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posted by martyb on Tuesday September 24 2019, @01:57AM   Printer-friendly
from the Watergate-or-TeapotTempest dept.

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


Original Submission

 
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  • (Score: 3, Interesting) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday September 24 2019, @04:14AM (5 children)

    by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday September 24 2019, @04:14AM (#897954)

    > How many scandals-that-turned-out-not-to-be-prosecuted-for-political-reasons does that make now?

    FTFY

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  • (Score: 2, Insightful) by khallow on Tuesday September 24 2019, @02:44PM (4 children)

    by khallow (3766) Subscriber Badge on Tuesday September 24 2019, @02:44PM (#898150) Journal
    Those political reasons include no actual crime committed.
    • (Score: -1, Troll) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday September 24 2019, @03:40PM (3 children)

      by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday September 24 2019, @03:40PM (#898182)

      Cause yer an idiot who can't read and doesn't want to admit he helped elect a Russian mob patsy to the mother fucking WHITE HOUSE? Khallow I had a sliver of respect for you when you were sticking to the alt-right handbook and trying to maintain an image of intellectual rigor, but I guess the pressure of maintaining a house of cards just got to you.

      • (Score: 1) by khallow on Wednesday September 25 2019, @02:18AM (1 child)

        by khallow (3766) Subscriber Badge on Wednesday September 25 2019, @02:18AM (#898371) Journal
        I think it was pretty straightforward. No crime, no political pretext for impeachment. I guess we'll just have to agree that you're an idiot. Should be a crime, right?
        • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday September 26 2019, @12:22AM

          by Anonymous Coward on Thursday September 26 2019, @12:22AM (#898861)

          Aww khallow is triggered by reality again.

      • (Score: 1) by khallow on Wednesday September 25 2019, @03:50AM

        by khallow (3766) Subscriber Badge on Wednesday September 25 2019, @03:50AM (#898384) Journal

        Khallow I had a sliver of respect for you

        Even if we suppose you're not lying your ass off here, what is your sliver of respect really worth? Sounds like you're bankrupt. Look, I don't care that you don't like Trump. I think there are good reasons for disliking Trump. But making up fantasy crimes isn't one of those good reasons.