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You are here: Home / Open Threads / Open Thread: Have We Discussed That GAO Report Yet?

Open Thread: Have We Discussed That GAO Report Yet?

by TaMara|  January 16, 20203:02 pm| 62 Comments

This post is in: Open Threads, Politics, Trump Crime Cartel

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BREAKING: The White House budget office violated the law when it froze U.S. military aid to Ukraine, the Government Accountability Office concluded in a new report https://t.co/m879aLzki2

— POLITICO (@politico) January 16, 2020

Schiff Statement on GAO Decision that Trump Broke the Law

Washington, DC – Today, Rep. Adam Schiff (D-CA), the lead House Manager for the Senate impeachment trial of President Donald J. Trump, issued the following statement:

“Today’s decision by the Government Accountability Office that President Trump broke the law when he withheld hundreds of millions of dollars of vital military aid to Ukraine demonstrates once again that the President violated his constitutional duty to take care that the laws be faithfully executed as he put his personal and political interests above the interests of the nation and its security.

“President Trump illegally withheld U.S. taxpayer dollars as leverage to get the Ukrainian president to help him win reelection, another indication of the extreme lengths to which the President would go to coerce a foreign power into helping him cheat to win. The President was willing to violate the law in withholding security assistance from an ally at war with Russia, a gross abuse of the powers of his office, acts for which he was impeached.

“In its opinion, GAO states that ‘faithful execution of the law does not permit the President to substitute his own policy priorities for those that Congress has enacted into law.’  President Trump’s conduct is all the more egregious because he was not withholding the funds for a policy reason at all, but for the corrupt purpose of seeking foreign help in his reelection campaign.

“As it has with the House, Trump’s State Department and OMB have ‘failed, as of yet, to provide the information’ GAO needs to complete its investigation.  As GAO opinion states: ‘All federal officials and employees take an oath to uphold and protect the Constitution and its core tenets, including the congressional power of the purse.’

“Now, the Senate will have the opportunity to act on its oath.”

The usual suspects are talking about how this is no big deal (!!) and the Hannity talking points that GAO contributes to Democrats and Socialists. I cannot make this stuff up, but will not link to that garbage.

It’s time for every journalist to get a microphone in front of every Senator and ask them what they think of the GAO report and get it on the record. I’m sure we’ll get more McSally moments.

Open thread

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Reader Interactions

62Comments

  1. 1.

    Baud

    January 16, 2020 at 3:08 pm

    At this rate, President Biden is going to have to wear a tan zoot suit to restore the idea that both sides are equally bad.

  2. 2.

    Alex

    January 16, 2020 at 3:09 pm

    And he’s doing it again with Puerto Rico hurricane aid!

  3. 3.

    Yutsano

    January 16, 2020 at 3:10 pm

    @Baud: Oh great. Now that you said that Biden will do this. The media clucking will never cease until there’s at least an impeachment inquiry.

    OT: I just read a legal “analysis” by Jonathan Turley. I can already feel my brain cells going into rebellion after reading such trite stupidity. Worse: he has two columns in WaPo right now.

  4. 4.

    SFAW

    January 16, 2020 at 3:13 pm

    the Hannity talking points that GAO contributes to Democrats and Socialists.

    They really need to get newer SCARY TALKING POINTS OMFG!!!!!!!!!!!!

    One thing they don’t seem to be able to answer: what, EXACTLY, is so terrible about socialism that all loyal ‘Muricans should run from it, screaming “OMG OMG OMG”?
    An offshoot of that question is: if “socialism” is so effing bad (when they try to associate it with Dems), why do the Rethugs think it’s super-dee-duper wonderful when Putin/Russia is/are involved?
    (Yeah, yeah, I know — IOKIYAR. But that still doesn’t address the main question.)

  5. 5.

    SFAW

    January 16, 2020 at 3:19 pm

    @Baud:

    Or a striped one, a la Greaser’s Palace.

  6. 6.

    Citizen Alan

    January 16, 2020 at 3:20 pm

    @SFAW: Well as to the last point, they don’t consider Putin et al to be socialist. They consider them to be klepto-capitalists, and they’re fine with that. As to socialism in general, over a century of capitalist propaganda has persuaded the masses that if any socialist policies are ever enacted (that benefit anyone other than old white people, apparently), it will inevitably lead to millions of Americans dying in gulags. Presumably built from repurposed empty Walmarts.

