Trump's defense begins opening arguments in impeachment trial: Live coverage #2
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Donald Trump’s defense team previewed a very Donald Trump strategy during Tuesday’s procedural debate in the impeachment trial: lie, attack, ignore the facts. Now it’s time for a concentrated blast of that as they begin their opening arguments.Trump's defense begins opening arguments in impeachment trial: Live coverage #2
Donald Trump’s defense team previewed a very Donald Trump strategy during Tuesday’s procedural debate in the impeachment trial: lie, attack, ignore the facts. Now it’s time for a concentrated blast of that as they begin their opening arguments. Saturday, Jan 25, 2020 · 4:05:12 PM +00:00 · Mark Sumner Jay Sekulow, ladies and gentlemen, is reading a FISA court document on an FBI investigation which is all part of a scheme to see how many times he can say “Crossfire Hurricane.” Because man, who wouldn’t want to say Crossfire Hurricane. Crossfire Hurricane. There, I said it again. Saturday, Jan 25, 2020 · 4:07:28 PM +00:00 · Mark Sumner Sekulow seems like he’s getting ready to unfold not just an argument to support not just Trump, but the Crowdstrike conspiracy. Which … sure. Let’s do that. At this point, I honestly can’t think of anything that might move the needle more than letting Trump’s real motivations spill all over the Senate. Saturday, Jan 25, 2020 · 4:13:30 PM +00:00 · Mark Sumner If Donald Trump withheld military assistance to Ukraine because of concern about European «burden sharing» then: - Why didn't they tell Ukraine? - Why didn't they tell Congress? - Why didn't they tell anyone in Europe who might have done something about it? Saturday, Jan 25, 2020 · 4:14:17 PM +00:00 · Mark Sumner And none of this has a thing to do with the assistance to Ukraine, where Trump had no legal standing to hold the aid without notifying Congress. Saturday, Jan 25, 2020 · 4:15:36 PM +00:00 · Mark Sumner Notice that Sekulow keeps quoting words out of context without playing the clips so you can hear either the question or the full response. Saturday, Jan 25, 2020 · 4:21:10 PM +00:00 · Mark Sumner What Sekulow ignores is that Trump twice passed along the full military assistance package to the previous Ukrainian government, despite genuine concerns — raised by the DOD — about the government at that point being corrupt. Saturday, Jan 25, 2020 · 4:22:46 PM +00:00 · Mark Sumner Notice what’s in every other hold on military assistance? The word “announced.” When Trump delayed the assistance in other instances, it was done with announcements and notification to Congress. The aid to Pakistan was cancelled because Pakistan failed the review required under legislation. Saturday, Jan 25, 2020 · 4:25:41 PM +00:00 · Mark Sumner Might be worth pointing out that it was Congress that authorized sales of offensive weapons to Ukraine, a process that didn’t begin until after the pro-Russian government that Paul Manafort helped put in place was ousted. Oh, and that previous Ukraine government who got their aid unhindered? They got that package after the president at that time suspended Ukrainian investigations into Manafort. Saturday, Jan 25, 2020 · 4:28:56 PM +00:00 · Mark Sumner Sekulow sits down and hands over to White House deputy assistant attorney Pat Philbin. Saturday, Jan 25, 2020 · 4:30:56 PM +00:00 · Mark Sumner What might have really worked to show Trump’s concern about burden sharing, would be evidence that during the hold Trump talked to some other country about increasing support for Ukraine. Or heck, that he made that pitch at any time. So … where is that evidence? Read more