***IMPEACHMENT INQUIRY HEARING NOV 15 THREAD 2***

[crickets]

More video stream links: https://www.democraticunderground.com/100212688024#post9
NYT Live Updates: https://www.nytimes.com/2019/11/15/us/politics/impeachment-hearings.html
Global News Canada Live Blog: https://globalnews.ca/news/6170717/live-blog-trump-impeachment-ukraine/

[BumRushDaShow]

1. Dan Goldman (Democrats' Committee Counsel questioning)

[getagrip_already]

2. It looks like these are 45 minute rounds..

Then the 5 minute rounds.

[BumRushDaShow]

6. Yes!

(and the 45 minute rounds can include a mix of the Chair or Ranking member's own questions + their counsels')

[bdamomma]

3. thank you crickets

[BumRushDaShow]

4. Yovanovich explained the circumstances of her recall

including the call that she was being asked to return for her security.

[getagrip_already]

9. She put security in quotes...

She asked if it was her physical security, and the response was no.

She sounded baffled as to what it means.

[BumRushDaShow]

13. Yup

It was a bullshit reason but she had to eventually confirm that once she was back home.

[Mike 03]

5. Thank you for the thread!

[demmiblue]

7. Trump is smearing her on Twitter:

[rzemanfl]

10. Fuck you Drumpf, you Nazi. n/t

[backtoblue]

12. WTF?!

Edit: Is that not clear obstruction of justice?

[calimary]

109. It's a likely additional article of impeachment.

Witness-intimidation.

[getagrip_already]

14. But he isn't watching......

What a coincidence....

[bdamomma]

15. you fucking jerk

bully.

you are vile, keep on putting those nails in your coffin.

[GoCubsGo]

19. Also known as "shitting in his Depends."

Fat Nixon is scared...

How the fuck is this kind of shit being allowed to continue????

[Arkansas Granny]

74. Schiff is calling that intimidation of a witness.

[trof]

106. Exactly. Federal law:

Federal witness intimidation is punishable by up to 20 years in federal prison and a fine of up to $250,000. Using physical force to intimidate a federal witness results in a federal prison sentence of up to 30 years.
https://criminal.findlaw.com/criminal-charges/witness-tampering.html

[crickets]

115. I missed this in the hectic stream of posts yesterday. Great link - thank you! Bookmarked. nt

[Hermit-The-Prog]

8. 33 years of service and NO reason given for recall

[Botany]

20. And that recall was after the State Department had asked her stay on for another year.

Kent, Taylor, and Yovanovitch have all been very good.

[uponit7771]

23. +1, that's the empirical information here.

[Botany]

32. White House Reportedly Replaced Ukraine Policy Staff With '3 Amigos'

Yavonavitch has already spoke of Rudy, Manafort and these 3 Amigos.

That conference yielded the crew described as the new "three amigos" assigned the Ukraine portfolio: Gordon Sondland, ambassador to the European Union; Kurt Volker, then an envoy to Ukraine for its peace negotiations; and Energy Secretary Rick Perry.

https://www.npr.org/2019/10/15/770482694/wh-replaced-pro-ukraine-staff-with-three-amigos-congress-reportedly-told

[bdamomma]

11. this woman

gave 33 years to her service, and was thrown out of her post. Horrible.

[getagrip_already]

16. By the presidents lawyer.....

Not even for cause, not even a phony cause.

[crickets]

22. What a waste of talent to throw her out like that.

It obviously hurt her personally and professionally. She also genuinely cared about the people she served in Ukraine as well as the US, and cared about how US foreign policy is being undermined. You can't buy that or teach that. It's a calling, and tossing it aside is destructive and stupid.

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

97. The Trump kakistocracy rolls on

[Botany]

17. Damn she is good!

Kent, Taylor, and Yovanovitch have all been very good. Very professional.

And she has brought in Rudy, Manafort and the 3 amigos.

[D_Master81]

18. I worry about all this

All of this sounds bad but I fear unless something changes later it’s all just about firing and undermining an ambassador but is that really impeachable? Would’ve rather seen Sondland or someone closer to scandal itself.

[madaboutharry]

26. She was collateral damage in the scheme to smear Biden.

They got rid of her because she wouldn't go along with it or look the other way.

[BumRushDaShow]

30. She is not the issue regarding impeachment

She was a witness to the bribery and illegal alternate foreign policy objectives performed by a non-government employee - Ghouliani.

[Happy Hoosier]

33. By itself? Maybe not...

But it's part of a story.

Trump recalled her because Rudy Ghouliani told him she was curtailing his efforts pressure the Ukrainian government to investigate the Bidens and to line their pockets.

[D_Master81]

46. I know

I just hope the Democrats can tie all of this together. Otherwise all of the GOP noise will muddy the waters and make this seem like it has nothing to do with what was testified to on Wednesday

[bdamomma]

21. she was doing her job.

sickening.

she was threatened.

[uponit7771]

24. Pompeo is ... SUCH ... an asshole. She went to him for help and he withheld it because he's not a .

... good person.

