WTF Community

The Impeachment of President Donald J. Trump

Zelenskiy playing both sides here. No blackmail but willing to help Trump investigate Biden. Wow.

Ukraine’s president insisted Thursday that he faced “no blackmail” from President Donald Trump in their phone call that led to an impeachment inquiry, distancing himself from the U.S. political drama and trying to claw back his own credibility.

Volodymyr Zelenskiy said for the first time that his country will “happily” investigate the conspiracy theory pushed by Trump that it was Ukrainians, not Russians, who interfered in the 2016 U.S. presidential election. And he encouraged U.S. and Ukrainian prosecutors to discuss investigating a gas company linked to the son of Trump’s Democratic rival Joe Biden, although no one has produced evidence of criminal wrongdoing by the former U.S. vice president or his son.

[…]

The July call embarrassed Zelenskiy because it showed him as eager to please Trump and critical of European partners whose support he needs to strengthen Ukraine’s economy and to end the conflict with Russia.

Zelenskiy said it was “wrong” of the White House to publish a rough transcript of the call and he will not publish the Ukrainian transcript. He said he “didn’t even check” whether the Ukrainian transcript is the same, but “I think they match.”

Trump tweeted Thursday that Zelenskiy’s comment that there was no blackmail during the July call “should immediately end the talk of impeachment!”

Zelenskiy appears to be playing to both U.S. political camps to ensure Ukraine has continued support no matter who wins the presidential election next year. On Thursday, he repeatedly stressed he had no interest in interfering in the U.S. presidential election.

“I don’t want to be pulled into this because I understand that my words could impact the elections of the American people,” he said.

[…]

A TV and film comedian, Zelenskiy overwhelmingly won the presidency in April on promises to fight corruption and end the five-year conflict with Moscow-backed separatists in eastern Ukraine. He’s treading carefully to ensure continued support from the U.S. while trying to make peace with powerful neighbor Russia.

Most of the questions at Thursday’s unusual media event related to the Russia conflict or Ukraine’s economic troubles.

Zelenskiy also joked about Trump’s Twitter missives, saying he doesn’t expect a change in U.S.-Ukrainian relations in the future, “but if there is, we’ll learn about it on Twitter.”

2 Likes

I am making one post here about Turkey, because it seems likely it will become involved in this.

Trump tweeted this today:

He has admitted he knew what Turkey planned. He has admitted he has conflicts of interest with Turkey. He made this decision without any counsel or warning other than Erdogan’s, and that call is bound to be somewhere on that super-secret server.

People are dying. People are dying and Trump goes on about “rules” and how much money we’re making and how he’ll step in with sanctions if he needs to, ignoring that our mere presence WAS the deterrent, that this would not be happening if he hadn’t given the go-ahead.

This will come up during the Impeachment Hearing. Mark my words.

1 Like

@Windthin
I don’t know, the President, even if he’s under an impeachment inquiry is still in command of our armed forces. As bad as this situation is for us and our allies, I don’t think this is an impeachable offense. The President is legally authorized to make these decisions. Which is the worst part of having Trump as President.

3 Likes

If it turns out, though, that he did it for financial gain, as is likely the case, and that he’s letting Erdogan do this because of his investments in Turkey… at the very least, it’s souring GOP sentiment toward him and angering the American people.

Americans may be tired of war, but we can’t stand betrayal, turning on or abandoning allies and friends. That’s something he doesn’t comprehend, and every excuse he delivers sounds more and more desperate and tone deaf.

2 Likes

Yes, that would be impeachable but the evidence isn’t there yet.

2 Likes

A post was merged into an existing topic: 2020 General Election

Interesting. Federal prosecutors were NOT intending to arrest Rudy Giuliani’s two cronies yet, but for unknown reasons (Barr?) they attempted to flee the country.

1 Like

Indictment of Soviet-born businessmen raises questions about Pete Sessions’ role in Ukraine saga

The two suspects donated to “Congressman 1,” who then pushed for ouster of the U.S. ambassador in Kyiv




3 Likes

I… ah… wow.


Graham also mentions Trump’s personal interest in a “Turkish bank case” in the call that appears to refer to a U.S. case involving Reza Zarrab, an Iranian-Turkish gold trader and client of Trump’s personal lawyer Rudy Giuliani. Bloomberg reported on Wednesday that Trump had asked then-Secretary of State Rex Tillerson in 2017 to help persuade the Justice Department to drop the Zarrab case.

Also discussed?

Graham also expressed sympathy for Turkey’s “Kurdish problem” and described the Kurds as a “threat.” Those private comments appear to contradict his public statements this week, in which he criticized Trump’s decision to pull U.S. troops out of northern Syria because it’s “wrong to abandon the Kurds, who have been strong allies against” the Islamic State.

“Your YPG Kurdish problem is a big problem,” Graham told the pranksters. He was referring to the Kurdish People’s Protection Units, a group that began fighting ISIS as part of the Syrian Democratic Forces in 2015—with support from the U.S.—but is considered a terrorist group by Turkey because of its push to establish an autonomous state for the Kurds on the Turkish-Syrian border.

2 Likes

Energy Sec Rick Perry was subpoenaed for documents relating to the July 25th call with Zelinsky

Politico reporter - story TK

1 Like

@Windthin

Take a deep breath. You seem very erratic the last few days.

This warrants a congressional investigation to gather evidence. However, this thread is for news on existing public Congressional investigations, this story belongs on the daily thread about Trump. Only when Congress reacts does this news belong here. Do you see the distinction?

