Trump torpedoes meeting with Democrats, blasts Pelosi's 'cover-up' accusation

[webfact]

Trump torpedoes meeting with Democrats, blasts Pelosi's 'cover-up' accusation

By Steve Holland, Jeff Mason and Richard Cowan

 

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) and Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) speak to the media along with other Democratic lawmakers including Senator Ron Wyden (D-OR), House Transportation & Infrastructure Committee Chairman Rep. Peter DeFazio and Rep. James Clyburn (D-SC), who had traveled to the White House for a failed meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump to discuss infrastructure in Washington, U.S., May 22, 2019. REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst

 

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Donald Trump on Wednesday abruptly cut short a White House meeting with Democratic lawmakers on infrastructure, then ripped into them over House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's accusation that he is engaged in a cover-up and asserted that he could not work with them unless they dropped multiple investigations.

 

"I don't do cover-ups," the Republican president, clearly agitated, told reporters at a previously unscheduled Rose Garden appearance after his brief meeting with Democratic congressional leaders that Pelosi described as "very, very, very strange."

 

Unleashing a familiar litany of gripes about Special Counsel Robert Mueller's Russia probe and the follow-up congressional inquiries that he has been stonewalling, Trump also complained that Democrats had met to discuss whether to impeach him - or, as he called it, "the I-word."

 

The rupture bodes ill for any possible cooperation between the president and the Democrats who control the House of Representatives on legislation on infrastructure or other matters as Trump seeks re-election in 2020, signalling deepening political gridlock in Washington.

 

Pelosi, the top congressional Democrat, did not back down afterward and pointedly mentioned the possibility of impeachment, the U.S. Constitution's process for the House and Senate to remove a president from office.

 

"The fact is, in plain sight in the public domain, this president is obstructing justice and he's engaged in a cover-up - and that could be an impeachable offence," Pelosi said in an event at the Center for American Progress, a liberal Washington policy advocacy group.

 

The president is stonewalling congressional investigations by ignoring subpoenas, refusing to let current and former advisers testify and not handing over documents in the aftermath of the April release of Mueller's report that detailed Russian interference in the 2016 election to boost Trump's candidacy.

 

After the blow-up of the meeting and Trump's diatribe, Democrats accused him of setting them up and expressed concern about his conduct and the long-term outlook.

 

"The president has made it clear he doesn't want to consider any substantive issue as long as he's under investigation," Dick Durbin, the No. 2 Senate Democrat, told Reuters in the U.S. Capitol after the turbulent events at the White House.

 

    "I've got news for the president: Every president is under investigation. That's the nature of our Constitution," he said.

 

In the run-up to the infrastructure meeting, Trump was stewing over Pelosi's cover-up remarks, according to a White House official. Pelosi, amid growing talk about impeachment, had told reporters about an hour before the scheduled meeting that Trump is engaged in a cover-up.

 

As the meeting neared, Trump told aides he wanted to hold an event in the Rose Garden to make a statement.

 

When Pelosi and Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer arrived in the Cabinet Room, Trump walked in, stood at the head of a long boardroom table, and told them he had asked them over to talk about infrastructure, but that the speaker had just accused him of a cover-up. The meeting lasted only three to five minutes, the official said.

 

Once Trump exited, Pelosi told Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and others in the room that prior presidents like Theodore Roosevelt had brought people together on infrastructure but Trump had walked out, two sources familiar with the meeting said.

 

Trump senior adviser Kellyanne Conway asked Pelosi, "Do you have a response to what the president actually said?" Pelosi fired back, "I'm going to engage directly with the president, not the staff."

 

"That's very pro-woman of you," Conway fired back, the sources said.

 

Afterward, Trump strode to a podium adorned with a professionally made sign that read, "No Collusion, No Obstruction" and that also listed the cost and length of the Mueller probe.

 

Trump said, "I walked into the room and I told Senator Schumer, Speaker Pelosi, I want to do infrastructure. I want to do it more than you want to do it. I'd be really good at that - that's what I do. But you know what? You can't do it under these circumstances. So get these phony investigations over with."

 

A source close to Trump said he has been troubled in recent days by see former aide Hope Hicks and other people close to him subpoenaed in the House probe.

 

Just three weeks ago, Trump and the Democrats agreed to spend $2 trillion on roads, bridges and other infrastructure. Wednesday's meeting was supposed to be about ironing out the thorny details of how to pay for it all.

 

'I PRAY FOR THE PRESIDENT'

"For some reason," Pelosi told reporters, "and maybe it was lack of confidence on his part - that he really couldn't match the greatness of the challenge that we have - he wasn't really respectful of the Congress and the White House working together."

 

"In any event, I pray for the president of the United States and I pray for the United States of America," Pelosi added.

 

Trump and the Democrats have become locked in a high-stakes power struggle over the ability of Congress to investigate him, with the president increasingly asserting that his advisers need not respond to lawmakers' requests.