[calimary]

113. AND a world-class COWARD.

Won’t stand up for his own people. She got no support from him. Schmuck.

So much for YOUR presidential ambitions, Mike.

[Tarc]

25. Is there a good recap somewhere of what has transpired this morning thus far?

Been too busy to get to sit down, not even sure what time it started today.

[crickets]

28. NYT live updates might help

https://www.nytimes.com/2019/11/15/us/politics/impeachment-hearings.html

eta I don't have a subscription and have had no problem loading the page, so I think this page is available for everyone.

[Tarc]

108. Thanks

[BumRushDaShow]

38. Global News Canada has a live blog going

https://globalnews.ca/news/6170717/live-blog-trump-impeachment-ukraine/

[crickets]

42. You are a wealth of links today!

[BumRushDaShow]

45. Was glad to find that too!

[Tarc]

107. Thanks, that was a good one.

[bdamomma]

27. everything is for

RUSSIA. everything. Putin hated the State Department. Hated.

[llmart]

35. Putin hated Secretary of State Clinton...

That's why he assisted the dumbbell we now have in corrupting our election. Putin was terrified of Clinton because she was tough.

[bdamomma]

69. little man putin

afraid of a woman.

[llmart]

73. This is what trump and him have in common.

Strong, smart, self-confident women terrify both of them.

[gademocrat7]

29. Ambassador Yovanovitch is a patriot.

trump is a vile corrupt man. His entire cabal needs to be removed from office.

[Midnightwalk]

31. Leaders never bad mouth their underlings

Trump bad mouths our ambassador to another leader? Our foreign policy has to have continuity across administrations. That is undermining our credibility.

Then he praises the corrupt former prosecutor? Why would any country believe anything we say ever again?

[DesertRat]

34. A 33-year veteran of the US Foreign Service... threatened by the POTUS

Link to tweet

[llmart]

37. Was it Cohen or Manafort or some other crook...

who said trump "speaks in code but you know what he means".

[BumRushDaShow]

43. Most likely Cohen

since Cohen decided to make a career "in the streets".

[hlthe2b]

44. Cohen

He was a cretin prior to his conviction, but he's been spot-on with his statements and assessment since. We need others to have a "come to Jesus" moment....

[Leghorn21]

75. A tweeter responds:

”Trump is going to go through some things.”

Link to tweet

[calimary]

110. And he'll deserve it.

[malaise]

36. She's weaving this together very nicely

Go Ambassador

[MerryBlooms]

41. There needs to be an extension of the 45 minutes.

[malaise]

49. Schiff - As we sit here the President is attacking you on Twitter

Would you like to respond to the President's attack? Bwaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah.

[MerryBlooms]

70. idiot trump just validated her testimony about state not giving a statement of support

because they feared orange tweets.

[crickets]

39. Here we go with John Solomon at the Hill. Feh. He has a lot to answer for. nt

[Mike 03]

40. Phony investigative reporter John Solomon referenced again.

It was a big circle-jerk of propaganda, Solomon to Giuliani to Hannity/Fox, around and around.

[crickets]

54. This. It was deliberate echo chamber tactic.

[Politicub]

47. I am crying. This is tough to watch.

This testimony is so emotional and visceral. Yovanovitch is not hiding her shock and hurt behind a mask.

Trump destroys so many people’s lives. That’s not a surprise because he is driven by pure ego and reckless impulses.

But what is sad - and also sadly not surprising - is the ease in which republicans cover and encourage his behavior. They lick their lips at the opportunity to tar and smear.

I guess I’m most disappointed in the Americans who have such an allegiance to Trump that they welcome his ripping and slashing of American reputation, people and institutions.

It gives me a feeling of helplessness.

[llmart]

51. There are a lot of Americans who don't even know what an ambassador's job is.

Or how important it is to our security in the world.

[bdamomma]

83. these ambassadors keep us safe

and other countries safe. This is horrible.

Get the RICO Act and throw out these bastards, and those who sing praises to tRump be damned.

[BumRushDaShow]

48. Schiff now reading Idiot's tweets to her during the testimony

[padah513]

50. Trump is a pig

And a coward. Attacks women regularly.

[llmart]

55. He's a bully also.

Bullies are cowards.

[padah513]

79. Exactly

Trump has lived a life without consequences. Always had his money and his lawyers to see him through. I can't wait for the day when Karma catches up with him and he comes full circle for all the wrong he's done. I think I'm gonna dance.

[llmart]

87. I'll dance, drink champagne, raise a US flag for the first time in years...

once this criminal family (the entire family) is out of our lives for good.

I want "normal" back. Normal means I don't have to sit here every day wondering if our democracy is in jeopardy and our national security and standing in the world is at risk.

[calimary]

111. I'm thinking a chocolate binge. And champagne.

And spending the whole day savoring the news coverage. And sharing it all, here!

[backtoblue]

52. She is being a rock. I cannot imagine!

[Mersky]

53. Dang.

Asked her to respond to tRump’s charge that everywhere she’s been turned bad - a tweet of his from this morning.

