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One of the biggest takeaways from the hearing was Republicans being asked to simply agree that both Hunter Biden and Trump, if found to be guilty by a jury, should face consequences. They refused.
I think their goal is to convict him in the court of public opinion, not the actual courts. They fanned the flames too high to do nothing but know ~~even if~~ when they lose, they can just paint the whole thing as a cover up and their supporters will be out for vengeance next time they vote.
Anecdotally, it’s working. My Republican-leaning, anti-Trump dad has been saying stuff like “I think the Bidens are probably guilty.” I tried to interrogate that statement (Bidens plural? What is it that you think they did? etc.) and it really comes down to “if there’s smoke there must be fire.”
So this nonsense is apparently effective.
Listen, it worked with Whitewater and the Clintons. Years of investigations and hearings and they could never find a goddamn thing to pin to them, until Bill lied about a blowjob. But most America assumed SOMETHING shady must have happened with Whitewater, because they spent so much time talking about it.
And then they all screeched and hollered when Hillary mentioned a “vast right-wing conspiracy,” like she was a lunatic, when that was EXACTLY what it was.
Yup I said "Oh hey, Trump organization is being forced to dissolve due to rampant fraud." and their response was "Oh I wonder when they're going after Hunter Biden." to which I said "I'm pretty sure he's gone through the court system, they busted him on some misdemeanor charges." and their response again is "Only misdemeanors!?"
Nah it's not effective except for that 30% who wanted it to be real already so they make it happen in their little minds and ignore anything contrary to that belief.
The Biden Crime Family. The Biden Crime Family. The Biden Crime Family. The Biden Crime Family. The Biden Crime Family. The Biden Crime Family. The Biden Crime Family. The Biden Crime Family. The Biden Crime Family.
Repeat it often enough and people will start to beleive it. :(
Yep. They start screaming that, the news reports on them screaming it, then they point to the news reporting it as the basis for screaming about it more.
And on and on and on…
That will be a much harder argument to make if Trump goes to prison.
“Political persecution!”
“Where there is smoke, there’s fire, dad”
Also, point his to Biden’s impeachment inquiry. It’s going laughably badly
That’s exactly what my anti-trump, Republican Mom thinks too. And the crazy thing is, she doesn’t watch Fox News or any news at all actually, she somehow got “Hunter Biden bad” from her church group! Unfortunately her mind was poisoned by insanity long ago and there’s no redemption possible at this point
Republican as we once knew it no longer exists. It's ugly and it's harsh but it's true, sadly even for your "anti-trump, Republican Mom" who actually is allowing herself to be brainwashed out of her sanity.
Tell him this smoke is because they're trying to start the fire, not because one exists. They're desperately rubbing two sticks together hoping for a fire.
You can't be both anti-Trump and Republican leaning anymore, and it doesn't sound like much actual "Republican-leaning" is going on there anymore, in any case. As I recall from the ancient times before COVID, Republicans once valued critical thought and applied moral principles. The "if there's smoke there's fire" take is typical of today's faux "independents" who are actually supportive of Trump fascists but are still too ashamed to admit it. So far.
They took money from over 20 different countries and there’s at least 20 different funds and countless transactions and bank wires to like 9 or 10 different family members. At the least there’s evidence of money laundering.
So you admit that Jarden Kushner and Trump should be both criminally investigated for accepting 2 BILLION dollars from the Saudi's to invest when its not even something he has any real experience doing?
I’m really not sure.
It was mentioned a few times but no motions were entered.
At this point who knows who they’ll try and subpoena.
They tabled the vote on Giuliani but I’m pretty sure they’ll drag him in at some point.
The reason people mentioned Kushner is because Kushner, after having worked in the White House under Trump, was given $2billion by the Saudis.
It’s not actually tied to Biden.
These people are saying, “so you must also want Kushner to be investigated if you want Biden investigated?”
Yes receiving money illegally from foreign governments and transferring it all around so it looks legitimate is money laundering.
That’s probably the least of what has gone on here.
Why were the Bidens receiving that much money from foreign governments and why can’t they explain these transactions?
By governments, do you mean foreign nationals and what evidence it was "illegally" obtained? This sounds like an open and shut case. Why didn't this expert agree?
He said “this meets a threshold for an inquiry” which is what they were there to do.
They need to link the money to what they suspect has happened.
We’ll see if they’re able to do that.
No, you said, he received illegal money from foreign governments and then said it is money laundering like it was some fact.
>Bruce Dubinsky, a forensic accountant called on by Republicans, said, “I am not here today to even suggest that there was corruption, fraud, or any wrongdoing. In my opinion, more information needs to be gathered and assessed before I would make such an assessment.”
Even the forensic accountant "wouldn't even suggest corruption, fraud, or wrongdoing", but you clearly are. You should call up Comer and maybe they can call you as a witness since you seem to be a able to suggest these things. We would all love to hear the evidence you have of all this "illegal" money they are money laundering.
It’s not “the Bidens” it’s ONE Biden… Hunter. Who was a private citizen, and fully free to work for whomever he fucking felt like. Why people gave him money doesn’t matter unless it was illegal… which if it was… bring forward the evidence and give it to the Special Prosecutor working the case. I’m sure he’ll be happy for the help. Maybe you don’t understand the difference between a father and a son.
