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You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/live/2019/sep/25/trump-ukraine-news-today-live-impeachment-democrats-pelosi-latest
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| Trump-Ukraine scandal: Giuliani says he has heard transcript between leaders – live | Trump-Ukraine scandal: Giuliani says he has heard transcript between leaders – live |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| Meanwhile, over on Capitol Hill – a shining example of the depth and maturity of US government – House Republicans are handing out impeachment Mad Libs in their morning caucus meeting. | |
| .@SteveScalise is handing out MAD LIBS IMPEACHMENT GAMES at GOP conference this am. Stands to show: House Rs are salivating over the prospect of using impeachment against the majority, politically -> pic.twitter.com/J2Dsu5ERnu | |
| Many Republicans believe impeachment could be beneficial for them politically, activating their base and aggravating centrist voters who turned away from them in the 2018 midterms. | |
| There has already been some anecdotal evidence to substantiate that argument. Trump’s reelection campaign and the Republican National Committee raised around $1 million yesterday by sending emails to supporters, encouraging them to join the “Official Impeachment Defense Task Force.” | |
| Trump was reportedly taken aback by Nancy Pelosi’s impeachment announcement, incorrectly believing that his morning phone call to the House speaker yesterday had assuaged her concerns. | |
| Pelosi mentioned the phone call in her appearance at the Atlantic Festival yesterday. She said Trump called to discuss gun legislation but that the conversation veered into “other things.” The speaker declined to elaborate on what those “other things” were. | |
| CNN reports: | |
| He had felt confident after phoning Pelosi earlier that morning. ... It was after that call that Trump made the decision to release an ‘unredacted’ version of the transcript of his July call -- against the advice of aides such as Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, who warned him it would set a risky precedent. Trump wanted to undercut the argument from Democrats that he acted inappropriately, he said, and felt he had nothing to hide. | |
| But when the announcement he would release the transcript did little to quell the growing calls for his impeachment, Trump was in disbelief. | |
| Trump is still tweeting away, insisting that Democrats should “apologize” after they see the transcript of his phone call with the Ukrainian president, which is expected to be released as soon as this morning. | |
| Will the Democrats apologize after seeing what was said on the call with the Ukrainian President? They should, a perfect call - got them by surprise! | |
| But Democrats have consistently said since reports of the call emerged that seeing the transcript would not be enough. They want the full whistleblower complaint, which may rely on more information than just one phone call between the two presidents. | |
| Trump and his allies are likely to argue once the transcript is released that it totally answers any and all questions Democrats might have. But Pelosi and her caucus members have already made clear that it will not stop their investigation into the call. | |
| Trump has been consistently tweeting since Nancy Pelosi made her impeachment announcement yesterday evening. | |
| “The Democrats have been talking about Impeaching Donald Trump since before he was inaugurated.” @SteveDoocy @foxandfriends And for no reason other than the great success we are having with the Economy, the Military, Vets, Tax and Regulation Cuts, HealthCare, and so much more! | |
| The president has shared several clips from Fox News with sympathetic hosts and commentators arguing that impeachment is a desperate ploy on the part of Democrats who are hell-bent on ousting Trump. | |
| "They (Dems) are scrambling for a theme and narrative. They've gone everywhere from Russian Hoax to Russian Collusion...and now they've come to this...they think they should have won the 2016 election, they think in their bizarre brains that they did..." pic.twitter.com/xqYFEAzT8D | |
| Of course, Pelosi said herself yesterday that she had tried to avoid launching a formal impeachment inquiry, despite ardent urging by many members of her caucus. | |
| The House speaker previously said she would not take this step unless she felt her caucus members had the strongest possible case to make on impeachment. Apparently she thinks that now they do. | |
| Trump continues to lash out against Democratic lawmakers in the wake of Nancy Pelosi’s impeachment announcement, retweeting allies and accusing House Democrats of pursuing a “Witch Hunt.” | Trump continues to lash out against Democratic lawmakers in the wake of Nancy Pelosi’s impeachment announcement, retweeting allies and accusing House Democrats of pursuing a “Witch Hunt.” |
| There has been no President in the history of our Country who has been treated so badly as I have. The Democrats are frozen with hatred and fear. They get nothing done. This should never be allowed to happen to another President. Witch Hunt! | There has been no President in the history of our Country who has been treated so badly as I have. The Democrats are frozen with hatred and fear. They get nothing done. This should never be allowed to happen to another President. Witch Hunt! |
| Good morning, live blog readers! | Good morning, live blog readers! |
