Growing number of GOP senators consider acknowledging Trump's quid pro quo on Ukraine

[TomCADem]

Source: MSN/Washington Post

A growing number of Senate Republicans are ready to acknowledge that President Trump used U.S. military aid as leverage to force Ukraine to investigate former vice president Joe Biden and his family as the president repeatedly denies a quid pro quo.

In this shift in strategy to defend Trump, these Republicans are insisting that the president’s action was not illegal and does not rise to the level of an impeachable offense as the Democratic-led House moves forward with the open phase of its probe.

But the shift among Senate Republicans could complicate the message coming from Trump as he furiously fights the claim that he had withheld U.S. aid from Ukraine to pressure it to dig up dirt on a political rival, even as an increasing number of Republicans wonder how long they can continue to argue that no quid pro quo was at play in the matter.

The pivot was the main topic during a private Senate GOP lunch on Wednesday, according to multiple people familiar with the session who spoke on the condition of anonymity to describe the meeting. Sen. John Neely Kennedy (R-La.) argued that there may have been a quid pro quo but said that the U.S. government often attaches conditions to foreign aid and that nothing was amiss in Trump’s doing so in the case of aid to Ukraine, these individuals said.

Read more: https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/growing-number-of-gop-senators-consider-acknowledging-trumps-quid-pro-quo-on-ukraine/ar-AAJHp5b?li=BBnb7Kz

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I guess for Republicans, the thought of a Democrat winning the White House totally justifies extorting foreign countries to fabricate charges against Trump's political opponents. Of course, Ted Cruz, whose family was repeatedly attacked by Trump, is a vocal supporter of this strategy.

[CaliforniaPeggy]

1. Well, GOOD. At least they can acknowledge it. Progress of a sort, I guess. n/t

[TomCADem]

2. Not Really. Republicans Senators Know Many Republicans Are Implicated

They anticipate that the impeachment hearings will make the denial of the truth infeasible. Therefore, to save their own hides, Republican Senators want to start pushing the talking point of using taxpayer funds to extort allies to fabricate dirt against political rivals is a virtue.

Heck, if another Access Hollywood tape came out with Trump bragging about grabbing women, Republican senators might jump on the bandwagon and say that women love it when men do that to them.

Sometimes, it seems that Trump is really just trolling Republicans to see just how far they are willing to sell out America, rule of law, and basic decency to remain in power.

[pbmus]

6. Unchecked power...corruption....chaos....leaving pukes in power

Oligarchs want republicans in power for many reasons...number one...being safety of status quo.../..

[Lexblues]

7. It's good cause they will now start fighting on Democratic turf

It makes it even easier to make the case for abuse of power.

[LastLiberal in PalmSprings]

3. There's a big difference between attaching conditions that benefit U.S. security

and attaching conditions that benefit yourself politically.

The Repugs are playing the "everyone does it, so what's the problem?" card.

[Ztolkins]

4. Along with witnesses to the call

And the subsequent cover-up of it, can witnesses be called that can speak to the abnormality of all of this; constitutional professors / lawyers? Something like that.

[EveHammond13]

5. "illegal" isn't a requirement for impeachment

[DallasNE]

8. So Lying About A Consensual Blow Job IS An Impeachable Offense

But bribery (and extortion) is NOT an impeachable offense? How do you sell that when bribery is a listed impeachable offense. I will grant that the impeachment bar is not set in a single location but it cannot be set above bribery. That requires Republicans to say that some element of bribery, like intent, is not present making it not impeachable bribery. But Trump's own words, "first, I need a favor", shoots that down. Quid pro quo means game, set, match. But will enough people care where they hold Republicans accountable for ignoring an open and shut case for impeachment? The case against Trump is every bit as strong as the case was against Nixon. But now we have a Citizens United trap set for Republicans and that was not available in Nixon's case.

[GusBob]

9. I knew this was gonna happen, what you said

To the GOP stopping Biden is an act of patriotism.

Its “but her emails” all over again

Our democracy is so dead its funeral is but a distant memory

Fucking disgusting. Maybe it is time for a civil war

[PJMcK]

10. Really? A civil war?

Kindly explain how that would work. Who would fight against whom?

Your pessimism is understandable but your suggestion of a civil war makes no sense.

[paleotn]

12. I think its a metaphor for a split.

If red states want to go off and be a banana republic, Jesus land, let them go. And we'll see the biggest shift in population since India and Pakistan split up.

I'm not advocating for it either. It would be disastrous for America internally and geopolitically. But when I've had just about enough of their bullshit, I'll admit the idea floats across my mind.

