***IMPEACHMENT INQUIRY HEARING NOV 20 THREAD 1***

[BumRushDaShow]

[BumRushDaShow]

1. Hopefully others will chime in to do later threads as I burnt myself out yesterday

[ancianita]

19. You did a great job, sir. (or madam)

[BumRushDaShow]

24. Madam and thank you!

[SamKnause]

2. Ready, set, let's kick some ass !!!

[Roland99]

3. Happy Impeachment Wednesday!

[underpants]

4. I'm going to take a guess at the right wing attack/spin

IF he doesn’t take the fifth they will go with “He keeps changing his story”.

That’s my guess.

[BumRushDaShow]

5. Here comes Sondland sauntering in the room

[Roland99]

6. damn...he's pretty tall

[BumRushDaShow]

11. Yeah but as I found out yesterday

Morrison is even taller - 7'1" !!!

[Roland99]

34. all that much harder the fall!

[spooky3]

39. Were they serious when they said that? Nt

[Pacifist Patriot]

60. I wondered too. The entry in Wikipedia has a "dubious-discuss" marker next to his height.

[BumRushDaShow]

87. When they showed him coming in yesterday, he was several heads above everyone else!

[NellieStarbuck]

175. I just thought Volker must be a dwarf.

[BumRushDaShow]

177. He is a bit shorter than others and here is as he arrived with a few others around him

Here he is with Taylor -

[backtoblue]

7. Here we go

[Mersky]

8. G'morning everyone!

I'll be in here for about the first two hours. Then again later in the afternoon session.

[H2O Man]

12. Likewise .....

Medical appointment in the late morning. I'll make it as brief as possible.

I am glad Sondland showed up.

[BumRushDaShow]

9. Adam Schiff gavelled in. Same process - opening statements.

[malaise]

10. Let's go

Throw them under that bus

[H2O Man]

14. Good morning!

[MuseRider]

13. I am so happy for these threads!

At the hospital most of the day yesterday, husband admitted late last night. Have to do all the chores and then go to the hospital so my listening will be sporadic.

Thank you all so very much for these long and funny and informative threads.

He will likely be fine, just checking out a big problem from yesterday. Schiff is on and I am out.

THANK YOU! <----the best ever use of this smilie!

[BumRushDaShow]

15. Sending healing thoughts to your hubby!!!

[YOHABLO]

16. How did they get the name '3 amigos' ?

morning !

[BumRushDaShow]

20. Good morning! Apparently it's something that Sondland and Perry dubbed themselves.

Volker complained yesterday that he "cringed" at the name.

[YOHABLO]

22. Ah, well it sounds like something Perry would come up with.

[BumRushDaShow]

27. Yup - especially since he is a Texan

[BumRushDaShow]

17. Schiff is summarizing the timeline of the "3 Amigos" and their Ghouliani interactions

[brooklynite]

18. Sondland: I pressured Ukraine to investigate Bidens at Trump's "express direction"

US Ambassador to the EU will testify that he — alongside Energy Secretary Rick Perry and US diplomat Kurt Volker — worked with Rudy Giuliani on Ukraine matters "at the express direction of the President of the United States."

Here's what he'll say, according to a copy of his opening statement:

"Secretary Perry, Ambassador Volker and I worked with Mr. Rudy Giuliani on Ukraine matters at the express direction of the President of the United States. We did not want to work with Mr. Giuliani. Simply put, we played the hand we were dealt. We all understood that if we refused to work with Mr. Giuliani, we would lose an important opportunity to cement relations between the United States and Ukraine. So we followed the President's orders"

Please keep your hands inside the car for the duration of the ride.....

[Wawannabe]

180. Weeeeeeee!

Here we go! I am so happy to be along for this morning’s ride! The headlines are just AWESOME. The sun is shining in my head!
Will keep buckled up and all limbs inside for the Sondland bus ride over tRumps ass!

[ancianita]

21. I'm noticing a thinly veiled look of contempt from Sondland. Not cool.

[demmiblue]

23. Devin's got things all lined up.

Link to tweet

[mucifer]

25. Can Bolton at any time change his mind about testifying?

He is a very emotional guy. I think his testimony would be fun. He tends to yell a lot. Repubs used to love him.

[H2O Man]

55. Yes.

I think he may be waiting for the Senate trial.

[madaboutharry]

26. Nunes will say:

"Welcome to another day at the "democrat" impeachment circus......blah, blah, blah.....

