General Discussion
Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region Forums***IMPEACHMENT INQUIRY HEARING NOV 20 THREAD 3***
Other streams: https://www.democraticunderground.com/100212688024#post9
NYT Live Updates: https://www.nytimes.com/2019/11/20/us/politics/impeachment-hearings.html
Global News Canada Live: https://globalnews.ca/news/6189777/live-trump-impeachment-hearings-sondland-day-4/
Wonkette Live: https://www.wonkette.com/the-gordon-problem-impeachment-liveblog-day-four
crickets
(25,896 posts)demmiblue
(36,751 posts)"Loves your ass." Trumpspeak. 3 letter words. 4 letter words. Quid pro quo. A$AP Rocky. This is the Presidency that 60 million thought would make them great again. Are you not entertained?
Link to tweet
Bucky
(53,795 posts)It's the politicization of foreign aid to trash his expected Democratic rival for 2020. Harry Truman cussed up a blue streak, but always served the nation and the Constitution.
It's the bite, not the bark, that betrays the country.
crickets
(25,896 posts)Bucky
(53,795 posts)Or are his manbabysitters managing to keep him away from his "smart"phone
nolabear
(41,915 posts)Pacifist Patriot
(24,647 posts)He has to be shitting himself!
nolabear
(41,915 posts)klook
(12,134 posts)Roland99
(53,342 posts)saying it again outside of his opening statement when its obvious thats the intent behind more of his conversations with Taylor, Morrison, et al
BumRushDaShow
(127,319 posts)Felix Sater (and the slime factor)!
Hermit-The-Prog
(33,041 posts)BumRushDaShow
(127,319 posts)crickets
(25,896 posts)he is taking down. I just hope his testimony holds. Let this man walk if he can just get everyone else on the hook.
Botany
(70,291 posts)Hermit-The-Prog
(33,041 posts)nolabear
(41,915 posts)Can we request Devin cam to see what he looks like right now? 😂
ancianita
(35,814 posts)And where's Rudy been lately?
"The only thing I know is that the "investigation" must be announced publicly. President Trump presumably spoke through Mr. Giuliani."
uponit7771
(90,225 posts)Roland99
(53,342 posts)Since Ukraine has a history of not following thru
Backs up yesterdays testimony from Volker / Morrison
Pacifist Patriot
(24,647 posts)It was always about a smear, not substance.
DeminPennswoods
(15,246 posts)assessment.
Mersky
(4,969 posts)She decided she wants to postpone our plans today, because she's all caught up in the testimony.
polichick
(37,152 posts)klook
(12,134 posts)mahatmakanejeeves
(56,897 posts)Based on Sondland testimony, House is fully entitled to hear from, at a minimum: Pompeo, Bolton,Mulvaney. Oh, and Vice President Pence.
Link to tweet
mucifer
(23,374 posts)ancianita
(35,814 posts)Hermit-The-Prog
(33,041 posts)mucifer
(23,374 posts)BumRushDaShow
(127,319 posts)(and not just the meeting)
polichick
(37,152 posts)ancianita
(35,814 posts)Whatever your 2+2=4 logic is, dudes.
Bottom line: "President Trump never told me directly that aid was conditioned on announcement of elections.
The only direct Giuliani statement was this was about the 2020 elections. "
polichick
(37,152 posts)Roland99
(53,342 posts)Getting new talking points?
Having to change their underwear?
crickets
(25,896 posts)Hermit-The-Prog
(33,041 posts)crickets
(25,896 posts)obamanut2012
(25,911 posts)extvbroadcaster
(343 posts)The guy gave a million bucks to Trump, found out he was in the middle of a scandal and now wants out. "Everybody was in the loop" is his way of saying "I'm not going down for this" - I bet he just wants to go back to being a rich guy and regrets ever getting involved with Trump. Join the club, moron! Trump is a dirtbag that always dirties everything and everybody.
