From the memorandum of the call (not a "transcript"!) between corrupt demagogue Donald "Rump" Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelinsky, we see the quid pro quo unspool (middle of p. 2.):
(Trump): We do a lot for Ukraine... the United States has been very good to Ukraine... I wouldn’t say it’s reciprocal necessarily because things are happening that are not good but the United States has been very very good to Ukraine.” (our emphasis)Then (bottom of p. 2.)
(Zelinsky) "I would like to thank you for your great support in the area of defense. We are ready to continue to cooperate for the next steps, specifically we are almost ready to buy more Javelins from the United States for defense purposes."Trump goes on to ask Ukraine to look at the provision of information used by Robert Mueller's investigators in prosecuting Paul Manafort, and Zelinsky helpfully notes that his assistants have met with deranged Trump lawyer Rudy Giuliani. Trump then continues (top of p. 4):
(Trump): "I would like you to do us a favor, though..." (our emphasis)
(Trump): The other thing, There's a lot of talk about Biden's son, that Biden stopped the prosecution and a lot of people want to find out about that so whatever you can do with the Attorney General would be great. Biden went around bragging that he stopped the prosecution so if you ·can look into it..." (our emphasis)As former Trump fixer Michael Cohen noted in testimony before Congress, Trump doesn't ask directly for things, but uses innuendo and implications to make a point, much like an organized crime figure would if he thought his phone were tapped. This is a "wink wink" quid pro quo delivered in Trump's style.
BONUS:
Quid, meet quo. https://t.co/agt0oDCvpT— George Conway (@gtconway3d) September 25, 2019
The transcript is even worse than we could have imagined. If this is what the White House thinks will paint Trump in a *good* light...— Citizens for Ethics (@CREWcrew) September 25, 2019
If this is the part the White House wanted us to see, what else is out there?— Matthew Miller (@matthewamiller) September 25, 2019
Any other presidency would be over. Today.— Joyce Alene (@JoyceWhiteVance) September 25, 2019
Breaking: Intelligence Community IG referred a criminal complaint to the Justice Dept to investigate whether the president’s pushing Ukraine to investigate Biden was a violation of campaign finance law. DOJ’s criminal division last week determined not to open an investigation— Jim Sciutto (@jimsciutto) September 25, 2019
(photo: "You understand the deal, capisce?)
