***IMPEACHMENT INQUIRY HEARING NOV 20 THREAD 8***

[crickets]

Laura Cooper - Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Russia, Ukraine, Eurasia
https://www.defense.gov/Our-Story/Biographies/Article/1568391/laura-k-cooper/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Laura_Cooper

David Hale - US Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs
https://www.state.gov/biographies/david-hale/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Hale_(diplomat)

[crickets]

1. Here's hoping the vid links work.

I'm starting thread 8 but this is it for me today. I'm pooped!
Anybody who wants to keep it going from here on out, feel free.

[Adsos Letter]

2. Thank you for your service, crickets.

🙂

[Kali]

3. I love how none of the streams I have looked at

ever show the stupid posters the morans have up. I don't have a clue what they say, hopefully nobody does.

[TheCowsCameHome]

4. They probably say

"I'm with stupid"

[BumRushDaShow]

11. The one with the "100" is the same (with numbers incremented)

They have been swapping out others.

[Kali]

38. LOL

so juvenile

[RestoreAmerica2020]

130. Why is propaganda allowed? What I've seen from dems is evidence, exhibits shown

...on monitor and or video based on facts.

[BumRushDaShow]

133. 1st amendment I suppose?

They can "petition" themselves for redress of grievances!

[malaise]

5. Let's go

We should get more details on the money

[BumRushDaShow]

6. CSPAN had mentioned that there would be a "truncated" hearing

where there wouldn't be any "extended" question periods...

[BumRushDaShow]

7. Here's the House Intelligence Committee stream

[crickets]

10. Thanks for the link!

I couldn't find it earlier.

[BumRushDaShow]

14. You are welcome!

They have the list of them all queued up here - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCMF5z6BIrwwQTtcj2cacBPw

(you can check the dates for which one to select to link)

[BumRushDaShow]

8. Schiff has arrived

[demmiblue]

9. No questions from lawyers:

Link to tweet

[BumRushDaShow]

12. Witnesses have arrived

[crickets]

13. They have just over three hours not to overlap the debate. nt

[BumRushDaShow]

15. Adam Schiff gavelled in. Same process - opening statements - bios of the witnesses.

[Hermit-The-Prog]

16. PBS covering it, but audio is crap

[mucifer]

17. Who is the guy with the sad eyes behind Schiff?

[BumRushDaShow]

22. Usually their staff sit back there behind them.

[eissa]

26. I'm wanting to know that as well

I'm certain it's one of his staff, but he looks familiar to me.

[sheshe2]

37. Everytime I see him I think, Robert Downey Jr.

They look remarkably alike.

[ConstanceCee]

132. Sad Eyes

Yes, I've noticed him all day. Also a man over Sondland's left shoulder looked very sad.

[BumRushDaShow]

18. MOOOOOOOOOOOOOOoooooooooooooooooooooo ALERT - MUTE

[crickets]

20. He is still stuck on the whistleblower. So sad, that's all they have. nt

[Hermit-The-Prog]

21. whistleblowerDemocratswhistleblower whine whine whine -- strange cow

[elleng]

19. MUTE!

[catbyte]

23. What an asshole.

[rzemanfl]

24. Backdated? That's a new one. n/t

[Mike 03]

27. Never heard that either. Is he just flat-out lying now?

Also, the bit about the WB report being based on "media reports"...

[rzemanfl]

31. He is a lying POS. n/t

[nolabear]

28. Yeah, what was that?

[Mike 03]

30. Hopefully Schiff will correct Nunes. I'll just assume Nunes is lying with impunity now.

[BumRushDaShow]

25. BidenBidenBiden - and he knows the debate is tonight.

[BumRushDaShow]

29. MooMoo is still lying about "2nd hand and 3rd hand" witnesses

We just heard like 7 hours of testimony from a FIRST HAND WITNESS (who was taking calls with the President out in the public at a restaurant on a non-secure phone)!

[BumRushDaShow]

32. Schiff introducing witnesses - swearing in. Will start with Hale.

[Mersky]

33. Skew, Nunes? You moo skew, but

All your witnesses are unreasonable or ridiculous.

You constantly red herring this over to underlying victims in this and/or people reporting the crimes.

Mooove on to real arguments and ideas. Please.

[BumRushDaShow]

34. Hale had no opening statement but reiterated his experience.

[BumRushDaShow]

35. Cooper up giving her opening statement.

[Hermit-The-Prog]

39. OT: check your post count. you're about to transmogrify.

[BumRushDaShow]

45. I have a Lounge post ready to go

[crickets]

36. Laura Cooper was the witness scheduled on the morning Gaetz and the goonies stormed the SCIF

I think her current comments are underlining how the funds went through proper channels, were approved, and should not have been placed on hold.

[tblue37]

40. I remember Fiona Hill's testimony being interrupted by the Gaetzis. nt

[crickets]

47. I think more than one deposition was interrupted - it all blurs together after a while.

Gaetz was involved in at least two of them.

