Trump shocked normal sensibilities and aroused the ire of lawmakers, and justifiably so, when he openly invited foreign interference with the 2020 election in an interview Wednesday with George Stephanopoulos. This echoed Trump’s open invitation to Russia in 2016 to obtain Hillary’s emails. Senator and Ranking Member of the Senate Intelligence Committee, Mark Warner, wasn’t having any of it.
“The comments of President Trump yesterday were extraordinary, even in Trumpworld. The fact that this president has so little moral compass or understanding of the need to protect our nation to say that he would still welcome information from Russia, China or other potential adversaries if it helps his political campaign? It’s outrageous.”
A few weeks ago Warner introduced legislation stating that if anybody running for office was contacted by a foreign power there would be an affirmative duty to report that information to the FBI — a fact which Trump undercut yesterday, when he said that the FBI didn’t know anything in essence. “The FBI director is wrong,” quoth the ravin’ lunatic.All our leaders and all our institutions know less than Donald Trump in this mad through the looking glass world. That’s what tiny thumb Tin Despot Donald really believes.
“Today, I will go before the Senate and ask that this legislation be brought up for unanimous consent. I think that this is absolutely essential that we send a message to our adversaries that intervening in our Democratic process is against the law and not appropriate. And my hope would be that somebody in the White House would counsel Mr. Trump that encouraging interference in our elections is beyond the pale in terms of honoring your occupation to defend the United States.”
If you missed the Stephanopolous interview, Trump told Stephanopolous that “in the real world” you used whatever information you could get against your opponents. In Trump’s real world, which includes plenty of Cosa Nostra contacts, that is unquestionably the case. The rest of us don’t see it as normal to be married to the mob and using their playbook. Good for Mark Warner and any other lawmaker who stands up to this depravity.
Glad to hear of this.
Trump and his appointees are eroding our institutions right and left. That’s a feature, not a bug of this misfire of an administration. Good for Warner for taking immediate action.
Yes, immediate action is very welcome.
I get the feeling that Speaker Pelosi has been waiting for these things. I see people commenting that she doesn’t want to impeach Trump, I don’t agree. I think she says things in public for a specific reason. I really hope I am not completely wrong.
Two thoughts: She is biding her time, waiting for the right moment to impeach, if at all; Second, she knows which way the Wingnuttia winds in this country blow (I speculate — I don’t know that for sure) and she knows it’s really best to obliterate Trump at the ballot box. She walks a fine line. I admire her greatly. I think she’s a good leader and especially so in these madhouse times. She knows how to troll Trump better than anybody. I give her a medal for that.
I agree. Like I have said before, impeaching him is morally the right thing to do. Saying that, getting rid of Trump, and as many republicans as we can, is what needs to happen. People seem to think that impeachment is a magic wand. I want him and his enablers crushed, impeachment doesn’t do that. We all know he is a despicable human being, censuring him would feel really good, it still doesn’t stop him from doing all of the awful things he is doing. We are hurtling towards something very fast. Things change daily now. We will see what the next two hours bring, lol.
I think going for a Trump Impeachment NOW, by writing to your Reps in Congress is a good idea … the thing I’ve been waiting for, is absolutely him leaving the barn door open a bit so we can swing it wide open by justifiably haranguing him mercilessly with this Albatross he just hung around his own neck … it IS an open ended statement of his actual feelings of power and the 180 degree opposite of what a good performing president would do for our country … AND it personifies his failures as his operations intent, he is saying IT worked before for HIM and he will repeat all the lies and wrong doings for our country if elected …
This one is SO hardwired, I think this moving it out in the open for all to see by Mark Warner will create a public display, even by the coat-free Republican dunce in the House, who loves to waste so much time, haranguing witnesses to the committee of which he is unfortunately a member … I wrote a note to Abby, our rep in the House to start these proceedings for an inquiry now, this IS very fresh in all our minds and IS horrific on every level … Trump just showed what he believes is the right thing to do, and the FBI is wrong …
DJT is so flippant off the notes and teleprompter, he always seems to reveal his true core and how uncaring he actually is, (see current treatment of children going to the old, never-again internment camps of WWII Japanese Americans) … he is like an open sore in our sides …
I agree with you. When she allegedly said “I want him jailed” I believe her. Impeachment will take a lot of time and need the spineless Republican Senate to act.
Once tRump is out of office he can be indicted and all of those retractions can come off the Report and he will do jail time. It will not be Nixon like. Why? Because more and more legislators are waking up to the fact that tRump’s actions are an invitation for future presidents to flaunt the law. Jail will deter such invitation.
Ever since that interview, I’ve had “Ball of Confusion” playing in the background to everything, all day.
That’s what the world is today—
Hey, hey.
(and the band played on.)
Warner step is a halfway decent one but it’s only a first step. I’ve been writing about the need not for new laws but strengthening what we already have – specifically by changing the provisions of campaign finance law that deal with the penalties for soliciting and/or accepting foreign assistance. Even more specifically changing (downwards) the thresholds for what would otherwise be a civil penalty into criminal behavior and prison time. What is being debated on the floor of the Senate this afternoon could be incorporated into existing law as well.
THAT could be a topic of discussion in a (the sooner the better) House Judiciary Committee hearing even if it’s not an impeachment inquiry!
As for the Speaker’s clear NFW on impeachment I’m increasingly dismayed today. But while related to this that’s a different subject.
Marsha Blackburn just blocked it.
of course. She’s a member of Tr*mp’s cult.