This morning, I will testify in the first hearing of the impeachment inquiry of President Joseph Biden. The hearing of the Committee on Oversight and Accountability will start at 10am in Room 2154 of the Rayburn House Office Building. My written testimony is below.
As a law professor, there is no more solemn responsibility than advising the House in an impeachment. I come to this question as someone who has served both as lead counsel in the last judicial impeachment trial in the United States Senate and testified in two prior presidential impeachments.
Roughly, twenty-five years ago, I appeared before Congress as an expert witness in the impeachment of former president William Jefferson Clinton. Four years ago, I appeared as an expert witness in the only impeachment hearing held in the first impeachment of former president Donald J. Trump.
In the second impeachment just roughly three years ago, there was no hearing at all.
The shortening intervals between impeachments is alarming and calls for circumspection and caution on both sides.
My testimony addresses the historical baseline of past inquiries and what I consider to be “best practices” in the investigation of a sitting president. Some of those practices and presumptions work to the benefit of the President. That is as it should be. A presidential impeachment should not be a close question or a rush to judgment.
Finally, I encourage members to consider the common article of faith in this constitutional process and to rise above the petty and personal attacks that characterize these times:
“There are constitutional moments that demand the best from each of us in transcending the passions and politics of time. These are moments when people of good faith can bring a solemnity and clarity to a national debate. We are living an age of rage where ad hominem attacks have replaced civil discourse. This toxic environment starts here with how members treat different views of our constitutional history and standards. As Justice Louis Brandeis stated “Our government is the potent, the omnipresent teacher. For good or for ill it teaches the whole people by example.”
While Brandeis was speaking of criminal conduct, it is equally true of our public discourse. The license that some feel to engage in hateful rhetoric and personal attacks are the result of how members treat this moment. We can discuss these issues as Americans who may disagree but remain bound by a common faith in our constitutional system. We can disagree, but we need not hate each other. If we want to combat the deterioration of political discourse in our society, it begins here and now as we discuss these issues. Members can choose to be either potent teachers for civil discourse or political rage. I hope that this testimony will assist the Committee in offering the public an array of different viewpoints on how an impeachment inquiry should ideally progress under Article I.”
What we saw happen in the Hearing is so typical and so despicable about the Democrats….the personal attacks upon Professor Turley and the other Witnesses prove yet again the utter hypocrisy and insanity of the Leftists in. Congress.
The Professor is a principled Man, an acknowledged expert witness and scholar on the matters before the Committee, and of all things a fellow Democrat….yet they attempted to demean him professionally and personally using classic smear tactics so common to communist tribunals.
What they accomplished is not harming the Professor but destroying their own reputations and credibility.
The Professor deserves admiration for the way he handled himself and proved thus the Gentleman that he certainly is seen as being.
Leftists are more impressed with Donald’s power than conservatives. They say he is responsible for Joe’s impeachable conduct. Everything is Don’s doings. Don is starving all the children of federal workers because it is he who has shut down our government. Starving children! The shame!
They forgot Clinton’s hands soaked in the shed blood of1 million slaughtered innocent, unarmed men, women and children
And why is no one asking those liars how they intend to vote tonight?
𝐓𝐨𝐩 𝐁𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐧 𝐀𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐬 𝐐𝐮𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐞𝐝 𝐢𝐧 𝐈𝐧𝐪𝐮𝐢𝐫𝐲 𝐈𝐧𝐭𝐨 𝐇𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐨𝐟 𝐃𝐨𝐜𝐮𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐬
The special counsel investigating how classified material ended up at President Biden’s think tank and home after his vice presidency has interviewed senior White House and cabinet officials.
By: Glenn Thrush ~ Reporting from Washington Sept. 28, 2023
[Link://] nytimes.com/2023/09/28/us/politics/special-counsel-biden-aides-documents.html
𝐅𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐬𝐞𝐜𝐫𝐞𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐬𝐞𝐜𝐫𝐞𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐲 𝐨𝐟 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐞, 𝐁𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐧 𝐝𝐨𝐜𝐮𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐬 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐛𝐞 𝐜𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐬 𝐰𝐢𝐝𝐞 𝐧𝐞𝐭: 𝐒𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐜𝐞𝐬
Investigators have interviewed scores of witnesses — some more than once.