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2019/10/23/impeachment-defense-official-laura-cooper-summoned-ukraine-aid/4064408002/

A chaotic scene unfolded after Republicans gave speeches and then pushed through the confines of the Capitol complex basement, to make their way into the secure room. Several Capitol police officers stationed themselves outside the secure room, as reporters waited outside for lawmakers to come back out. [snip]

But Cooper's session was delayed for hours after the scheduled 9:30 a.m. start because Republicans who aren't members of the three key committees sought to attend. The deposition began about 3:15 p.m., according to a committee official and Rep. Val Demings, D-Fla.

Thanks for reminding me there was more than one of these tantrums.

[tblue37]

131. You're right! I completely forgot about Cooper. nt

[BumRushDaShow]

41. OMG I understand EVERY thing she is talking about

These idiots don't get it when you are talking about funds expenditures at the end of the FY. It's already bad with respect to regular EOY spending but something like this had to have been insane.

[malaise]

42. Ukraine knew about the hold before July 3

Oops - another lie exposed

[crickets]

48. +1

[dchill]

49. Turns out all their bullshit is indeed bullshit.

[BumRushDaShow]

43. She was excellent - and they will be going right to member questions.

Schiff correcting MOO MOOS LIES regarding their schedule and the witnesses and Biden.

[Mersky]

51. Yes, she was indeed.

20 year civil servant starting in 1999. Construction delayed moving her desk to the area of the pentagon that hit during the 9/11 attacks.

She works on such matters as bringing up Ukrainian forces to interoperability with NATO standards.

I have more notes, and will try to work them in.

[C_U_L8R]

44. Committee infographics

We could use some giant charts - specifically a timeline and an org chart of the conspiracy.

[BumRushDaShow]

46. Schiff doing his 5 minute question

[BumRushDaShow]

50. MOOMOO has passed off to Ratfucker (R-TX)

[dchill]

53. One of their lead fake smart guys.

[BumRushDaShow]

56. Everything he said was bullshit.

[dchill]

65. He's a specialist.

[BumRushDaShow]

66. He was attempting to associate funding holds for countries

that were in active civil wars and/or were considered "terrorist" supporters, with Ukraine.

[hlthe2b]

52. I'm not getting much out of this. I'm too burned out...

I can't imagine it is much easier for those on the committee.

[uponit7771]

54. +1, right now I need the under secretary to get up and punch Nunes in the mouth to stay interested

[Mersky]

57. I'm struggling, too.

Oof, yeah, I feel for the committee members and staff.

[BumRushDaShow]

61. If you are a federal employee you would know sortof what they are talking about

The issue being that how they handled this "hold of funds" was pretty much illegal.

[hlthe2b]

68. That isn't the issue (for me at least). Juggling too many other things I guess.

[dchill]

62. Everybody buck up - it's gonna be a long night!

[polichick]

55. Trump & Co might be looking for ways to get all that aid into their pockets.

[BumRushDaShow]

58. Jim Himes (D-CT) up

[Roland99]

60. Tearing down repuke claim trump was interested in rooting out corruption in Ukraine

Since he didn’t mention it on multiple calls except for burisma

[elleng]

59. Himes re: trump being 'prudent and judicious!!!'

[uponit7771]

63. RIGHT !!! I would think it would be illegal for the president to spend money the way he wants to

... spend it without the say of congress

[crickets]

64. Impoundment Control Act of 1974

Congress controls the purse, the aid was approved by Congress with built-in conditions. [benchmarks]

eta - and before that [May] the DOD would already have certified Ukraine met the requirements needed re combatting corruption.

[uponit7771]

67. So Mulvaney admitted to a crime of withholding congressional funds illegally ?! tia

[crickets]

70. Sure sounds like it. nt

[gademocrat7]

69. Creepy Conway spewing garbage.

He has got nothing.

[BumRushDaShow]

71. Mike Conaway (R-TX) up

And he has no clue how procurements occur.

And his line of questioning blew the GOP's whole argument.

[BumRushDaShow]

72. Terri Sewell (D-AL) up

[BumRushDaShow]

73. Sewell handed off remaining time to Schiff.

[crickets]

78. Cooper points out how strengthening Ukraine helps to deter Russia elsewhere in world as well. nt

[BumRushDaShow]

85. Yup.

Russia wanted Crimea because of that port!

[BumRushDaShow]

74. Mike Turner just handed off to GYMSUIT - MUTE

[Mersky]

75. Impoundment Control Act of 1974!!!

Because of Richard Nixon withholding of funds for programs he opposed.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Congressional_Budget_and_Impoundment_Control_Act_of_1974

[BumRushDaShow]

81. Yes and there are other appropriations laws

where she mentioned that if they didn't get those funds released in time then they only had 2 choices - President doing a special process or notifying Congress to get approval to "reprogram the funds".

[Mersky]

95. Rescission by congressional action or reprogrammed by the DoD

And good grief, Ukraine met the qualifications according to the DoD as stipulated in the funds approved by Congress... by May according to Cooper.

Way, way, way ahead of the end of FY on Sept 23 when either of those two options would have been taken to address unused funds.