[demmiblue]

32. He called it story-time (and a circus).

[Roland99]

33. Ayup...and first statement was about 3 years of russia collusion hoax...still going on about that.

[BumRushDaShow]

28. MOO MOO ALERT - MUTE

[spooky3]

30. MOO-T! Unless you want your ears filled with cow poop. Nt

[calimary]

78. Actually, Nunes is hilarious this morning!

He starts out with welcoming us all to "Story Time, this morning."

Yeah, you got THAT right, pal!

The best part of all is that what the hapless pathetic Nunes is outlining in his opening statement, that he claims is a whole bunch hogwash, and is trying to portray as horrendously unfair and coming directly from some hideous anti-trump upside down world, is the true part!

Oh you're SOOOOOO clever, Devin.

[Pacifist Patriot]

46. As soon as Schiff says, "I yield..." my hand instinctively reaches out to hit mute.

It's not even a conscious thought anymore.

[NellieStarbuck]

176. I take that opportunity to go downstairs and fold laundry.

[Pacifist Patriot]

178. Much better use of one's time!

[spanone]

29. it would be impossible for nunes to be a greater asshole....he has reached the zenith

[Liberal Jesus Freak]

89. Yes.

Unfortunately, it IS possible for him to sustain that zenith for a loooooong time 😕

[Hermit-The-Prog]

31. Mooooo! Moo, moo, moo!

Cowpile Nunes bawls about Trump getting caught, blames Democrats for catching him.

[YOHABLO]

65. Oh yeah Nunes it's the Dems that are assinine.

Impeachment charade? Trumps a crook and a liar, he broke the law.

[catbyte]

35. MUUUUUUUUUUUUUTE!!!!!!!!!

[mucifer]

38. Ha!

[underpants]

50. LOL

[TruckFump]

51. Gawd bless the person who invented the TV sound mute button!!! EOM

[oswaldactedalone]

36. Can we get this ridiculous moron, Nunes

a muzzle please. What an idiot.

[Roland99]

37. MOOnes - the dems' mania...

[Hermit-The-Prog]

40. damn, Nunes gave a (partial) list of TrumPutin's crimes!

[Roland99]

48. Merely the "assinine" claims of "partisan extremists"

how many more bs rhetorical terms is he going to use?

[MontanaMama]

41. Devin is dressed up as a clown today.

Nice outfit!

[yellowdogintexas]

128. YES What's up with that Mafia suit anyway??

He looks like a throwback doesn't he.

[unitedwethrive]

42. What's with the mafia suit on Nunez?

Are they dressing like criminals now?

[TruckFump]

43. Schiff's Opening was BRILLIANT

He put Sondland in a box before he even started testifying.

Schiff took all prior testimony and wove a thread that was chilling.

[polichick]

44. They must have a pile of poo on Nunes!

[C_U_L8R]

45. Who writes Nunes' screeds?

It's like a poorly written comic book. Too many adjectives. Breathless. Hyperbolic. Sophomoric.

[Pacifist Patriot]

52. He does come across as a cartoon figure to me.

The casting of a congressman in a farce.

[csziggy]

90. I just cannot listen to Nunes

So I muted the TV after his first syllable. That gives me a chance to look at him. What's with the gangster suit? How many days has it been since he shaved? (Yeah, I know he's dark haired and probably needs to shave twice a day, but he looks as though he hasn't shaved for at least twenty four hours.) Did his statement sound as stupid as he looks?

[spooky3]

118. A Nobel prize winner--John Barron. Nt

[BumRushDaShow]

47. LOL!!!! MOOMOO is putting the actual FACTS into the record

regarding money laundering by the campaign. I guess he forgot that Parnas and Fruman are in prison for doing just that!

[polichick]

57. Really!

[Maraya1969]

49. Can't the Dems introduce the Mueller report where it talks about how Russia attacked the US

during the 2016 election?????????

Nunes is up there again saying that it is a hoax.

[Roland99]

56. Excellent point

[oswaldactedalone]

53. My God

Nunes is the lead driver in the Reputin Clown Car.

[sop]

54. There goes Nunes, sarcastic, dismissive as always, reading the WH script he was just faxed

[backtoblue]

58. "Fanatical supporters that they no longer can control"

Talking about Democrats

[BuffaloJackalope]

59. Did I just see Nunes list all of the proven charges against Trump - then claim they're false?

Devon - we all have seen the f'kn BLUEPRINTS for Trump Tower Moscow

[ancianita]

61. 6th grade moo-face mocks Democrats on behalf the loyalist scofflaw crew.

Damn right you've passed the point of no return, dipshits.

"Sorry, millionaire friend, the lying Dems are going to smear you! Lies, lies, lies! Scorched earth! Fake outrage! "

[polichick]

62. Projection. Projection. Projection.

[Roland99]

63. MOOnes saying Amb Sondland is here to be smeared

yeah...by himself and his fellow #TraitorGOP


still whining to question the whistleblower

[oswaldactedalone]

64. What a disgusting display by Nunes

Disgracing the halls of Congress.

