Today, President Trump tweeted on the decision to bar EU Ambassador Gordon Sondland from testifying since it would be in front of a “a totally compromised kangaroo court.” The problem is that any fight would be on the basis for executive privilege, not the disagreement with the Committee agenda or fairness. Executive privilege is based on protecting confidential communications and diplomatic relations. Trump seems to be saying is that he simply does not trust the Committee, which is not a ground for refusal if a subpoena is now issued.
Trump also says that he would “love” to have the testimony occur if it were not for his dislike or distrust for the Committee. Again, that undermines later possible privilege arguments.
Donald J. Trump✔@realDonaldTrump · 20m
I would love to send Ambassador Sondland, a really good man and great American, to testify, but unfortunately he would be testifying before a totally compromised kangaroo court, where Republican’s rights have been taken away, and true facts are not allowed out for the public….
Donald J. Trump✔@realDonaldTrump
….to see. Importantly, Ambassador Sondland’s tweet, which few report, stated, “I believe you are incorrect about President Trump’s intentions. The President has been crystal clear: no quid pro quo’s of any kind.” That says it ALL!9,5849:23 AM – Oct 8, 2019
Trump has previously undermined litigation arguments in areas like immigration. However, this could be a costly misstep as Congress heads toward court fights over privilege.
I predict that future presidents will learn from these missteps, and employ a similar team as the one that vets speeches.
For the trump supporters, wake up and smell the covfefe.
Coffee and an impeachment trial…just what the doctor ordered. Bring it! It’s what we need- an all out brawl.
you been saying that for 3 years now. boring
What goes on in Adam Schiff’s executive sessions? It’s supernatural.
Sondland Is ‘Not’ A State Department Professional
Nor Was He Ambassador To Ukraine
Sondland, a Trump donor rewarded with a plum ambassadorship, has become embroiled in the Ukraine controversy after text messages emerged showing Sondland and other high-ranking diplomatic officials discussing Ukraine, military aid to that country and investigations of the 2016 election.
Bill Taylor, the senior U.S. diplomat in the Ukrainian embassy, said in one text to Sondland on Sept. 1:
“Are we now saying that security assistance and WH meeting are conditioned on investigations?”
Half an hour later, Sondland replied: “Call me”
Eight days later, Taylor again texted Sondland with his concerns:
“As I said on the phone, I think it’s crazy to withhold security assistance for help with a political campaign.”
This time, it took Sondland five hours to reply, and this time texted:
“Bill, I believe you are incorrect about President Trump’s intentions. The President has been crystal clear no quid pro quo’s of any kind. The President is trying to evaluate whether Ukraine is truly going to adopt the transparency and reforms that President Zelensky promised during his campaign I suggest we stop the back and forth by text If you still have concerns I recommend you give Lisa Kenna or S a call to discuss them directly. Thanks.”
Credit For Above: “Trump Administration Blocks Ambassador’s Testimony After Key Witness Testifies In Ukraine Scandal”
Today”s NPR
Who is Gordon Sondland?
A big donor turned Trump diplomat
A wealthy former hotel magnate from Oregon, Sondland was tapped for the EU ambassador position after donating $1 million to Trump’s inaugural committee. He made the contributions through four separate limited liability corporations, according to the Center for Responsive Politics, which tracks campaign donations.
During his confirmation hearing, Sondland’s supporters touted his background as a first-generation American whose parents had fled Nazi Germany in the 1930s. His parents eventually made their way to Seattle, where Sondland was born in 1957.
Before Trump tapped him for the EU ambassadorship, Sondland was a successful real-estate investor and hotel owner. Until last year, Sondland’s principal involvement in politics seemed to be as a generous GOP donor. Since 2007, he has given more than $280,000 to the Republican National Committee and the Senate GOP’s campaign arm.
Edited from: “Gordon Sondland: Donor Turned Diplomat A Central Player In Ukraine Controversy”
USA Today, 10/8/19
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One must note that Gordon Sondland was (barely) confirmed as Ambassador to the European Union. He was ‘not’ confirmed as Ambassador to Ukraine. But after Trump fired the confirmed Ukrainian Ambassador, Marie Yovanovitch, Sondland claimed jurisdiction over Ukraine and commenced to give orders to State Department career professionals.
well it must be difficult for Sondland to know about how the US has played so much footsie under Obama and Biden with the anti-Russian Ukrainians and their um dubious allies in the Azov Brigade, can you blame him?
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/sep/10/azov-far-right-fighters-ukraine-neo-nazis
So you’re a Russian troll. Thanks for playing.
not Russian and been here on this website for years.
born in america, to parents born in america, with farther back ancestors who soaked the soil with their blood and wintered at Valley Forge. all my ancestors from europe however far back, and not one from Russia within 3 centuries we know. Not that there’s anything to be ashamed of for those who do! The Russians are a great people.
how about you? you’re the cipher not me.
a real native son doesn’t need to kiss anybody’s backside to have an opinion and we say what we please here. and vote likewise.
