Chairman Nadler opens today’s #ImpeachmentHearing and immediately he is interrupted by a guy shouting who is escorted out. Now Nadler says in his statement that even if the president doesn’t honor his oath of office “I honor mine.” “Charismatic demagogues” is also mentioned. 
“President Trump put himself before country.” Nadler is coming out strong, hitting this point several times, noting the whistleblower’s complaint has been substantiated over and over by multiple officials. Nadler looks like he is trying to sway independent voters.
About that protestor planted in the gallery who was removed. He was accusing Nadler of treason. “We voted for Donald Trump and they’re trying to remove him because they don’t like him!”he yelled.
Also Matt Gaetz tried to disrupt immediately. And now Collins is trying to do the same. Disruption as a point of order- this is all they have, Republicans distract because the facts are against them.
Doug Collins says it is a sham impeachment. Nah, it’s a sham president. It is sad that Republicans perform for Trump and don’t care about putting the country over their party. Muddying the waters. Slamming Adam Schiff for not being in the room. Calling it a fairy tale. STFU
Andy Biggs, Republican of Arizona, is raising another point of order about a minority day of hearings. Another disruption. “The point of order is not a point of order”says Nadler. Now Doug Collins is arguing with Nadler about parliamentary rules. Devolving into a circus.
Barry Berke, counsel for the Dems says his son asked him if the president has to be a good person. He says it isn’t “a requirement” that the president be “a good person.” adding,
impeachment was created by the founders, as a “remedy” to an abuse of power. If the shoe fit ...
impeachment was created by the founders, as a “remedy” to an abuse of power. If the shoe fit ...
It can not go by without me noting when Sondland told Trump that Zelensky “loves your ass”- it represents tlow-life talk of would-be mobsters. It’s a catch phrase of Trump’s impeachment. Mr. Stonewall has blocked documents + senior aides not to testify. They love his ass, too?
Barry Berke warns this president must be checked, he already thinks he “got away” with no consequences from Mueller Report. He is firm on this point “no one is above the law-not even the president.” Then he plays a clip of Trump saying “I have the right to do whatever I want.”
Berke asks for a proper debate: “It is a reason to talk about whether or not we want our children or grandchildren to live in a country where the president elected by the people can put his own personal and political interests over the interests of the people who elected him.”
More delaying and distraction for Donald before Castor oil begins. Points of order and voice votes brought up by Louisiana Republican Congressman Johnson. He is contends Berke brought the rules by impugning Trump’s motives. Nadler is showing his impatience by the antics.
Castor is sure that there are no grounds for impeachment. He reminds me of Corey Lewandowski. He says “8 lines in a phone transcript” is baloney. This isn’t actually about Dems not liking Trump, yo, it’s about a violation of the oath of office, using his office for personal gain.
It is really hard to watch Castor oil with his ongoing lengthy process argument. I find myself saying “FU” to my tv. Same for when Collins rants. Or any of the R’s for that matter. It’s true, emoluments should be impeachable. Obstruction of justice cited in Mueller’s Report, too.
Republicans like Buck and Reschenthaler stalling with points of order not being recognized as point of order by Chairman Nadler. He is firm with the gavel but he is getting interrupted A LOT.
Daniel Goldman is going over the quid pro quo showing a clip of Sondland who says clearly “yes” there was a quid pro quo”- he is debunking the theory advanced by Trump and some Republicans that Ukraine, not Russia, had hacked the Democrats in 2016. Remember Dr. Fiona Hill on this
Goldman is not saying directly, but is certainly implying that the way in which Trump thinks about Ukraine are formed from Putin’s propaganda as well as from his personal lawyer, #RudyColludy. Aside: Everytime I hear “Loves your ass” in testimony, an angel gets her wings.
Goldman is showing the infamous Mulvaney clip- not for nothing, but the technical lip sync in every vid Dems show is annoying. Why can’t they get that together? Yeah, Mick “Get over it.”
Who could forget? nytimes.com/2019/10/17/us/…
Goldman wraps up 1. Trump directed a scheme to benefit himself. 2. Used foreign policy and an Oval Office meeting to pressure Ukraine 3. Everyone was in the loop (including PENCE. #PenceKnew 4. Trump has not given up, he is continuing investigating Ukraine. I guess he means Rudy.