| Well, here we are: the day after the official start of House Democrats’ impeachment inquiry. With her announcement, Nancy Pelosi signaled her caucus is entering a new phase of its investigations of Donald Trump – and the president’s team is already giving the House speaker plenty of material to work with. | Well, here we are: the day after the official start of House Democrats’ impeachment inquiry. With her announcement, Nancy Pelosi signaled her caucus is entering a new phase of its investigations of Donald Trump – and the president’s team is already giving the House speaker plenty of material to work with. |
| Appearing on “Fox and Friends” this morning, Rudy Giuliani, Trump’s personal lawyer, said the transcript of the president’s call with the leader of Ukraine had been read to him. When asked whether he had heard the whole transcript, Giuliani replied, “I hope.” | Appearing on “Fox and Friends” this morning, Rudy Giuliani, Trump’s personal lawyer, said the transcript of the president’s call with the leader of Ukraine had been read to him. When asked whether he had heard the whole transcript, Giuliani replied, “I hope.” |
| Here is Rudy Giuliani, who is not a government official, saying on Fox & Friends that the transcript of Trump's call to president of Ukraine -- one that's at the heart of a whistleblower complaint -- was read to him. Congress still hasn't been able to see it. pic.twitter.com/CpioFcAsqX | Here is Rudy Giuliani, who is not a government official, saying on Fox & Friends that the transcript of Trump's call to president of Ukraine -- one that's at the heart of a whistleblower complaint -- was read to him. Congress still hasn't been able to see it. pic.twitter.com/CpioFcAsqX |
| The answer is sure to spark concerns for House Democrats. Why, they might ask, was a private citizen allowed to hear the transcript of the call before the elected lawmakers who have specifically requested information on whether Trump tried to pressure the Ukrainian president to investigate Joe Biden? | The answer is sure to spark concerns for House Democrats. Why, they might ask, was a private citizen allowed to hear the transcript of the call before the elected lawmakers who have specifically requested information on whether Trump tried to pressure the Ukrainian president to investigate Joe Biden? |
| Giuliani’s comments come on the heals of a Washington Post report asserting that the president’s personal lawyer was deeply involved with pressuring Ukraine in the hopes of politically benefiting Trump. | Giuliani’s comments come on the heals of a Washington Post report asserting that the president’s personal lawyer was deeply involved with pressuring Ukraine in the hopes of politically benefiting Trump. |
| The Post reports: | The Post reports: |
| ‘Rudy — he did all of this,’ one U.S. official said. ‘This s---show that we’re in — it’s him injecting himself into the process.’ | ‘Rudy — he did all of this,’ one U.S. official said. ‘This s---show that we’re in — it’s him injecting himself into the process.’ |
| Several officials traced their initial concerns about the path of U.S.-Ukrainian relations to news reports and interviews granted by Giuliani in which he began to espouse views and concerns that did not appear connected to U.S. priorities or policy. | Several officials traced their initial concerns about the path of U.S.-Ukrainian relations to news reports and interviews granted by Giuliani in which he began to espouse views and concerns that did not appear connected to U.S. priorities or policy. |
| The former New York mayor appears to have seen [Volodymyr] Zelensky, a political neophyte elected president of Ukraine in April and sworn in in May, as a potential ally on two political fronts: punishing those Giuliani suspected of playing a role in exposing the Ukraine-related corruption of former Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort, and delivering political ammunition against Biden. | The former New York mayor appears to have seen [Volodymyr] Zelensky, a political neophyte elected president of Ukraine in April and sworn in in May, as a potential ally on two political fronts: punishing those Giuliani suspected of playing a role in exposing the Ukraine-related corruption of former Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort, and delivering political ammunition against Biden. |
| It seems virtually certain that Giuliani will soon be dragged in front of one (or more) House committees to answer questions on these allegations. But whether the White House will actually let him answer is far less certain. | It seems virtually certain that Giuliani will soon be dragged in front of one (or more) House committees to answer questions on these allegations. But whether the White House will actually let him answer is far less certain. |
| Here’s what else the blog is keeping its eye on today: | Here’s what else the blog is keeping its eye on today: |
| Trump is still in New York and will meet with the Ukrainian president at 2:15 p.m. EST. | Trump is still in New York and will meet with the Ukrainian president at 2:15 p.m. EST. |
| The House Democratic caucus will hold a meeting this morning, where members will surely discuss next steps in the impeachment inquiry. | The House Democratic caucus will hold a meeting this morning, where members will surely discuss next steps in the impeachment inquiry. |
| Senator Mitt Romney and representative Adam Schiff, the chairman of the House intelligence committee, will appear at the Atlantic Festival today. | Senator Mitt Romney and representative Adam Schiff, the chairman of the House intelligence committee, will appear at the Atlantic Festival today. |
| That’s all still coming up, so stay tuned. | That’s all still coming up, so stay tuned. |