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| Theo Moudakis |
Halloween was a spooky day for the Monster-in-Chief. The House of Representatives voted to formalize the impeachment inquiry and set out the rules for the rest of the process. A historic day.
You can see the resolution here, a fact sheet here, and analysis of it here.
It's great that they are allowing 45-minute questioning periods for each side. The 5-minute back-and-forth of recent hearings, like for Kavanaugh, was so frustrating. Some lawmakers used their five minutes for grandstanding or self-promotion, and Kavanaugh was quite adept at doing mini-filibusters with every Democrat question ("I like beer!"). Forty-five minutes will allow good flow and proper questioning.
I love that Rep. Adam Schiff, Chairman of the House Intelligence Committee, will be leading the initial public hearings. I have respected and admired him since the beginning of our Backwards Days. I wrote about him in this blog when James Comey came before Congress in March, 2017 to spill the T regarding the investigation into Russian interference and SCROTUS's role. I remember Schiff responding with strength to Devin Nunes's (R-CA) stunt in running to the Whitewash House with Russia evidence. I'm proud that Rep. Schiff is from California.
My Sister Resister, Anne, pointed out to me a misapplication in my last post when I said the resolution includes a capitulation to the GOP in its formalizing the inquiry. She's right; it's not at all a capitulation. The Resolution simply formalizes the investigation already started and sets forth the rules and the process from here on out.
The GOP's talking points that their Supreme Leader's rights are being trampled, that this inquiry in unconstitutional (have they even read the Constitution?!), or that he's being denied due process, are getting tiring. Erwin Chemerinsky, writing in the LA Times, agrees. But again, they can't defend the substance of the facts, so they screech about the process.
In fact, the same clown Devin Nunes compared the closed-door hearings as "cult-like." This comparison drew a sharp rebuke from Rep. Jackie Spier (D-CA), who nearly died at Jonestown when she accompanied Rep. Leon Ryan to the Peoples Temple site in 1978. She wrote pointedly in a tweet, "I know about cults. Cults are led by maniacal narcissists who expect complete adoration and relinquishment of independent thought. I suggest Mr. Nunes look elsewhere."
In reality, the rules seem to be fair to the Republicans. In fact, many of the rules were established during the Nixon and Clinton impeachment inquiries. Today's inquiry differs in that Congressional committees are doing the investigating, not special counsels as before. And remember: Despite the angry white men's storming the SCIF demanding to be let in, Repugs have had equal opportunity to participate in the closed door sessions, and they will have equal opportunity in the public hearings.
Some GOP committee members, however, have chosen not to participate. Say what now? Let's ask Rep. Ted Yoho (R-FL)
What the hell exactly are these buffoons doing up there on Capitol Hill?
I have a question for all of these dudes. You have a lot of power in our government. You are mentioned first in the U.S. Constitution. You have the power of the purse. Why are you willing to shut your eyes and relinquish that power to this man?
In other impeachment developments:
Charles Kupperman, deputy national security adviser, asked the court to decide if he is compelled to testify. He feels that he is in a Catch-22. He was subpoenaed to testify but the Whitewash House has forbidden him to comply, saying he is “absolutely immune” from congressional subpoenas. Now, it looks like both the House of Representatives and the Whitewash House want the judge to dismiss the case. He can either comply with the subpoena or refuse to testify and face the consequences of that decision.
Coming up next week are perhaps the last of the closed-door hearings. Congress is on a week-long recess, but the committees will be hard at work deposing a few more witnesses.
Monday: Mick Mulvany's aide Robert Blair is set to testify, along with NSC attorney John Eisenberg, who made the decision to hide the transcript of the phone call on an ultra-secure server, and Eisenberg's deputy, Michael Ellis. Hmmmm..... I had pegged Mr. Eisenberg for being the whistle-blower. He seems to have done some dirty deeds himself, though.
Tuesday will see a couple more witnesses, a White House Budget Office official, Michael Duffey, and an adviser to Secretary of State Pompeo, T. Ulrich Brechbuhl.