Motion to recess requires a roll call vote. 15 minutes recess. Gaetz performs for Trump. Accusing Dems of wanting to hold a news conference before Castor gets to testify. Whew. I get to have some breakfast!
And we’re back. Same song as before. Once more. Castle says there is no evidence to impeach. That is a big fat gaslighting lie.
Castor pivots to why Hunter Biden should be investigated. My response is not tweetable.
A penny for what Jerry Nadler is thinking as Castor says some Ukrainians talked badly about Trump when he was campaigning the last time. Yes, they did. Because Trump supports Putin taking Crimea.
Castor going on and on reminds me of when Charlie Brown’s teacher would talk and he would hear wah, wah wah. So I offer this round-up response to Castor’s opening this morning. rawstory.com/2019/12/expert…
Summing up to now: Dems argue Trump engaged in a scheme asking for foreign interference in the 2020 election with the announcement of an investigation into the Bidens. R’s argue nothing directly ties Trump to the scheme and he had it in for Ukraine b/c some called him names.
Gaetz and Gohmert are needling Nadler for points of order.
Whoa: breaking news breaks into the live hearings - the Inspector General report find the Russian probe was justified, but the FBI surveillance of Carter Page has a bunch of errors in it. FBI Russia probe report released by Justice Department watchdog cnbc.com/2019/12/09/fbi…
I wish I had a dollar for every time Nadler slams his gavel as Republicans are so angry and frustrated. Berke is asking questions of Castor about whether witnesses were told not to testify by Trump. He is dancing around like...
Ranking member Collins is screaming and ranting now, Mr. Goldman is looking quite concerned. There is some weird thing that Republicans think if they yell enough, they are scoring points. Trump does it, too. It makes listening to Collins truly unbearable.
Collins keeps harping on the fact that Adam Schiff is not in the room. Why is this important? Now he is hounding Daniel Goldman about linking Nunes telephone number to White House call records. His accent makes the hair on my arms stand up. As his volume.
I stepped away for a few minutes and retired to see this Fox-like female asking questions for the Republicans. She is making an argument that Dems are rushing impeachment. Castor is teaching me to watch my anger arose without attachment. Breathe, Babs. He is a bad guy.
Ah, it’s Ashley Hurt Callen. She is putting a hurting on process. Now there is a roll call vote about a Republican request to delay by a half hour recess. It will not happen. Let’s get it on. Now begins the five minutes each for the members to question the witnesses.Nadler starts
And we are in another “15” minute recess. Today’s House Judiciary Committee #ImpeachmentHearing will go into the night because each member is getting their five minutes to question the witnesses and so far, we have only seen Nadler, Collins, and Zoe Lofgren.
Wisconsin’s Republican Congressman Jim Sensenbrenner has some major nerve raising Joe McCarthy and accusing Democrats of being worse than him. Please, sir, look in the mirror.
You do not want the side eye from Ms. Jackson Lee.
Republican Cong. Chabot from Ohio is all Biden, Biden, Biden. He maintains that is the one who should be investigated. Obviously, Chabot has the same hair fluffer as Trump.
Gohmert has no questions. He has five minutes to spew trash. Honestly, I can’t believe how these old white guys protect that old white guy in the White House. He is the height of absurdity. I’m hanging in here, but it is wearying.
Congressman Johnson is an eloquent man from Georgia. He is asking Mr. Goldman about Giuliani’s role. He played clips of Trump asking for Biden investigations.
And now it is #JacketlessGymJordan yelling about the whistleblower and making up lies. He and Castor make quite a duo of despicable men.
When the dog you are watching says stop watching #ImpeachmentHearings and pay attention to me. Loubie knows it’s really hard to withstand the assault of Republicans like Mr. Buck sitting next to Gym Jordan questioning Castor. More Putin propaganda about Ukraine. @TheHuggingDog
Congresswoman Bass is asking Daniel Goldman about Sondland’s testimony. She is raising a cogent point about Zelensky meeting with Putin in Paris today. She says Trump’s abuse of power harms our nation.
Ratcliffe is up now. All about the whistleblower. Trying to trash the complaint and the House Intel Committee’s 291 page report. Trying to say the whistleblower perjured themselves. But how? That person has not testified.