By: Lucien Bruggeman and Mike Levine ~ September 26, 2023
[Link://] abcnews.go.com/US/secretaries-secretary-state-biden-documents-probe-casts-wide/story?id=103504213
𝐀𝐟𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐟𝐢𝐫𝐬𝐭 𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠, 𝐇𝐨𝐮𝐬𝐞 𝐢𝐦𝐩𝐞𝐚𝐜𝐡𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐢𝐧𝐪𝐮𝐢𝐫𝐲 𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐧𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐬𝐞𝐜𝐮𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐁𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐧𝐬’ 𝐛𝐚𝐧𝐤 𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐫𝐝𝐬
Comer issues three subpoenas targeting bank records for James and Hunter Biden.
By Nicholas Ballasy ~ September 28, 2023
[Link://] justthenews.com/government/congress/house-gop-plans-more-investigation-biden-family-bank-records-after-first
𝐓𝐢𝐦𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐞: 𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐃𝐢𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐅𝐞𝐝𝐬 𝐍𝐨𝐭 𝐃𝐨 𝐀𝐛𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐀𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐠𝐞𝐝 𝐁𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐧 𝐅𝐚𝐦𝐢𝐥𝐲 𝐂𝐨𝐫𝐫𝐮𝐩𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐖𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐃𝐢𝐝 𝐓𝐡𝐞𝐲 𝐍𝐨𝐭 𝐃𝐨 𝐈𝐭?
A timeline of events focusing on federal authorities’ pursuit of alleged Biden family corruption. This resource will be updated as warranted.
By: Ben Weingarten | RealClearWire Sep 28, 2023
[Link://] fairfieldsuntimes.com/news/investigative_reports/timeline-what-did-the-feds-not-do-about-alleged-biden-family-corruption-and-when-did/article_8de737c5-ea29-590d-b1bb-794ecbc2582b.html
LOL — Are they gonna let you vote as “Anonymous”? Kennedy’s not gonna get very far with supporters who are so timid that they don’t want anyone to know who they are, and don’t even have the mental energy to compose a fake screen name.
I don’t get it…turley sat there and said basically you have grounds to inquire…to see if there is a link to the president. As If res ipsa loquitor means anything??? Meanwhile some guy who wasn’t even at the capital on j6 gets 33 years in jail…on a conspiracy charge – for being like minded. What’s the difference?
Lefty troll
“We need to switch to Whatsapp to finish this discussion.”
——Jim Biden to Hunter Biden 86 different times
86 different times? Like the trash file 86,? Or Like ig – 86? Or in the mirror BP. Or like xv. No one wants the vx green ballls rolling around. Thank goodness they’ rare lodges that change their 3m filters too. Is it the Moose lodge? The Mason lodge? The hunting lodge? Let’s ask hunter gate…what happened 86 times on what’s app.
They had one scheduled shot on 22 August. And it was foiled. But they crossed the Rubicon. So they to try again. Likely on the 4th. Who who who knows….it’s anyone’s guess. But erniie and Bert. Counting on them…and my old boss.
“Own Goal Goldman” admits that it was a “corrupt influence peddling scheme” and that “Biden lied”.
He then claimed there is no need for an inquiry.
Jonathan: Remember as a kid you looked forward to the roller coaster “thrill ride” only to find when your arrived with your parents the ride was closed. Big disappointment. Well, now you know how DJT feels. DJT’s “thrill ride” in NY is over. Thanks to the ruling from Judge Erdogon who has closed DJT’s ride, not just temporarily–but permanently. The only Q is how much DJT’s NY properties will go for at liquidation and how many? For 15-20 years DJY built his empire on quicksand–massive fraud. Even Bernie Madoff learned that fraud finally catches up with you in the end. Bernie went to prison for his ponzi scheme. DJT will only lose his properties. DJT will have to wait for the verdicts in his four criminal cases before he is truly held accountable.
By the way. Do you know why the Dems gave you a virtual pass in todays’ impeachment inquiry House hearing? You gave a spirited defense of the history and constitutional meaning of impeachment. But, unfortunately, you could offer no concrete evidence to support the Biden impeachment inquiry by the MAGA Republicans. In fact, you stated that without a formal vote of the House the impeachment inquiry lacked “legitimacy”. Not exactly music to the ears of Chair Comer and the MAGA members of the Committee who desperately wanted more from you. Now I think you expected another “Debbie Wasserman” moment. It didn’t come because you could offer no red meat for the Republicans on the Committee. Even Jamie Raskin thanked you for your testimony. Hardly something you would have expected from the Dems. So I would think twice if you think Comer is going to call you back to testify any time soon.
