Reside protection: Republican impeachment inquiry (half 2)

Comer finally ends up by saying Democrats have accomplished it incorrect up to now by having proof up entrance earlier than holding an impeachment. Then he goes on to spend the remainder of his closing assertion simply repeating unsupported allegations. 

Then Jordan brings it dwelling with the screaming, arm-waving, sweat-stained anger you recognize he needed to show all day. All of it, all of it, across the utterly debunked Burisma conspiracy. 

And that, thank God, is that. Thanks for coming, there aren’t any prizes below your seats.

Raskin takes a lot appreciated outing to speak about Ukraine, and whereas Republicans are spreading debunked conspiracy theories about Ukraine within the listening to, out on the Home ground Republicans try to take away $300 million from the persevering with decision that’s meant to assist Ukraine within the warfare in opposition to Russia — a warfare that actually does contain mass kidnapping and mass sexual abuse. 

Raskin calls it a “Seinfeld impeachment” — an impeachment about nothing. As soon as once more mentions that they’re not calling Giuliani or Parnas, or some other truth witnesses. Additionally, they may wish to have some info.

Lastly, we at the moment are going into closing statements. Raskin up first.

Rep. Kelly Armstrong. What do you imply Rep. Armstrong? I used to be promised this factor was over two reps in the past. Arrgh.

Good lord they’ve so, so little to say, however this one is de facto amusing. Armstrong says the man who Hunter Biden threatened in 2017 was killed, and this was linked to a gathering between Vladimir Putin and Xi Jinping. And Joe Biden was by some means liable for Russia promoting a portion of its state oil firm to China all whereas he was not holding any workplace or operating for any workplace.

That is thrilling. Did anybody examine to see if Joe Biden introduced down Malaysia Airways Flight 370? Shouldn’t we all know?

Shockingly, Biden signed off on a communications denying a cost made in opposition to him about doing one thing that he didn’t do. And considered one of his workers individuals CC’d his son.

Burlinson actually has him now. Or, you recognize, not.

FRACK. There’s one other. And it’s not Princess Leia. It’s Rep. Eric Burlinson. And, shockingly, he hits the very same level as Edwards and Langworthy. 

Sigh.

Comer will get a final likelihood to throw to O’Conner utilizing a query that includes “alleged” twice. O’Conner satisfies him by saying that if everybody will get to research every little thing, she’s positive they’ll discover one thing.

Proper to the bitter, oh so bitter, finish, Turley might be counted on to offer Republicans some space-filling, vaguely legalesque, settlement.

People, I consider Rep. Nick Langworthy is the final, I’m saying the final, consultant to talk right now. 

And what’s actually f**king thrilling is that he’s repeating, virtually to the phrase, why Edwards mentioned proper in entrance of him. , it’s starting to appear as if Republicans actually don’t have something in any respect on Joe Biden. Huh.

Rep. Chuck Edwards is unfamiliar with phrases, and studying, and stuff. I do like “ogglyargarch.” I feel this have to be somebody who does a number of taking a look at issues. 

Holy s**t his stumbling by this factor is making Lauren Boebert’s presentation appear to be a champion Ted Discuss.

If there’s anybody who has gotten loads of talking time right now it’s Jonathan Turley. Republicans know they’ll throw something to him, and he’ll chew up airtime making imprecise references to the federalist papers and what Thomas Jefferson stored in his broom closet.

Rep. Russell Fry is simply disgusted that regardless of “limitless” proof Democrats aren’t on board with impeaching Joe Biden. And now, again to the completely debunked 1023 type and the completely debunked Shokin investigation into Burisma.

Goldman enters into the file the bipartisan letter displaying that Republicans needed Shokin eliminated. Jordan simply sounds sort of defeated.

Rep. Glenn Ivey retains every little thing extraordinarily calm and funky whereas stating, once more, that dismissing Shokin was one thing that was needed by the U.S., the U.Okay., the IMF, and Republicans within the Senate. There was no Burisma investigation. Shokin was eliminated as a result of he was corrupt and ineffective.

”There’s actually no linkage there between the president and derailing any investigation.”

Ivey additionally repeats Archer’s definitive assertion President Biden had no data or involvement in Hunter Biden’s enterprise. 

Lastly, Ivey additionally factors out that Weiss was appointed by Trump, and that Weiss was allowed to remain after Biden’s election on the request of Republicans.

