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The Impeachment of President Donald J. Trump

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#387

Hopefully they have already taped all those records back together. :smirk:

The House Oversight and Reform Committee is demanding that the White House’s records chief testify about President Donald Trump’s alleged efforts to conceal documents detailing his private conversations with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

In a letter to acting White House chief of staff Mick Mulvaney, Chairman Elijah Cummings (D-Md.) said the White House has ignored his requests for information about Trump’s compliance with the Presidential Records Act, which mandates that such documents be preserved.

“These actions do not serve the interests of the American people, and they obstruct and frustrate the committee’s review,” Cummings wrote in his letter, which comes just a few days before Trump is scheduled to meet with Putin at the G-20 summit in Japan.

Democrats have long been suspicious of Trump’s private conversations with Putin — most notably, after his meeting with the Russian president in Helsinki last year, when Trump bucked his own intelligence agencies by saying he had no reason to believe that Russia interfered in the 2016 presidential election.

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#388

The Trump-appointed ethics official who called for Kellyanne Conway’s firing last week is set to defend that decision in Congressional testimony on Wednesday.

Henry Kerner, the chief of the White House’s Office of Special Counsel, has submitted testimony to the House Committee on Oversight and Reform in which he criticizes Conway for allegedly breaking the law by politicizing her post as White House Counselor.

“Her conduct hurts both federal employees, who may believe that senior officials can act with complete disregard for the Hatch Act, and the American people, who may question the nonpartisan operation of their government,” reads Kerner’s testimony, which The Daily Beast obtained.

“Ms. Conway’s conduct reflects not a misunderstanding of the law, but rather a disregard for it,” the testimony adds.

Kerner’s submission of testimony indicates that he plans to appear at the hearing––a significant move, given that a host of administration officials have recently stiff-armed Congressional testimony requests and subpoenas. The committee invited Conway as well, and plans to subpoena her if she does not appear, per Politico.

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#389

The fate of Donald Trump’s presidency may hinge on Congress’ handling of special counsel Robert Mueller’s report — yet just three rank-and-file members of the House are allowed to view Mueller’s confidential files.

Reps. Val Demings (D-Fla.), Eric Swalwell (D-Calif.) and John Ratcliffe (R-Texas) are the only members of the 435-member House that sit on both the Intelligence and Judiciary committees, and so they have access to evidence that underpins both volumes of Mueller’s report — the one on contacts between Russia and Trump’s 2016 campaign that the Intelligence panel is reviewing, and the one on Trump’s efforts to interfere with the investigation that Judiciary panel is exploring.

Politico’s Kyle Cheney posted a few more clarifying details on twitter. :point_down:

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This is ridiculous, Congress is entitled to all of the evidence and the full report.

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#390

:face_with_raised_eyebrow:

Senate Democrats will not be granted a vote on an amendment that would require congressional approval for any military intervention in Iran, according to Sen. John Cornyn.

Cornyn’s remarks come amid a push from Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) to attach the amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act, a must-pass Pentagon policy bill that the Senate will take up this week. Democrats argue that the amendment is necessary to prevent the United States from getting into another costly war in the Middle East without congressional approval.

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#391

Wow, did not see that coming… :smirk:

https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/kellyanne-conway-says-democrats-seeking-testimony-on-hatch-act-violations-are-retaliating-against-her-politically/2019/06/24/9398d3ea-9689-11e9-830a-21b9b36b64ad_story.html?utm_term=.bc3763cd646e

BREAKING: The move was confirmed by two White House officials who spoke on the condition of anonymity to freely discuss private deliberations. Anticipating Kellyanne Conway’s noncompliance, the House Oversight Committee plans to vote Wednesday on a subpoena to force her testimony.

A report earlier this month by the Office of Special Counsel — which is run by a President Trump appointee — found that Conway violated the Hatch Act on numerous occasions.

White House counselor Kellyanne Conway claimed Monday that House Democrats are seeking to compel testimony from her about alleged violations of the Hatch Act in retaliation for her successfully managing President Trump’s 2016 campaign.

The House Oversight Committee is planning to vote Wednesday to subpoena Conway if she does not voluntarily appear at a hearing on allegations of her repeatedly violating the law that bars federal employees from engaging in political activity in the course of their work.

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#392

Cross posting, thank you

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#393

It’s being slow-walked for sure, but evidence can start being accumulated. A step in the right direction.