[BumRushDaShow]

97. Yup

they did it during the end of 2nd quarter to give it plenty of time!

[crickets]

83. Irony is not dead. nt

[Mersky]

99. Certainly not, even in 2019

[Skinner]

76. "Not what I would do."

[elleng]

77. MUTE!

[polichick]

79. Me too - can't stomach the creep.

[gademocrat7]

82. I also mute gym jacket off Jordan.

He is despicable.

[madaboutharry]

80. Schiff must be made of steel.

To sit there and listen to Jim Jordan's lies about witnesses and general procedural bullshit and not react by telling him to fuck off must take super human self-discipline.

[blaze]

86. He's kept such a straight face throughout the entire proceedings

Not gonna give the cameras a chance for photo op.

[BumRushDaShow]

84. GYMSUIT done Andre Carson up (D-IN)

[mucifer]

87. Love the Russia emphasis!

[BumRushDaShow]

89. He's been a pretty smooth interrogator!

[crickets]

90. His questioning made it clear how much Russia gained by the hold.

It's not just a disadvantage to Ukraine; the repercussions are worldwide, the disadvantage is to the US and allies as well.

[BumRushDaShow]

88. Brad Wenstrup (R-OH) up

[BumRushDaShow]

91. He is just basically reading stuff into the record

using up time.

[polichick]

92. They've got nothing. Nada. Zip.

[walkingman]

93. Is being a ASSHOLE a prerequisite to being a Republican? After watching the hearings

it sure seems like it. Do they think that is to their advantage? I don't think so.

[elleng]

96. Yes, prerequisite.

[dchill]

104. Absolutely! A stool sample is required.

[BumRushDaShow]

94. That ASS took a statement from her and twisted it to do an Obama BASH

[crickets]

98. Of course. And no one thinks to mention that Zelensky was not yet elected then.

[BumRushDaShow]

101. Naturally.

[BumRushDaShow]

100. Jackie Speier (D-CA) up

[elleng]

102. Interesting, what we're learning about the bureaucracy, eh?

deputy assistant secretary at the Defense Department is an interesting job! Who wudda thunk???

[Roland99]

108. It's no Assistant to the Assistant Regional Manager

[BumRushDaShow]

103. Speier mentioning that the other countries mentioned by GOP with holds

were funding that were "multi-year" (and I expect there may have been some "no year" too), so there wasn't the type of urgency as this (meaning the money would have been required to be returned to the Treasury if not obligated or spent by September 30).

[Siwsan]

105. Congressman Stewart looks even worse, now, than he did during the earlier hearing

He's totally flushed face, and I don't mean that in a toilet sense. That, of course, would be a swirly face.

[BumRushDaShow]

106. Chris Stewart (R-UT) up

[Mersky]

107. stewart ad nauseum

I’m so done with him.

However, I’ll add that it’s disgraceful he would hold up that transcript from July 25th and say it’s all in there. This, as he’s just heard Ukraine met funding qualifications by May. No curiosity, and loaded with willful ignorance.

[BumRushDaShow]

110. That was a waste of 5 minutes.

[BumRushDaShow]

109. Mike Quigley (D-IL) up

Mentioning about all the stuff being blocked from State and DOD.

[BumRushDaShow]

111. I know what she's talking about

when the big wigs send out an all-employee email to everyone to "preserve documents that are relevant" and then they tell you who to turn them in to.

[BumRushDaShow]

112. Stupidufuckik (R-NY) up - MUTE ALERT

[TruckFump]

114. Click...sound off!

Ahhhhhhhhh...the pause that refreshes!!!!

[crickets]

113. THREAD #9 IS UP

For real, the last one. They gotta wrap this up...

https://www.democraticunderground.com/100212712106

[BumRushDaShow]

115. Swalwell up and telling them that they destroyed the "2 pillars" of the President's

bullshit about caring about "corruption".

[BumRushDaShow]

116. Swalwell CORRECTED THE RECORD about the smear against Obama

[crickets]

118. +1

[Mersky]

120. Trained battalions, humvees, drones, etc. certainly are a lot more than blankets

[BumRushDaShow]

122. That was the money quote!

[BumRushDaShow]

117. William Hurd (R-TX) up

[crickets]

119. Psst

https://www.democraticunderground.com/100212712106

[BumRushDaShow]

121. Joaquin Castro (D-TX) up

Reiterating the funds hold-up as a shakedown vs for other reasons is not comparable.

[crickets]

123. We miss you in the new thread - Please come join us

https://www.democraticunderground.com/100212712106

[Mersky]

126. We sure do. It's at risk of becoming

Floppy without your super subject lines and comments.

[BumRushDaShow]

129. I'm there!

[BumRushDaShow]

124. Castro reading - "OMB used creative footnotes" and DOD didn't like this

[mucifer]

125. I think you forgot there is a thread number 9

[BumRushDaShow]

127. Am there now

[asiliveandbreathe]

134. The ayes have it, the ayes have it....Chairman Schiff