Jordan is de facto irritated that Goldman maintain reintroducing the Devon Archer testimony as a result of the precise testimony contradicts Republican claims. This byplay is without doubt one of the few enjoyable issues on this lengthy day. 

Rep. Lauren Boebert is up, so what does she do? Present the identical part of Devon Archer’s testimony that we’ve already seen, and speak about a dinner we’ve already heard about.

Boebert says all this as if it’s a terrific revelation, although we simply heard it actually 5 minutes in the past.

Once more, each considered one of these Republicans is doing their questioning as if the one attainable concern is the way it will look when clipped for Newsmax. If meaning simply going by precisely the identical issues, in precisely the identical order as a dozen different Republicans, that’s cool. They’re not attempting to construct a case or make progress. The entire day is nearly their 5 minutes.

Ocasio-Cortez and Tlaib enter paperwork into the file that refute the final two Republicans to talk.

It’s Rep. Katie Porter. I forgot she was right here. Hello, Rep. Porter.

Porter asks every of the witnesses of whether or not they consider that this inquiry was “respectable.” The one one who says sure is “Turley.”

Then she cracks Turley squarely over the pinnacle with a earlier assertion from McCarthy. Hilariously, Turley thought he was taken from his personal writings. 

Should you’re questioning why Democrats maintain bringing this up, it’s as a result of if McCarthy did have a vote, it will fail. So that is each a poke on the legitimacy of the listening to, and a vivid demonstration of McCarthy’s weak point.

Rep. Tim Burchett begins off by attacking President Biden for sending cash to Ukraine. Hardworking People and their hardworking canine are paying their taxes for dadgum Biden who didn’t pay his dadgum taxes on dadgum cash from China. Dadgummit.

And sure, he mentioned “dadgum.”

Burchett turns into the newest Republican to assault Trump-appointed U.S. Lawyer David Weiss. Additionally, if “Biden Household Crime Spree” was in your card, you possibly can mark that one off now.

Jordan will get extra time to repeat claims that Weiss was restricted in ways in which Weiss denies. You may suppose we may get Weiss in to testify about that, as an alternative of getting Turley speak about “illusions.” However that might imply having a truth witness, and Republicans are allergic to info.

Rep. Rashida Tlaib contrasts the nonsense of this listening to with necessary hearings she’s been concerned with up to now, and the injury accomplished by a shut down—which Republicans are ignoring.

Democrats enter extra paperwork into the file, a few of it most likely addressed what Gosar mentioned. However I actually can’t inform you what Gosar mentioned.

Rep. Paul Gosar wins the award for being the worst at studying from his personal notes. Truthfully, Gosar is so monotone and is partaking in such a protracted string of … no matter, that even essentially the most devoted Republican Biden hater needed to take this 5 minutes for a loo break. 

Moskowitz is becoming a member of some earlier Democrats in displaying statements that Republicans have made up to now, however these are usually not the identical statements simply being repeated, however new statements from Comer, Grassley, et. al.

It’s a great job of reinforcing and constructing on the statements beforehand cited.

“They’re all one upping each other within the Donald Trump buddy Olympics, attempting to get invited to the sleepover at Mar-a-Lago.” — Rep. Jared Moskowitz

Rep. Jared Moskowitz is thrilled with how this listening to goes “As a former director of emergency administration, I do know a catastrophe once I see one.”

Greene waves round an image of one thing. She says its a showering swimsuit. What it proves exterior of Q-anon circles is unknown. 

And Greene is lastly up. She is shocked, shocked, by how the DOJ hasn’t acted on claims she despatched about unsupported claims that she despatched about human trafficking by Hunter Biden. And since it was accomplished in 2020, by the Trump DOJ, it was election interference. By Trump-appointed officers in opposition to Trump. 

Should you thought Greene was going to say or ask something cheap … no, sorry. You by no means thought that. Apologies.

Quote of the day

Goldman, who has been performing some heavy lifting on paperwork thus far, lastly will get his alternative to speak. He factors out that the primary listening to in opposition to Donald Trump had a full dozen truth witnesses, versus zero.

And that, along with blocking an look by Giuliani, Republicans additionally gained’t enable Devon Archer to testify, although they’re cherry choosing his previous statements as a few of the major proof.

Joe Biden is 80. Each tax type he’s written because the Stone Age is public file. All his properties and financial institution accounts are on file. Do the Republicans suppose Biden is ready till he’s 88 to retire and stay it up on all the key cash?

Rep. William Timmons says he’s going to “make it easy” for the American individuals by bringing it right down to “What did Joe Biden know, and when.”

