The Trump Presidency: Part 18

[CapelDodger]

As in, you think she's making that up?

Yup. That said, I haven't seen an extract of what she actually wrote about this. I just don't see those two sidling-up to her and saying "Hey, baby, ya wanna collude?".

 

[Skeptic Ginger]

The bad news: there is actually a case to be made that the whistleblower report should not have moved forward to Congress, as it didn't involve an activity within the purview of the Director of National Intelligence (as head of all the intelligence communities, Trump can, by fiat, declare something within their purview or not) - at least that is the argument. Read the US code and parse it carefully. And yet the IG read it the other way. So a case can be made either way, apparently. Sometimes even insane folk can make conclusions that aren't insane.



The good news: the whistleblower report is moot, because Trump released his edited transcript of the call with Zelensky on his own, voluntarily. The whistleblower is irrelevant now.

There is not a case, that's absurd. You are repeating the lie that the messenger is the problem.

Rand Paul is on the soapbox today yelling at journalists to do their job and out the whistleblower.

 

[Skeptic Ginger]

That makes perfect sense. The problem is that Trump, to his eternal condemnation, has weaponized an unthinking part of our electorate for which such logic is irrelevant.

Reality aint what it used to be.

QFT

 

[Paul2]

There is not a case, that's absurd. You are repeating the lie that the messenger is the problem.

Rand Paul is on the soapbox today yelling at journalists to do their job and out the whistleblower.

First of all, I bow to no one in my disgust and horror of the Trump presidency.



Secondly, I'm happy to retract my position, but someone is going to have to deal with the specifics of the US code sec 3033 (k)(5)(A and G):


(A) An employee of an element of the intelligence community, an employee assigned or detailed to an element of the intelligence community, or an employee of a contractor to the intelligence community who intends to report to Congress a complaint or information with respect to an urgent concern may report such complaint or information to the Inspector General.


(G) In this paragraph, the term “urgent concern” means any of the following: (i) A serious or flagrant problem, abuse, violation of law or Executive order, or deficiency relating to the funding, administration, or operation of an intelligence activity within the responsibility and authority of the Director of National Intelligence involving classified information, but does not include differences of opinions concerning public policy matters.


Please parse all that carefully. The only element missing from the code quoted above is the idea that the President is able to specify which intelligence activities should be within the responsibility and authority of the DNI. Perhaps this theory falls apart there, but someone should say why.


I'm not trying to be obtuse: I'm trying to give the other side every benefit of the doubt. I'm happy to be wrong. In fact, I'd prefer it.

 

[Skeptic Ginger]

I see no good reason to believe her.

This looks a good reason to me: "They feared for the country because Trump didn't know what he was doing and that 'people would die' if he wasn't kept in check."

I do see good reasons not to.

Such as she's promoting her own political career with Trump and/or his followers?

 

[Delphic Oracle]

This looks a good reason to me: "They feared for the country because Trump didn't know what he was doing and that 'people would die' if he wasn't kept in check."

It's rather self-aggrandizing to say "I'm the one important people courted to put things right."

Such as she's promoting her own political career with Trump and/or his followers?

I'm not sure how positioning herself as the one to put a lid on Trump's shenanigans marks her as trying to promote her career with him and those who support him.

 

[Andy_Ross]

Trump Tweets

Read the Transcript. It is PERFECT!

To think I signed the Whistleblower Protection Act!

Where is the Whistleblower who gave so much false information? Must testify along with Schiff and others!

 

[phiwum]

First of all, I bow to no one in my disgust and horror of the Trump presidency.



Secondly, I'm happy to retract my position, but someone is going to have to deal with the specifics of the US code sec 3033 (k)(5)(A and G):


(A) An employee of an element of the intelligence community, an employee assigned or detailed to an element of the intelligence community, or an employee of a contractor to the intelligence community who intends to report to Congress a complaint or information with respect to an urgent concern may report such complaint or information to the Inspector General.


(G) In this paragraph, the term “urgent concern” means any of the following: (i) A serious or flagrant problem, abuse, violation of law or Executive order, or deficiency relating to the funding, administration, or operation of an intelligence activity within the responsibility and authority of the Director of National Intelligence involving classified information, but does not include differences of opinions concerning public policy matters.


Please parse all that carefully. The only element missing from the code quoted above is the idea that the President is able to specify which intelligence activities should be within the responsibility and authority of the DNI. Perhaps this theory falls apart there, but someone should say why.


