JUST IN: Speaker Pelosi says "we believe the president of the United States is engaged in a cover up

[demmiblue]

Link to tweet

Link to tweet

[hlthe2b]

1. Yes, NANCY!

[OKIsItJustMe]

42. NBC: As impeachment talk escalates, Pelosi says Trump is engaged in a 'cover-up'

https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/congress/impeachment-talk-escalates-pelosi-says-trump-engaged-cover-n1008601

…

"We do believe that it’s important to follow the facts. We believe that no one is above the law, including the president of the United States. And we believe that the president of the United States is engaged in a cover-up," Pelosi said after a closed-door caucus meeting with House Democrats to discuss their efforts to conduct oversight and investigations of the Trump administration.

…

[femmocrat]

2. Well, hot damn.

I can hear the drumbeat growing louder.

[TheBlackAdder]

52. Hmm. A cover-up? That begs the question, "What is so bad a cover-up is performed?"

.

That should immediately trigger an investigation.

.

[triron]

55. Given the unprecedented attempts at covering up it must be very very bad.

[gldstwmn]

75. The cover up is worse that the crime.

Although in this case the crimes are many.

[NewJeffCT]

3. Glad she is saying this but stop using SOFT language

Donny is openly covering up and you're saying you only "believe" he is covering up.

"Donald Trump is covering up something. Corruption? Collusion? Treason? Bribery? Money Laundering? All of the above?"

[TwilightZone]

9. She could say every one of those things...

and people would still complain.

[ehrnst]

20. +1000. (nt)

[CentralMass]

30. I wouldn't.

[DownriverDem]

10. Just doing her job

Ducks in row is what she is working on. Please calm down.

[luvtheGWN]

15. Yes!

Taking it step by step towards an air-tight case.

[pazzyanne]

23. Amen!

As an old saying goes, "Haste makes waste!"

[Chemisse]

36. She said the people aren't ready. She is helping to make them ready!

Maybe this is part of her compromise with those who are anxious to get going on impeachment. Ratchet up the public discourse so the people start to GET ready.

[progressoid]

39. Keeping the powder dry.

Like we did during the Bush years.

[Stuart G]

45. Exactly, slow and steady. If it is going to be done, it must be successful.

That is the process must be air tight. Fair and reasonable. Carefully and with due process.

..Why? Because it is for the viewing of the entire country. For all of us. The three sentences above are the key. As we move along, if we meet those requirements, most, say 75 percent of the country will go along with impeachment. Maybe as much as 80 percent. That is more than enough to get the job done. Yes, there are always "true believers" But as 80 percent believes Trump needs to go, then the others become unimportant.

...Trump is a lying evil con man. He lies all the time about everything. Most people are already sure he has committed crimes. Do this slowly, fair, reasonable, open, due process for all to see and our country will win.

The words, "cover up" are not new, but those words are very special. All of us understand what that is about. And it is a true and true and honest telling of who Trump is. "Cover up" is the key. Nancy knows, I know, most of us know. It was what Nixon did to "cover up" the crimes associated with the break in, and "cover up" of the Watergate scandal. That is all, and that is it.

[canetoad]

80. Exactly

Even in my 20s, in Australia, I remember the words, "The cover-up is worse than the crime."

[coti]

13. Agreed, Dems first instinct is to use hedging language and blunt the impact nt

[ancianita]

24. Soft because, without absolute proof of his intention, coupled with his DOJ rationales, they can

only be soft.

Remember that the courts can see patterns in all the obstruction from before and the stall moves of his legal crew now.

As was said elsewhere around DU, her side has to have all "due diligence" done before the courts.

She agrees with you. This language you call "soft" remains in the due diligence lane that evidence allows. She has other lanes and contexts to move Dems forward in such that no legal brakes can be applied at any point.

Once this is thoroughly done, courts and all, Komrade Don will have no truthful claims he can use against the Dems in the GE.

[ginnyinWI]

46. This is for the general public, not DU.

We hear know all this stuff but the general public doesn't. She has to be cautious and bring them along carefully.

[KPN]

70. Nah. Pelosi made a pretty strong statement with

what she said. I’ve been calling to impeach now. This was a huge step for her and the party. It really shows that the pressure to ITMF now is and has had an effect. And Speaker Pelosi handled herself and the statement well. There is no higher statement than “we believe” that doesn’t get easily discounted as just more partisanship.