Now we’re right down to “a Biden” as properly “the Biden household.”

Now we’re in Kazakhstan. And Burisma. And the CCP. As a result of Hunter Biden isn’t solely the neatest man in enterprise, however capable of predict the long run actions of world leaders. Truthfully, Hunter must be a billionaire if he was able to half what the Republicans are accusing him of.

Crockett asks to enter into the file a truth sheet from Congressional Integrity Mission, Comer and Jordan object. 

Crockett: “In fact y’all gonna object, however we gonna speak about it.” Crockett then proceeds to learn a listing of Trump actions in China that dwarf something that Republicans have even tried to throw at Biden.

Crockett then goes to Gerhardt to see what number of occasions Republicans have mentioned “if” in regard to the claims in opposition to Biden. Gerhardt “has been conserving a tally.” The quantity is 35.

Crockett holds up an image of categorised paperwork being saved within the toilet at Mar-a-Lago and delivers the quote of the day.

“These are our nationwide secrets and techniques. Appears like within the shitter to me” 

Rep. Jasmine Crockett factors out that the shape 1023 that Republicans maintain citing has been “repeatedly debunked” together with by the one who introduced it to the FBI initially. The FBI investigated the claims and closed the investiation.

“Repeating the identical lies is not going to flip them into fact. Type of just like the election that he misplaced.”

Raskin says that Perry used an e mail that was “purportedly obtained from Hunter Biden’s laptop computer” which hasn’t be verified.

Raskin makes it clear that there is no such thing as a chain of custody on this info. Jordan appears to suppose it’s okay as a result of Hunter Biden is suing for breach of privateness. How that makes it okay unverified info, is left to the creativeness.

Rep. Scott Perry desires to carry Hunter Biden responsible for merely being Joe Biden’s son. Perry as soon as once more demonstrates, after some slide fumbling, that Republicans both have so little to go on, or so uncoordinated, that they maintain hitting the identical line in the identical doc. 

Perry will get in a declare that Hunter Biden was “frequenting prostitutes.” So if that was in your BINGO card, there you go.

Boy, lots of people appear to ship cash to “The Biden Household.” Which might be … who? Perry is de facto large on “the Biden household.” 

And now it’s snooze together with Turley time.

Greene shouts out “what concerning the Jan. 6 defendants.” Presumably she means it was incorrect to prosecute insurgents. 

Following Casar’s query, Democrats elevate their palms. Republicans don’t.

A lot for equal justice below the regulation.

“I for one am grateful we’ve an impartial judicial system the place a president’s son, and a former president, might be investigated and prosecuted in the event that they violate the regulation. It’s my agency perception that hunter and Trump ought to each face trial and, if discovered responsible, face the consequence of the crimes they’ve been accused of. Can everybody on the Oversight Committee say the identical factor?” — Rep. Greg Casar

Casar is doing a great job of explaining how an enormous issue behind the Republican inquiry is to only make everybody look corrupt. As a result of if everyone seems to be corrupt, then Trump’s corruption, and theirs, is not any large deal.

Rep. Greg Casar pulls up a quote from Jordan calling making an attempt to question Trump “political theater.”

“Should you thought impeaching Trump was political theater, what would you name this? This, this can be a shame.”

Goldman enters the letter that Fallon was speaking about, which truly reveals that Shokin was not investigating Burisma. It gained’t make a dent in Republican’s claims.

Fallon halls out the 1023. The unverified 1023. The extensively debunked 1023 that’s based mostly on the repeatedly debunked Burisma conspiracy principle.

And now we’re deep into Shokin territory. Actually, that leaning on this 5 years later is sort of astounding. 

Fallon retains saying “say it with me” like he main a chant. Nobody is saying it with him.

And we’re again with Comer now sitting within the large chair.

Rep. Pat Fallon is first up with the large information that Hunter Biden spoke together with his father. This will likely truly be stunning to some Republicans.

Generally, Democrats regard these hearings as a staff sport. They speak upfront, divide up matters, and use their statements to help one another and leverage a sequence of themes.

Republicans view them as an opportunity to advertise themselves individually by displaying that they’re the cleverest, meanest, sneariest of all. Which is the way you get somebody shouting about China, and another person speaking about Romania, and a dozen individuals all utilizing the identical line as a result of nobody bothered to even discover that their colleagues already lined it.

Lastly, Jordan hammers in a ten minute break. Summing every little thing up to date.