House Democrats ponder expanding impeachment probe after Sondland 'game changer' testimony

[babylonsister]

House Democrats ponder expanding impeachment probe after Sondland 'game changer' testimony
Tom LoBianco
2 hrs ago


snip//

“Was there a quid pro quo?” Sondland, the U.S. ambassador to the European Union, testified. “With regard to the requested White House call and White House meeting, the answer is yes.”

Georgia Democratic Rep. Hank Johnson described the testimony as a “smoking gun,” and Michigan Democrat Dan Kildee called it a “game changer.”

Kildee said it was time for Democrats to think about expanding their probe: “We should at least call the witnesses he indicated were in the loop. That would include Mr. Mulvaney, Mr. Pompeo, for sure.”

Sondland’s testimony added a flash of drama to impeachment hearings that, until Wednesday, had been fairly dry — filled with incredible detail of Trump’s efforts to coax an investigation of former Vice President Joe Biden from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, but lacking the high drama that Sondland provided.

Rep. Joe Kennedy III, a Massachusetts Democrat and scion of the Kennedy family, said Sondland’s testimony made clear that Democrats can’t let officials like Pompeo, Mulvaney and Pence off the hook.

“There’s very few of my Republican colleagues who are disputing the facts of this case. Like, none. And if there were any, I think they’re going to have an awfully hard time doing so after what we just heard from Ambassador Sondland,” Kennedy told Yahoo News on Wednesday.

“In my view, what happened here is a textbook case of extortion, and I think that anybody who conspired with the president to engage in this criminal act should be looked at as well,” said Rep. Filemon Vela, a Texas Democrat.

more...

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/house-democrats-ponder-expanding-impeachment-probe-after-sondland-game-changer-testimony/ar-BBX4w02?fbclid=IwAR1Ol9tSzTEefWZTjrT48mOlO-HTJRDhsb93aiKXTt1bee4n3Vvl3uofWHQ

[empedocles]

1. The Speaker has always limited her time and scope commitments. Pelosi is fully aware of

all the unpublicized elephants in traitortrump's room - and has kept her options flexible and open.

[Also the Speaker is aware she will be attacked from the left on primary season concerns. Not really too worried about 'cons attacking her about political motives].

[BigmanPigman]

2. Over the last 24 hours several people

on the cable news have said that they hope the Dems aren't moving too fast with this now. I think they will be adapting more strategies as more info is learned.

[Johonny]

3. They need to start asking if there were more instances of bribery...

and demand transcripts of the Russian and Saudi calls too. To me, this can't be the first time he's done something like this. There must be more cases, many more ...