Why did Trump release the Whistleblower Report?

[DURHAM D]

He could have stonewalled it for several more months. Anyone?

[imanamerican63]

1. He thought he would be able to ahead of the whistle blower?

[lapfog_1]

2. He is so stupid

I believe that he honestly doesn't believe he "broke the law" or rather he is so full of himself that he didn't think the Democrats would actually start impeachment for this, after all, they didn't over the Mueller report.

[bluestarone]

3. giuliani told him too. (not really)

[jcgoldie]

4. The better question is why did he release the notes from the call

Which basically undercut the entire republican strategy that the whistleblower only had second hand info?

[DURHAM D]

8. But it is possible that the call notes and the report

would never be reported out. Something forced his hand on both.

[jcgoldie]

14. I think the whistleblower was going to be heard

Had already lawyered up and that shit was coming out. The notes of the call makes less sense to me. It just provided instant corroboration.

[leftstreet]

5. He really believes he did nothing illegal?

He seems to know nothing about being a POTUS vs a CEO

[regnaD kciN]

13. "Article II of the Constitution gives me the right to do whatever I want."

There’s your answer right there.

[klook]

27. "Two Corinthians, too." (nt)

[Meadowoak]

28. +1000

[onetexan]

62. Correct. The mad Con is a dictator wanabe who thimks law dont apply to him

[3catwoman3]

53. Can you be a CEO if you don't have a board...

...of directors to whom you have to report?

IIRC, he has never had a board of directors in any of his many businesses.

[uponit7771]

57. +1

[DrToast]

6. He needed the support of a lot of people to keep it hidden

And I don’t think he had that support anymore.

[50 Shades Of Blue]

7. To prove his innocence. I mean he thought that phone call was perfect.

[krawhitham]

36. THIS

he's crazy

[RockRaven]

9. I think b/c Trump/GOP will try to do w/ impeachment what they did with the Mueller report

and when the impeachment happens, and they have the trial in the Senate, they will say "what? is that all? there's nothing new here, we knew this already!" like they did when Mueller released the report and testified.

It's a "rip the band-aid off, weather the storm, then accuse the other side of re-visiting an old settled issue" gambit, I think.

[DURHAM D]

11. So you are saying that Trump's best plan to be re-elected is to

first be impeached?

[RockRaven]

18. No. I'm saying he knows he's getting impeached and his best chance of avoiding removal

is to make the Senate trial a rehash of info the media already has, and has already talked about for months. GOP Senators have already demonstrated that they will use the "old news, nothing new here" argument to justify ignoring his criminality, so he had to make it old news in the future by releasing it sooner rather than later (i.e. during the Senate trial).

[leftstreet]

23. I think you're right

He'll get an iron grip on the media narrative in the meantime, much like he did with the relentless "NO COLLUSION!" and demonizing his enemies, etc

He probably thinks as long as a POTUS can't actually be charged with a crime, he can manipulate the process

[Polybius]

10. Because if it comes out in July, that's too close to the election

He probably thinks now is the perfect time, so people forget by next year.

[DURHAM D]

12. But why would it ever come out? nt

[Polybius]

19. Can't Jerry Nadler force him to release it?

It's not instantaneous, and the process could take several months to a year I think.

[DURHAM D]

25. No. Plus Nadler didn't even know about the report. nt

[Polybius]

26. If not Nadler, can someone else force him?

The day before it was released, it was building up on all of the networks.

[uponit7771]

58. No, but he can be impeached for not releasing documents and evidence. That's what should happen

... otherwise we have a serious flaw in our systems.

[customerserviceguy]

15. There are a few reasons

First, he's absolutely clueless what it says about him. That's the most likely possibility. Anyone who would publicly say, "Russia, I hope you have Hillary's emails" clearly doesn't know what the importance of that statement means.

Second, he has some knowledge that will allow him to rise above it, and be vindicated. Not likely.

Third, he thrives on conflict, and is using it to create a situation where he can rally his base. There's a real possibility there.

[Laura PourMeADrink]

50. He actually reinforced Biden as the very bad guy

for his base.

[Ghost Dog]

63. He's focused on getting dirt on Biden out there,

yes.

[uponit7771]

59. +1, on all counts !!! He's stupid, he THINKS legality of actions will vindicate him ** and he's ....

... bored shit less if he's not the one everyone is feeling sorry for seeing he's a text book sociopath.

** I've been looking at FAUX news and posting on mixed isle forums, these guys are getting punched in the face on legality vs impeachable !!!

They SERIOUSLY have not let it sunk in yet that an impeachable offense does NOT have to be an illegal offense, they're stuck.

When they get it for a split second the first thing they go to is whataboutism ... then you let em know it's nothing like soliciting a foreign country to dig up dirt on your political opponent and they go nuts.

