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| Trump calls impeachment inquiry a 'lynching' as key witness testifies – live | Trump calls impeachment inquiry a 'lynching' as key witness testifies – live |
| (30 minutes later) | |
| As the acting US ambassador to Ukraine testifies behind closed doors on Capitol Hill, more House Democrats expressed outrage at Trump for comparing the impeachment inquiry to a “lynching.” | |
| From an Illinois congressman: | |
| You think this impeachment is a LYNCHING? What the hell is wrong with you? Do you know how many people who look like me have been lynched, since the inception of this country, by people who look like you. Delete this tweet. https://t.co/oTMhWo4awR | |
| A Texas congresswoman called it a “disgrace”: | |
| Rep Veronica Escobar said Trump’s lynching tweet “was shocking” and says he doesn’t understand history and says it’s incredibly disrespectful to the country. It was awful, she added. | |
| The chairwoman of the congressional black caucus argued that the tweet fits a pattern of Trump using the most vile language possible when he feels cornered: | |
| CBC Chairwoman Karen Bass told me of this “lynching” tweet that she believes it is consistent with Trump’s pattern of throwing out “racial bombs” to give “red meat” to his base when his back his against the wall. https://t.co/iVhOTHq0yp | |
| A CNN reporter similarly suggested that the tweet was Trump’s way of trying to distract from the many controversies he is facing at home and abroad right now: | |
| Trump knows what a lynching is & what it means in this country. And the fastest way to create a cycle of controversy is to invoke the county’s deepest & darkest racial wounds for his own ends.It should be called out, but let’s stay focused on the facts. https://t.co/wHM5NiPELC | |
| In his closed-door testimony, Bill Taylor reportedly intends to describe the events leading up to his text messages about a potential quid pro quo in the delaying of military aid to Ukraine, but he is not looking to issue his own statement. | |
| CNN reports: | |
| Taylor, who is testifying before the three House committees leading the Democratic impeachment inquiry, will lay out the reasoning behind his different WhatsApp text messages in his opening statement Tuesday, [a source familiar with his testimony] said. Taylor plans to include a chronology of events, according to the source, dating back to June, when Taylor assumed the post as ambassador, through October. ... | |
| Taylor will not be bringing any new documents to the committee, he will just be referencing those that have already been made public, the source said. ... | |
| Taylor, as the current acting ambassador to Ukraine, is in a difficult and delicate position testifying Tuesday, the source said. Taylor’s view is that he is there to speak to committee and answer their questions, and he’s not looking to issue his own statement publicly. ... | |
| Taylor plans to return to Ukraine on Wednesday, the source said. He wants to keep his job, and thinks it is important work. | |
| Bill Taylor, the acting US ambassador to Ukraine, has arrived on Capitol Hill to testify in House Democrats’ impeachment inquiry against Trump. | Bill Taylor, the acting US ambassador to Ukraine, has arrived on Capitol Hill to testify in House Democrats’ impeachment inquiry against Trump. |
| The longtime diplomat wrote in a text last month to Kurt Volker, the former US special envoy to Ukraine, and Gordon Sondland, the US ambassador to the EU, that it was “crazy to withhold security assistance for help with a political campaign.” | The longtime diplomat wrote in a text last month to Kurt Volker, the former US special envoy to Ukraine, and Gordon Sondland, the US ambassador to the EU, that it was “crazy to withhold security assistance for help with a political campaign.” |
| House Democrats hope Taylor can shed light on whether Trump held up military aid to Ukraine specifically to pressure officials there to investigate Joe Biden. | House Democrats hope Taylor can shed light on whether Trump held up military aid to Ukraine specifically to pressure officials there to investigate Joe Biden. |
| Half of Americans believe that Trump should be impeached and removed from office, according to a CNN/SSRS poll released this morning. | Half of Americans believe that Trump should be impeached and removed from office, according to a CNN/SSRS poll released this morning. |
| The results showed that 50 percent of Americans would support Trump’s removal, compared to 43 percent of Americans who would oppose it. That level of support marks a 13-point increase since late April, following the release of special counsel Robert Mueller’s redacted report. | The results showed that 50 percent of Americans would support Trump’s removal, compared to 43 percent of Americans who would oppose it. That level of support marks a 13-point increase since late April, following the release of special counsel Robert Mueller’s redacted report. |
| In comparison, CNN’s polling never surpassed 30 percent when measuring support of Bill Clinton’s impeachment, a Bloomberg News reporter noted. | In comparison, CNN’s polling never surpassed 30 percent when measuring support of Bill Clinton’s impeachment, a Bloomberg News reporter noted. |
| It’s still early in the process but one thing is already clear — the politics look nothing like the Clinton impeachment, despite how much that fear has haunted Democrats all year. | It’s still early in the process but one thing is already clear — the politics look nothing like the Clinton impeachment, despite how much that fear has haunted Democrats all year. |
| Reactions are rolling in to Trump’s description of the impeachment inquiry as a “lynching,” and they are unsurprisingly furious. | Reactions are rolling in to Trump’s description of the impeachment inquiry as a “lynching,” and they are unsurprisingly furious. |
| From the president of the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law: | From the president of the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law: |
