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Is it just a coincidence that Trump forced out DNI Dan Coats 5 weeks ago and replaced him with Acting DNI Joseph Maguire, roughly when a whistleblower sent "urgent" information about Trump's "promise" to a foreign leader?
I'm constructing a timeline. 1/
reuters.com/article/us-usa…
I'm constructing a timeline. 1/
reuters.com/article/us-usa…
2/ "The [whisteblower's] complaint was filed with Atkinson’s office [inspector general] on Aug 12...
White House records indicate Trump had conversations... w/ at least 5 foreign leaders in preceding 5 weeks [including] Putin that WH initiated on July 31."
washingtonpost.com/national-secur…
White House records indicate Trump had conversations... w/ at least 5 foreign leaders in preceding 5 weeks [including] Putin that WH initiated on July 31."
washingtonpost.com/national-secur…
3/ On July 28:
"Trump announced Dan Coats would step down as the director of national intelligence after a fraught tenure marked by tension with the Oval Office, and he tapped one of his staunch defenders, Representative John Ratcliffe, to take over." Hmm.
nytimes.com/2019/07/28/us/…
"Trump announced Dan Coats would step down as the director of national intelligence after a fraught tenure marked by tension with the Oval Office, and he tapped one of his staunch defenders, Representative John Ratcliffe, to take over." Hmm.
nytimes.com/2019/07/28/us/…
4/ Correction: Trump forced out the uncooperative DNI Dan Coats 7 weeks ago, coinciding with some suspected contacts with foreign leaders.
Trump first tries to appoint his loyalist Ratcliffe, but fails, so he then ditches him 5 weeks ago in order to appoint Maguire acting DNI...
Trump first tries to appoint his loyalist Ratcliffe, but fails, so he then ditches him 5 weeks ago in order to appoint Maguire acting DNI...
5/ And it just so happens, just before the inspector general received the whistleblower's info (Aug. 12), Trump scrambled to get Maguire into office (meaning Coats would be out by mid-Aug).
It is conceivable that Trump heard something was afoot before Aug. 12.
It is conceivable that Trump heard something was afoot before Aug. 12.
6/ "After fielding the complaint on Aug. 12, [inspector general] Atkinson submitted it to [acting DNI] Maguire two weeks later."
Maguire has since refused to share this complaint with Congress.
My goodness, how lucky Trump had gotten rid of that pesky Coats just in time.
Maguire has since refused to share this complaint with Congress.
My goodness, how lucky Trump had gotten rid of that pesky Coats just in time.
7/ This #Qatar #whistleblower nugget in the article was interesting:
"Trump met with other foreign leaders at the White House in July, including the PM of Pakistan, the PM of Netherlands, and the emir of Qatar."
Putin and Qatar just keep popping up in this storyline.
Remarkable.
"Trump met with other foreign leaders at the White House in July, including the PM of Pakistan, the PM of Netherlands, and the emir of Qatar."
Putin and Qatar just keep popping up in this storyline.
Remarkable.
8/ This person created an even more concise timeline:
9/ I'm just going to collect good timelines, because lots of people are spotting striking coincidences in late summer in questionable foreign policy moves...
10/ To summarize:
My timeline suggests 2 possibilities (both could be true):
1. Late July: Trump made troubling promises to foreign leaders - perhaps illegal. To protect himself, he wanted to replace uncooperative Coates w/ a loyalist hack.
(But didn't know he'd been caught...)
My timeline suggests 2 possibilities (both could be true):
1. Late July: Trump made troubling promises to foreign leaders - perhaps illegal. To protect himself, he wanted to replace uncooperative Coates w/ a loyalist hack.
(But didn't know he'd been caught...)
11/
2. Then early Aug, maybe he finds out or suspects that he was caught in surveillance (or simply his own usual paranoia turns out to be right).
His nomination of Ratcliffe stalled, which means Coats hasn't yet resigned. So he pushed Acting Maguire, so Coats was out by mid-Aug.
2. Then early Aug, maybe he finds out or suspects that he was caught in surveillance (or simply his own usual paranoia turns out to be right).
His nomination of Ratcliffe stalled, which means Coats hasn't yet resigned. So he pushed Acting Maguire, so Coats was out by mid-Aug.
PS. Read this speculation by @brianbeutler.
*IF* this is even remotely close (a big _if_), then I owe @KenDilanianNBC @msnbc @NBCNews the benefit of the doubt and an apology.
H/t @EricColumbus
Cc: @emptywheel @AshaRangappa_ @Delavegalaw @juliettekayyem
*IF* this is even remotely close (a big _if_), then I owe @KenDilanianNBC @msnbc @NBCNews the benefit of the doubt and an apology.
H/t @EricColumbus
Cc: @emptywheel @AshaRangappa_ @Delavegalaw @juliettekayyem
PPS. It was Ukraine.
Hmm... wonder if Trump was promising a former NY mayor would stop by to take care of some broken windows and squeegee guys... and pick up some oppo research.
And I wonder what Dan Coats might’ve done if he’d heard about that.
washingtonpost.com/national-secur…
Hmm... wonder if Trump was promising a former NY mayor would stop by to take care of some broken windows and squeegee guys... and pick up some oppo research.
And I wonder what Dan Coats might’ve done if he’d heard about that.
washingtonpost.com/national-secur…
PPPS. Can someone confirm this really happened on @cnn?
This *could* be campaign felony. I warn in op-eds about these laws chilling core 1st A. speech.
But this could be soliciting a thing of value from foreign national to benefit a campaign.
This *could* be campaign felony. I warn in op-eds about these laws chilling core 1st A. speech.
But this could be soliciting a thing of value from foreign national to benefit a campaign.
Pppps:
Yes, it really really happens. See video below from @CNN @ChrisCuomo @RudyGiuliani
H/t @EricColumbus
Yes, it really really happens. See video below from @CNN @ChrisCuomo @RudyGiuliani
H/t @EricColumbus
@CNN @ChrisCuomo @RudyGiuliani @EricColumbus Clarification:
Some are misinterpreting my thread as implying Coats is the whistleblower.
No.
The question is whether Trump was trying to get the uncooperative Coats out in late July during his foreign contacts, then got him out by mid-Aug, around time whistleblower emerged.
Some are misinterpreting my thread as implying Coats is the whistleblower.
No.
The question is whether Trump was trying to get the uncooperative Coats out in late July during his foreign contacts, then got him out by mid-Aug, around time whistleblower emerged.
