-ii-the-revenge-of-the-trump/847608/1 "2020-02-07T23:40:53Z")
And so it begins. Impeachment witness Vindman removed from White House job. > **[Trump fires Gordon Sondland, the second impeachment witness to be removed...](https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/trump-impeachment-live-updates/2020/02/07/8e7668a6-4998-11ea-bdbf-1dfb23249293_story.html)** > > Earlier Friday, Trump said his impeachment by the House should be “expunged” because it was a “total political hoax.” Lt. Col. Alexander Vindman testified during the House inquiry into whether President Trump inappropriately pressured Ukraine’s leader to launch investigations into Trump’s political rivals. Vindman’s twin brother, Yevgeny, was also removed from the NSC, where he worked as a lawyer.\*\*\*\* ---
**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2020, 11:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-ii-the-revenge-of-the-trump/847608/2 "2020-02-07T23:45:36Z")
This is the lesson Trump learned from impeachment – that he can do absolutely anything he wants to, and his party will back him up. ---
**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:** [February 8, 2020, 12:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-ii-the-revenge-of-the-trump/847608/3 "2020-02-08T00:05:04Z")
And it continues BREAKING: President Trump fires Gordon Sondland, the second impeachment witness to be removed from his post Friday ---
**Author:** ![Horatius](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/horatius/32/3572_2.png) [@Horatius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Horatius)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2020, 12:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-ii-the-revenge-of-the-trump/847608/4 "2020-02-08T00:07:30Z")
I’m absolutely shocked that the overly-entitled rich old man who is famously petty and vindictive would take vengeance on someone he perceives as having wronged him. And the person’s brother, because what’s a little taint of the blood if we’re tossing out the rule of law anyways, am I right? And as I was posting this, I saw the update about Sondland. Are we starting an over/under on how many people survive the weekend? ---
**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:** [February 8, 2020, 12:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-ii-the-revenge-of-the-trump/847608/5 "2020-02-08T00:10:25Z")
He probably can’t do a whole lot to Romney directly. Maybe cut some federal contract or program that benefits Massachusetts. ---
**Author:** ![Chingon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chingon/32/17645_2.png) [@Chingon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chingon)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2020, 12:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-ii-the-revenge-of-the-trump/847608/6 "2020-02-08T00:12:11Z")
> [@Defensive\_Indifference](#): > > He probably can’t do a whole lot to Romney directly. Maybe cut some federal contract or program that benefits Massachusetts. He can get him kicked out of the GOP. ---
**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:** [February 8, 2020, 12:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-ii-the-revenge-of-the-trump/847608/7 "2020-02-08T00:12:25Z")
> [@Horatius](#): > > And as I was posting this, I saw the update about Sondland. Are we starting an over/under on how many people survive the weekend? Marie Yovanovich retired earlier this week. Who does that leave? Didn’t Fiona Hill leave her post before testifying? ---
**Author:** ![Marvin\_the\_Martian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/marvin_the_martian/32/2898_2.png) [@Marvin\_the\_Martian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marvin_the_Martian)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2020, 12:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-ii-the-revenge-of-the-trump/847608/8 "2020-02-08T00:12:32Z")
> [@Defensive\_Indifference](#): > > He probably can’t do a whole lot to Romney directly. Maybe cut some federal contract or program that benefits Massachusetts. Surprised that Mitch hasn’t yanked all of Romney’s committee assignments. ---
**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:** [February 8, 2020, 12:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-ii-the-revenge-of-the-trump/847608/9 "2020-02-08T00:16:21Z")
It’s the “Saturday Night I Can Do Anytining I Want-acre”. Friday, really, but he can do whatever he wants, ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2020, 12:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-ii-the-revenge-of-the-trump/847608/10 "2020-02-08T00:17:48Z")
Trump also fired Vindman’s twin brother. ---
**Author:** ![Senegoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senegoid/32/6606_2.png) [@Senegoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Senegoid)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2020, 12:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-ii-the-revenge-of-the-trump/847608/11 "2020-02-08T00:19:32Z")
> [@Defensive\_Indifference](#): > > He probably can’t do a whole lot to Romney directly. Maybe cut some federal contract or program that benefits Massachusetts. Trump just might be stupid enough to do that, right? Romney is the Senator from Utah. ---
