Mulvaney jumped the gun and skipped a whole lot of phases, when he prematurely ejaculated this:
“We do that all the time,” replied Mulvaney. “Did he also mention to me the corruption related to the DNC server? Absolutely. No question about it. But that’s it. That’s why we held up the money … I have news for everybody: Get over it. There’s going to be political influence in foreign policy.”
The first “excuse” is always the one you remember.
“I do not believe it was impeachable,” the Texas Republican said.
“But a private affair between consenting adults,” he continued, “now, THAT’S impeachable!”
I recall GW Bush once coming out of a focus group meeting with some regular folk. He said someone asked about not paying taxes. Bush looked into the camera and said rich people do it all the time.
Ask? Trump asked them to investigate the Bidens? No, he demanded they investigate the Bidens or they would lose the support of the USA in their war with Russia. He extorted them. He didn’t “ask”.
Moreover, if Trump gets away with his many impeachable offenses, it means:
Trump will again seek foreign meddling to help him politically without fear of consequences;
Congress will lose any control over appropriations;
Congress can no longer investigate a president, since its subpoenas can be ignored with impunity if a crooked AG works for a lawless president; and
The US president is above the law.
If trump isn’t removed based on the evidence in public view then the entire Constitution is meaningless as is any equality before the law.
There is a TSUNAMI of Foreign Policy HELL on the way with Trump.
The term “Ally” will lose all meaning (right now it has lost MUCH of it).
Rand Paul should be in a cell.
At this point all I would like to see happen is to put Trump in front of a camera (like Bill Clinton) and ask him adversarial question for five hours. Then leak the tape to the media a couple of hours later.
Then we would at least finally learn what the meaning of “is” is or Trump more likely would crap his pants.
Striving to pay the minimum in taxes is pretty much universal. Call me old-fashioned but I think proof that Trump is a huge money launderer for the Russian mob would be awkward for him.
Only one of several felonies he is involved in. And because it is only one of several… Who cares? More the merrier.
The evolution of his answers to release his tax records is enough proof.
“After they’re audited”
“On my lawyers advice not to”
“No one is interested”
“Only if I’m elected POTUS”
Says no and then runs to the SCOTUS for cover.
“In fact, I believe that it was perfectly peachable.”
Lindsey Graham, with foamy drool dripping from his mouth: “Go on.”
I agree, but I still feel that most of the Republicans in congress will take great pains to normalize it.
And his demand that his business dealings not be investigated. The majority of what he does just reeks of money laundering.
OT: Oh my. There are no words for this level of obscenity. What I perhaps resent the most is how he’s just trashed America’s values. Literally putting a price on human life.
There are none. Unfortunately the wordlessness of profound contempt and disgust doesn’t make much of an impression on the intertubes. It might be deafening if it did.
Parents, ask yourselves how many extra days would you have grounded your kid if his/her excuses for bad behavior were as ridiculous-sounding as what the GOP is hurling right now.
“There’s not really anything the President said in that phone call that’s different from what he says in public all the time,”
Normalization is a wonderful thing, eh, Rethuliklans?
It’s actually news now when a Republican says something that ordinarily would be in the “No, shit, Sherlock” category of statements.