  7. 7.

    hilts

    January 16, 2020 at 3:22 pm

    Senators have reportedly been given flashcards with 5 phrases to help them evade reporters during the impeachment trial

    Please move out of my way

    You are preventing me from doing my job

    Please excuse me, I’m trying to get to the Senate floor

    Please excuse me, I need to get to a hearing/meeting

    Please do not touch me.

     

    h/t https://www.mediaite.com/uncategorized/u-s-senate-members-given-flashcards-to-aid-in-avoiding-press-during-impeachment-hearing/

  8. 8.

    Chyron HR

    January 16, 2020 at 3:26 pm

    @hilts: 

    Guess the individual pepper spray canisters haven’t been delivered yet.

  9. 9.

    SFAW

    January 16, 2020 at 3:27 pm

    @Citizen Alan:

    Well as to the last point, they don’t consider Putin et al to be socialist. They consider them to be klepto-capitalists, and they’re fine with that.

    I appreciate the point, but I don’t think that’s it. [Never mind that they couldn’t say that with a straight face, so to speak.[Yeah, I know, it’s Rethugs, so normal rules don’t apply]

    As to socialism in general, nearly a century of capitalism has persuaded the masses that if any socialist policies are ever enacted (that benefit anyone other than old white people, apparently), it will inevitably lead to millions of Americans dying in gulags. Presumably built from repurposed empty Walmarts.

    OK, but I guess I’m asking what “justification” the Rethugs use, e.g., “Socialism is bad because of X.” [Naturally, one possible response is “Joostification? We don’t got no bodges joostification. We don’t NEED to stinking bodges joostification.”]

  10. 10.

    MattF

    January 16, 2020 at 3:29 pm

    So… this Trumpian talking point is now gone. What will the argument be now, that the law was only chipped and not actually broken?

  11. 11.

    Dread

    January 16, 2020 at 3:36 pm

    Silly liberals, laws aren’t for powerful, white men.

    They’re for keeping women and minorities in check and firmly under the heel of powerful, white men.

  12. 12.

    lee

    January 16, 2020 at 3:37 pm

    This is amazing.

    Rep. Ayanna Pressley Reveals Beautiful Bald Head For The First Time

    https://twitter.com/TheRoot/status/1217858858384797699

  13. 13.

    mrmoshpotato

    January 16, 2020 at 3:39 pm

    Oh look!  More crimes from a Soviet shitpile mobster conman!  Let’s make it so we’re inaugurating a boring president in a year and 4 days.

  14. 14.

    Kay

    January 16, 2020 at 3:41 pm

    I felt like it was a no brainer. It doesn’t belong to them. Title transferred. When it moves from A to B they don’t retain control. If they can do that they can do anything- give it to a different country altogether, move it to Jared’s bank account, whatever. Seems pretty important to hold this one line!

  15. 15.

    chopper

    January 16, 2020 at 3:41 pm

    if senate republicans had any shame they’d die of it.

  16. 16.

    Kay

    January 16, 2020 at 3:43 pm

    @mrmoshpotato:

    It doesn’t matter because he hasn’t been charged. And he can’t be charged pursuant to that ridiculous “opinion” so check and mate, Rule O Law.

  17. 17.

    mrmoshpotato

    January 16, 2020 at 3:43 pm

    @Yutsano:

    I can already feel my brain cells going into rebellion 

    Nominate yourself, sir.

  18. 18.

    JPL

    January 16, 2020 at 3:43 pm

    @SFAW: They must hate our troops, since that is the closest relationship to socialism.    Medicare is next.

  19. 19.

    Neldob

    January 16, 2020 at 3:45 pm

    @SFAW: Repuglicans love corporate socialism, the socialize the costs privatize the profits kind, the Democratic helping of society not so much.

  20. 20.

    mrmoshpotato

    January 16, 2020 at 3:46 pm

    @Baud: At this rate, the next president will have to wear a tan onesie to restore the idea that both sides are equally bad.

  21. 21.

