DID TRUMP THREATEN VIOLENCE AGAINST SENATORS AND AN AMBASSADOR?

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By Miriam Raftery

January 24, 2020 (Washington D.C.)- - As  Democrats wrapped up their arguments for removing President Trump from office during the Senate impeachment trial this week, Republicans controlling the Senate have thus far refused to allow new witnesses to be called. The White house continues to defy requests for public records. 

Now, CBS news reports that a confidant of President Trump told CBS that senators were warned quote: “vote against the president & your head will be on a pike.”

Such a threat, if true, could amount to witness tampering and threatening federal officials with violence.

In addition, MSNBC reports hearing a tape in which Trump demands that Marie Yovanovich, the former ambassador to Ukraine, be removed, though whether he was calling for her firing or assassination is unclear.

 “Get rid of her...Get her out tomorrow. I don’t care. Get her out tomorrow. Take her out. Okay? Do it,.” A voice that sounds like  Trump is heard demanding on the tape, ABC News reports. 

The recording was allegedly made during a 2018 dinner party with Lev Parnas, a former associate of Trump’s personal attorney, Rudy Giuliani. Parnas’ attorney, Joe Bondy, has issued a statement which says of the recording, which he indicated was not released by his client, “It is yet another example of Mr. Parnas’s version of events being corroborated by evidence in the form of recordings, emails, text messages.”

Trump has used the phrase “take out” when he referred to his order to kill Iranian General Qasem Soleimani, who was killed by a U.S. air strike in Iraq.  Trump, who formerly starred in the Apprentice game show, famously used the phrase “You’re fired!” when referring to terminating a job.

Trump has also claimed he did not know Parnas.  Now a tape indicating he not only knew Parnas, but may have discussed the firing or killing of a U.S. ambassador in Parnas’ presence, is reigniting Democrats’ calls for new witnesses to be called, including the President himself, who has thus far refused to testify or authorizing any of his White house staff or cabinet members to do so.

Congressman Adam Schiff, who put forth Democrats arguments to impeach Trump on abuse of power and obstruction of Congress charges, on Friday indicated he is prepared to ask Chief Justice John Roberts to rule on issues of evidence and executive privilege claimed by the President.

“You cannot use executive privilege to hide wrongdoing or criminality or impeachable misconduct, and that is exactly the purpose for which they seek to use it,” Schiff said in a press conference on Friday.

A poll released Wednesday by Reuters/Ipsos found that  72% believe the impeachment trial “should allow witnesses with firsthand knowledge of the impeachment charges to testify,” including 84% of Democrats and 69% of Republicans. And 70% of the public, including 80% of Democrats and 73% of Republicans, said senators should “act as impartial jurors” during the trial.

The poll showed that two out of three Americans are paying attention to the proceedings.

 

Next week, the White House will present its defense in the impeachment hearing.


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Comments

One sided reporting, we know your side!

What happens when 90% of the media is controlled/owned by (6) corporations? What happens when those same corporations are operated and controlled by a political ideology? What happens when the news is no longer free from bias? What happens when the news is no longer reliable and independent? What happens when the news is no longer trustworthy? What happens when the news simply becomes an extension/arm of a political party? Fact becomes fiction? Fiction becomes fact? When does news become propaganda? Identity creation? How does the average person, who is under constant financial stress (by design), find time to research and discern fact vs fiction? Majority of people more prone to believe someone in power sitting behind a big brand ‘news’ name? Do people [human psyche] tend to follow the ‘majority/mainstream viewpoint’ in fear of being isolated and/or shunned? ‘Mainstream’ is used for a reason [dominate trend in opinion]. [If majority of people believe ‘x’ then ‘x’ must be validated / true] Why do ‘mainstream’ media heads, within different orgs, always use the same keywords and/or catch phrases? Coordinated? By who? Outside entity providing instructions? Do they count on the fact that people [human psyche] are more prone to believe something if heard over-and-over again by different ‘trusted’ sources? Do ‘echo chamber’ tactics provide validation / credibility to the topic/point being discussed? Threat to intellectual freedom? Would control over[of] these institutions/organizations allow for the mass control of a populations viewpoint re: a desired topic? Read again – digest. Would control over[of] these institutions/organizations allow for the mass control of a populations viewpoint re: a desired topic? Logical thinking. Why, after the election of 2016, did [D]’s and media corps jumpstart a [coordinated & planned] divisive blitz intended to create falsehoods re: illegitimacy of election, character assassination of POTUS through sexism, racism, every other ‘ism’? Pre/post 2016 election? Why were violent [masked] terror orgs such as Antifa immediately created/funded? Why were these orgs tasked w/ immediate intimidation/shut down of any pro-POTUS rally[s] and/or events? Why were marches immediately organized to counter and silence pro-POTUS rally[s] and/or events? Why were marches immediately organized which divided people into sex/gender, race, [ism]? When you control the levers of news dissemination, you control the narrative. Control of the narrative = power When you are blind, what do you see? They want you divided. Divided by religion. Divided by sex. Divided by political affiliation. Divided by class. When you are divided, and angry, and controlled, you target those ‘different’ from you, not those responsible [controllers]. Divided you are weak. Divided you pose no threat to their control. When ‘non-dogmatic’ information becomes FREE & TRANSPARENT it becomes a threat to those who attempt to control the narrative and/or stable [livestock kept – sheep]. When you are awake, you stand on the outside of the stable (‘group-think’ collective), and have ‘free thought’. "Free thought" is a philosophical viewpoint which holds that positions regarding truth should be formed on the basis of logic, reason, and empiricism, rather than authority, tradition, revelation, or dogma. This Represents A Clear And Present Danger To The Constitutional Republic Of The United States Of America.