Thursday, if all goes well, we'll hear from former chief of staff John Bolton. He has been asked to testify, but has indicated he won't come voluntarily and must be subpoenaed. It's unclear if he will comply with a subpoena. I hope he does. He will be an interesting witness. He was angry about tying military aid to the Ukraine to a pledge for investigating the Bidens, and he was livid at Giuliani's shenanigans, calling Rudy a "hand grenade" and characterized his dealings with the Ukraine as "a drug deal." Mr. Bolton is a famously hawkish, a dyed-in-the-wool conservative, but like so many in 45's sphere, scooted out the revolving door. At the time, his ouster was blamed on his hawkish tendencies, that he left "because TЯUMP wouldn't let him start wars." But he left the day after the whistleblower complaint was filed and the day before 45 released military aid to Ukraine. Hmmmmmm.....
Yes, Bolton is a staunch conservative, but he is also an upstanding career public servant, serving in all the Republican administrations since Ronald Reagan. The Pollyanna that lives in my heart hopes that he will be a compelling witness, landing on the right side of history.
SCROTUS keeps screaming, "READ THE TRANSCRIPT!" but I don't think he's read the phone call summary (not a complete transcript) himself. All these witness are corroborating the substance of this excellent piece evidence he provided. He has asserted that he will perform the "transcript" in a televised "fireside chat." Wouldn't that be precious! "I vould like you to do us a favoя though."
Election news:
Beto dropped out of the race. We're down to 45,072 candidates. OK, actually, we're down to 17. It looks like there's just three or four with the momentum to really make a run: Biden and Warren are vying for top spot. Bernie is still viable but losing steam, and Mayor Pete is still hanging in.
Recently Nancy Pelosi spoke out about our choices in the Democratic field, and though she didn't name names, she offered this wisdom. She made the case for a more centrist candidate, with eyes on the big prize: beating TЯUMP in the electoral college. I've been having an internal debate. I'm becoming lefter every day, and I'd love to see Elizabeth Warren in the White House. But my esteem for Speaker Pelosi, and my respect for her political chops, has grown immensely this year. I begrudgingly think she's right. The progressive train will keep chuggin' even if we elect the less-than-the-most-left in 2020. Biden may be the one after all. I just wish he weren't so old. Maybe Mayor Pete will pull it off. My first pick for the ticket at this early stage? Warren/Buttigieg. Biden/Harris is a runner-up.
There are noises that Hillary might make a run in 2020. My voice joins the chorus of, "NOOOOOOO!!" I love ya, Hillary, but no. Just no.
Hillary caused controversy when she intimated that Rep Tulsi Gabbard is a Russian asset and is being groomed to be a third-party candidate. Tulsi got steamed. She hasn't dropped out of the race, but she also decided not to run for re-election for her Hawaii House seat. She may indeed be posing to be an alternate candidate. That might cause problems. I love ya, Tulsi, but nyet. Just nyet.
Other stuff:
In a bizarre tweet, SCROTUS put this out there:
AMERICAN HERO! pic.twitter.com/XCCa2sGfsZ— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 30, 2019
When my Big Sister Resister Pagrs pointed me to it, I thought it was satire. I later learned that SCROTUS had tweeted it himself. Please, please, make this puke-ride stop!
The Cheeto-in-Chief has announced that he is changing his legal residency from New York to Florida, presumably for tax reasons. New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo: "Good riddance."
Don the Con decided he may as well go for broke on corruption. He bribed Republican Senators and future jurors in his trial with cold, hard cash. You read that right. Talk about a quid pro quo. All the Senators in question affirmed their support of a Senate resolution calling the impeachment inquiry “unprecedented and undemocratic.” And then, SCROTUS offered these vulnerable Senators who are up for reelection some much-needed funds to fill their coffers.
Meanwhile, he owes more than a million dollars to cities and town across the U.S.A. who have hosted his campaign events. Such a scumbag.
The Ego-in-Chief was booed at a sporting event again. He attended a UFC match at Madison Square Garden yesterday. Once again, he was booed loudly as he entered the arena. Speak your truth, Americans.
And in the center ring, we have Rudy Giuliani! Watch the newly-appointed cybersecurity expert lock out his iPhone! Watch as he takes the device, with its potentially sensitive information and data, to the Genius bar at Apple Store San Francisco! Folks, have you ever seen such an idiot in all of your days?
Public impeachment hearings (oh I love those words!) may start the week of November 11. Buckle up, Sister and Brother Resisters. Evidence is mounting. If all goes well, by next Halloween, we may see:
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| Thanks to Sister Resister Karenone! |
Your thoughts on the candidates are very similar to mine. I think we have a chance, but nothing is certain in the general election. Interesting ideas about the identity of the whistleblower. I thought he worked for the CIA.
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