A federal judge told US House and Senate Democrats they can begin collecting financial evidence this week about Donald Trump’s businesses for a lawsuit.

Judge Emmet Sullivan, of the US District Court in Washington, denied an attempt by the Justice Department to stop the Democrats from collecting information from the Trump Organization and to appeal early court decisions in the lawsuit, which tests the constitutionality of Trump’s business holdings while he serves as President.

The case is one of several avenues Democrats have to get to Trump’s financial records.

Sullivan said the group of more than 200 members can begin collecting evidence June 28 through late September. Previously, the members of Congress said they plan to seek both documents and depositions from the Trump Organization.

But the Justice Department had hoped to take the case to an appeals court before the evidence collection began.

"This case will be poised for resolution within six months; an immediate appeal would hardly materially advance its ultimate termination," Sullivan wrote on Tuesday.

This may not be the end of the fight for Trump’s records, however.

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#394

Mueller to testify July 17th in an open session for both the Judiciary and Intelligence committees

House Democrats negotiated for weeks to get former special counsel Robert S. Mueller III to answer lawmakers’ questions about his investigation of Russian interference in the 2016 election and possible obstruction of justice by President Trump.

After the House Judiciary and Intelligence committees issue a subpoena, Mueller will appear Wednesday, July 17, in an an open session, the committee chairmen said.

Nadler’s Letter to Mueller

https://judiciary.house.gov/sites/democrats.judiciary.house.gov/files/documents/Letter%20to%20Special%20Counsel%20Mueller%20(6.25.19).pdf

Waiting to see if this will be a joint session or back to back.

Looks like back to back sessions so far… that’s a monster day of testimony!

Plus there’s an extra closed door session for Mueller’s staff with the Intel committee.

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#395

I go out for the night and all heck breaks loose!

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#396

Cummings is speaking now (Wed., June 26, 10:30am ET)

UPDATE: Motion has passed. Conway will be subpoenaed. (10:55am ET)

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#397

What would happen if these people ignored the administration’s instruction’s to not testify or show up?

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#398

@Keaton_James Thanks for linking to the hearing…I missed the vote, but glad that Rep Amash did go against his party and vote for it.

The arguments about why Kellyanne should be exempt from what the Hatch Act may require is a bunch of baloney…she is so hyper-partisan it hurts to listen to her…plus she lies. (Hardly a newsflash) Am glad they called her out on it. And just for the record, I have yet to see her hubby George Conway III weigh in on this.

The House Oversight and Reform Committee on Wednesday voted to subpoena White House counselor Kellyanne Conway after she did not appear voluntarily at a hearing focused on her repeated alleged violations of the Hatch Act.

The committee voted 25-16 to compel Conway’s testimony following roughly 30 minutes of arguments over the validity of the Office of Special Counsel’s (OSC) findings that she repeatedly violated the law, which prohibits federal officials from weighing in on elections in their government capacity.

Rep. Justin Amash (Mich.) was the lone Republican to side with Democrats to authorize the subpoena.

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#399

The House voted a couple of weeks ago to use the courts to enforce subpoenas, so now they just go to court and a judge will decide how to proceed. It’s hasn’t happened yet but we’re all very excited. :hugs:

Sorry, I misread your question, I need more coffee. It would be good if they defied Trump and testified on their own. And also they might be fired.

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#400

It’s the latest twist for the special counsel’s attorneys who spent nearly two years working on one of the most scrutinized investigations in American history and now are resurfacing at major law firms touting their work on the Russia probe. Some are even giving interviews to journalists, a big change from the “no comment” mantra they practiced to almost comical extremes, while another has a reported book deal.

Democrats struggling to find witnesses to guide their probes of Donald Trump say they’ve noticed the recent uptick in activity — and they want in.

[…]

Under the joint House Judiciary and Intelligence Committee plan unveiled Tuesday night, an unspecified number of the special counsel’s senior deputies are expected to accompany their former boss and testify in closed session when Mueller appears next month. Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam Schiff declined Tuesday night to identify the deputies, and it was also unclear if they would be appearing under subpoena.

Democrats also haven’t precluded bringing the former Mueller lawyers back for additional rounds.

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#401

Some now longer work for the administration, i.e. Hope Hicks, Don McGrahn (his law firm has some contracts, so, yeah…). I just don’t get the staying in T’s good grace’s when it’s a one way street…

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#402

The transcript for Tillerson’s interview with the House Committee on Foreign Affairs has been released revealing new details about his time as Secretary of State.