[GusBob]

31. Look mate

Trump is advocating shutting down the government
due to impeachment, a constitutional process
He could shut down the next election by emergency order. Suspend laws Another constitution thing
The AG aint gonna stop him, nor the courts
The media is a shit show and his followers are idiots

I know what side I am on so

[paleotn]

11. Arg! Quid pro quo doesn't even matter!!!!

Forget the spin and shinny objects. The guy robbed a bank and we're arguing over whether the get away car is double parked.

The simple act of requesting or knowingly receiving a political contribution in kind from a foreign person, much less a foreign government, is a crime punishable by prison time. And the Rethugs need their noses rubbed in this fact continually until after the 2020 elections. And the evidence is overwhelming and irrefutable. The jackass has admitted it numerous times and asked other foreign powers to do the same. Quid pro quo is not very nice and acting against the will of Congress...a much more complex issue. The ban on foreign contributions to federal elections is simple and straightforward.

[justgamma]

14. Quid pro quo

was bad when they were accusing President Clinton of it. They were all over TV accusing him of renting out the Lincoln bedroom. Guess it would have been ok with them as long as he was extorting a foreign government for favors.

[groundloop]

18. IMO we need to quit calling it merely 'quid pro quo' - IT WAS EXTORTION!!!!!!

[paleotn]

22. It's certainly bad, but....

it's a much more complex issue. The violation of federal election laws is nice and clean, easy to understand, easy to prove and easy to prosecute.

[duforsure]

13. So, they are now saying

Committing felonies, abusing power, forcing other countries to commit crimes , and extortion of others is ok. Boy are they going to get a awaking soon. Being complicit with Putin and trump is going to destroy trump and the GOP..

[machoneman]

16. They are desperate since if they lose the Senate and the Presidency, they know....

we will not see republiscums in power for a long, long time. In fact, I would not expect to see another of their ilk win the Presidency for the next 4+ elections if not 6 to 7 more.

[moonscape]

20. Things can swing pretty quickly - folks have

short memories. I thought this when we got the WH and Senate the last time ...

[BlueIdaho]

15. Typical Trumpian Strategic Retreat

First say he didn’t do it, then say if he did it it wouldn’t be a crime, then say he did it but it’s no big deal. The modern cynical GOP believes voters have zero memory for Trump’s crimes against the United States. His base would let him shoot someone on 5th Avenue and get away with it.

[SKKY]

17. I think they're slowly walking this so it gives them the room they need...

...if public opinion keeps trending in favor of impeachment and removal by the Senate.

[underpants]

26. Yep. The fact that they are even listing this way before public hearings

is encouraging. I don't think enough will flip but at least 5 of them are in a lose-lose situation.

[SKKY]

28. I just heard something very interesting on CNN I'm still trying to...

...confirm. It takes 2/3 of the Senate to confirm impeachment. But the house can propose charges that wouldn’t end his presidency, but that would make him ineligible to run for office again. Which means he would have to serve out this term, assuming he doesn’t resign, with the stink of knowing he’ll never be able to run for office again, it’s the ultimate walk of shame.

[Pluvious]

19. I'm sure none there asked the obvious question amongst themselves...

Does this fail the Obama Test ?

Not that could ever admit to even to their own selves that they're corrupt hypocritical slimeballs.

Of course.

[cstanleytech]

21. There is a huge difference in trying to get a foreign government to

say do something about it's human rights problems via aid money compared to holding the money for help attacking political rivals inside our own country.

[pangaia]

23. It is not quid pro quo. It is extortion...

I wish 'the press' would start using their brains instead of just vomiting up what somebody said..

fat chance, eh....

[DeminPennswoods]

24. Isn't this the way it always goes with the Trumpers?

First deny, deny, deny. Then admit something is true. Then admit more is true. Then admit the whole thing is true. Then say, well, it's not that bad.

[BlueWI]

25. All I can say is

good luck with that defense. Admit wrongdoing but claim it's not wrong.

Nothing if not creative.

[underpants]

27. The Dick Cheney defense

We ONLY tortured 3 people (lie) so give us credit for not torturing FOUR.

Your Honor, I only robbed 3 gas stations. Can't I get credit for not robbing 4?

[Eyeball_Kid]

29. So this extortion shit doesn't rise to the level of impeachment,

but lying about oral sex does???

Oh, but paying off a porn star (and violating tax laws) to keep an adulterous affair secret doesn't?

Are these people serious? Who is ever going to think they're credible when they're inventing new levels of idiocy every day?

[YOHABLO]

30. "attaches conditions to foreign aid" ? Extortion is an attachment to foreign aid?

I don't get it.

[Gothmog]

32. Trump has been privately fuming that people are saying he was too dumb to do Quid pro Quo

Link to tweet