The meltdowns are fantastic !!!

[customerserviceguy]

64. My first ex-wife's family

thrived on chaos. It would be created by my ex-MIL if everyone seemed to be getting along harmoniously. Trump seems like that same sort of personality, so insecure that he needs others around him to be more insecure so that he can feel a sense of control over them.

[uponit7771]

65. +1, oh wow ... I'm thinking a MIL can stir up a lot of crap. Yep, people control what they can

... even ignoring bigger stuff.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

16. He thought he could spin it, like Barr spun the Mueller report.

[eleny]

17. Perhaps he was convinced that he couldn't be investigated

[DURHAM D]

21. Oh. That could be it.

It is his way of bragging about how powerful he really is.

[eleny]

22. Barr was pushing that notion

Maybe they all deluded themselves into believing that saying it made it so.

[GulfCoast66]

20. I truly think Maguire told them he was going to do it.

Read his history. He is not political but a military lifer. Left a private sector job helping killed veterans families to serve under Coats. An honest man if a right winger. Coats that is. Hate his politics. Never saw any indication he would sell out his country. So he got fired.

So Maguire found himself in a position he never expected or wanted. Remember, he was not second in command. Sue Gordon was and left with Coats. I think it took Maguire a few days to realize the situation and he said ‘fuck it’. Fire me if you want. But I’m releasing it.

He will resign before Christmas.

[DURHAM D]

24. The problem that I have with Maguire is his first stop was

the WH counsel, the people hiding the info and his second stop was Barr who was named in the report. iows - Maguire immediately made a dirty decision.

[klook]

32. Yes, poor judgment at the least. (nt)

[GulfCoast66]

34. But out of his element!

His whole life was about chain of command. He spent 35 year honorably serving the country. He did not want this job. Was he in a real Administration it would have never even possible for him to have it. But when Coats and Gordon left, he was left holding the bag.

So he did what is natural. Go up the chain of command.

The Washington Post still stands behind their story he was willing to resign if he could not tell the truth. I believe it.

This was moving at a super fast pace. I truly think after a few days to ponder the matter he did what he thought the law demanded. He as much as admitted he was confused at first.

I think he told him he is releasing it. Fire me if you want.

And look at Trump’s reaction today. He clearly did not want this released.

I except him to resign shortly with his reputation not totally shredded.

The real question is what bone head agreed to release the White House ‘sanitized’ version of the call? That decision got all this going. It really is stupid Watergate.

[DURHAM D]

35. Chain of command is just an excuse for not knowing right from wrong.

He is slime.

[GulfCoast66]

38. I disagree. Although we may never know for sure.

But read his history. 35 years of military service. Then spent years working with a charity to help the families of killed servicemen.

Never in a million year expected to be DNI. Took the 3rd place job under coats. Suddenly found himself, after what, less than a month in a job he never wanted. And had the biggest bombshell in 30 years of American politics dropped in his lap?

And he did release it. In its entirety. And you could tell Trump was not happy about it.

Had this guy been a long time political operative I would agree with you. But he has about 3 weeks dealing with political shit. Before that he was an intelligence guy under Coats and Gordon. But he wishes he had walked out when they did.

It’s not like he was up there defending trump.

[DURHAM D]

40. If you are talking about the report it says right on it

that Trump declassified it, not Maguire.

He was defending his own actions.

He took an oath and he forgot it.

[GulfCoast66]

43. Of course trump did.

Because firing the guy was a worse choice.

And after the disaster of the call memo, that would have made things worse.

The real question is who decided to release the call memo? That’s what got this going.

Had they not released that they could have squashed the whistle blower report.

Of course since the whistle blower is willing to testify it is a moot point.

[DURHAM D]

45. Was just trying to figure out how this started.

I believe the DOJ released the call notes. Maybe Ukraine was threatening to release the info while in DC.

[GulfCoast66]

48. Huh. Had not thought of that.

We tend to forget it involved another politician who has a different agenda. Good thought.

Have a nice evening.

[greyl]

37. On the other hand, the WH and Barr were thus further implicated.

Could Maquire have been doing all that consciously?

[FakeNoose]

29. I think you might have missed this - it's the real reason Chump released it

Link to tweet

On Tuesday morning, Chump called Nancy Pelosi and asked her if they could make a deal.

Nancy told him to "Obey the Law. Release the Whistleblower's Report" - so he did. He released it thinking that Nancy would be satisfied and everything was OK. Instead Nancy announced that she's starting the impeachment inquiry.

[DURHAM D]

33. Doesn't answer the question.

Why was the call note released?

[GulfCoast66]

41. Wait? Are you now asking about the call note? Your OP said Whistle Blower report.

[DURHAM D]

42. True - the OP asked about the WB Report but then I started talking

about the call notes down thread.