uponit7771
(90,225 posts)Hermit-The-Prog
(33,041 posts)DeminPennswoods
(15,246 posts)I really feel sorry for Sondland. He obviously paid his 1M for an ambassadorship that would be fun, not require much real work, get to host and attend lots of parties and just generally have a good time among people of similar social status to himself. Now he's in this nightmare from trying to please Trump et al and doesn't know how to get out of it.
gristy
(10,667 posts)I don't think it's going to get them very far, but we'll see...
majority counsel is doing a really good job right now.
oswaldactedalone
(3,489 posts)mucifer
(23,374 posts)padah513
(2,483 posts)He's close to it
crickets
(25,896 posts)Botany
(70,291 posts)The man has skills.
ancianita
(35,814 posts)Roland99
(53,342 posts)And hes trying to protect trump it seems, yet throw everyone else under the bus
DeminPennswoods
(15,246 posts)Sondland's a friendly, back-slapping type guy. A friendlier approach would be getting more out of Sondland, imho.
ancianita
(35,814 posts)DeminPennswoods
(15,246 posts)I don't think this was Goldman's best work. And, I don't think Schiff helped the cause by taking 10 minutes for himself off the top.
ancianita
(35,814 posts)Schiff's break might be time to verify that the Repubs just talked to the White House for talking points, which is process tampering by the executive branch. Just speculating about their penchant for keeping an eye on the executive's continued obstruction and abuse of power.
It's more than it appears, is all I'm saying.
DeminPennswoods
(15,246 posts)etc makes the witness feel comfortable. After all, Sondland could have declined to appear as he was told to do by the WH/State Dept.
Coming out swinging makes a witness uncomfortable and defensive and adds to whatever stress the witness is already feeling.
ancianita
(35,814 posts)DeminPennswoods
(15,246 posts)I'm not a lawyer and it is their call.
I could see what Schiff and Goldman were trying to elicit - a confirmation of the call in the restaurant. Sondland couldn't remember it and it was frustrating for Schiff and Goldman to have to try a few different ways to get the testimony they wanted. Sondland sorta, kinda admitted it, but it wasn't exactly what they wanted.
ancianita
(35,814 posts)"in the loop."
All of those "in the loop," from GS's show of lack of awareness of plans and goals, sounds like a feckless front group for Trump.
asiliveandbreathe
(8,203 posts)Someone here mentioned a Duncan cap....
uponit7771
(90,225 posts)mucifer
(23,374 posts)That's all the sheeple will hear from Fox about this entire testimony.
backtoblue
(11,323 posts)His statement earlier of "it would refresh his memory if the state dept releases documents" is interesting .
crickets
(25,896 posts)madaboutharry
(40,153 posts)Trump didn't say it to him directly, but it was all coming from Trump.
Sondland says he was absolutely convinced it was coming from Trump.
uponit7771
(90,225 posts)... about Rudy and it looks like they're going to throw Rudy under the bus and act like Trump didn't say anything.
madaboutharry
(40,153 posts)is that during the 5 minute questioning there will be a lot of republicans screaming at Sondland.
uponit7771
(90,225 posts)Polly Hennessey
(6,747 posts)and Sondland is drinking it all. Mr. Chairman, Mr. Chairman, potty break, please.
BumRushDaShow
(127,319 posts)Roland99
(53,342 posts)Refusing to specifically name him as the source of the requirement for the investigations despite having said he was certain there was a quid pro quo re: investigations and aid
BumRushDaShow
(127,319 posts)crickets
(25,896 posts)uponit7771
(90,225 posts)... anything.
"I think" or "I surmise" is different from "Trump said"
Looks like the former MO senator thinks the same thing !!
BumRushDaShow
(127,319 posts)The Velveteen Ocelot
(115,280 posts)just to pee.
BumRushDaShow
(127,319 posts)Roland99
(53,342 posts)MOOnes didnt look thrilled.
Roland99
(53,342 posts)ancianita
(35,814 posts)"By Sept 8, I still believed, from a timeframe standpoint, that aid was contingent... but I never heard it from Trump directly..."
That's what the Repubs will care about.