Have faith ... and keep up the pressure. She (Pelosi) and our other House leaders need our support (and that includes prodding — they need to know we have their back).

[dalton99a]

4. Impeach the traitor.

Start the hearings

[StarfishSaver]

33. Hearings have already started

Mnuchin got his butt handed to him in one this morning

[SunSeeker]

68. No impeachment investigation hearings have started, just regular oversight hearings. nt

[SunSeeker]

69. +1

[Shell_Seas]

5. Oh, snap!

[Ohioboy]

6. Ya think?

Not Trump...

[DownriverDem]

7. What brought Nixon

down, was the cover up. I don't know why folks have a problem with making sure you have your ducks in a row.
Go Nancy!

[onetexan]

64. +1 -K&R

[global1]

8. And You Know What They Say About Cover-Ups.....

The cover-up is worse than the crime.

[Stuart G]

47. That is correct, and that is what got Nixon.. Nancy used the words "Cover Up" so everyone sees the

show and knows the story.

[world wide wally]

11. I think so too!

[lamp_shade]

12. Sounds to me like she's buckling.

[onenote]

16. Sounds to me like she's being strategic.

It takes 217 votes to authorize the Judiciary Committee to initiate an impeachment inquiry (the House currently has 433 members including the repub elected in PA yesterday).

That means if 20 Democrats aren't ready to support an impeachment inquiry (and I wouldn't be surprised if that was the case), an attempt to start that inquiry would fail.

Let the pressure continue to increase. If a couple more Repubs follow Amash, it will give cover to the reluctant Democrats to support the initiation of an inquiry.

[INdemo]

21. I dont believe there would be 20 Democrats

that would oppose..

[onenote]

27. I'm going to go with her vote counting skills over your belief.

The Blue Dog Coalition has 27 members. Most are pretty cautious. They'll come around, but probably not until there is more pressure (and more Repub defections).

[lamp_shade]

28. I agree with you.

[SunSeeker]

66. Well then, the folks calling for an impeachment inquiry are helping Pelosi.

[INdemo]

81. Didnt realize we had that many Republican-Lites left in the

House of Rep.

[onenote]

82. Most have voted with the party on most matters

But I don't think they're ready to go all in on impeachment quite yet.

[StarfishSaver]

18. One of Speaker Pelosi's many great skills

is to allow people to think it was their idea for her to do exactly what she intended to do all along.

Pelosi's not "buckling" at all.

[CaptainTruth]

41. +1

[ginnyinWI]

48. +2 . nt

[FreeBe]

71. When she gets to impeachment it is not buckling, but arriving.

[Achilleaze]

14. Pull the covers off the republican lies and corruption

[SayItLoud]

17. The Medium is the Message (M. McLuhan); imo Dems need to better understand how to use it.

Republicans strategy is rapid fire, confusion, obfuscation and move on.

Democratic strategy is bits and pieces with little or no thread or continuity. We let the media run with it and we respond.

Pelosi and spox need to state the foundation for what they plan. Then with every presser or planned statement remind everyone of the foundation and add the next floor.

Every statement needs to end with a well thought out and powerful tag line: OUR Constitution, everyone's constitution regardless of political affiliation or no affiliation REQUIRES US, as representatives of the people of America to investigate and bring the truth to you.

Just sayin..

[StarfishSaver]

25. Because the people who don't yet support impeachment are reading the Democrats statements?

And if their statements contain the wording you suggest, that will convince them to impeachment?

[Locrian]

29. they're not secret about it either....

'That's not the way the world really works anymore,' he continued. 'We're an empire now, and when we act, we create our own reality. And while you're studying that reality—judiciously, as you will—we'll act again, creating other new realities, which you can study too, and that's how things will sort out. We're history's actors...and you, all of you, will be left to just study what we do'.


~ generally attributed to Karl Rove

[Chakaconcarne]

19. Only the President???

It's a start but....

[BSdetect]

22. If it all starts to unravel soon there will be an avalanche of flips.

All eager to avoid convictions for assisting with treason.

[jalan48]

26. Sounds like she's warming up to impeachment.

[Greybnk48]

31. FINALLY! Bring the bastard down!

I knew Nancy would come through.

[Moral Compass]

32. She is playing this skillfully

Madame Speaker is letting the pressures build.
She knows she not only has to address Trump but Barr as well.

