The 3 Big Reveals In Taylor's Bombshell Testimony On Trump's Ukraine Scheme

[ffr]

A pivotal witness in the Democrats’ impeachment inquiry described several conversations among top administration officials this summer in which President Trump’s Ukraine quid pro quo was explicitly discussed.
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Sept. 1: Ukraine is told military aid is being withheld for probes

Taylor’s prepared statement described the frenzied weeks after Trump placed a hold on military aid to Ukraine that had been authorized by Congress.

Even after Politico broke the news of the freeze on Aug. 28, it wasn’t Taylor’s understanding that the hold was connected to Trump’s demands that Ukraine open a Biden-related probe and a probe into conspiracy theories about the 2016 election.

The connection was only made for him four days later, during a Sept. 1 conversation with a National Security Council official, Taylor testified.

Sept. 7: Trump wants Zelensky to announce probes into ‘Biden’ and the 2016 election

Taylor spoke to Morrison several more times after the Sept. 1 phone call. During a Sept. 7 phone call, Morrison recalled to Taylor a conversation that Sondland said he had had with President Trump.

According to the account, Trump had denied to Sondland that there was a quid pro quo.

“But President Trump did insist that President Zelensky go to a microphone and say he is opening investigations of Biden and 2016 election interference,” Taylor said of Morrison’s account of the Sondland-Trump call.

Sept 8: Frozen aid is at a “stalemate” unless Zelensky announces probes

Taylor went to Sondland again, who discussed on the phone with Taylor his conversations with Trump and top Ukrainian officials, according to Taylor’s testimony.

Again denying the quid pro quo, Trump still wanted Zelensky to “clear things up and do it in public,” Sondland allegedly told Taylor.

Sondland told Taylor that he delivered the message to Zelensky and his aide Yermak, telling them there would be a “stalemate” unless Zelensky “cleared things up”

Zelensky agreed to do an interview on CNN announcing the probes, according to Taylor’s account of what Sonland told him.

- TPM

Dana Milbank is right, this isn't quid pro quo, it's quid pro luto (this for dirt).

[Midnight Writer]

1. What is most shocking to me, and seems to get overlooked, is Trump urging Zelensky to

"work things out with Putin". Ukraine is under an active invasion by Russia. I take the "work things out" to be instructing Zelensky to make concessions to the Russian Bear.

[stuffmatters]

4. Yep ordering Zelensky to surrender to Putin's invasion and clear him of US election invasion.

The twofer Putin needs to get the Russian sanctions lifted.

[dchill]

6. Well, that's what TRUMP did.

[uponit7771]

2. Sondland needs to either confirm or deny, most likely he'll say screw the subpoena and go to jail

[mercuryblues]

14. Sondland will do what's good for Sondland

He is a fat cat that bought his way into an ambassadorship. No way that guy will take the fall for trump and go to jail. From what I read of his deposition, it was self-serving. He seems like a guy that, despite making it big in the USA, he wanted-no he coveted what others were getting above him, he set out to get it for himself. Green eyed monster.

His only choice to save himself right now is to go to congress and "clarify" his testimony. Spill it all and hope for the best. It is actually his only choice if he wants to save his business. If he doesn't he will be going to jail for perjury and lose his business. He has to realize by now that trump will never protect him. trump will only protect himself.

[Stuart G]

3. k and r...

[Lonestarblue]

5. It wasn't just that Trump wanted an announcement of an investigation.

He wanted Ukraine to manufacture evidence of corruption by the Bidens. The media keeps just talking about an investigation, as if it were warranted. They need to report accurately—that Trump wanted false dirt on Biden to use in 2020. It’s time for the media to call Trump what he is: a corrupt dictator who aligns himself with the worst of the world’s authoritarian leaders and sells out US allies and US national security at the drop of a hat.

[dchill]

7. That's what I call the media doing...

...the opposite of their jobs.

[uponit7771]

15. +1

[Duppers]

8. Isn't that extortion? nt

[grantcart]

9. No, extortion is where you coerce someone to take action by threatening

A harm to that person.

Bribery is where you entice someone to take action with a positive enducement.

Could be either but bribery fits better.

Bribery requires a specific quid for quo. That is why Malvaney's admission with today's statements by Taylor is so devistating.

[gristy]

18. Yes,indeed. That is extortion.

Get dirt on Biden, or no military aid to resist Russia.

"That's a nice country you've got there. It'd be a shame if something happened to it."

[grantcart]

10. And That is just from the prepared statement.

[erronis]

11. "A pivotal witness in the Democrats' impeachment inquiry..." - it's the House impeachment inquiry

While I understand the underlying sentiment, the inquiry is not being performed by some mandated group of Democrats.

They are the elected representatives from all of the states and all of the parties. Not just the Democrats.

Now, some of any party may not agree with everything, but it is still the House that is bringing these inquiries.

[magicarpet]

12. A Mafia/Fascist/Oligarch shakedown,...

.... from the Oval Office,... AmeriKKKa is so proud to have this thug trDump
in the White people's White House.

Patriotic Americans - NOT SO MUCH !

[docgee]

13. It's not quid pro quo anyway.

Withholding the funds Congress already appropriated is straight up extortion.

[Hermit-The-Prog]

16. "give me what I want or your whole country dies"

[calimary]

17. Quid pro luto! This for dirt. Yep.

[dalton99a]

19. Kick