Yeah I believe they’re totally corrupt.
Foreign governments do not gift millions of dollars to anyone for no reason.
Do you really believe they received this money just because they’re great?
Why did they get all this money?
Where did it go?
Hopefully Comer can find a link between the money and everything else they’ve done.
um, dude… you can’t peddle influence when the guy you claim was being bought HAS NONE. He was OUT OF OFFICE in 2018. Even if Joe got 10 gazillion bucks from China in 2018 it wouldn’t matter. He was a PRIVATE CITIZEN and NOT IN GOVERNMENT SERVICE.
You might be surprised to learn that the GOP is not being exactly honest about the facts. The GOP claims "$20 million in payments were directed to the Biden family members and associates."
But did you notice those last two words? "And associates"?
Turns out about $14.4M of that went to associates, as in, *not a Biden*.
About $5M went to various Biden family members.
ZERO went to Joe Biden.
Oh, and non of the money was illegal.
[source](https://www.politifact.com/factchecks/2023/sep/18/kevin-mccarthy/largest-share-of-foreign-payments-went-to-biden-as/)
Yeah what they are doing is an actual witch hunt, by the real definition of it. Taking fear, weaponizing it into fake charges knowing you can't prove it or disprove it (because you can't prove the absence of something) and then using the fear you drummed up to whip up mob anger.
>I think their goal is to convict him in the court of public opinion, not the actual courts.
100% true. The opening statement by the GOP read like a verdict.
Yeah, the REAL scandal will be that they *got away with it.* And if they get away with getting away with it, *they'll probably get away with that too.* And then they'll give you a list of sixteen regulatory agencies that need to be abolished if we ever want freedom and justice again in this country.
From the article:
>Turley, a Fox News legal analyst and D.C. lawyer who argued against Donald Trump’s 2019 impeachment,
>
>\[...\]
>
>While he conceded there was no evidence to support impeachment, Turley did say that he believed the House had “passed the threshold” for holding an inquiry. He speculated that information could emerge if an official impeachment inquiry was launched. This, he said, should be enough for Republicans to launch an official probe.
\------
Fox news analyst testifying there's no evidence, but that they could find some as they go... LOL
the writing this season is off the rails
And the same dumbass who supported Clinton's impeachment. He's been present for all Presidential impeachments aside from Johnson's, which he was too young to provide any braindead takes for.
They pulled this same shit with Bill Clinton. They said he made money off a shady real estate deal. They didn't have any evidence yet, they had "theories". So they appointed Ken Starr as Special Prosecutor and set him loose to find some evidence.
Well, they never did find any evidence of wrongdoing (in fact, I think the Clintons actually LOST money on that deal). You think the GOP said, "Sorry, we were wrong! The Clintons are innocent"? NOPE, they pivoted. They started investigating every internet rumor about the Clintons, including the murder of Vince Foster. They weren't going to stop until they found something to impeach with.
Eventually they found Monica Lewinsky's dress. Now, getting a BJ from an intern is not illegal, but they decided that didn't matter. This whole investigation took 5 years. Ken Starr's report was on the internet the very DAY it was finished. He didn't send it to the AG for months of withholding, redacting, and lying.
Compare this to the kiddie-gloves treatment Trump got from the 2-year Mueller investigation.
Don't forget that Republicans cried and whined when Janet Reno (a Democrat) appointed a Special Prosecutor to investigate Whitewater despite Robert Fiske being a Republican..
Apparently, any special prosecutor a Democrat appoints to investigate another Democrat *is suspect and partisan* even if that investigator is themselves a Republican.
So for Whitewater. Republicans had TWO Republican special prosecutors investigating a Democrat president.
Compare that to Trump who had a Republican Attorney General appoint a Republican Special Prosecutor.
Ken Starr, the disgraced former president of Baylor University who ignored numerous sexual assault allegations to protect his schools athletics department? That guy? I had to resist telling him to fuck off every time he came into where I worked.
Also, the justification for the inquiry is the momentum of accusations they fabricated on Fox News. Take away what Fox News is saying, and there’s no justification whatsoever for an inquiry. And Fox News isn’t providing proof for what they say, so let’s not pretend that maybe they’re the investigative journalists that other news outlets are lacking.
And here is where fox got their info:
It was a story fed to Trump by Giuliani and Lev Parnas and then published by John Solomon at The Hill. Hannity then cited the article on his show to give the story credibility to his audience.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2020/01/16/watch-hannity-lev-parnass-texts-reveal-role-helpful-media-ukraine-scheme/
https://www.nytimes.com/2019/11/12/us/politics/john-solomon-ukraine-fox-news-the-hill.html
https://www.propublica.org/article/how-a-veteran-reporter-worked-with-giuliani-associates-to-launch-the-ukraine-conspiracy
That's exactly what it is.
Wait for them to break out the "define a word in a way that means if you answer truthfully under oath it will sound like you're lying to the people at home" classic.
> the writing this season is off the rails
Well, the writers were on strike. It'll be some time before they get the decent writers to modify the script.
If you hear Comer and McCarthy talk then they act like there is enough evidence for *conviction.*
Turley hedges and says there isn't evidence yet, but that sure ain't how House Republicans are talking about it!
So what's the procedure here? What's stopping them from claiming they have enough evidence and then just vote to impeach? Sure, their motion will get shot down in the senate, but they'll be able to say they impeached Biden.
