Page 1172 - Leverage News Today

What are you seeing in front of you that pushed you to join this op-ed? >> sure. i think the very basic facts that the president of the united states, the commander and chief, would use the leverage of the united states in this case security systems paid for by american taxpayers to try and press a foreign government to pull up dirt on a political opponent. that right there, you know, and theres certainly, you know, candidate trump calling for these things, calling it openly for russia to help a...

Former military or former intelligence officials. our entire careers, we swore on oath to protect the constitution. we did the same thing when we were sworn in to be members of congress. the allegations that a sitting president of the united states would go to a foreign leader and try to pressure him into producing dirt against a political opponent, its just beyond the pale. if you throw in that he used the holding back of u.s. taxpayer dollar security assistance as leverage against the presiden...

Is we have to remain steady and focused. we cant take away our leave the main central point of the story, which is why myself and six others came out now, after many, many months of, frankly, not coming out on impeachment, is that the president of the united states used his leverage to seek dirt on a political opponent in an american election. thats all, right? its very simple. if you ask anyone, democrat, republican, independent, is that okay, should that be okay, should another president, mayb...

That he is laying out are completely disconnected from the policies and ideas that he is promoting and advocating. iran again is a great example. i dont want a nuclear iran but aim not going to layout how to get there, well continue to do more of the same which of course is leading to a potential war with iran. so a lot unsaid. clearly he wants to move on. >> carol, one could perhaps reasonably surmise that this is a president that does in fact have a lot on his mind. it is your reporting that c...

Or witnesses or instructs the witnesses not to say anything, that itself has to be understood as impeachable. i think thats the key leverage. otherwise the administration stalls, delays, doesnt answer, and you go to court, and youre dragging on. they need to make clear this is it. so i think it has to be narrow, discreet, fast, up or down. there are many other potential, you know, articles of impeachment, but i think in a way youve got to say theyre stronger in they focus on this one. it happene...

About what is actually going on. >> ive never been an impeachment enthusiast, but i think actually this gets to an important point. there is the politics of it, but i think what democrats are starting to do, and some other folks will say the principle trumps the politics, no pun sbind intended. one thing thats a bright line is the president of the united states using his leverage to ask a foreign power to dig up dirt on an opponent. >> im not leading you, im serious, the democrats just dont have...

Normalization once again defines doo dooef yen si down. to investigate his political rival joe bidens son. now, keep in mind this was one day after the mueller hearings on capitol hill. the very next day, president trump is accused of being at it again. this time from the oval office potentially using taxpayer dollars at leverage. it turns out a quarter of a billion dollars of aid to ukraine was put on hold at the time. the whistle-blower complaint was investigated by a trump appointee who found...

So every person running for president who is asking for transcripts, and sunlight, things that make be appropriate or make be too much for comfort, that they will rue the day. >> harris: part of the criticisms for giving the transcript is that some calls need to be confidential between red leaders. how do you differentiate without actually outing all of them? >> kennedy: because of its politically damaging for the person in the office, thats fine. if you want to have that? i want to go to this. ...

Because were not dealing with a traditional occupant of the white house. i i say that not as a political or ideological observation but a total disregard in how the government works. in a normal situation, a lot of things would be the ten car alarm fire like experts say it is, but those things have been whittled way. i wrote down a couple of examples to discuss with you. one is the number of vacancies in acting officials reduces the power of the experts, the so-called adults to even have leverag...

Disappointment? [ laughter ] >> ron. >> look, i do think a line has been crossed. i think what you heard from schiff that when you started to hear from pelosi, i think things are moving. i understand why karines frustrated. im frustrated too. i worked in the senate democratic leaders office. ooh inwhat its like to be in the leadership office try to round people up. but i do think youre going to see this week. i think this is going to be a critical week with the thursday deadline with the speaker...