Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov on Tuesday opened a visit to Washington in which he will meet Donald Trump, the very day when Democrats unveiled impeachment charges against the president.

The timing marks a redux of the veteran Russian diplomat’s last visit to Washington in May 2017, when Trump was fighting off allegations that he cooperated with Russia and was accused of sharing classified information with Lavrov.

began the day of talks by meeting with Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, who said the Trump administration was determined to pursue its work despite the politics at home.

“We didn’t pick this date to coincide with the process on Capitol Hill, but we can’t allow the zaniness that’s taking place on Capitol Hill to impact our job,” Pompeo told conservative broadcaster One America News on Monday.

https://www.rawstory.com/2019/12/trump-to-meet-with-top-russian-foreign-minister-amid-impeachment-battle/

Keith Boykin
@keithboykin

Is Steve Castor really the best lawyer Republicans could find to defend Trump in the impeachment hearings?

https://twitter.com/keithboykin/status/1204083701824589833

Donald J. Trump
@realDonaldTrump

To Impeach a President who has proven through results, including producing perhaps the strongest economy in our country’s history, to have one of the most successful presidencies ever, and most importantly, who has done NOTHING wrong, is sheer Political Madness! #2020Election

7:37 AM · Dec 10, 2019·Twitter for iPhone

https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1204379706235203586

Head of Jewish Democratic Council of America denounces Trump speech as anti-Semitic



https://www.rawstory.com/2019/12/head-of-jewish-democratic-council-of-america-denounces-trump-speech-as-anti-semitic/

“He has said in the past that he wants Jews to be the ones counting his money,” Halie Soifer (executive director of the Jewish Democratic Council of America) told Salon. “He has repeatedly made references to what has been a very negative stereotype of Jews and money and power.” After saying that “I think that he must believe it, and that is why he continues to repeat it,” Soifer noted that Trump was repeating claims that he has made when “typically speaking extemporaneously, and clearly he’s speaking from his heart. It’s clear that there’s quite a bit of hatred in it.” Soifer also criticized Trump for having “views of Jews as driven largely by money, which is why he said at this events that Jews have no choice but to support him, referring to tax cuts.”

She added that Trump said “those who don’t support Israel, they should — and this is not a direct quote — but essentially, they should leave. And then we saw hateful figures like Ann Coulter retweet that video and suggest that Jews are unpatriotic, that they don’t love America either. That is a good example of how the president’s hatred is amplified by others in the media to continue to spread these anti-Semitic tropes. And this is exactly why anti-Semitism and white nationalism have grown during his presidency.”

During the speech on Saturday to the Israeli American Council, Trump said that “we have to get the people of our country, of this country, to love Israel more, I have to tell you that. We have to do it. We have to get them to love Israel more. Because you have people that are Jewish people, that are great people — they don’t love Israel enough. You know that. You know that.” His remarks were later retweeted by Ann Coulter who asked, “Could we start slowly by getting them to like America?”

Trump is also reported to have said, according to the Times of Israel, that Jews would need to support him to stop a wealth tax. “Even if you don’t like me — and some of you don’t; some of you, I don’t like at all, actually — and you’re going to be my biggest supporters because you’ll be out of business in about 15 minutes,” Trump remarked.

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/trump-to-meet-russias-sergei-lavrov-for-white-house-meeting-this-week-face-the-nation/

White House National Security Adviser Robert O'Brien says the administration is "working" on an official visit between Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and President Trump. The meeting would come amid a highly contentious impeachment process for Mr. Trump, who is all but certain to be impeached by the House of Representatives.

"You'll have to wait and see. But I think there's a possibility that'll happen. We're working on it," O'Brien told CBS News' Margaret Brennan in a post-interview conversation on "Face the Nation."

Asked what the purpose of the visit would entail, O'Brien explained it's all about "reciprocity."

"When [Secretary Mike] Pompeo has gone to Russia, [Vladimir] Putin's seen him. And one of the things that we've said with the- with the Chinese and the Russians is- and others, is we want reciprocity. And so Putin's met with ... Pompeo. I think as a matter of reciprocity, that's something we're looking at. But we're also looking at some other things. And we'll see if we can get there," O'Brien said.

Jenna Ellis

@JennaEllisEsq

Senior Legal Advisor to @TeamTrump and @realDonaldTrump. Constitutional Law Attorney. Champion for Christ at @Falkirk_Center @LibertyU

@realDonaldTrump was clear when he said “Do US a favor” that he was speaking on behalf of the United States. It is absolutely in America’s interests to root our corruption, especially from a former sitting VP. MSM keeps WRONGLY quoting “do ME a favor” to fit their narrative.

Donald J. Trump
@realDonaldTrump

Less than 48 hours before start of the Impeachment Hearing Hoax, on Monday, the No Due Process, Do Nothing Democrats are, believe it or not, changing the Impeachment Guidelines because the facts are not on their side. When you can’t win the game, change the rules!

10:29 AM · Dec 8, 2019·Twitter for iPhone

https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1203698074629095425