Nuts

[llmart]

64. I thought he wasn't going to watch?

And was too "busy" working.

He is a pathetic excuse for a human being.

[Mersky]

88. Work, watch TV, golf, tweet? It's all the same to him.

Are times to lie and bs his way til the next hamberder.

[MerryBlooms]

56. trump just validated her testimony about the state dept. not giving

a statement in support of her, because they were afraid of orange tweets.

[demmiblue]

103. Adding video:

Link to tweet

[BumRushDaShow]

105. Thank you!

[calimary]

112. WUNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNderful!

[bdamomma]

57. tRump needs

to be Impeached. Geez, this is not right.

I hate him Hate him.

[elleng]

58. 'Some of us here take witness intimidation very seriously.'

Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

[dalton99a]

78. They're such fucking trash

[calimary]

114. "Jockstrap Jordan"! Good one!

[jberryhill]

59. Live Witness Intimidation!

[crickets]

71. *dingdinding* Yup.

Trump is such an idiot. Good for him adding evidence to the pile, I guess.

I love Schiff's comment: "Some of us here take witness intimidation very, very seriously."

Boom.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

60. Fat Nixon seems to be engaged in real-time witness intimidation by tweet,

which Schiff just called out.

[oswaldactedalone]

66. Just freakin' awesome

So glad Schiff is on our side.

[BumRushDaShow]

61. Dan Goldman has resumed questioning once Schiff allowed Yovanovich the time to respond to the tweets

[madaboutharry]

62. Trump attacking her that everywhere she went turned bad.

Yovanovitch: "I don't think I have that kind of power."

[mnhtnbb]

63. Witness intimidation will be added to articles

of impeachment.
What a stupid sack of orange $hit. You could see Schiff thinking that.

[backtoblue]

65. Witness intimidation in live time by the president pf the u.s

Omg what a completely disgisting pig


Impeach !

[ancianita]

72. Yet ANOTHER Article of Impeachment! Add it to the Obstruction Articles list!

[dalton99a]

81. Absolutely.

[Wednesdays]

98. OMG, does he not have lawyers?

Maybe he doesn't have any left.

If he does, they must be tearing their hair out. That, or he's down to just a gaggle of "yes" men.

[backtoblue]

99. Ya mean Rudy tootie?

Honestly, this is completely insane. He must truly listen or take advice from anyone. A one man wrecking ball who his gop enablers just point to their adversaries.

[ananda]

104. Lock him up!

xxx

[Midnightwalk]

68. This is all about setting up a private foreign policy

Trump needed to get rid of Yovanovitch so he could get a non state department ambassador installed. Someone who wouldn’t talk about him subverting us policy.

The blatant part is the president can set foreign policy. He could decide to support Russia over Ukraine overtly and the state department would comply.

But he couldn’t do it overtly. He had hide the irregular channel because his intent was corrupt. Obviously corrupt.

[BumRushDaShow]

76. The problem though is that it is illegal to have a non-government employee do this

which is partly why Ghouliani is going down.

[Midnightwalk]

89. It's illegal all the way down

I agree but using foreign policy for personal gain is intolerable.

If trump is not removed it says going forward no country can ever trust that out policies represent anything concrete. Only the personal interests of the president.

Either way what a cesspool of corruption.

[BumRushDaShow]

101. In essence

they ARE the "swamp"!

[cilla4progress]

77. Well played, Chmn. Schiff

Reading drumpf tweet out loud. Brings the element of "pizzazz" some require.

[backtoblue]

82. And the she held herself together on live tv

While being read to her a personal, public attack on her.




I would have bawled and thrown up n the spot.

She is a concrete angel.

[avebury]

80. Our computer system has crashed

at work so not only can't I actually work, but worse of all I can't listen to the impeachment hearings. I don't have unlimited data on my personal phone so I will periodically have to check into DU for updates.

[BumRushDaShow]

86. There is a live blog with updates here

https://globalnews.ca/news/6170717/live-blog-trump-impeachment-ukraine/

[crickets]

91. Oh, no! NPR might have a radio channel w/ coverage near you. nt

[Hermit-The-Prog]

100. got a radio? surely there is a radio station nearby carrying it

[BumRushDaShow]

84. RECESS BRIEFLY VOTE HOUSE VOTES

[bdamomma]

90. started thread 3

thread 3 here

https://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=post&forum=1002

[crickets]

92. Thank you, bdamomma! edit - oops your link needs fixing.

https://www.democraticunderground.com/100212688591

[nolabear]

93. I'm, im just getting a blank OP

[bdamomma]

94. Sorry here you go.

https://www.democraticunderground.com/100212688591

[nolabear]

96. You're the best.

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

95. Some well fed people on the Republican side

[CuriousAsterisk]

102. How is Trump not arrested after this?

How is the sergeant-at-arms not being activated or seal team six and arresting Trump and removing him after that display of witness intimidation? No other person would maintain office for long after something like that.