I'm not trying to be obtuse: I'm trying to give the other side every benefit of the doubt. I'm happy to be wrong. In fact, I'd prefer it.

Doesn't seem to make a difference so long as the administration doesn't file a case to expose the whistleblower. As it stands, the report is out and nothing can change that.

 

[Andy_Ross]

I thought it was Bush number one that signed the act in and Obama signed the enhanced act.

 

[pgwenthold]

I thought it was Bush number one that signed the act in and Obama signed the enhanced act.

Yes

 

[turingtest]

I thought it was Bush number one that signed the act in and Obama signed the enhanced act.

Bush signed the original Act that is giving Trump so much grief now; the one Trump signed is the "Department of Veterans Affairs Accountability and Whistleblower Protection Act of 2017." Kind of shows how much attention Trump pays to detail (or maybe just honesty), doesn't it?

 

[Andy_Ross]

So Trump thinks he signed an act that was signed years beforehand?

 

[Paul2]

Doesn't seem to make a difference so long as the administration doesn't file a case to expose the whistleblower. As it stands, the report is out and nothing can change that.

Right. But it might be interesting for the future of whistleblowers as to why the IG rejected this other argument. How did the IG read the US code such that the whistlblower report should go to Congress? Asking for a friend.

 

[pgwenthold]

Bush signed the original Act that is giving Trump so much grief now; the one Trump signed is the "Department of Veterans Affairs Accountability and Whistleblower Protection Act of 2017." Kind of shows how much attention Trump pays to detail (or maybe just honesty), doesn't it?

Nobody told him that the whistleblower could blow the whistle on him.

 

[phiwum]

Right. But it might be interesting for the future of whistleblowers as to why the IG rejected this other argument. How did the IG read the US code such that the whistlblower report should go to Congress? Asking for a friend.

I agree with the general point that the administration actually had an argument to make and that argument is unsettled. I have no opinion on whether the argument was good or not. I'd rather leave that to the courts, if it's ever raised again.

But as of now, the argument is moot.

 

[Andy_Ross]

Trump Tweets

Schiff is giving Republicans NO WITNESSES, NO LAWYER & NO DUE PROCESS! It is a totally one sided Witch Hunt. This can’t be making the Democrats look good. Such a farce!

Just like Schiff fabricated my phone call, he will fabricate the transcripts that he is making and releasing!

 

[Segnosaur]

Re: Man who stabbed the Trump baby balloon and his Go Fund Me campaign....

i wonder if these kinds of things are considered during the prosecution and sentencing. Seeing as a fine isn't really going to be an effective deterrent, a prison sentence would be the better approach.

Maybe they'll also add in his "i'd do it again" comment he posted on facebook immediately after bailing out.

I think this guy needs a new lawyer who will advise him not to make any more statements, on-line or otherwise.

I wonder if Giulliani is taking on any more clients?

 

[newyorkguy]

From another thread:

Can we all just take a moment to appreciate the delicious irony of Trump Jr. being booed offstage by other conservatives at a promotional event for a book entitled Triggered: How the Left Thrives on Hate and Wants to Silence Us?

One of the great political thinkers of our time. Donald Trump, Jr. Right up there with-

 

[Trebuchet]

Yup. That said, I haven't seen an extract of what she actually wrote about this. I just don't see those two sidling-up to her and saying "Hey, baby, ya wanna collude?".

What's sad is that it makes them look better than her anyhow.

 

[Andy_Ross]

Trump Tweets

In order to continue being the most Transparent President in history, I will be releasing sometime this week the Transcript of the first, and therefore most important, phone call I had with the President of Ukraine. I am sure you will find it tantalizing!

Schiff and the Dems have created this whole thing, they reverse engineer it. They’ve been vowing to impeach for three years. Why should we listen to them? Why should we want to?”
@greggutfeld @FoxNews

“The President has until September 30th to give this aid to Ukraine. He gets it out on September 11th., 3 weeks before the deadline. So, we give our ally aid, and Joe Biden is not investigated. Remember that, they get the aid and we get nothing in return. The Democrats....

....want that to be an impeachable offense? Good luck with that!”
@JesseBWatters @FoxNews

“This isn’t about Ukraine. This isn’t about Impeachment. This is about subverting Democracy!”
@BillOReilly
So true, and led by angry and dishonest people who hate themselves, and must hate our Country!