The Trump Whistleblower Extravaganza Thread

[GannonFan]

Impoundment Control Act is now going to be the new trivia answer along with the Tenure of Office Act.

I thought the original storyline is that one reason why the money was eventually paid to Ukraine was that they couldn't legally withhold the money across the new federal fiscal year, so while it got held up in mid July, they couldn't legally hold it past the end of September. So they could hold it up for those almost 2 months, but no longer than that.

Don't know if the law has ever been challenged in a case like this. Only case I saw was the Train v. City of New York but that was regarding domestic spending, and in that case the SCOTUS specifically excluded any consideration of separation of powers. Bank funds to foreign entities, government and private, get frozen all the time at the discretion of the President and foreign policy. Would be interesting if this ever gets taken further.

There's all sorts of reasons. One of the reasons the money was withheld is because the administration wanted to make sure Ukraine was doing enough to reduce corruption...regardless of the fact that the DoD did just that when they gave their approval of the aid.

The Claims: President Trump and senior administration officials have claimed that security assistance to Ukraine was held up because they were concerned the assistance would be diverted. For example:

But DOD Had Twice Certified Ukraine’s Progress on Corruption: Long before President Trump ordered a halt to security assistance, the Secretary of Defense—in coordination with Secretary Pompeo—twice certified that Ukraine had made sufficient reforms to decrease corruption and increase accountability, and that the country could ensure accountability for U.S. provided military equipment. Further, after OMB held the assistance to Ukraine in July, the Department of Defense (DOD) conducted an additional analysis and concluded that the assistance was effective and should be resumed. [Amb. Taylor testimony, 10/22/19]. Finally, before the July 2019 hold, the Trump administration had approved sending foreign assistance to Ukraine nearly 50 separate times without ever holding it because of concerns that it would be diverted due to corruption.

https://www.foreign.senate.gov/press/ra ... benchmarks

Please note the source of this...the Senate Foreign Relations Committee


Also, look at the dates when the House begins to investigate the funds and when they're finally released..it's something like 203 days. Coincidence?

I don't think anyone seriously doubts that they held up the money for anything other than launching an investigation (or even just the announcement of one) into the Biden's ties with the gas company. All I was saying was that they were playing a weak hand - even internally they knew they could only block it for a month and a half, which is almost as long as it took for them to make clear what they wanted. What kind of leverage were they expecting? Obviously, since Ukraine didn't budge, apparently they knew how US budgeting rules work too.

[Ibanez]

There's all sorts of reasons. One of the reasons the money was withheld is because the administration wanted to make sure Ukraine was doing enough to reduce corruption...regardless of the fact that the DoD did just that when they gave their approval of the aid.


https://www.foreign.senate.gov/press/ra ... benchmarks

Please note the source of this...the Senate Foreign Relations Committee


Also, look at the dates when the House begins to investigate the funds and when they're finally released..it's something like 203 days. Coincidence?

I don't think anyone seriously doubts that they held up the money for anything other than launching an investigation (or even just the announcement of one) into the Biden's ties with the gas company. All I was saying was that they were playing a weak hand - even internally they knew they could only block it for a month and a half, which is almost as long as it took for them to make clear what they wanted. What kind of leverage were they expecting? Obviously, since Ukraine didn't budge, apparently they knew how US budgeting rules work too.

I can name some senators that doubt it.

In fact, they think nothing was wrong since ultimately the funds were release. The Republican defense is essentially, " No blood, no foul. "

[HI54UNI]

So the question is......why is any POTUS involved in this sort of thing in the first place? If the POTUS can only release the aid immediately, it's nothing but a rubber stamp. Let's streamline this and let it fly once it is approved on Capitol Hill.

Better question - why are we giving money to Ukraine in the first place????

[AZGrizFan]

So the question is......why is any POTUS involved in this sort of thing in the first place? If the POTUS can only release the aid immediately, it's nothing but a rubber stamp. Let's streamline this and let it fly once it is approved on Capitol Hill.

Better question - why are we giving money to Ukraine in the first place????

They're just one on a LONG list of countries that you have to wonder WTF we are doing/thinking?

[AZGrizFan]

Other countries around the globe have figured out the same thing Democrats have known for years. Get your fucking snout in the US government trough and it never gets shut off.

Add all that shit up and you could fund every infrastructure wet dream ever invented in this country.

[89Hen]

Why are we giving $10,000 to St Lucia?