[Fiendish Thingy]

66. I think Nunes picked his suit to inflict maximum pain on the viewing audience

Stripes and checks, ow, my eyes!

Nunes' listing of Democrats "conspiracy theories" is actually a good summary of impeachable offenses, as he isn't offering any evidence, just listing them.

[Blaukraut]

67. Nunes is projecting. Political warfare? And he's lying like a rug n/t

[Andy823]

68. Does trump write this shit

and make all the republicans scripts for them to read everyday?

[Hermit-The-Prog]

69. Sondland's opening statement (PDF)

https://www.justsecurity.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/ukraine-clearinghouse-Opening-Statement-of-Ambassador-Gordon-november-20-2019.pdf

[blaze]

72. Thanks! nt

[demmiblue]

70. Dems would probably want to impeach Washington, too.

[jberryhill]

71. Shorter Nunes

Blah, blah, blah, Democrats, blah, blah, blah. Blah, Democrats, blah, blah? Blah, blah, Democrats, blah.

[backtoblue]

73. Nunes again calling to subpoena whistleblower and hunter biden

[BumRushDaShow]

74. MOO MOO is finally DONE. Schiff is introducing Sondland with a bio before his statement.

[Mersky]

75. Nunes is going with a 'storytime' theme

One about circuses - He’s running out of material.

The Democrats’ debunked CT?

Um, no Nunes, no

Pantloaded language included: storytime, absurdity, impeachment crusade, crusade, cooked up, spectacle, Democrats move the goal posts, scorched earth political warfare, Democrats fake outrage, George Washington blah blah woulda been impeached, too. Whistleblower, whistleblower, moo, and mooooo.

[Mike 03]

76. Nunes' opening statement makes it sound like he doesn't

know what's coming, or wasn't briefed on Sondland's opening statement.

[Iwasthere]

77. Schiff should remind them that they cannot lie and the repercussions

[H2O Man]

79. I wish that I could

slap Nunes through my television.

[demmiblue]

85. Cosigned. n/t

[Pacifist Patriot]

88. I suspect that would be a very long line to stand in.

[H2O Man]

95. "Punch the Punce"

We could sell tickets -- three punches for $1

[Pacifist Patriot]

110. We could finance a senate run for someone with just that one fundraiser.

[Wawannabe]

184. I abhor lines.

That is the one line I would stand in all day.


https://m.

[oswaldactedalone]

80. Schiff is one cool customer

I would’ve gone upside Nunes’ head for that rotten display.

[demmiblue]

81. Sonland is rather smiley... I wonder what he is thinking.

[BumRushDaShow]

82. Sondland swearing-in and is starting his opening statement.

[mucifer]

83. Schiff doesn't have too much impressive stuff to say about Sonland's past

compared to yesterday's witnesses. He's a rich f who gave some money to charity.

[backtoblue]

84. Sondland begins to read opening statement

[crickets]

93. He's going a little overboard with the PR

Somebody told him to grovel a bit and he isn't very good at it.

[backtoblue]

97. Saying he didnt have access to docs from state dept etc

Thats an interesting lamentation...


Its not fair that the state dept and white house didnt allow him access to his emails, notes,...

[crickets]

111. The phrase "not fair!" was so whiny, yikes.

I hear the lamentations of a man who has never gone through a day of adult life without a stenographer and/or all around lackey to take care of the details.

Oh, I get it - he has got a bad memory, poor thing. Not bothering with any summary of his testimony is bit lazy. In fact, he just seems completely put upon today! His attitude is not going to make him any friends.

[Botany]

86. What does Putin have on Nunes?

George Washington getting a peace treaty with Great Britain has what to do with
the Ukraine and the United States?

Devin!

[H2O Man]

91. Financial ties

to Nunes' business. But what does this have to do with Hillary's e-mails hidden on the grassy knoll?

[Botany]

101. And don't forget Hillary's acid washed email server that is being hidden in the Ukraine.

Trump got caught breaking the law and these fuckers are lying and spinning tales about
George Washington and other stuff to keep things covered up.

[H2O Man]

132. I hope the republicans

are able to put John Wilkes Booth on the witness stand. He needs to explain his work for the DNC in the Ukraine.

Earlier this morning, to pass time, I watched old clips from a comedy show's "man on the street" interviews. They asked people about Martin Luther King refusing to endorse President Obama, and Malcolm X's endorsing Hillary Clinton. Seriously. The Trump supporters had strong feelings about both issues. One lady actually said that her brother sees Hillary and Malcolm vacationing together with their families.