Amash turning was exceptionally important. The DOJ just backed down and will release the documents related to the Mueller report. Nadler is going after McGahn and the administration for McGahn no showing.

Tick tock.

[Chipper Chat]

34. No shit?

[Hooterville]

37. It must be about time

to send some more 'strongly worded letters'. That's all the Dems seem to be capable of.

It's been over 6 months since the midterm elections and we haven't moved an inch.

Where is the action?

[LanternWaste]

49. I dig your unsupported premise. It's sternly worded.

It's fun to pretend that that which we refuse to see does not exist. Irrational.. but damned fun.

[The_Counsel]

38. Well Gee, Nance, You Think...?

What do you suppose ought to be done about this?

Hint: "Nothing" is the least acceptable option there is.

Stop thinking about the political ramifications for a change. Impeach because the president has committed impeachable offenses. In broad daylight. Doesn't matter if there's "bi-partisan support" for conviction in the Senate. Most of the GOP in that chamber is complicit anyway--especially one Mr. McConnell.

And then, in 2020, the voters will have their say as well. But we at least have to give 'em some credit for knowing a criminal when they see one...

[Hekate]

40. The game is on! That there is some real Watergate-speak, and all the president's men know it...

GO, NANCY!

[Politicub]

43. Yes! Preach!

[NurseJackie]

44. I trust Nancy Pelosi's judgement on this. She knows what she's doing.

Nancy Pelosi rocks!

[Javaman]

50. Yes, and?

whatcha gonna do?

[triron]

51. No shit, Sherlock.

[DFW]

53. She just used the magic code word

Shades of 1974.............

https://www.history.com/topics/1970s/watergate

Using the word "cover-up" when referring to presidential misdeeds usually recalls one thing, or rather one person--and he left the presidency in disgrace on August 9th, 1974. Trump has no clue what disgrace is, but that does not preclude others from demonstrating it to him in no uncertain terms.

When the Speaker of the House uses that word in a deliberately crafted public statement, there is good reason to figure the term was NOT chosen at random.

[uponit7771]

54. +1, those words have triggered Red Don ... he's belching on TV about how mean Pelosi is

[RANDYWILDMAN]

56. Prove it, No NIXON deals....

Jail or else, nothing less for the blowhard

[smirkymonkey]

57. Just laying the groundwork.

They will bring him down. Tick tock.

[honest.abe]

58. Hard to imagine using words like "cover up" and not following through with impeachment.

Seems that is where we are heading.

[SunSeeker]

67. Yep. nt

[Nitram]

59. Pelosi's strategy is working. Trump is laying his last cards on the table for all to see.

[pdsimdars]

60. For those of us who like numbers, I wonder how many points Trump's BP went up?

'Cause you KNOW that got to him.

[Rabrrrrrr]

61. Until she actually does something about it, I **yawn** when she speaks.

I'm tired of words. How many decades have the Dems spoken out but been too timid to actually take action? Too many.

It's wearing really thin, and I'm tired of getting all excited because a dem says something strong and right and I think, "Ha - this is the boom!" and then no boom. Not even a bang. Or a thump. Or a knock.

[LiberalLovinLug]

65. Getting an infrastructure bill through is somehow more important.

Which the GOP will claim credit for if it ever got tabled and passed in the Senate anyways.

[Luciferous]

77. That is my biggest complaint about our party, they don't fight enough. The Republicans play dirty

and we just wag our fingers at them like it's going to accomplish something.

[Hassler]

62. Keep screaming, Dotard and that stroke you want might arrive.

[dchill]

63. K&R.

[MasonDreams]

72. Next meeting she should bring a trusted advisor, Hillary

Can you imagine those two smiling and laughing in front of him?

[Stargleamer]

73. He's been engaged in cover-ups for years. . .

that's why Roy Cohn was retained. The question is will someone finally take decisive action against him or not?

[Princetonian]

74. Pelosi would make a fine president but is wise enough to stay where she can do the most good.

This soundbite will go down in history as a pivotal point in Chump's 2020 political demise.

[Luciferous]

76. That's nice. What are you going to do about it?!

[Ferrets are Cool]

78. Yes?? And?

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

79. And the dotard throw a big old tantrum later on.

He crapped his Depends and canceled the infrastructure meeting.