Article Of Impeachment QOTD

"In the course of my official duties, I have received information from multiple U.S. Government officials that the President of the United States is using the power of his office to solicit interference from a foreign country in the 2020 U.S. election.  The interference includes, among other things pressuring a foreign country to investigate one of the President's main domestic political rivals. The President's personal lawyer, Mr. Rudolph Giuliani, is a central figure in this effort.  Attorney General Barr appears to be involved as well."  --  from the intelligence community whistleblower's complaint, released today, indicating both the original crimes and a criminal cover- up are at issue. 

Report: Trump Tried To "Coerce" Ukraine To Abet A Political Hit Job On Biden

There are new developments in the scandal involving the "urgent" and credible whistleblower complaint regarding interactions between existential threat Donald "Rump" Trump and a foreign leader:

A whistleblower complaint about President Trump made by an intelligence official centers on Ukraine, according to two people familiar with the matter, which has set off a struggle between Congress and the executive branch.

The complaint involved communications with a foreign leader and a “promise” that Trump made, which was so alarming that a U.S. intelligence official who had worked at the White House went to the inspector general of the intelligence community, two former U.S. officials said.

Two and a half weeks before the complaint was filed, Trump spoke with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, a comedian and political newcomer who was elected in a landslide in May.

That call is already under investigation by House Democrats who are examining whether Trump and his attorney Rudolph W. Giuliani sought to manipulate the Ukrainian government into helping Trump’s reelection campaign. Lawmakers have demanded a full transcript and a list of participants on the call. [snip]

In letters to the White House and State Department, top Democrats earlier this month demanded records related to what they say are Trump and Giuliani’s efforts “to coerce the Ukrainian government into pursuing two politically-motivated investigations under the guise of anti-corruption activity” — one to help Trump’s former campaign chairman Paul Manafort, who is in prison for illegal lobbying and financial fraud, and a second to target the son of former vice president Joe Biden, who is seeking the Democratic nomination to challenge Trump.

“As the 2020 election draws closer, President Trump and his personal attorney appear to have increased pressure on the Ukrainian government and its justice system in service of President Trump’s reelection campaign, and the White House and the State Department may be abetting this scheme,” the chairmen of the House Intelligence, Foreign Affairs and Oversight committees wrote, citing media reports that Trump had threatened to withhold $250 million in aid to help Ukraine in its ongoing struggle against Russian-backed separatists.  (our emphasis)

Was releasing the $250 million in aid the "promise" Trump made in order to get the Ukrainian government to abet him and slimy Giuliani in promoting a non- scandal involving Joe Biden and his son Hunter?  Sounds like extortion to us.  Also sounds perfectly reasonable given the mob ethics, desperation, and utter lack of honesty and decency of the parties involved. 

This scandal is unraveling more and more each day.  At the current rate, by the time cover-up co- conspirator Acting Director of National Intelligence Joseph McGuire testifies to the House Intelligence Committee next Thursday (if that actually happens), most of the facts will be out on the table, thanks to a patriotic whistleblower.  In the meantime, if this isn't grounds for impeachment, you might as well just take the word out of the dictionary and the Constitution.

BONUS:  As usual, the slimy Guiliani went on tee- vee to try to get ahead of the blossoming scandal and ended up making things much worse.

BOOM: Trump Pledge To Foreign Leader Prompted "Urgent" Whistleblower Complaint

The Washington Post has uncovered what many suspected was at the root of the intelligence community's whistleblower complaint of "urgent concern":

The whistleblower complaint that has triggered a tense showdown between the U.S. intelligence community and Congress involves President Trump’s communications with a foreign leader, according to two former U.S. officials familiar with the matter.

Trump’s interaction with the foreign leader included a “promise” that was regarded as so troubling that it prompted an official in the U.S. intelligence community to file a formal whistleblower complaint with the inspector general for the intelligence community, said the former officials, speaking on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the matter publicly.

It was not immediately clear which foreign leader Trump was speaking with or what he pledged to deliver, but his direct involvement in the matter has not been previously disclosed. It raises new questions about the president’s handling of sensitive information and may further strain his relationship with U.S. spy agencies. One former official said the communication was a phone call. 

This is not the only time Putin's puppet has engaged in conduct that puts our intelligence assets and systems in danger.   He blabbed mindlessly to the Russian foreign minister and ambassador about a highly classified, sensitive Israeli intelligence operation in May 2017.  The content of his discussions with Putin in Helsinki and elsewhere have never been disclosed, though the Russians surely have the goods for kompromat purposes. Then again, there's the Saudi connection.  FFS, there's a whole Wikipedia page devoted to the nitwit's disclosures of classified information!

As has been said, the greatest threat to our national security is sitting in the Oval Office.

BONUS:  Looks like the Post story helped shake things loose --

JUST IN: The Acting Director of National Intelligence will testify publicly before the House Intel committee on Sept 26 in relation to the whistleblower complaint received by ODNI. The Intel community inspector general will testify in closed session tomorrow, per @RepAdamSchiff pic.twitter.com/wfTXjlh7MP

— Natasha Bertrand (@NatashaBertrand) September 18, 2019

BONUS II:

This is going to be huge. DOJ& Admin are contorting themselves backwards to try to hide this. Truth will come out. There are probably tapes and transcripts documenting a gross abuse of power by Trump. Gonna be ugly.And enablers should all face consequences https://t.co/0HaeWkd6aI

— Neal Katyal (@neal_katyal) September 19, 2019