    Cermet

    January 16, 2020 at 3:47 pm

    Salon has THE article on how to beat the orange fart cloud. A powerful thug advisor that help them get power (and hates tRump) calls it as it is and is correct. a great read:

    https://www.salon.com/2020/01/16/rick-wilson/

  22. 22.

    mrmoshpotato

    January 16, 2020 at 3:49 pm

    @Kay: It may not matter in a legal sense, but when it comes to getting re-elected (by the Russkis) criming like mad isn’t a good idea.

  23. 23.

    West of the Rockies

    January 16, 2020 at 3:50 pm

    This announcement really doesn’t mean much though, does it?  Trump won’t face repercussions.  Hannity will make a peapy-bird face and tut-tut the deep state, but that’s about it I imagine.

  24. 24.

    Brachiator

    January 16, 2020 at 3:51 pm

    Might as well have a ready made template for this crap…

    BREAKING: The White House budget office violated the law…

    These mofos don’t know what law is.

  25. 25.

    hilts

    January 16, 2020 at 3:53 pm

    @Chyron HR:

    These Republican senators are world champion bed wetting, nail biting cowards.

  26. 26.

    Kay

    January 16, 2020 at 3:54 pm

    Dustin Volz
    @dnvolz
    ·1h
    FBI will now notify states, not just counties, when local election systems are believed to be breached by hackers, following criticism states were left in the dark about their own election security.

    Not just states- but the entire voting public.
    I have zero confidence in their ability to do this. None. You know, there is this underlying theory in election law of timeliness. Justice delayed is justice denied because elections are one and done- you can’t get one back. That election as to that voter is gone, forever. That’s why you see these 11th hour rulings on poll staying open, etc. The damage can’t be remedied once it’s done. It’s not enough to say “there will be another election” because it won’t be THAT election. That one is over.
    I get no sense at all that the FBI understands this concept.

  27. 27.

    trollhattan

    January 16, 2020 at 3:56 pm

    @Dread: 
    Just want to point out Leona Helmsley got herself a membership to the club, so know hope, everybody!

  28. 28.

    Aleta

    January 16, 2020 at 3:58 pm

    @hilts:  Objection.  Use of “please” would place intolerable pressure on GOP members.  

  29. 29.

    PJ

    January 16, 2020 at 4:03 pm

    @Cermet: Wilson’s advice about just focusing on swing states in the general, and Bernie being the candidate Republicans most want to face, isn’t wrong, but I think his analysis is incomplete (and this may be because Wilson is still a Republican).  Democrats also have to focus on the states and districts where they have a chance to take seats away from Republicans – getting control of the Senate and maintaining control in the House is just as important as the Presidency.

  30. 30.

    gene108

    January 16, 2020 at 4:05 pm

    @Yutsano:

    OT: Where is there an explanation of the new 2020 W4 form?

    It is confusing as fuck. There’s no place on there about how many allowances you want to have.

    Just line 4c for a dollar amount for additional with holdings, and 4b has some dollar amount you are supposed enter, if you do the worksheet.

  31. 31.

    germy

    January 16, 2020 at 4:10 pm

    rick wilson created and ran the ad accusing max cleeland, an amputee veteran, of being pro-terrorist. he did this long before trump even knew what politics was and that is conservatism. but whatever. https://t.co/VeKax9jE2r
    — Oliver Willis (@owillis) January 15, 2020

  32. 32.

    germy

    January 16, 2020 at 4:12 pm

    rick wilson also made ads attacking barack obama with jeremiah wright back in 2008. he told buzzfeed in ’12 the ads were designed to rally “ethnic Catholic median male” voters behind mccain https://t.co/aBKrMBMJTw pic.twitter.com/LnVsQjnm31
    — Oliver Willis (@owillis) January 15, 2020

    And now he’s an expert on our Democratic primary.

  33. 33.

    Josie

    January 16, 2020 at 4:14 pm

    @Cermet:

    He makes so much sense in this article.  Everyone should read it and figure out how they can help to implement his ideas.

    ETA: I know, I know.  He’s an evil SOB, but he is right about this particular subject.  We ignore him at our peril.

  34. 34.