**Author:** ![D\_Anconia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/67e7ee/32.png) [@D\_Anconia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/D_Anconia)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2020, 12:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-ii-the-revenge-of-the-trump/847608/12 "2020-02-08T00:24:17Z")
> [@iiandyiiii](#): > > This is the lesson Trump learned from impeachment – that he can do absolutely anything he wants to, and his party will back him up. Did he, or did he not, serve at the pleasure of the President? ---
**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2020, 12:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-ii-the-revenge-of-the-trump/847608/13 "2020-02-08T00:30:18Z")
> [@D\_Anconia](#): > > Did he, or did he not, serve at the pleasure of the President? No idea what this has to do with my post. ---
**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:** [February 8, 2020, 12:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-ii-the-revenge-of-the-trump/847608/14 "2020-02-08T00:34:43Z")
Everything the President legally can do is 100% proper and utterly unquestionable. :rolleyes: ---
**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:** [February 8, 2020, 12:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-ii-the-revenge-of-the-trump/847608/15 "2020-02-08T00:36:47Z")
> [@iiandyiiii](#): > > This is the lesson Trump learned from impeachment – that he can do absolutely anything he wants to, and his party will back him up. The Senate’s mistake is in believing that they can continue to control this administration’s impulses forever. Right now, GOP congressmen fear Trump’s base. In time, however, they may learn to fear much more than that. The moment the authoritarian is crossed, is the moment you are the authoritarian’s enemy. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Tooth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c67d28/32.png) [@The\_Tooth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Tooth)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2020, 12:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-ii-the-revenge-of-the-trump/847608/16 "2020-02-08T00:39:22Z")
> [@MulderMuffin](#): > > And it continues > > BREAKING: President Trump fires Gordon Sondland, the second impeachment witness to be removed from his post Friday Think he’ll get a refund on his million dollars? ---
**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:** [February 8, 2020, 12:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-ii-the-revenge-of-the-trump/847608/17 "2020-02-08T00:44:50Z")
> [@D\_Anconia](#): > > Did he, or did he not, serve at the pleasure of the President? He did, but there is more to it than that. There is the technical letter of the law, and there is the law’s spirit. Is the president firing people because they’re not capable of communicating the national interests of the United States government, or were they fired because the president wanted to punish them for their testimony related to his criminal conduct? It takes more than law to constrain someone who abuses power; it requires virtue among ordinary citizens, to uphold the value system that makes public servants accountable. You apparently don’t think he should be held accountable for criminal conduct. Well then, you can expect more of the same. ---
**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:** [February 8, 2020, 12:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-ii-the-revenge-of-the-trump/847608/18 "2020-02-08T00:48:06Z")
Just because something is legal doesn’t make it right. I live in a state where my employer can fire me at any time without needing any reason. If my employer fires me because I refuse to spend my lunch break running her personal errands, she had the legal right. If she wants to fire me because I voted for the wrong person, in her book, in the last election she has the legal right. She might have to cover it up with a different story, but she can fire me because I get pregnant, or start a same sex relationship, or because she doesn’t like the shade of eyeshadow I wore last Tuesday. Does that make it morally right? Being able to do something isn’t a carte blanche to do it _regardless of the reason_. This is retaliation, pure and simple. He’s not even being coy about it. ---
**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:** [February 8, 2020, 12:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-ii-the-revenge-of-the-trump/847608/19 "2020-02-08T00:53:25Z")
> [@Senegoid](#): > > Trump just might be stupid enough to do that, right? Romney is the Senator from Utah. Dammit! I knew that. :smack: ---
**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:** [February 8, 2020, 12:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-ii-the-revenge-of-the-trump/847608/20 "2020-02-08T00:54:08Z")
> [@Defensive\_Indifference](#): > > He probably can’t do a whole lot to Romney directly. Maybe cut some federal contract or program that benefits Massachusetts. I think you mean Utah [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-ii-the-revenge-of-the-trump/847608.md?page=2)