Author: Brooks Allen

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A Look Back — Setting the Table for the Ukraine Plan

“Before you drift off, don’t forget, which is to say remember, because remembering is so much more a psychotic activity than forgetting.”

Waking Life

Let’s remember back to June 2019  — 6 short months ago. At the time, the Mueller investigation just came to a close and in an interview with George Stephanopolous (ABC), Trump said another gaffe that outraged the country and he had to walk back. After it was determined that his 2016 campaign team invited Russian government interference, Stephanopolous asked Trump whether in the 2020 election, he would again invite such interference from a foreign country.

“If somebody called from a country, Norway, [and said] ‘we have information on your opponent’ — oh, I think I’d want to hear it,” Trump responded. What ostensibly was a slip up that he had to fix immediately perhaps was a foreshadowing of his plans to abuse the President of Ukraine. Just a month following the interview, Trump had a now infamous July 25 phone call, requesting the Ukraine President dig up dirt on former USA VP Joe Biden (except this time it was in exchange for the release of close to $400 million in security aid). Imagine if Trump had referenced Ukraine instead of Norway when talking to Stephanopolous – even he wouldn’t be so brazen.

After saying this, the media had a frenzy of outrage. Politicians from his own party admonished Trump and distanced themselves from the statements. The next day, Trump is on Fox and Friends tail between his legs and walking back his words.

“Of course, you give it to the F.B.I. or report it to the attorney general or somebody like that,” Mr. Trump said in a phone interview, “ ..You couldn’t have that happen with our country.”

The thought that he could endure this gaffe on one day, then the next day expend personal and government resources to bribe Ukraine government officials is egregious. What’s even more egregious is he might be getting away with it.

Ironically in this same Stephanopolous interview, Trump called out polling reports of Biden beating him “fake news,” so it was apparent that Trump was feeling the heat.

Trump has uncanny ability to win at failing. He has been a hack his entire career so what’s new if he succeeds in pulling the wool over America’s eyes once more. Trump gained notoriety for being some sort of glitch in society, a caricature of the American dream. More on this later.

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GOP Narratives about the Trump Impeachment that Simply Aren’t True

Trump did not commit a crime.

Legal scholars debate the issue of whether impeachment requires a crime be committed, but the consensus opinion is that a crime need not be committed. In fact, Trump’s staunchest defenders, including hi own impeachment defense counsel, have previously argued a crime not need be committed for a president to be impeached. Nonetheless, credible sources have publicly stated that there was a crime.

The Government Accounting Office issued a formal decision stating that Trump’s actions to freeze $390 million dollars in government aid to Ukraine violated the Impoundment Control Act. “Faithful execution of the law does not permit the President to substitute his own policy priorities for those that Congress has enacted into law.” If Trump wanted to defer the funding, he was required to notify Congress. The GAO has historically been considered a bipartisan government entity.

Trump has admitted to delaying the government aid, not delaying the aid and even said they don’t know.

Trump has never testified under Oath, and the crime that Clinton committed during his impeachment was perjuring himself about the Lewinsky affair. There would be a treasure trove of lies to pick from if Trump testified under Oath. Even Trump himself has feared he would lie as a reason not to testify — during the Mueller investigation. Clinton’s downfall was his decision to testify — a consequence of his own bravado that all future presidents will learn from.

the witnesses that have testified to congress do not have firsthand knowledge of trump’s conversations

The following White House officials have firsthand knowledge of conversations regarding President Trump and Ukraine President Zelensky.

  • Lt. Col. Alexander Vindman
  • Ambassador Gordon Sondland
  • Jennifer Williams, adviser to VP Pence

Each have testified before the House about Trump’s conversations related to a quid pro quo that were unusual or inappropriate in nature.

ukraine president zelensky was not concerned about security aid being WITHHELD

In a December 2019 Time magazine interview, Zelensky stated, “If you’re our strategic partner, then you can’t go blocking anything for us.” Given Zelensky is a newly minted politician and needs to project strength in his political relationships, there may more to this than Zelensky is letting on.

3. impeachment has been a partisan, illegitimate exercise — nothing more

There has been significant GOP criticism and concerns about President Trump’s willingness to invite foreign countries to meddle in United States elections. To drill down even further, such criticism has directly been about the Ukraine fiasco.

The obvious example is Michigan Congressman Justin Amash, who voted for impeachment. Amash ran as a Republican from 2008 until 2019, when he became an independent following continued disagreements with Trump. Amash is running for re-election in 2020 as an independent for the first time.

