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, 5 tweets, 2 min read
Assume this is a response to texts, probably provided by Volker, that show US ambassador raised concerns of a quid pro quo in September — a big boost for Democrats’ case. (abcnews.go.com/Politics/top-d…) Curious to find out why they think Volker’s testimony helps Trump.
This from NYT probably explains why GOP wants Kurt Volker's transcript released: nytimes.com/2019/10/03/us/…
Bill Taylor is the US diplomat whose texts raised concerns of a quid pro quo over US aid. According to Volker, Taylor "concluded that the assistance was linked to Mr. Trump’s desire for new investigations in Ukraine based on news reports" -- not presumably, based on secret info.
This is the question -- did Taylor hear something from the WH that made him concerned about a quid pro quo, or was he just going off of news reports? His testimony will obviously be critical.
Volker, for his part, reportedly testified that Zelensky "raised no concerns about the call" with Trump the day after it happened, & "did not see the freezing of the assistance as directly linked to Mr. Trump’s interest in beginning a new Ukraine investigation as Mr. Taylor did."
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More from @aaronjmate see all

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Aaron Maté
@aaronjmate
I think that unlike Russiagate, Trump did engage in actual wrongdoing here. But like Russiagate, I think Ukrainegate is a gift to him. Freezing aid to get help (that looks more focused on 2016 than on Biden) is corrupt, but I don't think it will cost Trump where it counts.
2016 should’ve forced Dems to become an actual working-class party. Russiagate & now Ukrainegate launders neoliberal “Resistance” to that. Also worsens the New Cold War w/ Russia & subjects Ukraine to more bloodshed, as the national security state aka MSNBC punditry surely want.
During Russiagate, liberals got duped into cheering on what ultimately handed Trump a massive gift. I don't think the gift will be as big here, because at least Trump actually did something this time. But I still don't think it'll be worth it.
Read 3 tweets
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Aaron Maté
@aaronjmate
.@HeerJeet writes in The Nation that "there were arguably still enough improper contacts documented between the Trump campaign and Russia to merit impeachment." I'd love to hear just one example of what impeachment-level "contacts" he's talking about.
thenation.com/article/impeac…
@HeerJeet The problem w/ belief that there were suspicious -- even impeachment-worthy -- contacts between the Trump campaign & Russia is that there were almost no such contacts -- insofar as "Russia" actually means the Russian government or anyone acting on its behalf, as I've noted:
@HeerJeet As I've also noted, this is why the Mueller report acknowledges that after Trump won the election, "Russian government officials and prominent Russian businessmen…appeared not to have preexisting contacts" with the Trump camp. So when were the impeachment-level contacts?
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Aaron Maté
@aaronjmate
I think Dems have made another major gaffe. If it’s really Trump asking Ukraine to probe Biden dealings & the fake Manafort ledger, those are legit issues. And Trump has a precedent: Biden got a Ukrainian prosecutor fired by threatening to withhold aid. nytimes.com/2019/05/01/us/…
The only way it turns into something damning is if Trump corruptly promised or threatened something to Ukraine to ensure its compliance. But I doubt that - and even if he did, he not only has the Biden precedent but other precedents too. Like it or not, presidents have leeway.
It’s totally legit for Dems raise the issue — but Schiff & pundits have done so with the same fervor as they did Russiagate, and we know how that turned out. And they may be calling attention to something that ultimately shines a light on Biden & the DNC’s fake Manafort ledger.
Read 6 tweets

Related threads

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southpaw
@nycsouthpaw
TAYLOR: I think it's crazy to withhold security assistance for help with a political campaign.

