President Donald Trump holds his notes while speaking to the media before departing from the White House on November 20, 2019. (Photo: Mark Wilson/Getty Images)
Ex-Republican Justin Amash Says There's Not a Jury in Country That Wouldn't Indict Trump Based on Impeachment Testimony So Far
"Impeachment in the House is an indictment, said the Michigan congressman. "If this were an ordinary prosecution, there's no grand jury in America that would not return an indictment on the facts and evidence presented in these hearings."
Independent Rep. Justin Amash said on Wednesday that U.S. Ambassador to the European Union Gordon Sondland's testimony to House Intelligence Committee hearing on impeachment was the latest evidence against President Donald Trump that--if Trump was a regular person facing a grand jury--would result in certain indictment.
Amash, who left the Republican party in July 2019 over Trump's behavior and the refusal of GOP leaders to hold him accountable, pointed out on Twitter that "impeachment in the House is an indictment."
"If this were an ordinary prosecution, there's no grand jury in America that would not return an indictment on the facts and evidence presented in these hearings," said Amash.
As Common Dreams reported, Sondland testified Wednesday that Trump's pressuring of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to publicly announce an investigation into Hunter Biden, son of Democratic 2020 presidential primary candidate former Vice President Joe Biden, was absolutely meant as a quid pro quo to release aid to the eastern European nation.
Sondland also said that Vice President Mike Pence and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo were "in the loop" on the scheme.
Talking with reporters on the South Lawn, the president repeatedly referred to a notepad in his hand with the following words written in large black marker: "I want nothing. I want nothing. I want no quid pro quo. Tell Zellinsky to do the right thing. This is the final word from the Pres of the U.S."
Telling the journalists he hoped the cameras were rolling, Trump glanced at the notes as he offered his rendition of what Sondland testified earlier during sworn testimony.
Journalist Ryan Cooper commented on the notepad and opined that the large letters were further proof of Slate's Ashley Feinberg's theory that the president can't see without glasses--which he won't wear out of vanity.
"Trump definitely cannot see for shit," tweeted Cooper. "Look at these enormous letters."
As Matt Ford wrote at The New Republic, Trump's comments don't change the reality that Sondland's testimony was incredibly damaging to the White House.
What did President Donald Trump know, and when did he know it? According to Gordon Sondland, he knew everything about the Ukraine scheme, and he knew it all along. The U.S. ambassador to the European Union confirmed the core allegations that ignited the impeachment inquiry: that Trump and his personal lawyer Rudy Giuliani tried to coerce the Ukrainian government into smearing Joe Biden earlier this year when it looked likely that Biden would be Trump's 2020 opponent.
The Washington Post's Aaron Blake pushed back on that idea, however, claiming that Trump's guilt and knowledge were a little more difficult to ascertain, even with Sondland's testimony--though that shouldn't be taken as evidence of the president's innocence:
It's tempting to say Sondland is implicating Trump. That's not completely the case; he seems to still be walking a fine line about what he knew and could prove and what was plainly apparent to him and others. But he seems to be saying this was something that Trump blessed, which is significant.
In a statement, Lisa Gilbert, vice president of Legislative Affairs at Public Citizen, said the group believes the new testimony is clear evidence of the president's crimes.
"The immensity of Ambassador Sondland's bombshell testimony cannot be overstated," said Gilbert. "Sondland has confirmed the bribery scheme, in other words, flatly admitted a quid pro quo, and detailed how widespread the knowledge of the conditioned meeting and aid were within the Trump administration."
"The president's defenses are crumbling," Gilbert added, "and the likelihood of impeachment has moved significantly forward with Sondland's clear statements this morning."
Testimony continues Wednesday evening with State Department officials Laura Cooper and David Hale.
Watch the evening hearing:
We are at a crossroads
This country and this world are at a monumental crossroads. In a few short weeks, US voters will have an opportunity to beat back the forces of fascism and confront the billionaires who are rigging the economy, our media system, and our democracy, making it increasingly impossible for ordinary people to get by. We’re not just talking about the election. We’re talking about what must be done once these fascist elements are vanquished from power. We need a bolder set of solutions than what either major party has so far been willing to offer and a working-class movement ready to fight like hell for it. Trump didn't emerge from nowhere. The conditions that fueled MAGA authoritarianism were created by decades of radical neoliberal economic policies and a corrupt political system dominated by corporate interests. They slashed taxes on the super-rich, promising that the benefits would trickle down. They said giveaways to the corporate titans would make life more affordable for the rest of us. It was all bullshit. And when a bitter, betrayed populace searches for someone to blame, right-wing demagogues have little trouble finding scapegoats. People know when they're being lied to, but you won't hear any of this from the corporate media. Only independent journalism—powered and funded by people who believe in building a better world—can deliver truly trustworthy daily news. Our Fall Campaign is underway, and we need your help. To power our newsroom through the rest of the year, we need to raise $125,000 by midnight on October 31. So if you share our vision, please contribute whatever you can to sustain our work. |
Independent Rep. Justin Amash said on Wednesday that U.S. Ambassador to the European Union Gordon Sondland's testimony to House Intelligence Committee hearing on impeachment was the latest evidence against President Donald Trump that--if Trump was a regular person facing a grand jury--would result in certain indictment.
Amash, who left the Republican party in July 2019 over Trump's behavior and the refusal of GOP leaders to hold him accountable, pointed out on Twitter that "impeachment in the House is an indictment."
"If this were an ordinary prosecution, there's no grand jury in America that would not return an indictment on the facts and evidence presented in these hearings," said Amash.
As Common Dreams reported, Sondland testified Wednesday that Trump's pressuring of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to publicly announce an investigation into Hunter Biden, son of Democratic 2020 presidential primary candidate former Vice President Joe Biden, was absolutely meant as a quid pro quo to release aid to the eastern European nation.
