Joaquin Castro: "If the whistle-blower information isn't brought to Congress by Thursday..."

[Miles Archer]

Rep. Joaquin Castro (D-TX) was interviewed by Chris Hayes after a week of breaking news on the whistleblower allegations of wrongdoing by the president involving Ukraine.

“I sit on the Intelligence Committee and can’t speak to what we were briefed on last week by the Inspector General, but between Donald Trump and Rudy Giuliani, they basically confirmed about seventy-five percent of the reporting,” Castro noted.

“And I believe that the Speaker has laid down a gauntlet and asked that the whistle-blower information be brought to Congress by Thursday. If that information is not presented on Friday we should move forward with a formal impeachment proceeding.”

“Wait a second, so you think that’s it?” Hayes asked. “That’s essentially the straw that breaks the camel’s back, which is if they don’t provide the whistle-blower complaint, it’s not a subpoena or fight in the courts, the compelling requires it moving forward formally with impeachment?”

“Right,” Castro replied.

https://www.rawstory.com/2019/09/the-speaker-has-laid-down-the-gauntlet-joaquin-castro-predicts-impeachment-may-come-on-friday/

[Claritie Pixie]

1. CNN reported that House Dems are having a special meeting tomorrow afternoon.

Impeachment is coming.

[Miles Archer]

2. All the ducks are lining up in a row...

...if impeachment isn't coming, it's going to be a shock.

Trump is getting far too "emboldened" to let him go much further. No, impeachment won't be smooth sailing, but it seems like we are past the point of having this sorted out in November 2020.

[Claritie Pixie]

3. He wants the fight no doubt but it has to be done.

However the chips fall and however it affects the election, we don't know, can't predict the future.

So - let's go! Better to have tried and fail than not try at all.

[PSPS]

4. "Better to have tried and fail" is exactly the wrong attitude. There is no room for any failure.

[Claritie Pixie]

6. Who can guarantee success? No one.

Still have to prepare, go into expecting success and TRY with all they've got, with the Constitution in their corner.

[ancianita]

11. We will have tried. They will have failed -- Senate, voters, non-voters -- if MF45 wins in 2020.

Then we'll know what it takes for Democracy to go down.

There's no better hill to die on than this hill called rule of Law.

We might be surprised about who turns up on this hill. It might even be SCOTUS.

[Mr.Bill]

12. We're failing now if we don't do something. n/t

[BlueWI]

14. Too late to avoid failure.

It's already happened, repeatedly, looking at the crystal clear and obvious record of corruption that Trump brought into the White House, with no slacking once he got there.

There is no real choice other than impeachment.

[ZZenith]

26. Thanks for your concern.

[bluestarone]

5. Gonna be a Thriller

We will need lots of help from the courts i'm afraid! BUT has to be done! Do or die.

[Midnightwalk]

7. The underlying accusation is the difference

Haven’t they said that they asked Ukraine to interfere in the 2020 election? Regardless of whether there was a bribe or an extortion attempt it’s an intolerable abuse of power that cannot be solved by an election

Don’t count on an election where the president says he will use the power of the presidency to get re-elected.

My two cents.

[Buckeyeblue]

8. I don't think they have a choice

But I see no way that it succeeds. But what will be interesting is how the Republicans up for reelection in 2020 will vote. Will they be allowed to vote for his conviction knowing that there will not be enough total votes? Or will they double-cross Donnie and convict him, thus ending America's nightmare?

There is part of me that wonders if Moscow Mitch and Pelosi have secret meetings over a little bourbon. Moscow Mitch says, I'll tell you when he's gone too far. Just sit tight.

If they wait just long enough to convict, those Senators up for reelection can keep from getting primaried.

[BlueWI]

15. There may actually be defections among Republicans.

Hopefully none among Democrats in the Senate. I actually don't think that a party line Senate acquittal does much for Trump or his party in 2020.

[Buckeyeblue]

18. And if a few Republicans vote for conviction it won't look good

But let's see what happens Friday.

[BlueWI]

22. Yep.

Maybe relief from the corruption is in sight!

[LeftInTX]

25. Moscow Mitch won't do a thing.

He won't even bring it up for a vote

[Buckeyeblue]

29. I think that's a real possibility

In fact, I even used that argument before as a reason to hold off on impeaching. Others countered with the argument that he had no choice. But I'm still not convinced that he couldn't decide to do nothing. Who will hold him accountable?

The thing is, the media will compare Trump using aid to try to leverage an investigation against Biden with Clinton lying about sex. So maybe media and them popular opinion will shame Moscow Mitch into holding a trial. Who knows, maybe the traction the name Moscow Mitch has gotten will cause him to act.

[Takket]

9. i just don't see that happening........

pelosi has committed to this path of litigating McGhan, taxes, etc for months in the courts and i think she wants him to sit through impeachment during next spring and summer when he should be campaigning. so i doubt this changes anything but will also be litigated for months in the courts and eventually heaped on top of the massive pile of articles of impeachment.

[Ligyron]

21. That's the best case scenario with Nancy.

That she wanted to time impeachment later as you described to interrupt Trump's campaigning. Anything else smells of cowardice and really that goes for all our present Dem "leaders" not to single her out in particular. I've not been this disgusted with my party this much ever in the past 50 years I've paid attention to politics. Seriously. Hopefully, this gets turned around or we are finished as a country.

[ffr]

10. I'm getting my flag and signs ready in support of my fellow Americans

I mean my fellow democrats. Well, same thing.

[beachbumbob]

13. Nothing indicates any fight is coming at all

Otherwise we would have seen months ago with Barrs lying to congress and ignored subpoenas.

Trump is laughing, appointing more judges and undoing decades of laws, rules and regulations and all has had thrown at him are strongly worded letters.

[Grins]

16. Yes. But the D's will cave anyway..

The R’s wouldn’t. For a nanosecond. What a shit Party I have voted for all my life.
Put it ALL on the line, MF’s!!

[redstateblues]

27. Keep your pity party to your self

I’m tired of the Democratic bashing that is prevalent on this site

[Fritz Walter]

17. We march this weekend!

Whether to show support for the Dems who show they have spines, or to prompt the spineless ones to act, we should take to the streets.

I’m not calling for pitchforks (at least not yet), but we need to do much more than vent our collective spleen here and elsewhere.

Action. Now!

[SCVDem]

19. I demand more than removal.

I want punishment for the traitorous KGOP regime.

Looking at you and your wife, Moscow Mitch!

You will never forget orange!

[CaptainTruth]

20. Pelosi said months ago "when we go through with our case it's got to be ironclad"

This could be "ironclad" time.

[ooky]

23. I think we ought to impeach Barr at the same time.

[lastlib]

24. AMEN!

Tar and feather that fat lying imperious basturd!

[Qutzupalotl]

30. Barr might even need to go first,

considering how he obstructs the process and denies legitimate oversight.

[rownesheck]

28. I find it hard to believe

that ANYONE would say "Well, the dems tried to impeach and it didn't work, so I'm voting for trump." The only dipshits who would say that are the dipshits who are already going to vote for him.

Impeachment should have already started because it's the right thing to do.

[ScratchCat]

31. I've tried to tell everyone the same thing

I just don't understand the people who think impeachment helps Trump politically. Not one single person who wasn't already going to vote for him is going to vote for him based upon impeachment. It make no sense at all to believe people who weren't going to vote for him all of a sudden would because the Senate GOP refuses to remove him for..... wait for it... clear crimes. Its like you can't get people(democrats) to understand this isn't about lying to investigators about an inappropriate sexual relationship with an intern - its about breaking god damn laws and violating his oath to office.