I try not to think about how her vote counts as much as mine.

[Botany]

142. In 2012 after the election I was told by somebody I had to work around that:

Now that Obama has won re-election he will be using the UN to bring in Hamas fighters
to take our guns and then he would use them to get a third term.

[spanone]

92. same thing trump has....?

[Sugar Smack]

94. Morning!! I'll join you when I get another cup of coffee.

Thanks, as usual, for the day's impeachment viewing.

[mucifer]

96. Making excuses to cover his ass

[crickets]

117. Oh, it's going to be everybody else's fault. This man is far too put upon. nt

[polichick]

98. There they go under the bus! Weeeeee

[blaze]

99. Wait... who denied access to materials he wanted? nt

[Roland99]

103. Pompeo (likely under orders from tRump)

[blaze]

105. Thank you! nt

[IcyPeas]

100. good morning you crazy DUers

I never get up this early.... these impeachment hearings are too early for us west coasters.

[malaise]

104. You made an important decision

This is hotter than scotch bonnet

[Hermit-The-Prog]

108. go to bed with headphones; when you hear mooing, wake up and mute

[backtoblue]

102. Giuliani thrown under bus

Check his back for tire marks...

[Botany]

114. And now he is being dragged behind said bus by log chains

Sondland is spilling his guts ... he doesn't want to go to jail.

[C_U_L8R]

106. Boom!!!

This is devastating. And he's only just begun.

[backtoblue]

115. "The President directed us"

He seems to be laying it out

[hibbing]

107. So much for the NYT story this morning, at least thus far n/t

[elleng]

181. 'Sondland Says 'We Followed the President's Orders' on Ukraine.'

https://www.nytimes.com/2019/11/20/us/politics/impeachment-hearings.html?

[hibbing]

186. I jumpled the gun on this one from his start, thankfully!

[Roland99]

109. In the movie, Sondland to be played by Stephen Tobolowsky

[Pacifist Patriot]

116. Oh perfect casting!

Yesterday, I thought Janel Moloney should play Ms. Williams.

[Roland99]

166. oh, yeah, might be better than my choice - Kim Raver

[Pacifist Patriot]

168. Either would be good.

[Botany]

123. Yul Brynner? Although he might be too short and unavailable to do the movie.

[crickets]

127. And his head is not big enough!

[ancianita]

112. "The suggestion that we were engaged in some irregular or rogue diplomacy is absolutely false."

Even though your butts were paid by taxpayer dollars, and Giuliani was paid by two Russians now under indictment, and you ALL worked to "cement" relations THAT way between TRUMP and Ukraine.

Such self serving bullshit.

[polichick]

119. Well said.

[crickets]

125. +1 w/emphasis on the self

[spanone]

113. BINGO!!!!!!

TRUMP WAS THE RINGLEADER!

[crazytown]

136. TRUMP WAS THE RINGLEADER!

I don't know what to say,
Speechless
It can't be.
Oh noes!

[crickets]

147. Sondland decided to go big! The Bigliest! omg

[catbyte]

120. I'm hoping that somebody asks Sondland why he was sticking his nose into all of this in the first

place. His bullshit "Ukraine is so important to Europe" is all well and good, but it's not in his job description.

[Botany]

131. Sondland was ambassador to the EU and the Ukraine is not part of the EU

Thugs gotta be thugs.

[wnylib]

185. True. But they wanna be. That goes back to

Last edited Wed Nov 20, 2019, 02:10 PM - Edit history (1)

Russian intervention to keep Ukraine out of the EU, which led to Ukraine govt changes, which led to Russian annexation of Crimea and the current Russo-Ukrainian war in which we are supporting Ukraine.

They are all connected. Definitely within the purview of a US ambassador to the EU, which supports the efforts of Ukraine to join the EU.

[Midnightwalk]

121. Not rogue

The head of the state department, nsc and white house coordinated

There was a quid pro quo to investigate the bidens

Trump told sondland to work with giuliani

Laying it all out. This 45 minutes is going to be good but I really want to what the republicans will ask now. First hand testimony of bribery and extortion.

[crickets]

122. Why am I getting the "If you're gonna lie, lie BIG!" vibe? Hmm...

[ancianita]

124. "...one of the most significant security crises for Europe and the United States..."

Sure. THAT's exactly why you said after talking directly to Trump " He doesn't care about Ukraine, only his own projects..." in so many words.

None of you tools of Putin's tool ever knew what you were running around doing.

"Part of my portfolio" is the talk of a disingenuous bullshitter.

[Seedersandleechers]

126. Come on now

give Pompao a bit of a throw.