I think Trump is right here. The Democrats are making up the rules and suppressing the Republicans. Why should he play an unfair game?
Today’s count: 38% support for impeachment inquiry among Republicans, up significantly from last count.
I do not have much hope for you though to increase that count.
Bush family lackey Andrew Card is on the short list. he wants a kick in the pants!
Hutom – I do not mind an impeachment inquiry is that is what it is. Go to the floor of the House and vote on it. Give both sides power as well as the President and then let the games begin.
Show me in the Constitution where that’s required. Since you can’t, then your objection is baseless and you should just support the inquiry without these quisling caveats.
It’s not. The House and Senate make up their own rules as they go. I have zero complaints, but I would caution the Dems that you would probably want to hear from the defense in order to make a rational decision. That said, we all know that rationality is out the window. So let’s do this thing and move onto the Senate already.
NotPlaying – it is in the House Rules and SCOTUS will support that. Show where they can hold the hearing in less than a full House? Cannot can you?
The whining! I mean, I could almost tolerate the criminality if it wasn’t followed by such pathetic whining by Trump and his lackies.
pick a screen name and stick to it before you start tossing names.
is it going to be “not playing” or are you going to reincarnate under another misnomer in a day or two?
talk about trolls!
NotPlaying – ah, the kool-aid has been drunk deep here. I have been following parts of the hearings and the current rules shut down and suppress the Republicans. If they are going to have a true inquiry, go to the House floor and vote for it. Get your members to vote aye or nay. Then let it go ahead with all the rules that apply.
Those without often instead of using intellect and hard work to climb the ladder prefer to indiscriminately pull others down on order to make themselves seem like they are advancing. They are some of the fools that occupy this world.
King tRump thinks he is above the law, he is guilty of hundreds if not thousands of violations of the law. He knows if the truth comes out he is gone, so the foot dragging and refusal to cooperate. A.d the repubs are afraid of the Twitter bully so they fall in line while he is owned by Putin and even Turkey (nice twin towers you have here, sure would be bad if something happened to them or your licensing agreement)
one too many tots of rum this morning cappy
Fantastic, now if out of those thousands of ‘violations of the law” you can provide just a few along with the laws and your evidence there would be a modicum of credence behind what you say. Without that one is forced to assume such a coment to be complete nonsense tainting the name of the persona that wrote it.
There is the time when he asked for ‘a favour’ in return for vitally important military aid, and that favour was an investigation into a political rival. Or there was the illegal hush money payment to silence a porn star about an affair in violation of campaign finance laws. Then there is whatever Trump is trying so hard to cover up by fighting to not reveal his tax returns. Then there is the obstruction of justice he did while trying to cover up how implicated with the Russians his campaign was. There is more. All of this happened. All of it matters of fact in court records. But, being a Trump supporter you are just going to pretend all of it just doesn’t exist. Why do you deny facts that have been declared so in Courts? Oh yes, those Courts are somehow ‘Democrat’ courts and don’t count. Any Republican appointed Judges or Prosecutors or Intelligence or Law Enforcement professionals who find a different way are also Democrats really. There is only one Truth and that is the Leader. The Truth is Trump and so any facts that show he did all those crimes and impeachable must be explained away.
Max why do foreigners with English ways of spelling presume to lecture Americans about politics? Keep your nose out of our business.
Unless you are Russian, of course, right kurtzie?
Which he pretty obviously is.
NotPlaying – what would his being a Russian have to do with anything. As fast as you are coming up, I suspect a bot.
I’m not. But you can imagine what you like
Based on your comments, I assumed you were Russian. I still do. Don’t comment on spelling by Americans.
NotPlaying – did you get your fee-fees hurt?
spasiba tovarish. you’re fantasizing. I’m a just another peasant native out here in flyover. born and bred in america and not a lick of Russian blood. but if i had it, I’d be proud of that, too
“Or there was the illegal hush money payment to silence a porn star about an affair in violation of campaign finance laws.”
Let’s take one that is not too emotional, hush money. What does the law say and how did Trump break the law? What is your proof?
People pay hush money all the time. Even the courts do it in settlements where the settlement is sealed. Where does it say it is illegal for Trump to use his own money to pay off a porn star?
Now prove your point, Maximilian, so we can get to the next baseless argument.
(I won’t bother to ask what persona you normally go by.)
Trump paid his attorney back for the hush money payments. When we get his tax returns, it’ll show that he wrote this payment off as legal expenses. That’s tax fraud.
It’s also an illegal campaign contribution.
But you knew that so the only question is the motivation for you to lie.
NotPlaying – you are either a bad lawyer or you are getting bad legal advice.
Tax evasion is a big one. It’s a single crime but he will have committed it at a minimum of thousands of times if you count each instance.
“Tax evasion is a big one. It’s a single crime”
Not Playing, It sounds like someone who is changing his name constantly, but still can’t brag about his wittiness. The IRS has evaluated his taxes and I believe was doing so before he became President. It is easy for you to say what you wish but something you can’t prove.
Not Playing With a Full Deck would be a more appropriate name for you.
