Donald Trump allies in disarray as Democrats push impeachment
Adam Schiff may have gone a little too far with Lev Parnas' text messages.

schiff
If he continues to focus on that white whale, it’s going to bring him down.

House Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam Schiff said Sunday that he expects the whistleblower at the heart of impeachment proceedings against President Donald Trump to testify “very soon.”

“All that needs to be done, at this point, is to make sure that the attorneys that represent the whistleblower get the clearances that they need to be able to accompany the whistleblower to testimony,” said Schiff, a California Democrat, “and that we figure out the logistics to make sure that we protect the identity of the whistleblower.”

As Democrats and the director of national intelligence worked out key arrangements, Trump’s allies erupted in a surge of second-guessing and conspiracy theorizing across the Sunday talk shows, suggesting the White House strategy is unclear against the stiffest challenge to his presidency. One former adviser urged Trump to confront the crisis at hand and get past his fury over the probe of Russian election interference.

“I honestly believe this President has not gotten his pound of flesh yet from past grievances on the 2016 investigation,” said Tom Bossert, Trump’s former homeland security adviser. “If he continues to focus on that white whale,” Bossert added, “it’s going to bring him down.”

The Ukraine investigation produced what the Russian probe did not: formal House impeachment proceedings based on the president’s own words and actions.

The White House last week released a rough transcript of Trump’s July 25 call with Ukranian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, as well as the whistleblower’s complaint alleging the U.S. President pressured his counterpart to investigate the family of Joe Biden, the former vice president who is seeking the Democratic nomination to challenge Trump’s reelection next year.

Trump has sought to implicate Biden and his son Hunter Biden in the kind of corruption that has long plagued Ukraine. Hunter Biden served on the board of a Ukrainian gas company at the same time his father was leading the Obama administration’s diplomatic dealings with Kyiv. There has been no evidence of wrongdoing by either of the Bidens.

The House forged ahead, with Schiff’s committee leading the investigation. Democrats are planning a rapid start to their push for impeachment, with hearings and depositions starting this week. Many Democrats are pushing for a vote on articles of impeachment before the end of the year, mindful of the looming 2020 elections.

Schiff has said the whistleblower has agreed to testify. His committee has been negotiating to interview the person, who reported to the inspector general for the intelligence community that Trump had urged Zelenskiy to investigate Biden. The whistleblower also said that White House officials then moved to “lockdown” the details by putting all the records of it on a separate computer system.

One of the whistleblower’s lawyers tweeted Sunday that talks were ongoing.

“We continue to work w/both parties in House & Senate and we understand all agree that protecting whistleblower’s identity is paramount,” posted Mark Zaid. “Discussions continue to occur to coordinate & finalize logistics but no date/time has yet been set.”

Trump’s allies fanned out across the Sunday talk shows with myriad responses.

Stephen Miller, the president’s senior policy adviser, called the whole inquiry a “partisan hit job” orchestrated by “a deep state operative” who is also “a saboteur.”

“The president of the United States is the whistleblower,” Miller said.

Trump’s personal lawyer, Rudy Giuliani, promoted a debunked conspiracy theory, insisting that Ukraine had spread disinformation during the 2016 election.

Bossert advised that Trump drop that defense.

“I am deeply frustrated with what he and the legal team is doing and repeating that debunked theory to the president. It sticks in his mind when he hears it over and over again,” said Bossert, who also was an adviser to President George W. Bush. “That conspiracy theory has got to go, they have to stop with that, it cannot continue to be repeated.”

Giuliani not only repeated it but also brandished what he said were affidavits that support them and claimed that Trump “was framed by the Democrats.”

He also at one point said he would not cooperate with Schiff, but then acknowledged he would do what Trump tells him. The White House did not provide an official response on whether the president would allow Giuliani to cooperate.

“If they’re going to obstruct,” Schiff warned, “then they’re going to increase the likelihood that Congress may feel it necessary to move forward with an article on obstruction.”

Giuliani appeared on ABC’s “This Week” and CBS’ “Face the Nation,” while Schiff was interviewed on ABC and NBC’s “Meet the Press.” Bossert spoke on ABC and Miller on “Fox News Sunday.”

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Republished with permission of The Associated Press.

Phil Ammann

Phil Ammann is a Tampa Bay-area journalist, editor and writer. With more than three decades of writing, editing, reporting and management experience, Phil produced content for both print and online, in addition to founding several specialty websites, including HRNewsDaily.com. His broad range includes covering news, local government, entertainment reviews, marketing and an advice column. Phil has served as editor and production manager for Extensive Enterprises Media since 2013 and lives in Tampa with his wife, visual artist Margaret Juul. He can be reached on Twitter @PhilAmmann or at [email protected].


4 comments

  • Sonja Fitch

    September 29, 2019 at 9:12 pm

    Told you so. Trump told us. Russia got Hillary emails. Lol but stupid is stupid and a damn traitor
    Lordy help Rudi to hush. Trump ask for dirt on Biden for trump 2020. Lol lol. The drum on Benghazi ain’t.The drum on Hillary emails ain’t. Moscow Mitch Garbage Graham and our racist Desantis are going down as traitors. I have laughed til I cried. Why gopers trumpers? Why? Money and power? REALLY!!!

    • gary

      September 30, 2019 at 4:07 pm

      Not worried at all…. and you would have a happier life if you turned off the FAKE NEWS!

  • John

    September 30, 2019 at 12:59 am

    It wasn’t a rough transcript of the call. It was not redacted in any form at all.
    Schiff clearly lied during the original hearing last week.
    He had publicly stated over and over that he had had absolute proof of things he claims Trump is allegedly guilty of, yet as of this moment failed to provide absolutely anything at all.
    There are no longer any “real” reporters out there.
    Just a bunch of bloggers and op-ed writers.
    The very fact that Pelosi did not call for a vote on actual impeachment process tells you what you need to know.
    If they had anything solid at all they would start the actual impeachment process.
    Instead they hide behind an impeachment inquiry to protect vulnerable democratic seats in counties and states Trump won in 16.
    For nearly three years they have had countless investigations and hearing that bore no results at all.
    The Democrats needn’t worry however because those who are left will have another four years to wait while the futilely continue to find a way to impeach the President.
    I look forward to seeing all of the crying again in November 2020.
    I’m absolutely certain I will enjoy it every bit as much as I did in November 16.

    • gary

      October 1, 2019 at 6:25 am

      nailed it John

Comments are closed.


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