Im not sure why I even visit

Im not sure why I even visit this site anymore. Wanting local info and then finding this biased dribble is tiring.

Trump-haters want it both ways....

Don't believe a word he says, but also believe the worst (converted to Mafia-ese) when he says something. Which is it? Whatever serves the agenda?

Marie Yovonovitch

Trumps use of the phrase "Take her out" is Mafia-speak calling for her murder. What if one of his deranged followers attempts to kill her?  This isn't a TV show, it's our Nation that is an embarassment to all but Putin.

No, he didn't threaten violence.

It's simply politics, with the inevitable long-threatened attempt by the Dems to dump the usurper who ruined Hillary's plans, via an incredibly boring grandstanding by "lawmakers." My favorite comment, from one web-wag: "Radical Muslim prisoners in Guantanamo Bay, who were strapped into their chairs with their eyes taped open and forced to watch the Impeachment hearings, are demanding to be water boarded instead." . . heh

More rumors, more lies...

more baseless accusations and more nameless witnesses. This impeachment hoax has turned into an absolute disaster for the Democrats, unbelievably embarrassing.

GAO says Trump's Ukraine actions were illegal!!

The recent and attached Government Accountability Office (GAO) says President Trump's withholding of Congressional mandated and voted on funding was illegal. Is this another rumor and more lies, as "8East" implies? what is it going to take for people to open their eyes and realize that our great nation is under attack by the Russians? See attached GAO report by clicking on here.

Good grief, Dennis

You’re still pushing the Russia thing? I’m curious, is it ignorance or desperation? Wake up man, diversify your newsfeed.

Russia thing nonsense comes from 'Shifty' Schiff --

"Russia is not a threat … to Eastern Europe alone. Ukraine has become the de facto proving ground for just the types of hybrid warfare that the twenty-first century will become defined by: cyberattacks, disinformation campaigns, efforts to undermine the legitimacy of state institutions, whether that is voting systems or financial markets. The Kremlin showed boldly in 2016 that with the malign skills it honed in Ukraine, they would not stay in Ukraine. Instead, Russia employed them here to attack our institutions, and they will do so again." It's all hogwash: The Russians Are Coming!

"shifty" is an antisemitic slur

Antisemitic slurs directed toward Adam Schiff, who is a Jew, is gross and reveals a lot about the speaker. I propose to the editor that this post should be removed. Racial and religious hate speech has no place in these forums.

What a joke

Like the Liberal you claim not to be, anything you don't agree with you label "racist". Your definition and Merriam Webster's don't agree, Definition - Shifty Kick rocks you nitwit.

BTW 8East is also a sock puppet

Furthering the profile in courage, those who are familiar with these forums also are well aware that 8East has many user profiles on this site, so, also trying to appear much larger than they actually are. Soon to be forgotten. History is unkind to the cowardly that way.

The GAO is wrong

The Ukraine funds were not withheld they were delayed for a couple months. Big whoop. In fact the whole Ukraine mess was brought on by Obama and Clinton via the regime change they sponsored in 2014, with a new neo-Nazi government that threatened ethnic Russians in northeast Ukraine. That explains Russia's interest. . . .And our great nation is in no way under attack by the Russians. The "assessment" by three intelligence agencies that Russia interfered in the 2016 election was not based on any facts and was merely a political action to explain Hillary's unexpected loss in the election.

GAO is correct, it was a crime

It is still bank robbery even if you trip on the threshold, knock your head, pass out, and the security guard finds your demand note. Bank not actually robbed due to incompetence. Same if you change your mind, leave your evidence, and run out of the bank because you didn't have the guts to go through with it. Still a bank robbery. Here is the real issue: Bill Clinton also did his crime, perjury. The truth of this matter is going to be hard for either Democrats or Republicans to deal with from a true historical perspective: you are all cowards who lie about all of your supposed principles. Younger people see though this. Your generations will pay the price, remembered as the worst in American history, leaving the country worse than you found it due to your false patriotism and bad faith. That is who you are. That is you place in the memory of the nation.

Pot calling the kettle black

Who are you to label anyone in this forum a coward? Have you served our country or ever worn a uniform? My research suggests otherwise, you're a confused Liberal who's spent his life nursing off the tit of the State while wasting tax payer money on "Art" projects which include apps to out gun owners and assist criminals in entering our country illegally. You like to proudly claim to be an Independent so you can stand on your stump and complain about both sides (liberal & conservative) and take no responsibility for anything. Don't try an lecture me on patriotism and faith, you're not qualified to judge anyone.

real name?

Someone who can't use their real name thinks that they are a profile in courage? This is how your generation will be remembered! It is who you are.