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First question: from Collins, Murkowski, and Romney. They ask how the Senate should consider if Trump has multiple motives, one public, one personal.
Philbin says "once you get into any mixed motive situation, their case fails."

It's easy to understand why Philbin is wrong: "I want the Esplanade project finished. For public reasons. I just also want a kickback on it from Tony Soprano. WHAT'S THE PROBLEM @SenSusanCollins?"
@SenSusanCollins The problem isn't that @realDonaldTrump had a political motive, the problem is that he had a CORRUPT motive.

It's the corruption that is the abuse of power.
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More from @ElieNYC see all

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Elie Mystal
@ElieNYC
If it were the House, I'd impeach him on Monday for bribery.
When the Senate kicked that, I'd impeach him the next day for treason.
When the Senate kicked that, I'd impeach him the next day for emoluments.
Impeachment now, impeachment tomorrow, impeachment forever.
If I was Cy Vance, I'd indict him Monday for financial crimes.
Next Monday, if I were Tish James I'd indict him for tax fraud.
Monday after that, if I were Xavier Becerra I'd indict him for whatever the hell they can think of out there.
If the Democrats take back the White House, I'd appoint Adam Schiff as A.G. with they sole responsibility of pursing Trump until he ends up hiding in the Russian embassy, AND THEN go after all of his criminal enablers, starting with Cipollone I guess.
Read 5 tweets
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Elie Mystal
@ElieNYC
I do not think Roberts will vote for witnesses.

I do think that, when McGahn's appeal and the baseless claim of "absolute immunity" gets to his desk, the events of the last week make it *more* likely that Roberts will join the liberals and slam it, HARD.
Roberts has now seen, first hand, the national danger involved in allowing such a claim to be surfaced in any way. Sekulow's arguments were designed for the Senate. When Noel Francisco makes basically opposite arguments before Roberts, he won't be able to deny the hypocrisy.
Roberts was prepared to vote for the Census question, until the leaked Republican documents made such a vote embarrassing to him. I *think* Sekulow has just made voting for absolute immunity similarly embarrassing.
Read 4 tweets
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Elie Mystal
@ElieNYC
Understand, when we call Republicans #cowards we're not just using an invective designed to shame and embarrass these people.
We're accurately describing their state of mind. They are AFRAID. They are more afraid of @realDonaldTrump than they are of the damage he causes.
@realDonaldTrump The problem is that cowardice, the true, pathetic panic in the face of danger, also engenders sympathy. Republicans like @SenAlexander have shown themselves to be small and weak. Their dripping fear in the face of danger, almost humanizes them.
@realDonaldTrump @SenAlexander So I prefer the word "complicit." For that is what they are. They are not merely afraid of Trump, they are active enablers of his crimes and misconduct.

Cowards flee from the great evil. Republicans... help it along.
Read 3 tweets

Related threads

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Joyce Alene
@JoyceWhiteVance
First question is from Collins, Murkowski & Romney. They ask, if Trump had more than one motive-ie legitimate motives & illegitimate ones-for seeking a “favor” from Zelensky, how should Senators consider that in their deliberations?
This is a deceptively tricky question. We don’t know Trump’s motives because we haven’t heard from witnesses close to him. It highlights the need to hear testimony about what he was thinking from those in his orbit. This, of course, isn’t part of the answer Trump’s lawyers give.
Trump’s answer is that if he had any permissible motive, no matter what additional motives, even corrupt ones, he had, he can’t be convicted. Also, they say abuse of the public trust isn’t impeachable. Hamilton rolls over in his grave.
Read 5 tweets
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Andrew Prokop
@awprokop
Questioning period has begun. First question is from Sen. Collins, Murkowski, and Romney.

They ask Trump's team what they should do if Trump had more than one motive. Suggest he could have been motivated by political interest and pursuit of corruption.
Deputy WH Counsel Philbin answers.

"Once you get in a mixed motive situation... it can't possibly be an [impeachable] offense. It would be absurd to have the Senate trying to consider, would it be 52% legitimate interest and 48% personal interest?... can't divide it that way"
We could well have seen the justification for Collins, Murkowski, and Romney's acquittal votes set up right there.

Gist would be: it's complicated. Trump had various motives at play. So can't remove him for it.
Read 25 tweets
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Kyle Cheney
@kyledcheney
BREAKING: Rep. ENGEL reveals that BOLTON called him in September and told him to look into the Marie Yovanovitch ouster.

The committees had already started an investigation into Ukraine matters, but Bolton appears to have supported their effort. >>>
FIRST QUESTION: From Collins/Murkowski/Romney wondering what to do if Trump sought a personal benefit but *also* had an anti-corruption motive in asking Ukraine to investigate Biden.

Trump's attorneys say House case requires that personal benefit is *only* motive.
SCHIFF makes clear that he's going to use his answers today to hammer on Republicans to call Bolton if they havce any doubt about the case.

"Don't wait for the book," he implores them.
Read 13 tweets
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snarke
@snarke
Welcome to today's #Trump #ImpeachmentTrial thread (potentially one of a few)! I've been playing around with tags a little in other tweets this morning but for now, I'm going to stick with the two I've used here. That may change later on, though. Follow/mute at will!
Today is going to be procedural stuff. The Senate will have to approve the (completely BS) rules proposed by McConnell. Dems will offer amendments, of course, but since a simple majority rules I don't have a lot of hope any of the amendments will pass. #Trump #ImpeachmentTrial
For those of you just tuning in, McConnell is proposing that this trial have:

Zero witnesses
Zero admitted evidence
Ridiculously little time set aside for opening arguments and questions.
As little sunlight as possible.

#Trump #ImpeachmentTrial
Read 114 tweets
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The Polemicist (Jim Kavanagh)
@ThePolemicist_
First, his cancellation of the attack on Iran. Now this. If Senate Rs start turning against #Trump on #impeachment, it's b/c of THIS--because he's not a reliable enough trigger-puller for the neocon warmongers of both parties.
#Syria #impeachment #Turkey
nytimes.com/2019/10/07/us/…
Of course, even he can't get completely out of the neocon grip. Note that US troops r NOT being withdrawn from #Syria, only "pulled back." i.e., they won't fight a Turkish invasion, but will be there as tripwire should gov of Syria try to take back control of its own territory.
Because the #Kurds, now seeing what fools they were to ally with the US, will now likely negotiate a resolution with #Syria which they would much prefer to Turkish occupation.
Read 8 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
-Trump Org told Congress it was estimating foreign receipts—not auto donating in full
bit.ly/2CpL7z2
Read 1562 tweets

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