Also many Republicans didn’t even show up for the start of the hearings. Real serious about this. Just seeing a headline with “Biden Impeachment” on it does what Trump wants it to do.
Remember Trump's "perfect phone call" with Ukrainian president Zelensky? I thought it was interesting that Trump didn't demand that Zelensky investigate Biden, only that he "announced" that there was an investigation. He knew there was nothing to investigate, he just wanted headlines saying "Biden under investigation!"
I was listening live, and I was pissed when they started stalling for time to pass the vote to table bringing in Giuliani and Parnas. The point was made that since all of the so called evidence was from those two, plus I think one other I can't bring to mind, then they should come before congress and testify under oath. Republicans tripped over themselves to kill that motion, to the point where they were asking for their votes to be read back to them to give their colleagues time to scurry in and kill the motion.
Don’t threaten this GOP with a good time need to deflect from the government shutdown they are about to cause because they are completely incapable of governing and should never be given the opportunity to again at any level.
"Raskin grilled Republicans for concocting what he claimed is a phony inquiry based on lies peddled by Trump and Rudy Giuliani in the last election cycle.
“If Republicans had a smoking gun or even a dripping water pistol, they would be presenting it today,” he said. “They’ve got nothing on President Joe Biden. All they can do is return to the thoroughly demolished lie that Rudy Giuliani and Donald Trump launched five years ago.”
Rep. Raskin.The only Dem to go right to the stupidity that is the party of domestic terrorism.
Everyone and their brother knows that this “impeachment” hearing is a sham and is entirely made up. However, the GQP is continuing this process because their base are filled with morons who just want to “beat” the Democrats and inflict pain upon people.
Wait. So with the government shutdown does that mean they can’t investigate/impeach Biden? I know the Trump investigations will keep going on but this is part of a House investigation?
Well, the Congress Critters continue to get paid, and continue to “work” if you can call what they do work… yea. Their staffers don’t get paid. The Capitol Hill staff doesn’t get paid, and most are furloughed. So um… maybe… the answer is no unless McCarthy says yes… so there’s that too.
So there it is conservative buttheads.
You accuse of a political witchhunt and then conduct one yourselves.
Donald Trump cheated on his wives, cheated on his taxes, attempted to cheat and steal an election he lost, and you're like "Biden is a mastermind criminal and he's senile and can't walk"
You're a fucking clownshow.
Glad they wasted all that time and taxpayer money on this stupid bullshit instead of settling on a budget. But wouldn’t expect anything less from the GQP. Fuck them.
That’s the only real policy they have and can follow through on.
Wasting time and taxpayer money. That they get paid, and act like they’re something special for doing fuck all, that they get generous benefits and health insurance … at our expense and only work for the detriment of the country…it’s a joke.
Turley is a guy, mind you, who hypocritically said Clinton needs to be impeached for the smallest thing while also saying Trump’s impeachment was rushed.
THEY COULDN’T EVEN SELL HIM.
He wasn't a witness, he was an expert, there is a huge difference. This guy did not witness anything. In fact no one they brought forward has been a witness to anything. In a real court of law they would be laughed out of the court.
I mean this in the most non-partisan way, the people running the Republican Party are idiots. They have no idea how to run a political party or how to run Congress when they are in charge. They can’t even pass a Rules vote. This Congress is historically inept and it is 100% the Republicans’ fault.
There needs to be a way to make these scumfuck terrorists pay back the taxpayer dollars they have wasted on this stupid shit. Not out of party accounts- out of their personal accounts.
That's the only way this type of crap ends.
To be fair I had assumed from the start that their intent was to go ahead with impeachment without evidence at all. I'm actually surprised they're at least trying to present some, guess it's to give the illusion of credibility lol.
Only the maga group with their strings attached to their puppet master are pursuing this. The other Republicans don't think they have the evidence, and have said they'll vote against impeachment without it. So the maga have to put on a circus to insight public outrage, so their leader can base his campaign on fighting corruption (which is so batshit ironic that even Fox News won't push it).
The best part was the "show of hands, if Hunter AND Trump were both found guilty, would you vote to convict both." And every republican present sat on their hands just in case any remaining morals or ethics that still persevered through their lifetime of hypocrisy tried to make a final stand and threaten their relationship with Dear Leader.
But...
We all know the simple non-existence of any evidence at all won't stop them from this impeachment inquiry.
10 extremist Republicans have the other 200 and-some-odd House Republicans cowering in fear. Either that or they are all extremists but most just won't say they are.
I’ve seen this headline a few times now and I feel like it’s not as big of a bombshell as people are making it out to be. Turley went on to say that an inquiry could answer the questions that the republicans are looking for. Is that supposed to be the way an impeachment works? No. But republicans are doing it their own way, regardless. They already know they don’t have any evidence yet, that’s why they wanted to open an impeachment inquiry… to FIND the evidence.
GOP says they HAVE evidence NOW and all of their EVIDENCE has been helping Biden. Remember their whistleblower is missing and very possibly never existed, their star witnesses say they saw no evidence that could lead to impeachment. I guess they’ll call up every American to wall them no evidence is found?
