The Trump Impeachment Inquiry

[real Cannabis calm]

The Trump Impeachment Inquiry: What We Learned So Far Today
By The New York Times
SEPTEMBER 25, 2019

Less than a day after Speaker Nancy Pelosi announced an impeachment inquiry against President Trump, there are several big developments:

A call log released by the White House shows Mr. Trump pushing the Ukrainian president, Volodymyr Zelensky, to consider investigating former Vice President Joe Biden.

A Justice Department official told The Times that after a whistle-blower raised concerns, two top intelligence officials referred the complaint for a possible criminal investigation into the president’s actions. The Justice Department concluded that there was no basis for a criminal investigation into Mr. Trump’s behavior.

In the call, Mr. Trump alluded to American aid, while not explicitly linking his request to unfreezing it, the document shows: “I will say that we do a lot for Ukraine. We spend a lot of effort and a lot of time.”

https://www.nytimes.com/2019/09/25/us/politics/ukraine-transcript-trump.html?action=click&module=Spotlight&pgtype=Homepage&te=1&nl=morning-briefing&emc=edit_nn_20190925?campaign_id=9&instance_id=12629&segment_id=17324&user_id=cd25229822fb6350f11c6cb7ab0d25e8®i_id=90467985

[real Cannabis calm]

1. CNN commentary in Morning Briefing:

So, what happens now? Usually the inquiry would go to a full House vote, but Pelosi has told the six House committees already investigating Trump to proceed "under that umbrella of impeachment inquiry." They will decide whether the President has committed any "impeachable offenses," defined as "Treason, Bribery, or other high Crimes and Misdemeanors." That could mean a whole lot of things, or nothing at all, so expect this part to be extremely contentious. Any articles of impeachment would be subject to a House vote followed by a Senate trial. Ultimately, there's a whole ocean between impeachment and removal from office, especially since Republicans control the Senate.

[Jeffersons Ghost]

2. K&R for CNN reality:

Ultimately, there's a whole ocean between impeachment and removal from office, especially since Republicans control the Senate.