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US PRESIDENT DONALD Trump has dismissed the threat of impeachment over allegations that he tried to pressure Ukraine’s leader into investigating his 2020 election rival Joe Biden.
Asked if he was taking the threat from some Democrats seriously, Trump answered: “Not at all seriously.”
US media reports revealed that an intelligence community whistleblower had filed a report after becoming alarmed at Trump’s alleged attempt to pressure Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in a phone call.
Trump has confirmed that he discussed what he says was corruption by Biden’s family during the call but denies applying pressure on Zelensky.
“We had a perfect phone call,” he told reporters on surprise arrival at the United Nations climate change summit in New York.
Everybody knows it’s just a Democrat witch hunt. Here we go again, they failed with Russia, they failed with recession, they failed with everything and now they’re bringing this up. The one that’s got the problem is Biden.
“What Biden did was a disgrace, what his son did is a disgrace. His son took money from Ukraine, his son took money from China, ” Trump added.
The Wall Street Journal reported that Trump pressed Zelensky about eight times on the call to investigate possible corruption involving Biden’s son Hunter, who worked with a Ukrainian natural gas company.
Joe Biden’s son Hunter Biden was named a paid board member of Ukranian gas company Burisma Holdings in April 2014, two months after Ukraine’s Russia-friendly president was ousted by protesters.
Two years later, Vice President Joe Biden pressured the Ukrainian government to fire prosecutor general Viktor Shokin, who was accused by many in Ukraine and in the West of being soft on corruption.
Trump has claimed that the prosecutor, who had led an investigation into Burisma’s owner, “was after” Hunter Biden and the vice president was trying to protect his son.
There is no evidence of this.
During this period, Biden was spearheading anti-corruption efforts Ukraine and it has even been suggested that the removal of the prosecutor made it more likely that Burisma would be investigated.
According to some reports, Trump tried to pressure Zelensky to go after Biden by temporarily withholding US military aid to Ukraine.
Growing numbers of Democrats believe they should open impeachment proceedings against Trump.
However, party leaders have resisted, knowing that the Republicans, who are in lockstep with Trump, would almost certainly prevent an impeachment trial taking place in the Senate.
The White House is under pressure to release a transcript of the call between Trump and Zelensky. Democrats, who control the lower house of Congress, are also seeking to question the whistleblower, whose identity remains secret.
- With reporting by © – AFP 2019 and Associated Press
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Not a trump fan in any sense but…if he did pressure Ukraine to investigate possible corruption…so what?
@Kian David Griffin: You are so dim…I don’t know where to start.
@Kian David Griffin: he is pressuring Ukraine to fabricate evidence of corruption where none exists. Biden getting rid of a corrupt prosecutor in Ukraine was at the behest of not just the US but also the EU and IMF. It had nothing to do with the company Hunter worked for. Kurt Eichewald has a good timeline on Twitter if you’re interested.
@Kian David Griffin: allegation is not that he pressured them it’s that he tried to bribe them with an arms deal. Big difference.
@The Hidden Revolt: There is no evidence of that.
@Sandra Duffy: 1) “he is pressuring Ukraine to fabricate evidence” – No he did not. He pressured Zelensky, in a phonecall, to investigate possible corruption.
2) “where none exists” – Amazing how you know that when the results of the investigation have not been presented.
3) “Biden getting rid of a corrupt prosecutor in Ukraine was at the behest of not just the US but also the EU and IMF.” – Alright, so if the US, EU and IMF want someone fired in an INDEPENDENT country that is okay to you?! Sounds like illegally meddling in the affairs of another country to me!
@Jack Simpson:
He was in the middle of giving money to Ukraine and he asked them to investigate the son of his political rival.
Doesn’t matter what Biden’s son did, doesn’t matter the motive, it is illegal and highly illegal..
This is why politicians are unlikely to ask for criminal investigations in other countries, they would always direct them through channels.
The prosecutor Biden was getting rid off was no threat to Hunter Biden, absolutely none.
@Sandra Duffy: Thanks to most of you replying, you’ve given a bit more info, appreciate. As for that first guy, don’t be an @ss. It was a simple question.