So the reason Trump constantly lied about his willingness to provide his tax returns was because they don’t contain evidence of massive tax fraud, right? We know that Trump falsely described his payments to Cohen as legal expenses. Even without the tax returns we know that because we saw the actual checks.
BTW, there’s no evidence that Trump was ever under audit until he became President and it became mandatory. So far we’re aware there’s a whistleblower who is alleging that Trump’s audit has been interfered with. Given his unwillingness to face fair treatment, it’s clear that his political appointees have been trying to prevent IRS staff from doing their work properly.
Now go away, nitwit.
Anonymous, go feed your ego in the toilet.
NotPlaying – Trump seems to be on automatic auditing. Would you evade your taxes if the IRS were auditing your taxes every year?
Way off topic, but it is hilarious! It would make a great article for here:
https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2019/10/racists-in-one-of-americas-richest-counties-are-freaking-out-over-a-forced-busing-proposal/
Squeeky Fromm
Girl Reporter
I don’t understand how concepts like executive privilege can be bantered about without the benefit of constitutional justification for such privileges!
If you read, and reread, Article 2 of the Constitution you will not find any basis what so ever for any executive privileges, especially concerning diplomatic relations with foreign nations, which the President only has Power, By and With the advice and Consent of the Senate, provided 2/3 of the Senators Present Concur! The President has absolutely no secrets from the Senate, which was designed for secrecy and dispatch, especially in the area of foreign relations! The only secrecy expected in the President is for initial contact, which may be more comfortable for a foreign nation to bring up in confidence to and individual, but as soon as it crosses into negotiations of any type that requires decisions then it must be immediately brought to the attention of the Senate for their consideration to set the parameters of the negotiations and what would constitute an agreement! The President has no authority what so ever to negotiate on his own agendas or his own parameters, he must always negotiate, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate, on their agenda and their parameters!
Congress has all decision making powers in our Government granted by Article 1 Section 1 of the United States Constitution; all Legislative Powers means all decision making powers and authority, and All means All, that’s Foreign and Domestic!
If that isn’t good enough for you to understand then Article 1 sections 7 – 9 should suffice to elucidate all the areas of Legislative, decision making, authority vested in Congress alone, which is not shared, even in part, with the Executive or Judicial!
The President, which means the Executive, have no powers or privileges that are not conditioned on the Advice, Consent, and Concurrence of Congress, the States assembled as the Union, the United States, in Congress Assembled, the Union which makes our Country the United States of America!
Furthermore, no Congressional Statute can override, or circumvent, the Constitution, and some parts of the Constitution cannot even be changed by Constitutional amendment due to the way they were written to be dependent on State Constitutions rendering them unalterable by any means, and empowering the President with legislative powers is one of those instances!
Captain Queeg
It seems no accusation against Trump is too small or too compromised for Professor Turley to dwell upon.
A tweet is limited in scope and doesn’t provide the entirety of the situation but none the less a singular tweet, not the law or the body of fact is what the Professor talks about. He likes to pick and choose to push a point of view. Defintely biased to the degree that his intellect is dwarfed by some of the mush he is publishing. Very disappointing. I prefer one that disagrees utilizing more substantial arguments.
He’s being impeached. The tweet will be used by House attorneys to argue that Sondland’s testimony is required and that any claim of executive privilege is disallowed. That’s pertinent to the main story of the day. It may be unpleasant for you that your God-Emporer is about to be cast out of the White House (and maybe prosecuted!) but your best bet is to turn off the internets. Because it’s only going to get a lot worse from here forward.
Mot Playing With a Full Deck,
You are a sicko no matter which alias you choose.
Knock it off.
No matter which name you go by, anonymous, even with no name at all you are still a sicko.
Judging by some of his replies, the only “sicko” is Allan.
OK, Fido, the Brainless Wonder you can be included with anonymous the stupid fool.
Not playing, champ. If only you could see yourself the way that others see you.
Anonymous, you can see yourself as a champion, but in reality you would be better off with four legs so that people would find your antics amusing and you wouldn’t have to chase all over the net for some type of affection that no one wishes to give you.
Allan is describing…: Allan
Now go away, little boy.
Fido, we all know who and what you are. You run around the blog hoping that someone will pet you, but no one wants you.
Allan is describing…: Allan
Simple for you to say but reality shows a different picture. The anonymi feeding off of one another and coming back with crazy statements and unbelieveable postings in combination with whining and crying while blaming others.
NotPlaying – I think the President is willing to litigate it. It isn’t over until SCOTUS says it is over.
We will see about that. you guys been saying tick tock for 3 years. better get ready to vote in election because stupid impeachment will die in senate if it ever arrives on time.
When the conversations involve an on going or planned criminal act no privilege applies! No communication or evidentiary privilege is absolute! The President is engaging in obstruction and he knows it.
A stable genius!
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2019/oct/07/trump-memes-unmatched-wisdom-claim-twitter-syria-decision
Trump just modified that stable genius assessment.
Thanks.