I change my testimony—-dennis is the embarrassment.
Turley will be invited back denny…to the impeachment hearings
“In fact, you stated that without a formal vote of the House the impeachment inquiry lacked “legitimacy”.”
Another lie. That is not what he said.
By the way, why are you telling Turley what he said or did? Or are you really just talking to yourself??
You’re getting a visit from Dick Head tomorrow, Dennis.
“only to find when your arrived with your parents the ride was closed.”
The ride wasn’t closed, Denny, your parents just hated you. It’s easy to see why.
This was not an Impeachment hearing aka the Dems. This is an inquiry as to whether or not the acquired facts in coming weeks/months will necessitate an Impeachment. Typical Dem to make up names of things that they aren’t. Inflation reduction act; successful withdrawal from Afghanistan, etc…..creating your own little world.
So Funny. Leftists count Jon’s opinion as a major victory. They spin and act with increasing finesse. They fool the average boob. Intentionally, joyfully, without remorse, anything to perpetuate the policies they cherish that have nothing to do with America.
So Funny. Mr. Turley stated most clearly and somberly, “We can’t impeach Holy Joe just yet. We need to be sure where there’s smoke, there’s fire coming directly from that boy’s pants. It sure appears he is in deep doo doo, but we must be patient and let the officials do their jobs. An Inquiry, IS, without a doubt, absolutely necessary and the obvious right course of action.”
Dems call that, “Turley says ‘No’ to Impeachment.” Read how we lie!
“This is an embarrassment to the time and people of this country”—-AOC
Who knew “time” could be embarrassed.
AOC is the embarrassment.
How to be the consummate black grifter, volume 35.
Democrats, grifters of grifters, excel at creating grifters as long as those who are doing the grifting peddle their Marxist talking points.
Blacks don’t need reparations. They need to expel the Marxists amongst them, and return to their roots prior to President Lyndon B. Johnson, the biggest racist, grifter of them all
How Ibram X. Kendi Broke Boston University
After suddenly laying off over half his employees last week and with his center producing almost nothing since its founding, Mr. Kendi is now facing an investigation and harsh criticism from numerous colleagues complaining of financial mismanagement, dysfunctional leadership, and failure to honor obligations attached to its millions in grant money.
https://www.wsj.com/articles/hunter-biden-may-face-a-big-tax-bill-5dac691f
2/2 Now, let’s focus on what grabbed everyone’s attention. “The accounts contained a mere $23m, and the transaction should have been routine. But although the amount was unremarkable by the standards of the City, the times were not. Ukraine had just overthrown its president, Viktor Yanukovich, and the world was on the lookout for money that Yanukovich and his associates had stashed abroad. … The $23m was held in bank accounts at BNP Paribas belonging to two companies, which were in turn controlled by a Ukrainian politician named Mykola Zlochevsky.” How a high-profile corruption investigation fell apart, https://www.theguardian.com/world/2017/apr/12/the-money-machine-how-a-high-profile-corruption-investigation-fell-apart [2017]
Under the hopelessly corrupt Shokin, the matter was not pursued:
“The investigation began but, no matter how much we pushed the investigators, it was not effective,” Kasko told me. Even when Zlochevsky’s lawyers announced they would contest the freezing of the $23m in a London court, the Ukrainian prosecutors still failed to send the SFO the evidence it needed to maintain the freezing order. “First the British wrote to me, then the Americans, with questions about what was happening with the investigation,” Kasko remembered.” Id.
Big picture: Everybody wanted Shokin sacked. Explainer: Biden, allies pushed out Ukrainian prosecutor because he didn’t pursue corruption cases, usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2019/10/03/what-really-happened-when-biden-forced-out-ukraines-top-prosecutor/3785620002/ [recap, 2019] And everyone with an interest in fighting corruption welcomed his sack. EU hails sacking of Ukraine’s prosecutor Viktor Shokin, https://www.irishtimes.com/news/world/europe/eu-hails-sacking-of-ukraine-s-prosecutor-viktor-shokin-1.2591190 [Irish Times 2016], Envoys pushed to oust Ukraine prosecutor before Biden [Financial Times 2019; paywall].
Law Dog, what makes you think Victor Shokin had anything to do with the UK case involving the $23m? That case was dismissed in Jan 2015. Shokin did not become prosecutor general until 10 Feb 2015.