I’m not arguing that it’s not important I’m just trying to keep things organized.

2 Likes

Okay, I can see that difference, but where do I put this. The daily thread comes out late in the day. The posts I have on this topic are getting stuffed full of articles and info it feels like aren’t getting read or noticed because so much is coming out so swiftly right now. At this point the issue in Syria may need its own thread, with all that is happening.

Though you’re probably right, reading over all of this first hand is definitely stressing me out deeply, and I’m sorry if I’m a bit out of sorts from that. It’s a little bit of overload right now. The fact that I am a bit unwell physically right now is probably also a factor. And it’s also a bit that people are dying and one feels helpless to do much. I will try to slow myself down. I don’t want to add to the chaos.

1 Like

It’s ok. Breath deeply, take a moment to check in with yourself. This is all very stressful. It’s a lot of things out of your control but remember you are not responsible and you can only control what is in your realm. I hope you engage in some sort of self care today. I appreciate you’re enthusiasm, so don’t let these bad people live rent-free in your brain.

1 Like

I will, thank you. We also had some recent setbacks; my computer got fried two weeks ago in a power surge and I had a very difficult time getting a new one set up, and then car troubles this weekend, so that’s two weekends in a row we had bad situations ongoing. I think I’m just in a very down place at a bad time. I’ll take your advice and take some time to re-center and re-focus.

3 Likes

Yeah, sometimes the news gets to me too when life gets me down. You’re only human. Get some buddies together and play Cards Against Humanity or have a sing-a-long night. That’s what we do. You gotta laugh your way through it. :joy:

3 Likes

Fresh cookies :cookie:

Democrats subpoena Rick Perry for documents in impeachment inquiry

The subpoena demands documents related to Perry’s knowledge of Trump’s July 25 phone call with the Ukrainian president.

POLITICO previously reported that Perry asked the company to expand its board to include Americans, though he said he offered suggestions only at the request of the Ukrainian government. Zelensky denied Perry asked him to dismiss the head of the state-run gas company in comments to the Kyiv Post on Thursday. POLITICO has reported Perry intends to depart the administration within months, though he denied the reportearlier this week.

The subpoena demands records and communications related to the May inauguration of Zelensky, for which Perry led the U.S. delegation. It seeks records connected to a host of meetings abroad and at the White House that Perry attended along with senior Ukrainian officials. And it requests all records related to “proposed or actual transactions, investments, or projects relating to liquified natural gas (LNG) in Ukraine.”

Earlier this week, Perry acknowledged askingTrump to make the July 25 call to Zelensky that’s at the heart of the impeachment inquiry. He also said he’d discussed corruption broadly with Zelensky as part of an effort to make energy investment in the country more attractive, but has vehemently denied ever bringing up Biden or his son Hunter.

“Not once as God as my witness, not once was a Biden name — not the former vice president, not his son — ever mentioned,” he told the Christian Broadcasting Network.

News reports suggest associates of Trump’s personal lawyer Rudy Giuliani had sought the changes to the Naftogaz board to gain a foothold in the country’s energy sector. Those associates, Igor Fruman and Lev Parnas, were arrested Thursday on campaign finance and conspiracy charges. The indictment alleged that Fruman and Parnas orchestrated a straw donation scheme to help fund Republican campaigns and organizations from foreign donors — and that they pushed for the ouster of former U.S. ambassador to Ukraine Marie Yovanovitch. Yovanovitch is set to be deposed Friday as part of the impeachment inquiry.

Perry was the lone sitting Republican governor to endorse Giuliani during his 2008 presidential run. The subpoena asks for records related to all “meetings and discussions” between the two men.

Also sought under the subpoena are records concerning the decision to withhold military assistance to Ukraine, including governmental meetings and any notes that resulted from them.

The Energy Department did not immediately respond to request for comment.

The subpoena has a deadline of Oct. 18.

4 Likes

I’ve gotten to where I have trouble finishing articles. It’s just too depressing…I signed up for a line dance class and a pilates class to try to offset it. Now I physically hurt because I’m out of shape, lol.

Please take care of yourself. And if some things slip by you, someone else might catch it. I’m thankful for everyone her who reads & posts.

Now if we could really have Pet_Proletariat’s cookies…

5 Likes

At least four U.S. security officials raised alarms about Ukraine policy

More witnesses to this Ukraine scandal.

At least four national security officials were so alarmed by the Trump administration’s attempts to pressure Ukraine for political purposes that they raised concerns with a White House lawyer both before and immediately after President Trump’s July 25 call with that country’s president, according to U.S. officials and other people familiar with the matter.

The nature and timing of the previously undisclosed discussions with National Security Council legal adviser John Eisenberg indicate that officials were delivering warnings through official White House channels earlier than previously understood — including before the call that precipitated a whistleblower complaint and the impeachment inquiry of the president.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/at-least-four-national-security-officials-raised-alarms-about-ukraine-policy-before-and-after-trump-call-with-ukrainian-president/2019/10/10/ffe0c88a-eb6d-11e9-9c6d-436a0df4f31d_story.html

3 Likes

Who is a current WSJ subscriber? I can’t login for some reason. Anyone want to tell us the gist of this one?

2 Likes

It’s all about the connection of the two to Giuliani, how he’s met them, where, places like Trump Hotel, and how Trump is denying knowing or ever meeting them.

To which I think I should post this:

Oh, and this one.


They are such bad liars.

2 Likes