Read the transcript here :point_down:

Don’t have time to read? From Politico,

The former secretary of State, whom Trump fired in March 2018 after just 14 months on the job, painted a portrait of a presidential administration lacking in internal coordination and cohesion. The discussion touched on everything from Tillerson’s struggle to convince the White House to let him hire people, to his “realist” view of human rights. Tillerson frequently answered questions by saying he couldn’t recall, but overall it was his most extensive personal account to date of his time spent as America’s chief diplomat.

The conversation — which lasted more than six hours, including breaks — occurred with committee staffers. Tillerson also met for about 90 minutes with House Foreign Affairs Chairman Rep. Eliot Engel and ranking member Rep. Mike McCaul. That conversation was not included in the transcript.

Some snippets of the conversation already have been reported, such as Tillerson’s comments that Russian leader Vladimir Putin had out-prepared Trump for meetings, and whether the Russians had manipulated Trump and Tillerson in such sessions. Those earlier reports infuriated Trump, who lashed out on Twitter, calling Tillerson “dumb as a rock.”

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#403

:hushed:

Saudi and Emirati leaders told Jared Kushner and Steve Bannon, close advisers to President Trump, over a 2017 dinner in Riyadh about secret plans to impose a blockade on Qatar, a critical American ally in the Middle East, and bypassed Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, who was taken by surprise when the blockade was announced, according to a transcript of an interview with Mr. Tillerson last month by a congressional committee.

Mr. Tillerson said he had no knowledge that the Saudis had told Mr. Kushner and Mr. Bannon about the blockade in May 2017 until a committee member asked him about it in the interview. “It makes me angry,” Mr. Tillerson said.

“I didn’t have a say,” he added. “The State Department’s views were never expressed.”

The account highlights the extent to which Mr. Kushner, Mr. Trump’s son-in-law and Middle East adviser, and Mr. Bannon were running foreign policy during the administration’s first year in the world’s most sensitive regions without telling Mr. Trump’s top foreign policy officials and their agencies. The interview especially sheds light on the power wielded behind the scenes by Mr. Kushner.

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#404

Rex Tillerson vents about Jared Kushner’s secret dealings with foreign leaders

https://wapo.st/2Ns0Uam?tid=ss_tw&utm_term=.d10fc663c4e7

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#405

Statement of the Chairman and Ranking Member of the Committee on Ethics Regarding Representative Matt Gaetz

Pursuant to Committee Rule 7(g), the Chairman and Ranking Member of the Committee on Ethics (Committee) determined to release the following statement:

On March 13, 2019, the Committee received a Member complaint against Representative Matt Gaetz. The Committee then began a review, pursuant to Committee Rules 16© and 18(a), into allegations that Representative Gaetz sought to threaten, intimidate, harass, or otherwise improperly influence the President’s former attorney, Michael Cohen, in connection with Mr. Cohen’s testimony before a congressional committee.

As part of that review, on May 13, 2019, the Committee requested Representative Gaetz’s appearance for an in-person interview. Representative Gaetz declined the Committee’s interview request.

On May 16, 2019, the Committee informed Representative Gaetz that its ability to resolve the complaint would be hindered without his testimony and explained that if the Committee was unable to dispose of the complaint by June 24, 2019, House and Committee Rules would require the Committee to establish an Investigative Subcommittee to review the allegations against him.

Because Representative Gaetz did not provide the Committee with testimony, the Committee was unable to dispose of the complaint by the rule-based deadline. Accordingly, pursuant to House Rule XI, clause 3(b)(2), and Committee Rule 16(d), an Investigative Subcommittee has been established and the complaint against Representative Gaetz forwarded to it for consideration.

The Committee notes that the mere fact of establishing an Investigative Subcommittee does not itself indicate that any violation has occurred.

The Honorable Anthony G. Brown will serve as the Chairman of the Investigative Subcommittee, and the Honorable Michael Guest will serve as the Ranking Member. The other two members of the Investigative Subcommittee are the Honorable Raja Krishnamoorthi and the Honorable John W. Rose. No other public comment will be made on this matter except in accordance with Committee rules.

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#406

This piece was written by a conservative…so I thought I’d better put it here too.
You wonder as well, what position Mueller will take towards AG Barr when he is interviewed on 7.17.19.

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