Goldman says: Do you agree?
Sondland says: I believe you are correct.
polichick
(37,152 posts)padah513
(2,483 posts)Pacifist Patriot
(24,647 posts)Jordan still looks oddly gleeful and manic talking to Castor.
uponit7771
(90,225 posts)Pacifist Patriot
(24,647 posts)Now the Republicans are having a little frantic conference around Jordan.
mucifer
(23,374 posts)We shall see how that works.
Pacifist Patriot
(24,647 posts)Politicub
(12,163 posts)they will not acknowledge the gravity of what that means.
And Trump directed Galliani. He hired Giuliani as his hit man. I hope Sondland throws Bolton under the bus a few times because Boltons ego will compel him to appear before the committee to protect his reputation.
Hermit-The-Prog
(33,041 posts)C_U_L8R
(44,897 posts)Complete with eyerolls and cheek puffs. Dork.
crickets
(25,896 posts)Claritie Pixie
(2,199 posts)Hermit-The-Prog
(33,041 posts)DeminPennswoods
(15,246 posts)behind Sondland's left (looking forward) shoulder? His face is pretty expressive. I caught a couple of eye rolls while I was watching.
padah513
(2,483 posts)gristy
(10,667 posts)demmiblue
(36,751 posts)Roland99
(53,342 posts)KWR65
(1,098 posts)If he doesn't remember then why does he know he never mentioned Biden?
Politicub
(12,163 posts)he was the most incurious diplomat of all time considering he was in the midst of everything swirling around him.
uponit7771
(90,225 posts)Response to uponit7771 (Reply #99)
wnylib This message was self-deleted by its author.
mucifer
(23,374 posts)thought they had the perfect lackey.
That did not work out for them
crickets
(25,896 posts)padah513
(2,483 posts)That whenever anything was brought up regarding the investigations, he was usually the one who initiated the conversation.
Bettie
(15,998 posts)he's a rich dilettante who wanted to go to fancy parties and act important.
So, incurious isn't really a surprise in this case.
On the other hand, I'm really surprisingly sad that this is who we are now.
This is our nation: criminals running rampant with the explicit consent of a significant portion of our citizens and not a single Republican with the ethics to say "ENOUGH".
uponit7771
(90,225 posts)crickets
(25,896 posts)Fresh thread for a fresh round of testimony
https://www.democraticunderground.com/100212708897
demmiblue
(36,751 posts)extvbroadcaster
(343 posts)Sondland seems to be saying "I won't burn for you" to Trump and anybody else. Serves his rich ass right. He bought an ambassadorship with a million bucks, and now finds out his ass is new mown grass.
Marthe48
(16,692 posts)He is flippant. He doesn't seem to have the outlook that the deal he was working on with the other crooks was so very illegal.
At least that's what I'm getting.
Hortensis
(58,785 posts)at being the center of attention than anything else. And now as you say.
He's been told, and believes, his team's going to win. Arrogance.
brooklynite
(93,873 posts)Democrats worked with Ukraine to "get" Donald Trump
Marthe48
(16,692 posts)Finally, they are describing what trumpskie really wanted: the announcement of an investigation, not an actual investigation.
extvbroadcaster
(343 posts)Again, everybody is out to get Trump! Of course that explains everything! You wonder what kind of asshole Nunes has to be to act this way. Him and gym Jordan take the cake.
Pacifist Patriot
(24,647 posts)Does he ever take a break from kissing ass?
kairos12
(12,817 posts)binders full of men under the bus.
Hilarious!
DeminPennswoods
(15,246 posts)testimony that he went through Rudy and did not actually hear it from Trump's lips that WH meeting and military aid was dependent on announcing investigations into Biden/Burisma/2016. That keeps their "hearsay" argument at least somewhat intact.
Claritie Pixie
(2,199 posts)No one will believe them except the MAGA cult.
DeminPennswoods
(15,246 posts)But, of course, the "defense" is being directed by Trump which is why the Rs are forced to follow him down these ridiculous rabbit holes.