Moreover, the Guardian article says the SFO told the Ukrainians they had what they needed from them. There is also a reference in the Guardian article to an earlier letter from Ukraine saying Zlochevsky was not suspected of a crime. Again, there is no link to Shokin mentioned.
Ukraine is notoriously corrupt and ridden with oligarch conflict and the rift between Russia and the West. Everyone has an axe to grind. One fact we know is that the US and EU in the second half of 2015 said that they were satisfied with the progress being made on anti-corruption. We also know that Shokin had some of Zlochevsky’s assets seized in February 2016, shortly before he was fired.
Until Comer gets all the State Department documents he has requested we will not know if it was US policy to have Shokin fired, as Biden demanded December 9 2015 and threatened to withhold loan guarantees previously approved.
Let’s do a deep dive into the Burisma scandal.
Zlochevsky was an associate of Viktor Yanukovych, Putin’s puppet in Kyiv. “In 2012, Viktor Pshonka, the Ukrainian prosecutor general, began investigating Burisma Holdings owner, Zlochevsky, over allegations of money laundering, tax evasion, and corruption during 2010–2012.” [W/P] Pshonka was a Russian citizen. It was common for prosecutors to investigate oligarchs, and solicit bribes to make the investigations go away. Vitaly Yarema took over from him, but no investigative work of note was done.
Now, enter Viktor Shokin. As Prosecutor General, he was accused of blocking major cases against allies and influential figures and hindering the fight against corruption in Ukraine. “Daria Kaleniuk, executive director of the Kyiv-based Anti-Corruption Action Center (AntAC), told RFE/RL that Shokin “dumped important criminal investigations on corruption associated with [former President Viktor] Yanukovych, including the Burisma case.” https://www.rferl.org/a/why-was-ukraine-top-prosecutor-fired-viktor-shokin/30181445.html [2019] He also refused to prosecute those accused of shooting demonstrators in the Maidan. Stop the appointment of Shokin, https://en.odfoundation.eu/a/6016%2Cstop-the-appointment-of-shokin/. And in February 2016, Shokin’s deputy Prosecutor General Resigns, Citing Corruption, occrp.org/en/daily/4929-ukraine-deputy-prosecutor-general-resigns-citing-corruption [2016]
Do you see the through-line here? Shokin, Yanukovych, Zlochevsky, and Pshonka, youtube.com/watch?v=Fd6mr521NfY [2014], were all part of the same cartel. Putin’s Wallets.
Law Dog,
You might not have been aware, but this web log is set up to only allow two hyperlinks per comment. I edited the above and another comment you gave so that they would be visible. If you would like for the readership to review more than two links, this can be accomplished through multiple comments having two or fewer links each. Note also that the max links is not limited to just http links it includes all other Schemes such as FTP and MAILTO.
YAWN
Law Dog – The Obama adminstration did not think Shokin was corrupt. Per the NYP:
“Hmmmm. Victor Shokin — the top Ukraine prosecutor whom then-Veep Joe Biden got fired in March 2016 for alleged malfeasance — sure was popular with the rest of the Obama administration.
That love shines through in newly unearthed documents:
“We have been impressed with the ambitious reform and anti-corruption agenda of your government,” gushed the State Department’s Ukraine point person Victoria Nuland to Shokin in summer 2015.
“Ukraine has made sufficient progress on its reform agenda to justify a third guarantee” of aid money, noted another federal functionary that October.
So why did Biden single him out for disposal?
One thing we know: It sure did help his son Hunter.
Remember: Shokin was fired right as he was breathing down the neck of Ukrainian energy company Burisma.
And Burisma, you’ll recall, had made ne’er-do-well Hunter a board member with a sky-high salary despite his literal zero experience either in global business (other than influence-peddling) or energy exploration and exploitation.
Do we have to draw a picture here?
Biden claimed that he told officials in 2015 that he would withhold funds from Ukraine if Shokin wasn’t removed from office.
Look: As late as January 2016, the CIA was dumping on claims that Shokin was crooked.
When rumors started to buzz in-country that further aid money was tied to Shokin’s ouster, the agency responded with a literal “Yikes.”
So said agency Ukraine expert Eric Ciaramella, later adding (of a DC meeting with senior leaders from Shokin’s office): “We were super impressed with the group, and we had a two-hour discussion of their priorities and the obstacles they face.”
“Super impressed” does not sound anywhere close to “this guy is crooked and must go.”
. . .
You know who did consider Shokin bad news, though?
