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https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-49800181
(Note: emphasis in original.)
Why is this important?
Mr Trump's most ardent critics accuse him of using the powers of the presidency to bully Ukraine into digging up damaging information on a political rival, Democrat Joe Biden.
Meanwhile, Mr Trump and his supporters the former vice-president abused his power to pressure Ukraine to back away from a criminal investigation that could implicate his son, Hunter.
Mr Biden is the front-runner for the Democratic nomination to take on Mr Trump next year.
In other words, it is nothing less than the White House at stake.
[...] What happened to the whistleblower's complaint?
After receiving the [whistleblower] complaint, the inspector general informed Joseph Maguire, the acting director of national intelligence, and said the matter was "urgent". The intelligence community whistleblower law says the director has seven days to pass the complaint along to congressional intelligence committees.
That didn't happen.
Instead, Mr Maguire spoke to a lawyer who told him the issue was not "urgent", at least according to legal standards, according to [T]he New York Times.
As a result, Mr Maguire decided that the members of the congressional oversight committees did not need to see it.
On 9 September, the inspector general informed Congress about the complaint's existence, but not the details. Democrats in Congress have since clamoured for more information - including a transcript of Mr Trump's call - but the administration has refused to co-operate.
And that's where things currently stand.
[...] Did Mr Trump commit an impeachable offence?
The constitutional process for handling a president who committed illegal and-or unethical acts is impeachment by a majority of the House of Representatives and conviction and removal by a two-thirds majority of the US Senate.
The US constitution outlines the grounds for impeachment as "treason, bribery, or other high crimes and misdemeanors". When it comes down to it, an "impeachable offense" is whatever a majority of the House says it is.
Inspector General of the Intelligence Community Letters to Congressional Intelligence Committees
(Score: 3, Insightful) by deimtee on Tuesday September 24 2019, @02:39AM (10 children)
It should derail both.
Electing a leader is not like prosecuting a criminal case where you get to throw out evidence for technical reasons to avoid punishing someone. Disqualifying someone from a political job is not a punishment, it is simply failing to give them massive privileges.
If the Ukraine has evidence that BIden is unfit for the job then that should be the end of his political career.
If Trump - or anyone else - used illegal methods to expose that evidence than that should be the end of their political career too.
It might be annoying to lose a candidate but they 'took one for the team' to expose someone else as unfit.
There are 330 million people in the USA, surely you can find one competent person who hasn't had illegal dealings with a foreign state.
If you cough while drinking cheap red wine it really cleans out your sinuses.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday September 24 2019, @03:38AM (6 children)
Being competent is not sufficient...
Heck, it's not even required and/or desired. Not even by the majority of voters (wanna proof, you say? Trump)
(Score: 1, Insightful) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday September 24 2019, @03:46AM (2 children)
Competency is not a good thing anymore. Can you imagine how many rights would disappear if Congress could actually get together and pass laws?
(Score: 2) by c0lo on Tuesday September 24 2019, @03:49AM
You mean how many loopholes could vanish?
Yeah, one can still dream... but realize that's not gonna happen.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aoFiw2jMy-0 https://soylentnews.org/~MichaelDavidCrawford
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday September 24 2019, @06:45AM
That depends on what you consider it to mean. Integrity can be part of your definition of competence.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday September 24 2019, @12:49PM (2 children)
How many votes did Trump win the popular vote by?
(Score: 3, Insightful) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday September 24 2019, @01:30PM (1 child)
I would love to answer your question but the Trump administration has outlawed the use of negative numbers relating to government.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday September 24 2019, @07:29PM
Except when it comes to the deficit?
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday September 24 2019, @01:28PM
Hmm, interesting premise. Here, hold 330 million beers ...
(Score: 2) by DeathMonkey on Tuesday September 24 2019, @06:51PM (1 child)
They don't. [factcheck.org]
(Score: 2) by Nobuddy on Wednesday September 25 2019, @01:46PM
I find it amusing that Trump is accusing Biden of time travel. Since the corruption in question happened before Biden Jr joined the company.