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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsRepublican Senators Tried to Stop Trump From Firing Impeachment Witness
WASHINGTON A handful of Republican senators tried to stop President Trump from firing Gordon D. Sondland, the ambassador to the European Union who testified in the House impeachment hearings, but the president relieved the diplomat of his post anyway, according to people briefed on the discussions.
The senators were concerned that it would look bad for Mr. Trump to dismiss Mr. Sondland and argued that it was unnecessary, since the ambassador was already talking with senior officials about leaving after the Senate trial, the people said. The senators told White House officials that Mr. Sondland should be allowed to depart on his own terms, which would have reduced any political backlash.
But Mr. Trump evidently was not interested in a quiet departure, choosing instead to make a point by forcing Mr. Sondland out before the ambassador was ready to go. When State Department officials called Mr. Sondland on Friday to tell him that he had to resign that day, he resisted, saying that he did not want to be included in what seemed like a larger purge of impeachment witnesses, according to the people informed about the matter.
Mr. Sondland conveyed to the State Department officials that if they wanted him gone that day, they would have to fire him. And so the president did, ordering the ambassador recalled from his post effective immediately. Mr. Sondlands dismissal was announced just hours after another impeachment witness, Lt. Col. Alexander S. Vindman, and his twin brother, Lt. Col. Yevgeny Vindman, were marched out of the White House by security officers and told their services were no longer needed.
https://www.nytimes.com/2020/02/08/us/politics/trump-vindman-sondland-fired.html
PJMcK
(22,035 posts)Even when he has an easy out, he acts like a fool.
Trump is an idiot.
Joinfortmill
(14,417 posts)Traitor in Chief is compulsively vengeful.
NanceGreggs
(27,814 posts)... than the owners of a rabid dog trying to explain why they failed to muzzle him when he started foaming at the mouth.
Bleacher Creature
(11,256 posts)There is no species on this planet worse than "Republican Senator."
alwaysinasnit
(5,066 posts)no.
Takket
(21,565 posts)instead they chose to betray their oaths, betray their country, and betray their constituents to protect this orange menace for reasons i cannot even POSSIBLY fathom.
RockRaven
(14,966 posts)Anything they said and did after that is bullshit crocodile tears.
Look, they didn't even have to remove him. They can count to 34. All the rest beyond the 34 could have sent a message that he was on thin ice. Instead they rolled over. Fuck 'em all.
Senate GrOPErs fully own the totality of Trump's behavior from trial-ending(I shall not call it acquittal)-day onward. No exceptions. Not even for Romney -- his voting yes on one and no on the other is incoherent based on the trial presentations and his alleged heartfelt duty/integrity.
MFM008
(19,808 posts)That lesson........
FormerOstrich
(2,702 posts)and he won't do a damn thing for them...whatever in the world were they thinking!
FormerOstrich
(2,702 posts)Did they really think now that they compromised themselves every way possible to protect his ass would give them leverage? Hahaha. I bet they are that stupid. They must have thought he would feel indebted to them. Sorry fools....you will get nothing from him except grief. You will be thrown overboard as quickly as the next. Hey moth, keep flying close to that flame. He isn't going to do dick for you...so sad mfers.
UTUSN
(70,687 posts)demtenjeep
(31,997 posts)they lie everytime they breathe
PSPS
(13,595 posts)OnDoutside
(19,956 posts)now, to expel Romney from the Republican Caucus, as Uday has tweeted.
hydrolastic
(488 posts)Then impeached the Mo'fo knowing it was improbable that expulsion was next. This next year is going to be really rough and the reason i say that is look at the fact that he fired Lt. Col. Alexander S. Vindman's brother. He worked in a completely different department !