    Betty Cracker

    January 16, 2020 at 4:16 pm

    @SFAW: Socialism is still a somewhat effective boogeyman in Florida because many voters have direct experience with or family ties to failed socialist states. I don’t think the Democratic Party will focus on Florida all that much in 2020 — they seem to believe Wisconsin, Pennsylvania and Michigan are all that matters. Not sure if that’s a mistake or not. But if Biden is the nominee, the state will be in play, IMO. If it’s Bernie, they might as well write Florida off.

  35. 35.

    MisterForkbeard

    January 16, 2020 at 4:17 pm

    What this comes down to is “The Federal government believes Trump directed the Federal Government to break the law.”

    Ultimately, the DOJ won’t let anyone prosecute Trump. But there’s literally no reason we can’t prosecute the people that carried this out or the lawyers that got it super goddamned wrong. And we can add it to the impeachment argument as well.

    “Trump extorted a foreign government into influencing our election by delaying aid to that country. Both the extortion AND the delay are separate illegal acts, as is his obstruction into the investigation.”

  36. 36.

    brantl

    January 16, 2020 at 4:19 pm

    @SFAW: Those are commies, not socialists, they haven’t used the word ‘commie’ in so long that the alzhemiersed idiots can’t remember what it means. They had ‘commie’ go into limbo, because all the people that they are calling socialists, they mean ‘commie’, but they don’t want to look just like that doddering orangutang, Joe McCarthy, so they don’t say that, anymore.

    ‘

  37. 37.

    Brachiator

    January 16, 2020 at 4:19 pm

    @gene108:

    OT: Where is there an explanation of the new 2020 W4 form?

    It’s supposed to be simpler.  Allowances don’t really exist the same as before.

    You might try the IRS Newsroom FAQ.

    And an IRS video.

  38. 38.

    The Dangerman

    January 16, 2020 at 4:19 pm

    …that GAO contributes to Democrats and Socialists.

    Time for a new game. Hannity … or McCarthy?

    On second thought, maybe not; certainly wouldn’t be fun but would have to more fun than Hannity in a game of “fuck, marry, kill”. Who would the asshole have to be for Hannity not being tabbed for “kill” ad infinitum?

  39. 39.

    Enhanced Voting Techniques

    January 16, 2020 at 4:23 pm

    @Citizen Alan: It’s the foundation of modern white racism; the Nazis firmly believed that the Jews invited capitalism so it would lead to Communism and the resulting social chaos would mean the Jews could date all the white women! Because that’s exactly what a culture that counts linage by the mother would do. Never mind Adam’s grandmother’s worst nightmare him marrying some Catholic girl.

  40. 40.

    germy

    January 16, 2020 at 4:24 pm

    I JUST GOT IMPEACHED FOR MAKING A PERFECT PHONE CALL!— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 16, 2020

    This is what silver spoon kids that are never held accountable for anything sound like.
    AKA very strong “Mom, yell at my teacher to bump my grade up” energy https://t.co/5Qz0sCt0FX
    — Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) January 16, 2020

  41. 41.

    Citizen Alan

    January 16, 2020 at 4:31 pm

    @SFAW: They don’t need justification if socialism is a priori a bad thing.

  42. 42.

    Brachiator

    January 16, 2020 at 4:36 pm

    @germy: There is something weird in Trump’s insistence that the phone call was “perfect.”

  43. 43.

    Geoboy

    January 16, 2020 at 4:37 pm

    @germy: I took my boys (then age 7) to the last campaign event Max Cleeland had in the 2002 campaign.  It was in a hanger at the Peachtree-DeKalb airpot in northeast Atlanta.  If the law of karma is still in operation, Rick Wilson will spend eternity limbless in a wheelchair.

  44. 44.

    FelonyGovt

    January 16, 2020 at 4:40 pm

    @Brachiator: Very. Exactly what is a “perfect” phone call?

  45. 45.

    gene108

    January 16, 2020 at 4:46 pm

    @Brachiator:

    Checked the IRS FAQ awhile back. It doesn’t help.

    Basic problem is the IRS replaces allowances, with something else that’s not clearly explained.

  46. 46.

    gene108

    January 16, 2020 at 4:48 pm

    @germy:

    I think to Donald Trump it was a perfect phone call.

    He must truly believe extorting someone, you have a power advantage over, is the perfect phone call.

