Feel that rope tightening yet, Donnie?

[kiaa]

House Democrats zero in on 'abuse of power' in Trump impeachment inquiry
"Pelosi is said to favor one sweeping charge related to Ukraine, but there's some debate about the need for additional charges."

All partisanship aside, this seems like an interesting turning point. I guess the options the Dems are facing right now are, do they put all eggs in one basket and go with a single article for impeachment - or do they try and have as many articles as possible, and have each of them reviewed and voted separately? I'd surely opt for the latter.

It's kind of like over-charging in a court case. Do you reach with murder when manslaughter is a lock? Hmmm, what a dilemma.

I think the problem here is time. What you've got now is obvious abuse of power, PLUS contempt of Congress on the Ukraine case... So, trying to add more articles regarding other aspects of Trump's behavior (like emoluments) would seem like a waste of time, energy and focus.

I'm kind of inclined to agree with Nancy here. I mean, less is more in cases like these. Where do you stand on this?

Comments

[johnny9fingers]

I still have a suspicion that the Don will wriggle out of this; look at the example given by the “Greased Piglet” this side of the pond. These types are always difficult to actually land.

However, Trump isn’t a clever-clogs like Boris. Trump didn’t coast to just missing a first purely on brainpower and no work whatsoever. Trump isn’t clever enough to couch his desires in acceptable forms; he’s always been a hammer that looked on every problem as a nail.

But even so, will America impeach the Don for being the Don? It’s what they elected him for.

I remain in doubt that rational folk will get the result that serves justice in any of these cases.

But I live in hope. And I may allow the greased piglet the respect due to his machinations; for from a pretty barren hand, a Yarborough even, he’s conjured a good few tricks. But still his cause is unjust, so I will oppose him.

[asthfghl]

Greased Piglet, lol.

[johnny9fingers]

Cameron called him that. The actual quote is:

“The thing about the greased piglet is that he manages to slip through other people’s hands where mere mortals fail.”

Of course, for a Classicist of Boris’s standing Porcellae uncta is a breed apart.

My amateurish advice on the matter?

[dewline]

Make every issue a separate aet of articles. Hit him with successive waves of articles.

[mikeyxw]

I expect Mrs Pelosi to make the right call. This is a political rather than a legal process, so a laundry list of technical charges will just make most voters stop paying attention.

One or two clear charges that make it clear Mr Trump was using his office for personal gain and which don't implicate any senators would be the sweet spot. Overreaching could cost both the impeachment and the election.

[oportet]

I think she knows they don't have anything - her job is to keep selling 'soon' as long as her base will buy it. When they stop buying it, then she has a dilemma.

[mikeyxw]

Really? If Bill Taylor's testimony is corroborated, it would be pretty bad for Mr Trump.

[johnny9fingers]

Apparently he kept the memos, notes, and instruction briefings.

There’s a chap who had the foresight to realise that everyone gets found out sooner or later, and having the written orders to hand is best protection from accusations of personal wrongdoing. I wonder how many other officials kept full paper-trails?

[asthfghl]

I suspect, as many folks as fancied issuing bestselling memoirs soon after this administration is done (which is pretty soon, I assume).

[oportet]

There have been big-if-true bombshells, tightening ropes, and 'now we got him!'s every day for 3+ years - they've all had the same outcome.

[mikeyxw]

This time, there are specific, verifiable crimes with dates and people testifying under oath. This is very different than the vague claims of some meetings with Russians that were not really illegal that we heard before. I also find Mr Taylor to be pretty credible and his testimony was consistent with the complaint. I was skeptical about the Mueller report but this seems far more serious.

[oportet]

Credibility from every claim is connected. This may be completely unrelated to Mueller, and Stormy, and Comey, and every other major-soon-to-fall domino - but the dems record of what they throw up against the wall and what sticks is going to hurt public perception of the current scandal of the day - no matter what poll results they invent to give themselves hope.