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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: -1, Flamebait) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday September 24 2019, @12:23PM (3 children)
Poor widdle Twumpie just wants what he feels is rightfully his - a second term, a Nobel Prize, and the adulation of All Humanity. Widdle Twumpie has so many things on his mind but when tawking to the new Ukraine pwesident of course he'd just mention the son of his chief powitical wival. That's a weal National Pwiority! Nuttin to think about, certainly not a political move on a foreign power to get something that helps his election chances! Must be completely unwelated to restricting aid to that country - nobody could make that association. Nobody would wonder if he either did that on purpose or was just that forgetful, or that he's worried about corruption so that must mean his chief political rival must be corrupt so that's all OK then. Widdle Twumpie is never wrong and never cowwupt so just believe him when he says it was a normal call and nothing to see here. No need for a whistleblower notification to Congress as the law is written of course. We'll just wait for Twumpie to literally murder someone before considering impeachment, or maybe we get lucky and he finally gave himself enough rope. Or maybe he was right and he deserves to get away with a literal murder because he's Twumpie. Widdle Twumpie now looking at poop he made and telling us it wuddunt him and it will make lovely roses anyways. Silly widdle Twumpie.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday September 24 2019, @04:25PM (2 children)
Look, the baby talk shtick needs to go. Just responding to this makes me feel like I am talking down to a two year old. Just sayin'.
(Score: 0, Funny) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday September 24 2019, @05:52PM (1 child)
You know, I would be pleased to do so and maybe it is time to, especially since you took the time to respond to it. You're right that it is getting old after what, 3 or 4 times. The joke is played out. My take on doing it is:
This is how Trump acts like he wants to be treated. Seriously. So thus my responses are so crafted.
Talk about Trump (Or any Republicrat / Democran stories) are toxic these days. I would rather see NO more national politics drahmas here on SN. And willing enough to ask for no Trump stories enough to say no Biden/Sanders/Warren stories, either. And no, don't tell me not to read them, because you don't have to read Widdle Twumpie - the post title always gives it away.
Thus every recent post about Trump has gotten a Widdle Twumpie post as both a satire of the spoiled child who is President and as a protest against why such stories make the cut at SN when they are literally everywhere else.
Yet this is one of the first and few threads about Trump where I see actual intelligent discussion going on and at least some level of reasoning between right and left amidst all the stupidity (on both sides IMVHO). So I think in the future I'll use a geiger counter and if the discussion is stupid there shalt be more Widdle Twumpie. Or maybe I'll just flat out retire it since someone else stopped doing rDT's. We'll see.
Thanks for the politely worded request.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday September 24 2019, @10:34PM
And marked redundant, what pricks