[Mersky]

129. tRump and giuliani went under the paid for ambassadorship bus at 9:39 am ET

Sec Perry, Volker, and I (Sondland) worked with giuliani at the express direction of the pOTUS.

[cbdo2007]

130. Wow, close the books on Trump. The news sites are already running with this stuff from Sondland.

Calling it bombshells, etc.

[Buns_of_Fire]

133. I can almost see those short little twitter fingers in the WH warming up. nt

[ancianita]

139. Heh heh!! Rogue tweets? Perish the thought!

[backtoblue]

134. "Talk with Rudy"

He says "we" understood that to mean, literally to talk tp Rudy.

Volker dismissed that statement in his testimony saying he didnt take it literally,.

[ancianita]

135. "Talk to RudyTalk to RudyTalk to Rudy! We had no choice! Da Boss tol' us to!

But hell no, you weren't carrying out ANY rogue diplomacy!

Fucking hilarious.

[crickets]

143. I wonder if Sondland will have the same stamina problems Morrison and Volker had yesterday.

This story is fascinating! I'd hate to hear it crumble...

[ancianita]

149. That might depend on whether Dems got what they want up front. I doubt that Repubs can

cast reasonable doubt on the facts of his call and "rogue" Rudy.

[crickets]

137. Rudy, we hardly knew ye!

[catbyte]

138. Wow, Rudy & Donny have big old tire tracks all over their backs.

[onecaliberal]

140. Well, there it is out in the open. Also Volker lied repeatedly yesterday.

[ancianita]

145. I forgot what he lied about. Could you briefly name the topic(s)?

[Seedersandleechers]

141. Ha!

To all those pundits who predicted Sondland would plead the 5th.

[backtoblue]

144. Morrison KNEW

[Happy Hoosier]

146. Wow.... Sondland seems fed up.

He senses that he has been selected as the scapegoat. He's having none of it.

[mucifer]

148. nunes and jordan will bash him for changing his testimony

[ancianita]

151. works for me, from a purely entertainment standpoint

[crickets]

164. +1 - not enough popcorn in the world

[catbyte]

152. Imagine paying $1,000,000 just to end up being the lynchpin in the sleaziest scandal in US history

then being set up as the fall guy. What an investment!

[polichick]

161. Really - shitty businessman.

[Happy Hoosier]

167. Yeah, no kidding.

Dude just wanted to buy a title and some prestige. WEll, that's what you get when you hitch yourself to slimy muthafucker.

[Pacifist Patriot]

159. This article may explain why.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2019/11/15/trump-is-throwing-sondland-under-bus-new-spin-has-fatal-defect/

Apparently he is smart enough to figure this out?

[Midnightwalk]

172. He's a rich dipstick

But he’s smart enough to know he doesn’t want to he the patsy.

New prediction. Bolton bailed on the drug deal because it was amateur hour. He had no problem with the extortion. He knew these bozos would get caught

[mnhtnbb]

150. It's all Rudy's fault.

[mucifer]

153. This doofus seems so unqualified for his job. Glad he's singing like a bird now

[mnhtnbb]

156. Right. Up front he admits no note taking.

So unprofessional for someone in his position.

[C_U_L8R]

154. Those WhatsApp accounts should be seized.

They are USA property.

[mucifer]

155. I wonder if Schiff has them

[ancianita]

160. It's owned by Facebook. No wonder the prez and Fuckerberg met in the Oval.

[Pacifist Patriot]

162. Would not surprise me at all if this was discussed.

[crickets]

157. Thread #2 is live

Giving BumRushDaShow a break for a few threads!

https://www.democraticunderground.com/100212708060

[backtoblue]

158. Confirming restaurant call

[Pachamama]

163. Call confirmed

But now let’s see him confirm the content of the conversation

[Recursion]

165. "The answer is yes"

Boom

[kentuck]

169. "Everyone was in the loop"..

Sondland keeps repeating that like a mantra.

Obviously, he does not plan on taking sole responsibility for any of this mess.

[Happy Hoosier]

171. Sondland is the John Dean of the Ukraine scandal. NT

[hibbing]

170. "Everyone was in the loop"

I wonder if Perry has his smart glasses on so he can follow this.

Peace

[polichick]

173. We're supposed to forget he's a political player who bought his position.

[crickets]

174. +1

[yaesu]

179. So, Sondland just admitted that tRump uses a lot of 4 letter words while talking on the phone

thank you Christian right for giving us such an upstanding president

[mucifer]

182. LBJ did that all the time. That's the least of my problems with him

[yaesu]

183. its a jab at the religious cults that love him so much, not the language. nt