Congressman Cedric Richmond is asking questions of Mr. Goldman. The tone from Democrats is calm and sober. The tone from Republicans is loud and obnoxious.
Martha Roby from Alabama is stunned about how Democrats are running the hearing. Yeah. Let’s talk about process. This is about how Trump abused his office. She is also using her five minutes to talk about a minority day hearing and feeling that Congress is being undermined.
Hakeem Jeffries is revisiting how the military aid was held back from Ukraine what was the real motivation? We all know the answer. As Bill Taylor’s clip played, you know why. Personal political gain and it was crazy.
Eric Swalwell got Daniel Goldman to answer “President Trump” to a series of questions about “what the president knew and when he knew it.” Trump ran the scheme. He had Rudy doing his bidding. The day goes on. Me. Biggs is up now soft balling pitches to Castor. Bleh.
Ted Lieu is a breath of fresh air. He is saying the president should not leverage our tax dollars for his own private gain. It is flat out illegal, he says. He is establishing that Congress was not notified when the aid to Ukraine was withheld.
Cong. Tom McClintock, R,Ca is grandstanding about Democrats “flimsy evidence” to overturn the results of the 2016 election. 1. The evidence is overwhelming. 2. Not for nothing, but the 2016 election was handed to Trump by Putin with a lot of assists. Including Comey.
Jamie Raskin is up now. He said it looked like Trump was “going to get away with his Ukraine shakedown.” 17 witnesses did come to testify he says, despite Trump’s intimidation. He also mentions his dad who worked for the NSC during JFK. “What you bring to work is your conscience”
Debbie Lesko is on now. A rare appearance by a Republican woman on the House Judiciary Committee. She is on the wrong side of history pleasing Donald Trump. Arizona can do better!
Congresswoman Jayapal says the first and best witness in this impeachment inquiry is Donald Trump. Every clip played of Trump doing his #ChopperTalk is so self-damning. Wouldn’t it be something to see him testify at his Senate trial? He would self-remove if he opened his mouth!
@RepValDemings is questioning Dan Goldman about Vindman’s testimony and about how aid to Ukraine was only released when he got caught. “But we won’t let him” she declared. “Everybody counts and everybody is accountable.”
Know your Judiciary Committee! Now it is Congressman Lou Correa from California. The talk is about the quid pro quo. How Trump wanted Zelensky to go to the microphone and announce an investigation into the Bidens. Goldman is saying go beyond words and look at the actions.
Congresswoman Scanlon from Pa. has taken over for Chairman Nadler. She recognizes herself to ask questions of Mr. Goldman. She swatted down a Republican attempt to disrupt. She is delving into Zelensky’s feeling of being pressured. She said it was like a hostage victim.
Nadler is back and dealing with Republicans trying to disrupt. But now it’s a Republican up. Another slam at Adam Schiff for not being there. And repeating all the same talking points we’ve heard yelled all day.
Congresswoman Garcia, D/Tx says she is a former judge and is asking Goldman about direct evidence. Is there direct evidence of the July 25th call? Yes. It is in the call record released. And in the phone call with Sondland from the Kyiv restaurant.
Hour 9 of testimony - it is a marathon. Congressman Joe Neguse from Colorado is on. He is talking about how Russia is trying to deflect blame of its own involvement interfered in the 2016 election by putting it on Ukraine. Putin’s propaganda is still be pushed to this day.
Only Democrats are left to ask questions of Daniel Goldman and creepy Castor. It is a long slog through Democrats asking solemn questions and Republicans acting like fools. Cong. Mucarsel-Powell says she won’t let our elections be affected by foreign countries.
Congresswoman Escobar says we are being asked to deny what we have seen with our own eyes and hears with our own ears. That is certainly a Republican technique. We have seen so much gaslighting today, we all need sunlight and fresh air.
Okay, I have held back all day, but that it! STFU Doug Collins. This is not about one phone call. It is about a PATTERN of abuse of office. Keep parroting Putin’s propaganda. And false reporting of Horowitz’s IG report on the 2016 election. Cherry picking fits you, Mr.
Ta dum! Jerry Nadler says there is no real defense of the “president’s actions” because he put himself before the country. That’s why Republicans can’t defend him. This wrap up; the remedy is impeachment. “The danger to democracy is clear. Our duty is clear.” Woo hoo, it’s OVAH!