| A lynching?! 4,743 people were lynched in the US between 1882 - 1968, incl. 3,446 African Americans. Lynchings were crimes against humanity and an ugly part of our nation’s history of racial violence and brutalitySickened to see Trump’s gross misappropriation of this term today pic.twitter.com/L8Oi9m8xRk | A lynching?! 4,743 people were lynched in the US between 1882 - 1968, incl. 3,446 African Americans. Lynchings were crimes against humanity and an ugly part of our nation’s history of racial violence and brutalitySickened to see Trump’s gross misappropriation of this term today pic.twitter.com/L8Oi9m8xRk |
| From an Atlantic staff writer: | From an Atlantic staff writer: |
| Trump has inspired multiple acts of racist violence and his referring to impeachment as a “lynching” is risible. But worse will be his toadies adopting this inversion of past and present, with the nation’s most powerful racist as a *victim* of racist violence, as a talking point. pic.twitter.com/EaXx3bUUUQ | Trump has inspired multiple acts of racist violence and his referring to impeachment as a “lynching” is risible. But worse will be his toadies adopting this inversion of past and present, with the nation’s most powerful racist as a *victim* of racist violence, as a talking point. pic.twitter.com/EaXx3bUUUQ |
| Representative Jim Clyburn, Democrats’ House majority whip and a former chairman of the congressional black caucus, urged Trump to “know the history of that word.” | Representative Jim Clyburn, Democrats’ House majority whip and a former chairman of the congressional black caucus, urged Trump to “know the history of that word.” |
| Clyburn on Trump calling impeachment investigation a “lynching”: “That is one word that no president ought to apply to himself.”“I’m not a just a politician...I’m a product of the South. I know the history of that word.” | Clyburn on Trump calling impeachment investigation a “lynching”: “That is one word that no president ought to apply to himself.”“I’m not a just a politician...I’m a product of the South. I know the history of that word.” |
| Good morning, live blog readers! | Good morning, live blog readers! |
| It is a big day in House Democrats’ impeachment inquiry against Donald Trump. Bill Taylor, the acting US ambassador to Ukraine who took over the the post after the ouster of Maria Yovanovitch, is expected to testify at 9:30 a.m. E.T., and he could provide critical information on whether military aid to the country was held up over Trump’s demand for an investigation into the Democrats. | It is a big day in House Democrats’ impeachment inquiry against Donald Trump. Bill Taylor, the acting US ambassador to Ukraine who took over the the post after the ouster of Maria Yovanovitch, is expected to testify at 9:30 a.m. E.T., and he could provide critical information on whether military aid to the country was held up over Trump’s demand for an investigation into the Democrats. |
| In a September 9 text message to Kurt Volker, the former US special envoy to Ukraine, and Gordon Sondland, the US ambassador to the EU, Taylor wrote: “As I said on the phone, I think it’s crazy to withhold security assistance for help with a political campaign.” | In a September 9 text message to Kurt Volker, the former US special envoy to Ukraine, and Gordon Sondland, the US ambassador to the EU, Taylor wrote: “As I said on the phone, I think it’s crazy to withhold security assistance for help with a political campaign.” |
| A number of House Democrats believe that Taylor’s testimony could provide a smoking gun on the question of whether Trump tried to pressure a foreign power to investigate one of his political rivals, Joe Biden. | A number of House Democrats believe that Taylor’s testimony could provide a smoking gun on the question of whether Trump tried to pressure a foreign power to investigate one of his political rivals, Joe Biden. |
| The president is clearly worried about Taylor’s testimony, if his morning Twitter feed is any indication. Trump lashed out against the investigation in a series of tweets, even referring to the probe as a “lynching.” | The president is clearly worried about Taylor’s testimony, if his morning Twitter feed is any indication. Trump lashed out against the investigation in a series of tweets, even referring to the probe as a “lynching.” |
| So some day, if a Democrat becomes President and the Republicans win the House, even by a tiny margin, they can impeach the President, without due process or fairness or any legal rights. All Republicans must remember what they are witnessing here - a lynching. But we will WIN! | So some day, if a Democrat becomes President and the Republicans win the House, even by a tiny margin, they can impeach the President, without due process or fairness or any legal rights. All Republicans must remember what they are witnessing here - a lynching. But we will WIN! |
| Trump’s use of a term that invokes centuries of racist violence against African Americans will certainly incense many Democrats, and it will may also frustrate some of the congressional Republicans who privately say they are growing tired of defending the president’s most controversial comments and decisions. | Trump’s use of a term that invokes centuries of racist violence against African Americans will certainly incense many Democrats, and it will may also frustrate some of the congressional Republicans who privately say they are growing tired of defending the president’s most controversial comments and decisions. |
| Here’s what else the blog is keeping its eye on: | Here’s what else the blog is keeping its eye on: |
| Trump will have lunch with secretary of state Mike Pompeo at 12:45 p.m. E.T. | Trump will have lunch with secretary of state Mike Pompeo at 12:45 p.m. E.T. |
| Fortune will continue its Most Powerful Women Summit in Washington, where Trump’s former homeland security secretary, Kirstjen Nielsen, will be interviewed at 2:35 p.m. E.T. Nielsen’s expected appearance has set off controversy, given her instrumental role in the migrant family separation crisis. | Fortune will continue its Most Powerful Women Summit in Washington, where Trump’s former homeland security secretary, Kirstjen Nielsen, will be interviewed at 2:35 p.m. E.T. Nielsen’s expected appearance has set off controversy, given her instrumental role in the migrant family separation crisis. |
| House Republican leadership will hold a press conference at 10 a.m. E.T. | House Republican leadership will hold a press conference at 10 a.m. E.T. |
| That’s all still coming up, so stay tuned. | That’s all still coming up, so stay tuned. |