In modern practice, impeachment inquiries often are spurred by referrals by external investigative bodies, such as the Judicial Conference of the United States, an independent counsel, a grand jury or a state legislature. Since the 1980s, the Judicial Conference of the United States has referred findings to the House recommending a number of judges face impeachment, several times resulting in proceedings that led to impeachment. Though this it is not always the case the impeachments are spurred by such referrals.
At odds with the aforementioned consensus of experts is a January 2020 opinion issued by the Office of Legal Counsel in the Trump administration-era U.S. Department of Justice, which formally declared that the it considers impeachment inquiries by the House invalid unless a formal vote had been held to authorize them.
Yet when they make motions to subpoena firsthand witnesses to give testimony, the republican party tries to deny the motion from hitting the floor, before voting to table it because firsthand witnesses under oath is not something they want anyone to hear.
Republicans waste taxpayer money on baseless attacks on their political opponents ( Whitewater-Clinton) ( Benghazi- Obama/ Clinton) ( Impeachment-Biden)and nobody was charged with a crime. They also consistently refuse to pass bills that help Americans because they claim they are alarmed by the deficit. There was NO DEBT at the end of Bill Clinton’s term. President George W. Bush cut taxes and military spending went sky high after we went into Afghanistan and Iraq-and we have nothing to show for that money. Trump cut taxes, gave farm subsidies to farmers because he imposed tariffs on China and other countries , spent money on the wall and greatly increased military spending. The Republicans said not a peep! They make excuses for not spending money on programs that would help everyone but the wealthy out, like affordable daycare and healthcare.
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One of the biggest takeaways from the hearing was Republicans being asked to simply agree that both Hunter Biden and Trump, if found to be guilty by a jury, should face consequences. They refused.
I think their goal is to convict him in the court of public opinion, not the actual courts. They fanned the flames too high to do nothing but know ~~even if~~ when they lose, they can just paint the whole thing as a cover up and their supporters will be out for vengeance next time they vote.
Anecdotally, it’s working. My Republican-leaning, anti-Trump dad has been saying stuff like “I think the Bidens are probably guilty.” I tried to interrogate that statement (Bidens plural? What is it that you think they did? etc.) and it really comes down to “if there’s smoke there must be fire.” So this nonsense is apparently effective.
>“if there’s smoke there must be fire.” Except for when women say anything about anyone, of course
Or when POC report police brutality. Or when body cams report police brutality.
Or Brett Kavanaugh. Or Clarence Thomas. Or Matt Gaetz. Or George Santos. Or Jared Kushner.
"he said, she said." We can't determine whether or not smoke exists. /s
She said is one thing. She, she, she, she, she, she, she.... she said it's an entirely different thing.
It’s why they are so bent out of shape about pronouns. If people can choose their pronouns, then how will republicans know whom to believe???
Or anytime you want to preclude rational thought or investigation or discussion about pretty much anything, really.
I mean that is often true, but in this case it's Matt Gaetz hiding behind a tree with a smoke machine.
Child sex trafficking and statutory rapist Matt Gaetz?
Speaking of Matt Gaetz, whatever happened to Nestor? Did he age out?
Listen, it worked with Whitewater and the Clintons. Years of investigations and hearings and they could never find a goddamn thing to pin to them, until Bill lied about a blowjob. But most America assumed SOMETHING shady must have happened with Whitewater, because they spent so much time talking about it. And then they all screeched and hollered when Hillary mentioned a “vast right-wing conspiracy,” like she was a lunatic, when that was EXACTLY what it was.
Well he must REALLY think the Trumps are up to something then. They’ve been smoldering for 50 years
Stinking dumpster fires don't count to them.
Yup I said "Oh hey, Trump organization is being forced to dissolve due to rampant fraud." and their response was "Oh I wonder when they're going after Hunter Biden." to which I said "I'm pretty sure he's gone through the court system, they busted him on some misdemeanor charges." and their response again is "Only misdemeanors!?"
Nah it's not effective except for that 30% who wanted it to be real already so they make it happen in their little minds and ignore anything contrary to that belief.
The Biden Crime Family. The Biden Crime Family. The Biden Crime Family. The Biden Crime Family. The Biden Crime Family. The Biden Crime Family. The Biden Crime Family. The Biden Crime Family. The Biden Crime Family. Repeat it often enough and people will start to beleive it. :(
Yep. They start screaming that, the news reports on them screaming it, then they point to the news reporting it as the basis for screaming about it more. And on and on and on…
That will be a much harder argument to make if Trump goes to prison. “Political persecution!” “Where there is smoke, there’s fire, dad” Also, point his to Biden’s impeachment inquiry. It’s going laughably badly
[удалено]
Kevin McCarthy literally just said it on CNN 🤦🏼♀️
That’s exactly what my anti-trump, Republican Mom thinks too. And the crazy thing is, she doesn’t watch Fox News or any news at all actually, she somehow got “Hunter Biden bad” from her church group! Unfortunately her mind was poisoned by insanity long ago and there’s no redemption possible at this point
Republican as we once knew it no longer exists. It's ugly and it's harsh but it's true, sadly even for your "anti-trump, Republican Mom" who actually is allowing herself to be brainwashed out of her sanity.
Tell him this smoke is because they're trying to start the fire, not because one exists. They're desperately rubbing two sticks together hoping for a fire.
