The July 25 phone call between Zelensky and Trump, the tip of the iceberg.

[kpete]

I asked @RepRaskin, before he walked in to Fiona Hill deposition, about the accounts they’ve been hearing from aides behind closed doors on Ukraine: “Essentially everybody is telling us the same thing, which is that the phone call was just the tip of the iceberg on July 25th.”

Link to tweet

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

1. I'd sure like to know what the rest of that iceberg consisted of.

[Baitball Blogger]

2. I think we're seeing it in action right now. Putin's private conversations

with Trump has opened up a basic game of Risk, with only one person playing on the board.

[BigmanPigman]

4. Can Congress get the super, double secret transcripts

of talks with Putin. He already warned tRump in public not to release Russian transcripts.

[Maraya1969]

5. I'd like to know also. I would think congress should be able to subpoena them for a good enough

reason

[Baitball Blogger]

7. Apparently we don't have any legal procedures available when the

president presents a National Security problem.

[BigmanPigman]

8. Than we can make them up as we go along

like Mitch seems to do, right?

[Baitball Blogger]

9. Makes sense to me.

[safeinOhio]

15. They may be the White House

tapes from the Nixon investigation for Тяцмр.

[stopdiggin]

10. only if an (impeachable) crime specifically involving

these transactions is proven to the satisfaction of a court ahead of time -- thus stripping away some of executive's privilege and immunity. Otherwise, privilege holds and -- no go. (my opinion)
(kind of a Catch -22. Right?)

[NewJeffCT]

14. Executive Privilege should NOT apply

between a President and a foreign leader, especially when there are translators involved in the process. EP is supposed to be only for 1 on 1 conversations between a president and an adviser/cabinet member.

The problem is, if Trump claims executive privilege, Congress (or others) would have to sue and then it takes time to get through the courts.

[stopdiggin]

16. I don't think your interpretation would hold

(IMO) Conversation with foreign leaders (or any other leaders) are almost certainly privileged. You are asserting that all presidential communications (outside a small circle of advisers) are available to the Congress?

[NewJeffCT]

17. It should be, yes

from what I understand via Asha Rangappa, because there was an interpreter present when Trump met with Putin either at the G20 or in Helsinki, that conversation is automatically not subjected to Executive Privilege because of the presence of a 3rd person.

[stopdiggin]

18. Wow. I think that is an incredibly broad statement (and interpretation) (nt)

[scarytomcat]

20. another impeachable offence

having private meetings with no record with foreign leaders. The Records Act says they must be kept

[ginnyinWI]

13. Read " Proof of Conspiracy" by Seth Abramson.

Trump world has been saturated with Russians, Saudis, Emiratis, Israelis from about 2013. It makes my head spin!

Completely lawless. If you had money or influence, you were in. If caught, lie. Trump is not smart; the people around him are, but some are in prison now. So maybe not that smart!

[blugbox]

3. So when does the Trumptanic finally start taking on water?

She WILL sink. 'Tis a mathematical certainty.

[gratuitous]

6. Tip of the iceberg or loosest thread in the cable knit sweater

It's going to be difficult to keep the impeachment inquiry focused on just one or two things, because the naked lawlessness of this administration is so rampant. The criminality spills over into just so many other pots.

[CaptainTruth]

11. I remember how many people bashed Pelosi & House Dems for not starting impeachment sooner.

They knew it would take an iceberg to sink the Trumptanic, & I believe they started at a very appropriate time.

[pangaia]

12. So, where the fuck are they? Bunch of cowards...

They would be national heros...



On another NOTE-

National emergency !
Martial Law !
Suspension of habeas corpus, !

[calimary]

19. C'mon, ice cream!

That’s a favorite line my husband and I stole from a Cheech and Chong movie - for many, um, purposes!