  47. 47.

    John Revolta

    January 16, 2020 at 4:55 pm

    @FelonyGovt: Not to mention that he was actually impeached weeks ago. This guy doesn’t even understand the most important things happening to him.

  48. 48.

    Hoodie

    January 16, 2020 at 4:57 pm

    @germy: I don’t think he was actually claiming to be an expert on the Dem primary, he was opining about how to beat Trump in the general election.  The only Democrats he claimed to have insights on were Democrats in the non-coastal states, but that was in the context of traditional GOP strategies for picking off some of those voters.  I think most of what he said is accurate except, as noted, it’s incomplete because it’s focused solely on the general election for the presidency.

  49. 49.

    Chyron HR

    January 16, 2020 at 4:58 pm

    @gene108:

    His handlers and/or co-conspirators gave him a list of things he could not say to the President of Ukraine because they would be explicit threats or other statements of illegal intent, and he didn’t say them.  Then they gave him pink starbursts and told him he did it perfectly.  That’s it.

  50. 50.

    brantl

    January 16, 2020 at 5:01 pm

    @Chyron HR: DING!DING!DING! WE HAVE A WINNER!!!!

  51. 51.

    cokane

    January 16, 2020 at 5:04 pm

    Worth noting that the GAO also called Obama’s swap on the Bergdahl case a violation of the law. On the one hand it certainly proves their non-partisan bona fides. But it also shows that its rulings are toothless.

  52. 52.

    mrmoshpotato

    January 16, 2020 at 5:11 pm

    @The Dangerman: Kevin McCarthy or Joseph McCarthy?

  53. 53.

    mrmoshpotato

    January 16, 2020 at 5:14 pm

    @germy: Maybe the orange mobster pile of shit should the articles of impeached the motherfucker.

  54. 54.

    mrmoshpotato

    January 16, 2020 at 5:16 pm

    @Brachiator: Oh like you’ve never had a phone call that was perfect, luxurious, classy and tremendous bigly!  You phone snob! ?

    ETA – and also beautiful!

  55. 55.

    Mnemosyne

    January 16, 2020 at 5:19 pm

    @Brachiator:

    Sure they do — it’s that thing you use to throw Black and brown people in jail when they make trouble. Duh. ?

  56. 56.

    Brachiator

    January 16, 2020 at 5:19 pm

    @gene108:

    Checked the IRS FAQ awhile back. It doesn’t help.

    Basic problem is the IRS replaces allowances, with something else that’s not clearly explained.

    Personal exemptions and dependency exemptions don’t really exist anymore.  You have a higher standard deduction.  So you are trying to estimate income, account for credits you might be eligible for.

  57. 57.

    TS (the original)

    January 16, 2020 at 5:19 pm

    @Alex:

    Probably mentioned further down because as usual I am late to the thread – but the money he is moving from defense to his wall surely fits this as well. Congress did NOT authorise money for the wall. It is not legal for him to swap other money to the wall.

  58. 58.

    debbie

    January 16, 2020 at 5:46 pm

    @SFAW:

    They’ve proved that free market capitalism is far, far worse.

  59. 59.

    Rob in CT

    January 16, 2020 at 7:02 pm

    @Dread:

    Conservatism consists of only one proposition: there are ingroups the law must protect, but not bind; and there are outgroups the law must bind, but not protect.

  60. 60.

    Juju

    January 16, 2020 at 7:07 pm

    @mrmoshpotato: Or Jenny McCarthy?

  61. 61.

    Shalimar

    January 16, 2020 at 7:51 pm

    @Geoboy:

    Rick Wilson will spend eternity limbless in a wheelchair

    on an endless hill

  62. 62.

    WaterGirl

    January 16, 2020 at 8:09 pm

    @Shalimar:  @Geoboy:  You guys must not have been raised Catholic, with the accompanying guilt.

    The most I can comfortably say is that I wouldn’t mind if Bernie was taken away by aliens.

    Even though I’m a grown woman, I cannot get over the feeling that something bad would happen if I said something like what you guys are saying.

    Just like I would never lie and say I was “at my grandmother’s funeral”. I mean, what if something happened to your grandmother?

    Maybe it was the 8 years of catholic grade school?

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