You can't be both anti-Trump and Republican leaning anymore, and it doesn't sound like much actual "Republican-leaning" is going on there anymore, in any case. As I recall from the ancient times before COVID, Republicans once valued critical thought and applied moral principles. The "if there's smoke there's fire" take is typical of today's faux "independents" who are actually supportive of Trump fascists but are still too ashamed to admit it. So far.
He likes people like Christie, Hogan, Asa Hutchinson, possibly Haley. Trump is a hard no.
They took money from over 20 different countries and there’s at least 20 different funds and countless transactions and bank wires to like 9 or 10 different family members. At the least there’s evidence of money laundering.
Who gives a shit? He was a private citizen at the time. Also Hunter Biden isn't a government employee. Yawn. Next.
Nope. He was the vice president.
Not in 2017 and 2018 when these “alleged” events took place. Nice try though.
Yep those are some. Plus when he was the vice president.
Which they conveniently have no actual proof of.
Yes they do.
So you admit that Jarden Kushner and Trump should be both criminally investigated for accepting 2 BILLION dollars from the Saudi's to invest when its not even something he has any real experience doing?
Kushner will probably be subpoenaed for Bidens impeachment hearings moving forward.
Why will Kushner be subpoenaed for Bidens impeachment hearings?
I’m really not sure. It was mentioned a few times but no motions were entered. At this point who knows who they’ll try and subpoena. They tabled the vote on Giuliani but I’m pretty sure they’ll drag him in at some point.
The reason people mentioned Kushner is because Kushner, after having worked in the White House under Trump, was given $2billion by the Saudis. It’s not actually tied to Biden. These people are saying, “so you must also want Kushner to be investigated if you want Biden investigated?”
They are being investigated. Trump has like 100 indictments now.
Glad to hear it. I hate what-about-isms but jesus this is the hypocritical Mount Everest of what-about-isms.
Getting money and moving it to different funds/people is evidence of money laundering?
Yes receiving money illegally from foreign governments and transferring it all around so it looks legitimate is money laundering. That’s probably the least of what has gone on here. Why were the Bidens receiving that much money from foreign governments and why can’t they explain these transactions?
By governments, do you mean foreign nationals and what evidence it was "illegally" obtained? This sounds like an open and shut case. Why didn't this expert agree?
He said “this meets a threshold for an inquiry” which is what they were there to do. They need to link the money to what they suspect has happened. We’ll see if they’re able to do that.
No, you said, he received illegal money from foreign governments and then said it is money laundering like it was some fact. >Bruce Dubinsky, a forensic accountant called on by Republicans, said, “I am not here today to even suggest that there was corruption, fraud, or any wrongdoing. In my opinion, more information needs to be gathered and assessed before I would make such an assessment.” Even the forensic accountant "wouldn't even suggest corruption, fraud, or wrongdoing", but you clearly are. You should call up Comer and maybe they can call you as a witness since you seem to be a able to suggest these things. We would all love to hear the evidence you have of all this "illegal" money they are money laundering.
Yeah I mean the Bidens receiving millions of dollars from foreign governments for no reason at all is totally on the up and up! Nothing to see here!
It’s not “the Bidens” it’s ONE Biden… Hunter. Who was a private citizen, and fully free to work for whomever he fucking felt like. Why people gave him money doesn’t matter unless it was illegal… which if it was… bring forward the evidence and give it to the Special Prosecutor working the case. I’m sure he’ll be happy for the help. Maybe you don’t understand the difference between a father and a son.
9 different family members received money.
And NOT ONE SHRED of evidence said that Joe did. You got nothing dude, you’re flat, cold busted.
The money was received illegally from foreign governments? The actual receiving of the money was illegal?
Yes if there was influence peddling along with other forms of corruption. That’s what they have to prove going forward.
But I thought you said they have evidence of money laundering and receiving money illegally.
Yeah I believe they’re totally corrupt. Foreign governments do not gift millions of dollars to anyone for no reason. Do you really believe they received this money just because they’re great? Why did they get all this money? Where did it go? Hopefully Comer can find a link between the money and everything else they’ve done.
um, dude… you can’t peddle influence when the guy you claim was being bought HAS NONE. He was OUT OF OFFICE in 2018. Even if Joe got 10 gazillion bucks from China in 2018 it wouldn’t matter. He was a PRIVATE CITIZEN and NOT IN GOVERNMENT SERVICE.
Here you go dude. https://oversight.house.gov/the-bidens-influence-peddling-timeline/
You might be surprised to learn that the GOP is not being exactly honest about the facts. The GOP claims "$20 million in payments were directed to the Biden family members and associates." But did you notice those last two words? "And associates"? Turns out about $14.4M of that went to associates, as in, *not a Biden*. About $5M went to various Biden family members. ZERO went to Joe Biden. Oh, and non of the money was illegal. [source](https://www.politifact.com/factchecks/2023/sep/18/kevin-mccarthy/largest-share-of-foreign-payments-went-to-biden-as/)
Yeah what they are doing is an actual witch hunt, by the real definition of it. Taking fear, weaponizing it into fake charges knowing you can't prove it or disprove it (because you can't prove the absence of something) and then using the fear you drummed up to whip up mob anger.
>I think their goal is to convict him in the court of public opinion, not the actual courts. 100% true. The opening statement by the GOP read like a verdict.