Hunter’s former partner, Devon Archer.
Archer told former Fox host Tucker Carlson on his new show that Shokin “was a threat.”
Why? Because “he ended up seizing assets” from Burisma’s owner Mykola Zlochevsky, who reportedly told a credible FBI informant that he had paid $10 million in bribes to Hunter and Joe.
And Archer has testified before Congress that Zlochevsky and fellow Burisma big Vadym Pozharsky asked Hunter in December 2015 to make a call to DC to help relieve the “pressure” they were feeling from Shokin.
In other words: Biden’s biggest Ukraine smokescreen has been utterly blown apart.
https://nypost.com/2023/08/23/team-obama-loved-victor-shokin-why-did-biden-get-him-fired/
Who else considered Shokin a threat? Zlovchevsky and Hunter.
It was the purpose of their call to “his dad” from Dubai on Dec 4, 2015.
It doesnt really matter who else did or didnt.
Zlovchevsky, Hunter, Archer, Joe are the players in this Bribery scheme. Period.
CONNECT ALL THE DOTS..
AND WE HAVE ANOTHER COUP ATTEMPT
Right now, the agenda of House Republicans is:
* Impeach President Biden
* Shutdown the government
* Shut-off aid to Ukraine
* Block Military Promotions
* Abolish the FBI
* Abolish the IRS
* Enabling foreign trolls
* Enabling misinformation
* Shackling public health officials
* Intimidating prosecutors
* Intimidating judges
* Intimidating teachers
* Intimidating school boards
* Prolonging fossil fuel dependency
…………………………………
Coincidently all these positions dovetail with Donald Trump’s agenda. And it’s no secret Trump is dictating the agenda of House Republicans. They are all useful idiots to Vladimir Putin. How frightening it is! One of our two major political parties is fighting for the enemy.
Can I use this?
YAWN
The first 6 sound good to me. But its the Dems shutting down the govt, for purely political gain. The white house say “we already have a deal in place”, yet NO democrats will vote for it. Why is that?
Putin…lol
Better a useful idiot than a useless one, i suppose.
Reading through the comments is a LOT quicker when you skip over comments by the worthless CLOWNS referred to as “Anonymous” — absolute MORONS who swamp this site while not caring enough to put forth the MINIMAL effort to come up with a fake screen name so that their comments can be differentiated from those of the other worthless MORONS who likewise allow the automated website to label them as “Anonymous” because they also refuse to put forth the MINIMAL effort to concoct a fake screen name.
Turley should have two separate comment sections — one for the “Anonymous” posters, and another for people who score higher than 40 on an IQ test.
Ralph, I have been screaming for a long time that this site needs to end people using the name :Anonymous”.
As for people that aren’t the execrable “Anonymous”, pick a darn name for cripes sake. How hard is it to pick a name so that we can more easily ignore the one “Anonymous” that has the serious analytical problem
Turley is like the chain-smoking driver of the short bus. He doesn’t care whether the kids sitting behind him are killing each other. He just keeps driving the bus and doesn’t even turn around to see what all the screaming behind him is about.
Why is this bug guy still able to post under any name? Is he using some sort of changing VPN? Because i know its possible to block a particular address.
Part of the problem is that “Anonymous” is the default handle at this website for those who don’t set up a WordPress or other log-in, or who don’t realize they’ve been logged out.
But I have known forums that could block anyone, not matter how they tried to post, based on their DNS
Given the fact the Democratic party doesn’t see the constitution as anything other than a roadblock to there progressive worldview, it shouldn’t be a surprise they have a different idea of what constitutes an impeachable offense. What’s impeachable to them is whatever offends them. Period.
How soon before Democrats conduct a high-tech lynching against Rep Byron Donalds ala Justice Clarence Thomas?
Rep Byron Donalds discusses the evidence to Joe Biden Impeachment Inquiry Hearing
Rep Byron Donalds: This is a text message between Hunter Biden and Naomi Biden. Everybody knows this one. This is a famous one that says, “I hope you all do what I did and pay for everything for this entire family for 30 years. It’s really hard. But don’t worry, unlike pop, I won’t make you give me half your salary.” If you saw a text message like this in a potential money laundering operation or potential pay-for-play operation would you be looking for information related to money going from son to father?
BRUCE DUBINSKY, FORENSIC ACCOUNTANT: Absolutely, without a doubt.
Yea, that 14 doesnt know his place. I’m sure the Dems will let him in on it soon.