Early in the Ukraine investigation, two US Senators also voiced concerns about the President’s actions, only to shy away for reasons unknown (perhaps for getting called out by the President). Mitt Romeny, 2012 GOP President candidate stated, “By all appearances, the President’s brazen and unprecedented appeal to China and to Ukraine to investigate Joe Biden is wrong and appalling.”

Nebraska GOP Senator Ben Sasse has also weighed in. “Republicans ought not to be rushing to circle the wagons to say there’s no there there when there’s obviously lots that’s very troubling there,” he continued. “The administration ought not to be attacking the whistleblower as some talking points suggest they plan to do.”

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Fox News Poll — Majority of Country Support Impeachment

54 percent support impeachment — a SURPRISING statistic in light of gop/white house efforts to undermine the investigation.

In these sad days of Americans retreating to their bunkers of partisan news information, a good sign of whether a story is “newsworthy” is when those bunkers fail. For example, if an article appears egregious on CNN, it’s usually a good idea to look to how FoxNews reports on the same event. A sad state of affairs today — oh how objective journalism is a dying breed. A recent Fox News poll is providing such calibration.

The story is buried, but the FoxNews poll reports an increase in American support of impeachment. It’s an even higher majority than what was previously reported in late October. Of course, President Trump quickly took to twitter to repudiate the poll of the leading news organization that has it’s highest loyalty to him.

The bigger question, what degree of public support of impeachment is needed for GOP members of Congress to start standing up for investigating the truth? The White House has made every effort to undermine the House impeachment inquiry, yet GOP Congressman and Senators cling to the notion that the facts aren’t there — but what is fueling such a narrative? The White House has directed fact witness not to cooperate and testify. Although a handful of such witnesses disobeyed the White House’s direction, such a precedent will virtually preclude future Congresses of investigating the President.

Some would think if a witness refuses to testify at the direction of their accused boss, it would weaken the case of the accused, but the GOP is leveraging such subversion from the White House to poke holes in the House impeachment inquiry. GOP members of Congress have argued that witnesses of the July 25 Zelenskey call were not firsthand. On it’s face, this is not true — Amb. Gordon Sondland, Jennifer Williams and Lt. Colonal Vindman all were on the call and testified.

“If you don’t like hearsay, release the documents; if you don’t like hearsay, let people testify!” said Rep. Mike Quigley (D-Ill.). “They’re afraid of the testimony they have already seen, and there’s a reason that they don’t want the rest of this to get out.”

Even with such a shameful disregard of congressional oversight, effectively neutering the branch of government, public support of impeachment remains close to or over a majority of voters. This is a far more compelling statistic in light of the Clinton impeachment, which had significantly lower public support — additionally, Clinton’s approval rating was 70 percent at the time.

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Trump Doesn’t Run America like a Business

Donald Trump and his band of sycophants repeatedly campaigned on a promise that he would run America like a business. It’s an appealing thought. A billionaire leverages his experience from the private sector to bring billions in cost cutting efficiencies to government. If only it were true. Too bad Donald Trump is a hack.

Cagle Cartoons

The fact is Trump has no qualms pushing an initiative to the doldrums of Congress even if he is public about wanting it (which makes me think he doesn’t really want it).  DACA is a great example. Trump has stated he will deal with DACA “with heart”, but then proceeded to repeal it on grounds that it is an unconstitutional executive order that Congress should have passed. Trump signs executive orders all of the time. DACA was signed into law in 2012 and having “heart” does not mean repealing laws without a replacement on scholarly constitutional grounds — this is hardly the case study to fight that fight. The prudent move would have been to amend Obama’s 2012 executive order.

The goals of DACA have received bipartisan recognition, even Trump himself has showed support. Shortly after sending the Keebler Elf out to announce its repeal, Trump punted the issue to the back of the line, tweeting “Congress now has 6 months to legalize DACA (something the Obama Administration was unable to do).”

Like a business, the government has limited resources and budget. Trump shouldn’t focus them on laws he ostensibly supports (and that have bipartisan support). There have to be some ulterior motives here. The stink of this hack wafts up to the White House attic and out into the Pennsylvania avenue sewers.

Donald Trump is a Hack
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News Orgs that Back Impeachment – A Running List

The following is a running list of editorial boards for longstanding news organizations that have formally and publicly announced support of President Donald Trump’s impeachment. Being persuaded by this data point requires faith in objective journalism, freedom of press and information.

  • New York Times
  • Los Angeles Times
  • Washington Post
  • Boston Globe
  • New York Daily News
  • Chicago Sun Times
  • USA Today
  • Orlando Sentinal
  • San Francisco Chronicle
  • Philadelphia Inquirer

Notable news organization missing from the list is the Wall Street Journal.

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For the years gone by…

and my time won’t die

Just here with you

Photo by Carlos Herrero on Pexels.com