Ante Trump [View all]

[H2O Man]

Watching the Trump defense is peculiar. In general, I believe that defense lawyers should be afforded significant leeway. It's fine to highlight evidence the prosecution did not address. It's fair to try to raise reasonable doubt. However, I am not okay with outright lying. And thus far, I've heard way more lies than a “not guilty” client's defense requires.

As I listened to the defense lawyers lie, it was evident that their effort was to prevent the trial from being a search for truth by any means necessary. More, it is obvious that the vast majority of the republican Senators are serving as accomplices in the White House's effort to obstruct the trial from delivering justice. But the pressure on them to allow John Bolton to testify has increased dramatically. Thus, the White House will try to stop him from doing so.

The Democrats involved in the impeachment trial that are taking care of business. They are building momentum. This is a process where we keep winning what might be viewed as small victories. If we win a series of them, we will get the witnesses that are needed to improve the chances of Trump's conviction. Now, that is still a long shot, but only he who attempts the ridiculous can ever hope to achieve the impossible.

Two days ago, it was said that the republicans didn't have the votes to prevent witnesses from testifying. We cannot count on that. Whenever there is a flicker of decency from a republican, there will be an immediate party effort to derail it. There is extreme pressure being put on those republicans who might vote their conscience. More, there is a current effort to prevent Bolton's book from being published in its current form, due to “national security.”

What else are they protecting? This might sound like mere speculation now, but what an associate told me today is that Putin's shadow is on the holding up the military aid. When Zelensky won his election, Trump had conversations with both Putin and Erdogan about him. They told Trump that Zelensky was “weak” and a “clown.” The timing of his conversation with Putin holds the key.

This wasn't the initial Russian influence on the Donald & Rudy caper. We know that Rudy had already been spreading the “theory” that it was Ukraine, not Russia, that interfered in the 2016 election. Rudy started spreading the Russian disinformation-misinformation campaign in early 2019, to prepare to create confusion if the Mueller Report caused a serious problem for Trump. Had Barr not stepped in to misrepresent what the report said, the Trump defense team was confident the then-leadership in Ukraine would have announced an investigation of the mysterious server hiding in Ukraine and related nonsense.

Dates are important here. Barr got the report on March 22, send his 4-page letter to Congress two days later, and the DOJ made the report public on April 18. The Trump forces saw no reason to have Ukraine announce an investigation at that point – indeed, they had another idea for it. At that time, they considered that two Democrats might pose the greatest threat to Trump's re-election: Hillary Clinton and Joe Biden. If Hillary did announce, they were prepared to have the Ukraine “investigation” announced.

On April 25, Joe Biden did announce. The White House rats had thought they could have Ukraine announce an investigation that Rudy was pushing about Biden and his son. But, surprise, surprise, Zelensky had been elected president of Ukraine four days earlier, and they would have to deal with him. Thus, Trump called his two closest advisers – Putin and Erdogan – to seek their guidance.

For several weeks, Trump & Fiends were sure that they could pressure this “weak clown.” Rudy and the Three Amigos could simply hold out a White House visit for announcing investigations into both fake scandals. Trump, then Pence, opted out of Zelensky's inauguration in late May. But Zelensky wasn't willing to interfere is US domestic politics.

Trump was stewing. A growing number of Democrats in the House were calling for impeachment hearings, based on the obstructions of justice documented in Part Two of the Mueller Report. He was furious about the commercial that the Biden campaign released that spoke of a battle for the soul of America. And he was outraged by polls showing Biden or others would kick his ass in the next election.

Thus, Trump began to think of how he could up the ante. He thought back to the soothing advice from Putin. As a candidate, Trump had expressed his belief that Russia's taking of Crimea was fine – which led to the Ukraine ambassador penning an editorial opposing this, which was the full extent of “interference” in the campaign.

Where did Trump get the idea to withhold military aid to Ukraine? As of yet, no one has identified who put this idea into Trump's head. But we know that Trump is no more capable of having an original idea than is a can-opener. The limits of his awareness in such a situation are twofold: to repeat an idea someone else has brought to his attention, and to threaten anyone he views as posing opposition to him reaching a goal.

On July 24, Mr. Mueller testified before Congress. The next day, Trump asked Zelensky for “a favor, though” in his imperfect phone call. A very short time later, the aid was officially put on hold.

I asked my old friend if Jerry Nadler and Adam Schiff would be able to identify who had inserted the stupid idea of withholding military aid to Ukraine? “I doubt it,” he said, “because Trump insists on there being no record of his private conversations with Putin.”

Peace,
H2O Man