Yeah, holy shit. Here’s that exchange:
Maloney was tough, reminding Sonland this was his 3rd shot to tell the truth.
KevinC
4055
Yeah, that came in scorching hot. Well done (any Trump steak pun not intended).
David2
4056
Im curious about the OMB testimony. Nunes implied that there was a valid reason for withholding the funds, but then went back to the ‘its unfair to not coordinate witnesses testimony stichk’, which was absurd. I would liked to hear IF the OMB actually had a valid reason to withhold the funding.
I cant tell if the republicans are so stupid that they ignored a valid point to continue to sell their absurd defense, or if they just wanted to hint there WAS a valid reason, when in fact there wasnt. I know its likely the later, but I would feel better knowing it was…
I don’t get this at all. You agree that Hurd is taking a dive rather than doing the right thing, but you hope he has a future in public service?
Even prepped by the comments about it here - that last zinger made me sit up and say “oh my!”
jpinard
4059
This is the answer. They just hint at stuff (Biden corrupt) and then hope they’re not called on their bluff.
I did a double-take at this as well. There’s not a single Republican representative that should be in our government after this year.
Thrag
4061
Ovation for Schiff’s closing. Nice.
Well dang, there’s your ‘pizzazz.’
Gym Jordan, right now: “There were only 14 days where the Ukrainians knew the aid was held up.”
“We only kidnapped the child for 14 days, Your Honor.”
“Ah, I see. Case dismissed.”
David2
4064
I get that is likely the answer, maybe almost certainty., I would just feel a little better knowing Nunes is in fact a stooge, rather than he had a point.
Granted even IF the omb had a valid reason, the withholding of a meeting with the ukraine president for the political investigation is STILL a quid pro quo. The secondary policy and tract apparently being run by Giulani was disruptive to the state departments stated policy. All still true, but the withholding of the money makes this whole activity obscenely criminal and damaging to our national interests, instead of just petty and wrong with a slice of criminality.
I think someone pointed it out upthread, but Trump’s smear of Biden is basically working. At least the polls seem to show that.
ShivaX
4066
They brought it up in previous sessions iirc and OMB said there was no reason for the hold.
I think the first inquiry it came up and Taylor and Kent said as much, though I could be misremembering.
There is a reason all the diplomats were confused and then alarmed. The hold had no justification and then Trump started asking for “favors” and everyone put it together what was actually going on.
I mean, there’s no likelihood of another reason, or it would have been revealed by now. The one reason they have offered — that they were concerned about corruption — was torpedoed by the revelation that the DoD had already certified that Ukraine had made sufficient progress on corruption to release the money.
Is it possible to believe both that Joe Biden’s pushing to fire the Ukrainian prosecutor was legit and disinterested, and that Hunter’s appointment to the board of Burisma was gross? Because that’s where I’m at, currently.
ShivaX
4069
Sure. The State Department considered Hunter’s position questionable because it gave the impression of a conflict of interest.
They also pushed hard to get the corrupt prosecutor fired.
Your position is effectively the US policy.