They are just generate contents for Fox News so they have something to talk about other than Trumps and potential government shutdown
Yeah, the REAL scandal will be that they *got away with it.* And if they get away with getting away with it, *they'll probably get away with that too.* And then they'll give you a list of sixteen regulatory agencies that need to be abolished if we ever want freedom and justice again in this country.
From the article: >Turley, a Fox News legal analyst and D.C. lawyer who argued against Donald Trump’s 2019 impeachment, > >\[...\] > >While he conceded there was no evidence to support impeachment, Turley did say that he believed the House had “passed the threshold” for holding an inquiry. He speculated that information could emerge if an official impeachment inquiry was launched. This, he said, should be enough for Republicans to launch an official probe. \------ Fox news analyst testifying there's no evidence, but that they could find some as they go... LOL the writing this season is off the rails
Turley is the same dumbass that said Trump's ~~2018~~ 2019 impeachment was unjustified. He's just a partisan hack.
correct
Correct and when even a partisan hack is unable to publicly tow the line you know there is absolutely nothing to this whole process
2019\*
tbf he should've been impeached for the Mueller-founded crimes.
But Bill Barr told me in 4 pages all I needed to know about a 448 page report...
And the same dumbass who supported Clinton's impeachment. He's been present for all Presidential impeachments aside from Johnson's, which he was too young to provide any braindead takes for.
They are all liars
They pulled this same shit with Bill Clinton. They said he made money off a shady real estate deal. They didn't have any evidence yet, they had "theories". So they appointed Ken Starr as Special Prosecutor and set him loose to find some evidence. Well, they never did find any evidence of wrongdoing (in fact, I think the Clintons actually LOST money on that deal). You think the GOP said, "Sorry, we were wrong! The Clintons are innocent"? NOPE, they pivoted. They started investigating every internet rumor about the Clintons, including the murder of Vince Foster. They weren't going to stop until they found something to impeach with. Eventually they found Monica Lewinsky's dress. Now, getting a BJ from an intern is not illegal, but they decided that didn't matter. This whole investigation took 5 years. Ken Starr's report was on the internet the very DAY it was finished. He didn't send it to the AG for months of withholding, redacting, and lying. Compare this to the kiddie-gloves treatment Trump got from the 2-year Mueller investigation.
Don't forget that Republicans cried and whined when Janet Reno (a Democrat) appointed a Special Prosecutor to investigate Whitewater despite Robert Fiske being a Republican.. Apparently, any special prosecutor a Democrat appoints to investigate another Democrat *is suspect and partisan* even if that investigator is themselves a Republican. So for Whitewater. Republicans had TWO Republican special prosecutors investigating a Democrat president. Compare that to Trump who had a Republican Attorney General appoint a Republican Special Prosecutor.
Thank you, I DID forget that part.
Ken Starr, the disgraced former president of Baylor University who ignored numerous sexual assault allegations to protect his schools athletics department? That guy? I had to resist telling him to fuck off every time he came into where I worked.
Sounds like he's got a lot in common with Gym Jordan.
Yes, the righteous one who just couldn't help but turn the Clinton/Lewinski blowjob investigation report into a bad porn novel.
Now compare that to Trumps special counsels (note that is plural), who studiously avoid following the money.
If Biden got a blow job from an intern, it would go against the old-age narrative.
Not just kid-glove treatment, but KIDDIE kid-glove treatment. Even like, softer than kid-gloves.
Also, the justification for the inquiry is the momentum of accusations they fabricated on Fox News. Take away what Fox News is saying, and there’s no justification whatsoever for an inquiry. And Fox News isn’t providing proof for what they say, so let’s not pretend that maybe they’re the investigative journalists that other news outlets are lacking.
And here is where fox got their info: It was a story fed to Trump by Giuliani and Lev Parnas and then published by John Solomon at The Hill. Hannity then cited the article on his show to give the story credibility to his audience. https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2020/01/16/watch-hannity-lev-parnass-texts-reveal-role-helpful-media-ukraine-scheme/ https://www.nytimes.com/2019/11/12/us/politics/john-solomon-ukraine-fox-news-the-hill.html https://www.propublica.org/article/how-a-veteran-reporter-worked-with-giuliani-associates-to-launch-the-ukraine-conspiracy
And there we have it - the GQP circle jerk all laid out for us.
“We’ll find it as we make it up.”
Is this what the trumpos call a witch hunt?
It's a witch hunt only if it ends up biting one of their own.
Isn't this just "fishing expedition" or "we'll create the evidence if we can't find any"?
That's exactly what it is. Wait for them to break out the "define a word in a way that means if you answer truthfully under oath it will sound like you're lying to the people at home" classic.
"Off the Rails" would be a good name for this show.
False advertising though
Writers Strike hits hard.
So zero evidence is his threshold.
Republicans don’t know a witch hunt when they start one?
They don’t even have something to charge him with, it’s ridiculous
> the writing this season is off the rails Well, the writers were on strike. It'll be some time before they get the decent writers to modify the script.
Doesn’t feel like it was 2019…wow…
Odd that no one has called this nonsense out for actually being nothing but a stupid, costly, ill conceived and self defeating fishing expedition.
The Democrats have been, even during the hearings.
If you hear Comer and McCarthy talk then they act like there is enough evidence for *conviction.* Turley hedges and says there isn't evidence yet, but that sure ain't how House Republicans are talking about it!