@Cowboy Paddy: 1) “He was in the middle of giving money to Ukraine and he asked them to investigate the son of his political rival.” – Trump wasn’t. The US was. To suggest that Trump withheld the money is an unsupported rumour. There are no facts to back it up.
2) “Doesn’t matter what Biden’s son did, doesn’t matter the motive, it is illegal and highly illegal.” – It is illegal to request that Zelensky investigate corruption allegations into a US citizen? No it is not.
3) “The prosecutor Biden was getting rid off was no threat to Hunter Biden, absolutely none.” – You cannot know that because no investigation has been performed! Facts are: Biden strongarmed the president of Ukraine to fire the the AG who was investigating for corruption, a company Hunter Biden was working for (and making a small fortune in the process!!). In fact, it was Biden that withheld money (unless this act was carried out) and publically admitted all of this!!!
4) In summary, what Trump did was not illegal (unless evidence surfaces which says otherwise), what Biden did was wrong (possibly illegal), what Hunter Biden did was possibly wrong/illegal pending the results of an investigation.
@Kian David Griffin: time to switch on the brain
What’s a “perfect phone call”?
@GrahamMManning: a phone call that went perfectly.
@Revolution or Cup of Tea?: Like if I called someone to blackmail them and it went perfectly?
@Diarmuid Hunt: if blackmail was your intention, then yes
@Revolution or Cup of Tea?: It’s a shame intent is so hard to prove.
Writing is on the wall for the Cheetoh Jesus this time.
@Mairead1990: Cheetoh Jesus? You off the bi polar meds again Liamo?
@Pickles: hahaha, considering trump has a higher approval rating than B. Obama at this stage of his presidency I think Mairead or whatever their name is is gonna sobbing into their pillow come 2020
^^^^ The lads are on a hot date again tonight! ^^^^
@Mairead1990: Maybe you could log back in as your Graham Wilson account from last month and chat yourself up?
@Mairead1990: You being a homophobe again?
@Pickles: So lame :)
@Mairead1990: you sure know how to upset the multi-account troll ;-)
https://projects.fivethirtyeight.com/trump-approval-ratings/
@Francis Mc Carthy: Ah he’s a desperate auld troll, Pickles / Vote4Pedro & Darren, all the same single lad in a basement somewhere down the country! Biden miles ahead of Trump, going to be a good year 2020!
@Mairead1990: I wouldn’t be so sure, it’s not about the calibre of the candidate, it’s about the calibre of the average voter.
Could of swore that was Alec Baldwin in the picture :)
Can you imagine the UN lot seeing Trump pull up and suddenly thinking “ah for feck sake I should have called in sick this morning Monday’s too early for this s&@#”
@Jake Kelly: That has probably been the case since Clinton was president.
@Jack Simpson: I mean yeah but I imagine Obama was at least easier to listen to, didn’t constantly boast about himself and say nonsense
@Jake Kelly: But what Obama said and did were completely different things. He sounded and looked great but ended up creating a domestic environment that led to DT, destroyed half of MENA, drove Russia into China’s arms, etc. A con man.
Trump’s hedging his bets that the GOP is too treasonous, his lawyers are too sleazy, the media is too gullible, the electorate is too stupid, and DNC is too cowardly too do anything.
Thus far, he hasn’t been wrong, has he.
What people don’t appreciate is Trump’s media brilliance. He turns up at the UN unexpectedly, stays for 15 minutes and leaves. He really stole the show.
In the sense that Mickev Mouse could arrive, say a few completely nonsensical things then leave, “stealing the show” by everyone laughing at him, then yes, that’s a good analogy.
What a despicable human being Trump is.
@Mel Fitzpatrick: Have you got a typing parrot or something?
@Mel Fitzpatrick: 100%, it’ll be great when he’s gone next year, although a part of me will miss his idiocy and that of his supporters.
@Mairead1990: are you referring to just one part of your latest fake persona Liam? Sure that’s nothing.
@Pickles: Zzzzzz.
Trump are pathetic made up blame and no proof
@Brian Flavin: huh?
@Paul Furey: you pathetic
Yawn, it’s just boring at this stage. Can’t wait till he heads back to Florida for retirement and his new course of meds to treat his Alzheimer’s.
He’s stirring shit like he did with Clinton he’s evil
have your say