SONDLAND: [that charge is] incorrect [... POTUS has been] crystal clear no quid pro quo of any kind

SONDLAND: I suggest we stop the back and forth by text. abcnews.go.com/Politics/top-d…
(I wish ABC would publish the content of the full exchange they obtained, btw. Can't see a reason why you wouldn't.)
Background on Sondland: He "donated $1 million to the inauguration of President Donald Trump, records show, but didn't use his own name. The donations to Trump's inauguration were made through four Oregon and Washington companies connected to Sondland." oregonlive.com/politics/2017/…
Read 9 tweets
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Michael Weiss
@michaeldweiss
No quid pro quo? Bill Taylor, the top US diplomat to Ukraine, certainly thought there was. "I think it's crazy to withhold security assistance for help with a political campaign," he texted to fellow diplomats -- texts Kurt Volker just gave to Congress. abcnews.go.com/Politics/top-d…
Gordon Sondland, the US ambo to the EU, denied it was the case in a text back to the group. Trump, he said, made it “crystal clear no quid pro quo of any kind”. Sondland then told them to take the convo offline. LOL.
Note that these texts were encrypted, so we'd never have seen or heard about them without Volker's forking them over.
Read 6 tweets
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Conor Finnegan
@cjf39
NEW w/@KFaulders: In texts obtained by @ABC, top career diplomat in Ukraine warns it's "crazy to withhold" military aid "for help with a political campaign." Trump's envoy to EU responds there's "no quid pro quo's" and asks to take convo offline abcnews.go.com/Politics/top-d…
@KFaulders @ABC MORE TEXTS:
Sondland and Volker chatting directly appear to draft language for Zelenskiy to announce an investigation into political interference in US.
Volker sends draft. Sonland replies: "Perfect. Lets send to Andrey after our call," a Zelenskiy aide.
abcnews.go.com/Politics/top-d…
@KFaulders @ABC MORE TEXTS: 4 days later, Sondland asks Volker, "Do we still want Ze to give us an unequivocal draft with 2016 and Boresma"
Volker responds, "That's the clear message so far... I'm hoping we can put something out there that causes him to respond with that"
abcnews.go.com/Politics/top-d…
Read 6 tweets
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Karol Cummins
@karolcummins
💣AWFDY?💣

Oligarch linked to Kremlin org crime syndicate, earned millions manipulating the price of natural gas, while fighting extradition to U.S.

Dmytro Firtash has been under indictment in Chicago since 2014.

He was also involved in a failed business deal with Manafort.
💣AWFDY2💣

Deputy Who Stayed Outside During Parkland School Shooting Faces Criminal Charges

Scot Peterson, a former Broward County Sheriff’s deputy, faces charges of neglect of a child, culpable negligence and perjury #Miller #Stone
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Top Democrat says 'every name' might be included in contempt package next week: 'This is a huge cover-up'

Hope Hicks has agreed to supply the documents subpoenaed by Congress despite the White House ordering her not to cooperate with the committee
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Julie Laumann
@Otpor17
Conspiracy theorist Jerome Corsi in plea negotiations with Mueller, which could shed light on whether Trump or his advisers were linked to WikiLeaks’ release of hacked Democratic emails in 2016 washingtonpost.com/politics/stone…
"Word is friend in embassy plans 2 more dumps. One shortly after I'm back. 2nd in Oct. Impact planned to be very damaging."

Corsi informed Stone about the planned WikiLeaks Dem email releases 2 months in advance.

And Mueller has the exchange. nbcnews.com/politics/justi…
"Stone responded, "Get to (Assange) [a]t Ecuadorian Embassy in London and get the pending (WikiLeaks) emails."

Corsi passed the request along to conservative author Ted Malloch in London"
Read 222 tweets
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Zach Everson
@Z_Everson
Trump Hotels' website still lists Trump SoHo New York among its properties in the Our Hotels menu. Select its name though to access its page and there's a message about it being renamed

bit.ly/2EPCSy1
National politics correspondent for Newsweek, Nina Burleigh, with a fun find on a TV above the bar at the Trump Hotel DC bit.ly/2E37QRR
Two errors in the 2nd graf of Breitbart's Trump Hotel DC article:
-holdings aren't out of @realDonaldTrump's hands: trust isn't blind & he can profit from it
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bit.ly/2CpL7z2
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