[GannonFan]

I don't think anyone seriously doubts that they held up the money for anything other than launching an investigation (or even just the announcement of one) into the Biden's ties with the gas company. All I was saying was that they were playing a weak hand - even internally they knew they could only block it for a month and a half, which is almost as long as it took for them to make clear what they wanted. What kind of leverage were they expecting? Obviously, since Ukraine didn't budge, apparently they knew how US budgeting rules work too.

I can name some senators that doubt it.

In fact, they think nothing was wrong since ultimately the funds were release. The Republican defense is essentially, " No blood, no foul. "

Eh, I think they generally think he did it but it's not something you remove him from office for, especially with an election coming up when the public can decide if they want him booted out of office for what he did. Even more so, when they could only legally keep those funds from being sent for a month and a half, there was no damage that anyone is asserting.

[GannonFan]

Why are we giving $10,000 to St Lucia?

Cabanas and all-inclusive can be pricey.

[AZGrizFan]

Why are we giving $10,000 to St Lucia?

Is there a country on the planet that we DON'T give aid to?

[houndawg]

Why are we giving $10,000 to St Lucia?

Is there a country on the planet that we DON'T give aid to?

California.

[kalm]

Is there a country on the planet that we DON'T give aid to?

California.

With Pence being called out for his involvement in the Ukraine deal there’s still a chance for Uncle Houndy’s Pelosi as POTUS call.

[houndawg]

California.

With Pence being called out for his involvement in the Ukraine deal there’s still a chance for Uncle Houndy’s Pelosi as POTUS call.

Do you have any idea how insufferable I will be if that one hits?

[houndawg]

California.

With Pence being called out for his involvement in the Ukraine deal there’s still a chance for Uncle Houndy’s Pelosi as POTUS call.

That's the real reason the Senate Republican Traitor Cunts are marching in lock-step on this one..

[CID1990]

Why are we giving $10,000 to St Lucia?

Is there a country on the planet that we DON'T give aid to?

No. We even offer certain kinds of aid to countries like Iran under limited circumstances. In many cases it is a form of public diplomacy although it can be debated how effective it is. When we demarche Country Y or Z about their UN votes we can remind them of the bridges USAID built (or are building) for them.


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[CID1990]

With Pence being called out for his involvement in the Ukraine deal there’s still a chance for Uncle Houndy’s Pelosi as POTUS call.

That's the real reason the Senate Republican Traitor Cunts are marching in lock-step on this one..

Yeah the Senate voting to convict Trump Pence and effectively installing Pelosi isn’t a malarial fever dream at all


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[UNI88]

Is there a country on the planet that we DON'T give aid to?

California.

I don't think so. Factor in the dollars spent on the military in California and we're sending millions there.

[kalm]

That's the real reason the Senate Republican Traitor Cunts are marching in lock-step on this one..

Yeah the Senate voting to convict Trump Pence and effectively installing Pelosi isn’t a malarial fever dream at all


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Sadly true.

[HI54UNI]

Which one is more appropriate?

[Ivytalk]

Which one is more appropriate?

Benny Hill parody FTW.

[kalm]

[kalm]

Bwhahahahaha....

[UNI88]

Yeah the Senate voting to convict Trump Pence and effectively installing Pelosi isn’t a malarial fever dream at all


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Sadly true.

Sadly true in that the Senate should have a real trial to address the articles. Not true in that a Pelosi presidency scares me as much as a Pence presidency. I'll take Trump over either of those zealots.

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[kalm]

Sadly true.

Sadly true in that the Senate should have a real trial to address the articles. Not true in that a Pelosi presidency scares me as much as a Pence presidency. I'll take Trump over either of those zealots.

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I’m not scared by any of them. A lying preachy crony capitalist, a religious fundie, and a low IQ bully...it’s what we deserve.

[UNI88]

Sadly true in that the Senate should have a real trial to address the articles. Not true in that a Pelosi presidency scares me as much as a Pence presidency. I'll take Trump over either of those zealots.

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I’m not scared by any of them. A lying preachy crony capitalist, a religious fundie, and a low IQ bully...it’s what we deserve.

I get who the fundie is but which one is the lying preachy crony capitalist and which one is the low IQ bully?

[kalm]

I’m not scared by any of them. A lying preachy crony capitalist, a religious fundie, and a low IQ bully...it’s what we deserve.

I get who the fundie is but which one is the lying preachy crony capitalist and which one is the low IQ bully?

Yeah...Pelosi is so scary. I find this remark............telling somehow.