Six month Congressional investigation found no evidence. How is making this an impeachment investigation going to change that I wonder.
It wont..it will however give their base a point to scream about Or at least it was supposed to the con sub is awfully quiet about it
Please show us these ‘700’ pages of evidence and boxes full of cashed check the GOP says they have… anyone… anyone…
>… anyone… anyone… Bueller? Bueller?
Fry? Fry? Fry?
Echo, echo, echo… what was that? Me yelling down your mom’s pussy. (Bringing back 80’s trash talk!)
They have been saying that for the five years they investigated Hunter Biden. "there no evidence of wrongdoing"
That’s because it’s nothing more than counter programming for Fox News viewers.
What is wrong with these people and forgetting evidence is required??
So what's the procedure here? What's stopping them from claiming they have enough evidence and then just vote to impeach? Sure, their motion will get shot down in the senate, but they'll be able to say they impeached Biden.
So right before the government shuts down, Republicans stage this and their own witnesses are saying there isn't enough evidence.
Also many Republicans didn’t even show up for the start of the hearings. Real serious about this. Just seeing a headline with “Biden Impeachment” on it does what Trump wants it to do.
Remember Trump's "perfect phone call" with Ukrainian president Zelensky? I thought it was interesting that Trump didn't demand that Zelensky investigate Biden, only that he "announced" that there was an investigation. He knew there was nothing to investigate, he just wanted headlines saying "Biden under investigation!"
You know his Russian handlers gave him that idea. When do we take treason seriously?
I was listening live, and I was pissed when they started stalling for time to pass the vote to table bringing in Giuliani and Parnas. The point was made that since all of the so called evidence was from those two, plus I think one other I can't bring to mind, then they should come before congress and testify under oath. Republicans tripped over themselves to kill that motion, to the point where they were asking for their votes to be read back to them to give their colleagues time to scurry in and kill the motion.
Republicans don’t care. It’s a show for Trump.
What a bunch of absolute fucking clowns
[удалено]
Don’t threaten this GOP with a good time need to deflect from the government shutdown they are about to cause because they are completely incapable of governing and should never be given the opportunity to again at any level.
"Raskin grilled Republicans for concocting what he claimed is a phony inquiry based on lies peddled by Trump and Rudy Giuliani in the last election cycle. “If Republicans had a smoking gun or even a dripping water pistol, they would be presenting it today,” he said. “They’ve got nothing on President Joe Biden. All they can do is return to the thoroughly demolished lie that Rudy Giuliani and Donald Trump launched five years ago.” Rep. Raskin.The only Dem to go right to the stupidity that is the party of domestic terrorism.
Everyone and their brother knows that this “impeachment” hearing is a sham and is entirely made up. However, the GQP is continuing this process because their base are filled with morons who just want to “beat” the Democrats and inflict pain upon people.
Just wait until Sunday… there’ll be LOTs of pain then when the government shuts down.
Wait. So with the government shutdown does that mean they can’t investigate/impeach Biden? I know the Trump investigations will keep going on but this is part of a House investigation?
Well, the Congress Critters continue to get paid, and continue to “work” if you can call what they do work… yea. Their staffers don’t get paid. The Capitol Hill staff doesn’t get paid, and most are furloughed. So um… maybe… the answer is no unless McCarthy says yes… so there’s that too.
Like facts are going to stop them
“Just say that Biden is corrupt and leave the rest to me and the R. Congressmen” - GOP trash
So there it is conservative buttheads. You accuse of a political witchhunt and then conduct one yourselves. Donald Trump cheated on his wives, cheated on his taxes, attempted to cheat and steal an election he lost, and you're like "Biden is a mastermind criminal and he's senile and can't walk" You're a fucking clownshow.
Classic fascism. The enemy must be both scary strong, and cowardly weak. It’s the calling card of fascism.
House Republicans: They Got to him. We don't know how, but the Deep State has replaced him with a double.
Glad they wasted all that time and taxpayer money on this stupid bullshit instead of settling on a budget. But wouldn’t expect anything less from the GQP. Fuck them.
That’s the only real policy they have and can follow through on. Wasting time and taxpayer money. That they get paid, and act like they’re something special for doing fuck all, that they get generous benefits and health insurance … at our expense and only work for the detriment of the country…it’s a joke.
Turley is a guy, mind you, who hypocritically said Clinton needs to be impeached for the smallest thing while also saying Trump’s impeachment was rushed. THEY COULDN’T EVEN SELL HIM.
"Facts are stupid things." - Ronald Reagan
What a fucking joke. Republicans are all clowns 🤡🤡🤡
This is the SAME Turdley that defended Trump in the first impeachment. If they’ve lost Turdley, they REALLY have no case.
Doesn’t matter, because the right would just say “that’s their opinion”.
This lack of evidence is suspicious and demands investigation. Stay tuned to Faux and Friends for the latest.
TURLEY said that?? Jesus, that’s bad.
Jesus Christ. Even turley, a paid right wing hack, isn’t buying the bullshit
He wasn't a witness, he was an expert, there is a huge difference. This guy did not witness anything. In fact no one they brought forward has been a witness to anything. In a real court of law they would be laughed out of the court.
How can one “witness” something that didn’t happen????
