The Taylor statement is damning. Trump is so venal. He was utterly unprepared to be president of the most powerful country on earth and that incompetence and incessant narcissistic self-interest has now led to the death and suffering of thousands of innocent people. Amb. Taylor's statement eloquently makes it abundantly clear that Trump has no concept of national security and long-term US political interests.

I am quite impressed at how much credible information Bill Taylor was able to give.

His opening statement is extremely compelling and constitutes a nearly day by day account of the quid pro quo.

For those who are uninterested in reading all 15 poorly photographed pages, this historian of US foreign policy has a 20 tweet synopsis and it’s mind blowing. https://mobile.twitter.com/bradleyrsimpson/status/1186740432476266497
Here is the last tweet “20/ If I were reading this years later, as a historian poring through the archives, this would read like a textbook conspiracy to undermine existing US policy in the service of a covert domestic political agenda, undertaken on a shadow policy track. Wow. Wow. Wow. END”

This is Trump, pretty much all of his staff, Giuliani, Pence, Pompeo, Mnuchin, Sondland, Barr... they’re all filthy crooks.

Anonymous wrote:Trump says no quid pro quo but his ACTIONS say absolute quid pro quo.

And also:

Anonymous wrote:Trump says no quid pro quo but his ACTIONS say absolute quid pro quo.

e.g.

Anonymous wrote:Would it make a difference if the hearings were being televised? Is there more serious questioning in closed hearings?

The hearings will be televised.

These are depositions, to find facts.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I love that the GOP keep raising doubt around processes (without proof) and yet NO ONE is defending substance.

You haven't been listening if you think no one is defending substance.
They are criticizing the process (the secrecy and lack of a fair process) BECAUSE the substance is not there.

Really? You really don't see it? Even after TODAY?

60 years ago knowing that Moscow strongly preferred Trump might have been sufficient to tank him. WTF is going on now that we’re arguing about all this other sh*t??? Get him outta there.

Anonymous wrote:Would it make a difference if the hearings were being televised? Is there more serious questioning in closed hearings?

These are depositions to understand the facts. There will likely be televised hearings once they are done with the fact finding, and after there is a House vote - this will precede any articles of impeachment being drafted.

Would it make a difference if the hearings were being televised? Is there more serious questioning in closed hearings?

Anonymous wrote:Is he the ambo or DCM?

I think he’s the charge, bc he’s not confirmed. He was sent out when Ambassador Yovanovitch was recalled.

Is he the ambo or DCM?

Anonymous wrote:Trump says no quid pro quo but his ACTIONS say absolute quid pro quo.

Should also add: Much like “Russia collusion”

Anonymous wrote:Back channel communications?! Does Trump understand he represents the US and needs to use the existing channels and protocols? He isn’t king.

Judging by the repeated efforts by those in this administration to set up backchannels with Russia and other countries during the transition? And Trump’s continued use of his private, unsecured cell phone to call world leaders? No he doesn’t understand that at all.

Trump says no quid pro quo but his ACTIONS say absolute quid pro quo.

Anonymous wrote:I think former ambassador Taylor’s testimony could only be described as “perfect.”

Yes it was. And he is the current ambassador, btw.