Still looking for the answer.

[GulfCoast66]

47. I read that it was Barr than encouraged the WH memo.

Against the strenuous opposition of the politicians in the room. Pompeo to start. Who while a total dick is a natural politician.

I can only guess that Barr, being an attorney thought that since the memo they created did not spell out a blatant Quid pro Quo they were in the clear. But who listens to a man with no political experience when making the biggest political decision of their life? Someone who values loyalty over competence, that’s who. Because any tasty human reading that manufactured memo understands what was happening.

If we ever get the real transcript which is apparently in s super secret server, I’m sure the Quid pro quo is there. Because remember. What the released was designed to help them!

They committed the biggest fuck up in American political history. Had they not released that the hearing today would not have happened.

He will never be convicted by the senate. But as Americans digest what he did his election chances dim.

Nice back and forth in a respectful manner. Even if we disagree on some issues. You have a nice evening.

[denbot]

52. I think Barr is attempting to inoculate the Whitehouse from impeachment.

Wasn’t he the one who got Ollie North, Cap Weinberger, et al off the hook for Iran/Contra?

He has a plan, you can bet your ass on it.

[Midnight Writer]

30. I just remember that video of Trump looking directly at the solar eclipse, cause he was told not to.

[emmaverybo]

51. Very good. The image that says it all.

[randr]

31. I'm guessing no one can advise him anymore

He has only the worst of his ass kissers left and they either don't know enough law to advise him or they no longer care.

[NanceGreggs]

39. I suspect there were a number ...

… of things at play – one of them being that the longer it was held back, the stronger the build-up of anticipation that it’s something explosive. And once that mindset takes hold with the public, there’s no going back.

You can’t spin what you keep hidden. I’m sure the thinking was get it out there now – then let the spin-meisters start crafting their narrative, and begin muddying the waters.

We’ve seen this play before: get out in front of it by acting like it’s a nothing-burger, and claim there’s been no wrongdoing because you wouldn’t have released it if there was.

As GOP spokes-whore Scott Jennings said on CNN two nights ago, the Mueller report faded away, the Kavanaugh outrage faded away, the Stormy Daniels story faded away, “and this will, too.” They’re relying heavily on the idea that after a few news cycles, this story will go the way of all the other tales of Trump’s criminal behaviour – forgotten as soon as the next pile of shit hits the fan.

"No worries. The election is over a year away. This will be old news by then."

Needless to say, they’ve badly miscalculated this one - but they really had no other choice.

[imavoter]

54. I'm not pessimistic exactly, but mostly practical...

what will the Senate do with this once it's their turn? Anything at all?
Will this go any where?

His base doesn't seem to care or really know wtf is going on....

It's not the 70's when even the R party pushed Nixon out. This is not now.
How bad does it have to get before they turn on him? I don't see it happening.

Thoughts?

[uponit7771]

60. Hmmmm, this will go away if they vote to impeach this year and don't drag it out till next year ....

... and depend on already 100% tainted elections.

Trumps approval ratings have to be drug in the 20s, don't think there are enough rethug senators that will come over to defend the constitution on this one.

[JHB]

44. Because he's as smart as an above-average...

...shovelful of topsoil?

[dalton99a]

46. Because he couldn't have the whistleblower executed

[Imperialism Inc.]

49. Because releasing it after a month of stories about

how he isn't releasing it would be much worse. People would be thinking he's hiding something and they were very likely to lose any court battle over its release.

[Thunderbeast]

55. He had made a calculation

He thinks impeachment will improve his numbers. The rhetoric will be vile in the election, and the deplorables will eat it up


His risk, however, is underestimating how this will energize Democrats. Many on the left were frustrated that the House looked impotent in the face of corruption and crime. Pelosi put a stake in the ground, and bet that fighting results in a better outcome than rolling over and waiting.

I think she's right.

Republicans in Congress will have to defend their defense of Trump. That will require unprecedented lies and deflection.

Trump is in a corner. The walls are closing in.

Buckle up!

[NCLefty]

56. He knew it was going to come out. And even GOP members were saying he needed to.

I've wondered why Nixon release his tapes finally instead of just saying they were all erased. Sometimes you just know that the alternative is worse. Maybe Rudy and he came up with it (it's not like Rudy is a genius).

He would look worse if the WB showed up at Congress and he was still hiding the report. Untenable.

[Captain Zero]

61. I heard he gave it to Nancy thinking if he did so, she wouldn't impeach him.

Maybe she has him in a quid pro quo on that?

I heard that but have not seen any backup for it.

[Claritie Pixie]

66. I didn't hear or read that, but he did call her Wed morning asking if they could work something out.

I hope she recorded that call.