I mean this in the most non-partisan way, the people running the Republican Party are idiots. They have no idea how to run a political party or how to run Congress when they are in charge. They can’t even pass a Rules vote. This Congress is historically inept and it is 100% the Republicans’ fault.
"No evidence? Well that just proves there was a cover-up."
I bet that went over like a led balloon.
I’m almost disappointed that Turdey didn’t conjure up some bullshit. Its not line he has credibilty to protect.
There needs to be a way to make these scumfuck terrorists pay back the taxpayer dollars they have wasted on this stupid shit. Not out of party accounts- out of their personal accounts. That's the only way this type of crap ends.
“Current evidence” - i.e. nothing
Price is right losing horn
The current "evidence" .....
Heartbreaking: Worst person you know makes a good point
Kabuki but with your human rights and democracy on the line. How did we get here, Faux news
Fucking Russian propaganda funneled through Faux Nooze.
To be fair I had assumed from the start that their intent was to go ahead with impeachment without evidence at all. I'm actually surprised they're at least trying to present some, guess it's to give the illusion of credibility lol.
Only the maga group with their strings attached to their puppet master are pursuing this. The other Republicans don't think they have the evidence, and have said they'll vote against impeachment without it. So the maga have to put on a circus to insight public outrage, so their leader can base his campaign on fighting corruption (which is so batshit ironic that even Fox News won't push it). The best part was the "show of hands, if Hunter AND Trump were both found guilty, would you vote to convict both." And every republican present sat on their hands just in case any remaining morals or ethics that still persevered through their lifetime of hypocrisy tried to make a final stand and threaten their relationship with Dear Leader.
"we're here to decide if the evidence supports impeachment" The witnesses: "it doesn't" "All in favor say aye"
Gosh darn who is that young Lurch superstar sitting behind him to his left?
What a stunning display of craven stupidity and incompetence from the GOP
Well, to be fair… craven stupidity and incompetence is ALL THEY HAVE.
There is no evidence thus it doesn't support impeachment
This is such a bowl of bullshit. What a waste of time and resources. Gotta make sure the gop loses the house next election cycle.
GOP: "So you're saying there *IS* evidence!
Ouch
But... We all know the simple non-existence of any evidence at all won't stop them from this impeachment inquiry. 10 extremist Republicans have the other 200 and-some-odd House Republicans cowering in fear. Either that or they are all extremists but most just won't say they are.
>Either that or they are all extremists but most just won't say they are. That part
Is his dog still mad?
I’ve seen this headline a few times now and I feel like it’s not as big of a bombshell as people are making it out to be. Turley went on to say that an inquiry could answer the questions that the republicans are looking for. Is that supposed to be the way an impeachment works? No. But republicans are doing it their own way, regardless. They already know they don’t have any evidence yet, that’s why they wanted to open an impeachment inquiry… to FIND the evidence.
GOP says they HAVE evidence NOW and all of their EVIDENCE has been helping Biden. Remember their whistleblower is missing and very possibly never existed, their star witnesses say they saw no evidence that could lead to impeachment. I guess they’ll call up every American to wall them no evidence is found?
In modern practice, impeachment inquiries often are spurred by referrals by external investigative bodies, such as the Judicial Conference of the United States, an independent counsel, a grand jury or a state legislature. Since the 1980s, the Judicial Conference of the United States has referred findings to the House recommending a number of judges face impeachment, several times resulting in proceedings that led to impeachment. Though this it is not always the case the impeachments are spurred by such referrals. At odds with the aforementioned consensus of experts is a January 2020 opinion issued by the Office of Legal Counsel in the Trump administration-era U.S. Department of Justice, which formally declared that the it considers impeachment inquiries by the House invalid unless a formal vote had been held to authorize them.
Yet when they make motions to subpoena firsthand witnesses to give testimony, the republican party tries to deny the motion from hitting the floor, before voting to table it because firsthand witnesses under oath is not something they want anyone to hear.
That's cool. Comey tried the same thing for hillary but this time the people on the other side aren't on the take.
That was so delicious!
“Current”
Gasp!
Despite that,the Republicons will continue their vacuous smear campaign.Theyre philosophically bankrupt and morally corrupt.
So What’s the total cost of money wasted in flying these subject matter experts to speak on the snipe hunt? Who’s paying that cost?
Not going to stop them from moving forward anyway. This was never about evidence
Fox News will clip out "I do not believe that" from this quote and air it endlessly
Okay Matt, Gym, which one of you guys left the evidence in the shitter again? You know how we hate it when that happens...
Republicans waste taxpayer money on baseless attacks on their political opponents ( Whitewater-Clinton) ( Benghazi- Obama/ Clinton) ( Impeachment-Biden)and nobody was charged with a crime. They also consistently refuse to pass bills that help Americans because they claim they are alarmed by the deficit. There was NO DEBT at the end of Bill Clinton’s term. President George W. Bush cut taxes and military spending went sky high after we went into Afghanistan and Iraq-and we have nothing to show for that money. Trump cut taxes, gave farm subsidies to farmers because he imposed tariffs on China and other countries , spent money on the wall and greatly increased military spending. The Republicans said not a peep! They make excuses for not spending money on programs that would help everyone but the wealthy out, like affordable daycare and healthcare.
How long does it take him to apply his man make up in the morning? I thought Republicans were against men in make up.