Sondland also said that Vice President Mike Pence and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo were "in the loop" on the scheme.
Talking with reporters on the South Lawn, the president repeatedly referred to a notepad in his hand with the following words written in large black marker: "I want nothing. I want nothing. I want no quid pro quo. Tell Zellinsky to do the right thing. This is the final word from the Pres of the U.S."
Telling the journalists he hoped the cameras were rolling, Trump glanced at the notes as he offered his rendition of what Sondland testified earlier during sworn testimony.
Journalist Ryan Cooper commented on the notepad and opined that the large letters were further proof of Slate's Ashley Feinberg's theory that the president can't see without glasses--which he won't wear out of vanity.
"Trump definitely cannot see for shit," tweeted Cooper. "Look at these enormous letters."
As Matt Ford wrote at The New Republic, Trump's comments don't change the reality that Sondland's testimony was incredibly damaging to the White House.
What did President Donald Trump know, and when did he know it? According to Gordon Sondland, he knew everything about the Ukraine scheme, and he knew it all along. The U.S. ambassador to the European Union confirmed the core allegations that ignited the impeachment inquiry: that Trump and his personal lawyer Rudy Giuliani tried to coerce the Ukrainian government into smearing Joe Biden earlier this year when it looked likely that Biden would be Trump's 2020 opponent.
The Washington Post's Aaron Blake pushed back on that idea, however, claiming that Trump's guilt and knowledge were a little more difficult to ascertain, even with Sondland's testimony--though that shouldn't be taken as evidence of the president's innocence:
It's tempting to say Sondland is implicating Trump. That's not completely the case; he seems to still be walking a fine line about what he knew and could prove and what was plainly apparent to him and others. But he seems to be saying this was something that Trump blessed, which is significant.
In a statement, Lisa Gilbert, vice president of Legislative Affairs at Public Citizen, said the group believes the new testimony is clear evidence of the president's crimes.
"The immensity of Ambassador Sondland's bombshell testimony cannot be overstated," said Gilbert. "Sondland has confirmed the bribery scheme, in other words, flatly admitted a quid pro quo, and detailed how widespread the knowledge of the conditioned meeting and aid were within the Trump administration."
"The president's defenses are crumbling," Gilbert added, "and the likelihood of impeachment has moved significantly forward with Sondland's clear statements this morning."
Testimony continues Wednesday evening with State Department officials Laura Cooper and David Hale.
Watch the evening hearing:
Independent Rep. Justin Amash said on Wednesday that U.S. Ambassador to the European Union Gordon Sondland's testimony to House Intelligence Committee hearing on impeachment was the latest evidence against President Donald Trump that--if Trump was a regular person facing a grand jury--would result in certain indictment.
Amash, who left the Republican party in July 2019 over Trump's behavior and the refusal of GOP leaders to hold him accountable, pointed out on Twitter that "impeachment in the House is an indictment."
"If this were an ordinary prosecution, there's no grand jury in America that would not return an indictment on the facts and evidence presented in these hearings," said Amash.
As Common Dreams reported, Sondland testified Wednesday that Trump's pressuring of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to publicly announce an investigation into Hunter Biden, son of Democratic 2020 presidential primary candidate former Vice President Joe Biden, was absolutely meant as a quid pro quo to release aid to the eastern European nation.
Sondland also said that Vice President Mike Pence and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo were "in the loop" on the scheme.
Talking with reporters on the South Lawn, the president repeatedly referred to a notepad in his hand with the following words written in large black marker: "I want nothing. I want nothing. I want no quid pro quo. Tell Zellinsky to do the right thing. This is the final word from the Pres of the U.S."
Telling the journalists he hoped the cameras were rolling, Trump glanced at the notes as he offered his rendition of what Sondland testified earlier during sworn testimony.
Journalist Ryan Cooper commented on the notepad and opined that the large letters were further proof of Slate's Ashley Feinberg's theory that the president can't see without glasses--which he won't wear out of vanity.
"Trump definitely cannot see for shit," tweeted Cooper. "Look at these enormous letters."
As Matt Ford wrote at The New Republic, Trump's comments don't change the reality that Sondland's testimony was incredibly damaging to the White House.
What did President Donald Trump know, and when did he know it? According to Gordon Sondland, he knew everything about the Ukraine scheme, and he knew it all along. The U.S. ambassador to the European Union confirmed the core allegations that ignited the impeachment inquiry: that Trump and his personal lawyer Rudy Giuliani tried to coerce the Ukrainian government into smearing Joe Biden earlier this year when it looked likely that Biden would be Trump's 2020 opponent.
The Washington Post's Aaron Blake pushed back on that idea, however, claiming that Trump's guilt and knowledge were a little more difficult to ascertain, even with Sondland's testimony--though that shouldn't be taken as evidence of the president's innocence:
It's tempting to say Sondland is implicating Trump. That's not completely the case; he seems to still be walking a fine line about what he knew and could prove and what was plainly apparent to him and others. But he seems to be saying this was something that Trump blessed, which is significant.
In a statement, Lisa Gilbert, vice president of Legislative Affairs at Public Citizen, said the group believes the new testimony is clear evidence of the president's crimes.
"The immensity of Ambassador Sondland's bombshell testimony cannot be overstated," said Gilbert. "Sondland has confirmed the bribery scheme, in other words, flatly admitted a quid pro quo, and detailed how widespread the knowledge of the conditioned meeting and aid were within the Trump administration."
"The president's defenses are crumbling," Gilbert added, "and the likelihood of impeachment has moved significantly forward with Sondland's clear statements this morning."
Testimony continues Wednesday evening with State Department officials Laura Cooper and David Hale.
Watch the evening hearing: