Jake Tapper's summary of David Holmes testimony

[Imperialism Inc.]

I thought Tapper had a good Twitter thread about the testimony of David Holmes, the person who overheard the Trump-Sondland call.

https://threadreaderapp.com/thread/1195711754967404546.html

14/ On June 27, Sondland told Taylor that Zelenskyy "needed to make clear" to Trump that he wasn't standing in the way of "'investigations'" which Holmes took to mean "the Burisma/Biden investigations" that Giuliani and others had been "speaking about in the media since March."

15/ Taylor told Holmes that on a June 28 call w Zelenskyy, Taylor, and the 3 Amigos, "it was made clear that some action on a Burisma/Biden investigation was a precondition for an Oval Office meeting."

...

18/ Sondland said he was going to call the president on his cell to give him an update. Holmes heard him say something like "Gordon Sondland holding for the president" several times. Then Holmes noticed Sondland's demeanor change; he had been patched through.

19/ Holmes "could hear the President's voice through the earpiece of the phone" though it was not on speaker; Trump's "voice was very loud and recognizable" and Sondland held the cell away from his ear for some period "presumably because of the loud volume."

20/ Sondland said he was calling from Kyiv;

Trump clarified that Sondland was in Ukraine;

Yes, Ukraine, Sondland replied, "and went on to state that President Zelenskyy 'loves your ass.'"

Trump: "So he's gonna do the investigation?"

Sondland: "He's gonna do it."

...

[CincyDem]

1. I'm sure the R talking point on this one is going to be...

...investigation ??? He could have been talking about ANY investigation. How dare Democrats imply that he was talking about Biden??

I can just hear Clemenza saying to Paulie "Hey --- you take cara dat thing?"


Just wait for it.

[Dream Girl]

2. Clearly they were referring to investigating corruption.

[The_Counsel]

3. I Can Only Hope They Were Talking About an Investigation...

...because the part about Zelinsky “loving Trump’s ass” can take this in one or two directions we really don’t want to go.

[Pachamama]

4. Giuliano, Perry and Pence

Read the comments and summary from Tapper:

These three are in very Deep and that includes Pence.

I think Barr is too and we will more soon.

[leftieNanner]

6. I think you are correct

Which may explain why Barr went off on the impeachment inquiry while speaking to the Federalist Society.

He may be in the hot seat as well, but he's so arrogant, I'm guessing that he thinks he can handle it as AG.

I hope the ghost of John Mitchell visits him in his dreams, chains clanking.

[erronis]

7. He (Barr) thinks he can deal with it because the FedSoc controls the courts, or so they think.

It's amazed me when jurists actually adhere to the constitution and the rule-of-law instead of their supposed puppet-masters.

Don't expect much from Kavanaugh or Thomas or Alito. But even Gorsuch may have a real sense of patriotism.

[leftieNanner]

9. I agree with you about Gorsuch

He and Roberts may surprise us down the road.

Alito, Thomas, and Beer are fully bought and paid for.

[George II]

5. Let's see how Sondland testifies on this Wednesday morning. He's scheduled to appear at 9:00 AM.

[flibbitygiblets]

8. I don't see how he can lie. Unless they're willing to go full "he said/he said" about the Kiev call.

On an unsecured line, any number of countries could have been listening in. But if any of them were to turn over a recording or transcript that backs up Sandy's story, that would be admitting to spying. (And could be construed as Dems "getting help from a foreign government", you know, just like Dump was trying to do with Ukraine. And DID do with Russia in 2016.)

So I don't see how that could help us. Only OUR government, or any public/private citizens who can corroborate or provide proof of this heinous f**kery will be enough to PROVE it happened.

...and even then, they'll just switch the strategy to "so what?".

[Traildogbob]

10. Sondland testify?

He NEEDS to be informed about the lying to congress verdict just handed to Stone. But.....what damn difference does any of it make. TRump sent a loud message yesterday with Pardons to war criminals against the verdict from the Military. Stone, Manafort, Pence, Gooliani, Perry, Lev, Igor, Barr, Hannity, himself, every damn GOP criminal we be pardoned, and not a damn thing will be done. Why the hell did I serve this now shit hole country? Happy Veterans Day do me🖕🏽🇷🇺🐘💩

[wnylib]

14. Surely these jerks have committed other crimes

That they have not yet been charged with or tried for. A little more digging should turn up more evidence of other crimes once their pardoner is out of office and can no longer protect them.

[Traildogbob]

15. Gotta hope, right

After Barr's rant this weekend to R/W Russian shit bags, starting to think justice is gone. We waited to long to save our democracy. Russian owns the GOP and Fox is 100 percent on board. All praise be to Putin. Guessing God sent him too.

[wnylib]

16. Gotta not only hope, but believe. When it is most

difficult to believe and to hope is exactly when it' s most important to do both.

I have a plaque that I picked up a few months ago in , of all places, a grocery store. I don' t usually go in for schmaltzy sayings and slogans but this one seemed to "speak" to me. It says:

Life is not about waiting for the storm to pass. It's about learning to dance in the rain.

[Traildogbob]

17. Very nice.

Thanks. I really like that.

[MartyTheGreek]

11. All the while Trump knew Putin listens in...

especially in Ukraine. By framing Ukraine with the US elections of 2016, Trump hopes to whitewash what really happened, and absolve Putin to lift the sanctions.

[Pepsidog]

12. Bolton's right, sounds like a drug deal.

[crickets]

13. K&R for visibility