 

Numerous congressional probes now underway range from whether Trump tried to obstruct Mueller's inquiry to the president's undisclosed tax returns, his handling of numerous policy issues and possible conflicts of interest involving the businesses he has not divested even while serving.

 

Most of his fellow Republicans dismiss the investigations as political assaults ahead of the 2020 election.

 

Asked if there is a complete breakdown now in the legislative process or any relationship with Trump, Durbin said: "What would you think if the president invited us back tomorrow? You think he'd be there or would not walk in and perform another piece of stagecraft? I just don't know."

 

Pelosi and other senior House leaders have been trying to tamp down demands from more junior Democratic lawmakers for impeachment proceedings, urging them to give court subpoena enforcement actions time to progress.

 

Trump, three of his children and his company on Wednesday lost their bid to block Deutsche Bank AG and Capital One Financial Corp from providing financial records to Democratic lawmakers investigating Trump's businesses. U.S. District Judge Edgardo Ramos ruled in New York that Congress has the legal authority to demand the records.

 

In the first court test of Trump's stonewalling strategy, U.S. District Judge Amit Mehta in Washington on Monday blocked a lawsuit by Trump seeking to quash a subpoena by a House panel to his long-time accounting firm Mazars LLP seeking his financial records. Trump has appealed.

 

On another front, the Democratic House Intelligence Committee chairman has agreed to hold off enforcing a subpoena against Attorney General William Barr after the Justice Department agreed to turn over Mueller probe-related materials.

 

(Reporting by Steve Holland, Jeff Mason, Roberta Rampton, Susan Heavey, Richard Cowan, Mohammed Zargham and Doina Chiacu; Editing by Kevin Drawbaugh, Will Dunham and Lisa Shumaker)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2019-05-23

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[YetAnother]

whenever pelosi speaks, i have the exact same reaction as the guy in the photo to her immediate left

[Tug]

Well another fine example of Donald’s unfitness to lead another example of obstruction (of governance)the dude plainly doesent belong in that position we need to have a way to get rid of a failed president more easily without the drama

[Chomper Higgot]

Nothing to hide, nothing to fear.

 

Though on the evidence of this latest Trump tantrum he has something to fear.

 

The Democrats sit down prepared to talk about much needed and economically beneficial infrastructure but Trump sets off on a man brat rant and classic narcissistic ‘victim switch’.

 

America deserves better.

[simple1]

Every day trump demonstrates he is unfit to represent the Office of the President of the USA.

[wayned]

 

The meeting was to discuss Trump's plan to pay for the project.  Mulvaney had alredytried to divert the meeting to discussing the US Mexico trade deal because they had no plan to pay for the infrastructure so Trump used the Pelosi comments to blow up the meeting.  Kinda thin skinned after all of the things that He has called everybody and their mother.  And now he refuses to govern unless the Dems drop the investigations. Could it also be a reaction to the courts siding with congress about the release of his financial information?

[legend49]

24 minutes ago, simple1 said:

Every day trump demonstrates he is unfit to represent the Office of the President of the USA.

Dementia must be 98% complete by now.

[Tug]

Bottom line if Donald can’t perform the duty of president he must resign the house is doing its constitutional duty of oversight if you can’t stand the heat get the %&#@‘-& out resign!

[Kasane]

This is better than reality TV. 

 

The president’s state of mind. People often describe him as “unraveling,” but that implies he was once fully knitted. Whatever his mental starting point, those seeking the method in Trump’s madness lately have encountered less of the former and more of the latter.

 

The rage, the Nixonian paranoia and the scattered thinking suggest that he feels walls closing in on him. But his own actions are causing the walls to close. His belligerence and refusal to cooperate leave Democrats with less of a choice. He’s stumbling toward impeachment.

 

“I don’t do coverups,” announced the man fighting legal battles to conceal his tax returns and business records. 

 

 

Edited May 23, 2019 by metisdead
Oversize font reset to normal.

[mtls2005]

So Democrats come BACK to the White House, as mutually agreed three weeks ago, prepared to take action for the American people with what everyone agrees is a solid Infrastructure plan, and what does trump do? Behave like a recalcitrant 11-year-old who has clearly had is way forever, and storm out of the meeting.

 

I think most of us who are parents would be gravely disappointed if our children behaved this way. That we are talking about a 72-year-old man just makes this incident more disappointing. I really feel for the folks who wasted their vote on this "experiment".

 

Even when the republicans were barking at the Whitewater/Travelgate door President Clinton was able to compartmentalize and move forward with the job of making things better for Americans.

 

trump has his eye on one thing; making things better for himself.

 

The end of his presidency will be far uglier than Nixon's. No David Frost around for a feeble attempt at redemption.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Jingthing]

The art of the deal.

Scratch that.

The art of being the worst president in history. How does that unfit troll still have fans?

 

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[Puchaiyank]

More political theatrics from both sides...the Dems scheduled an impeachment session just before the meeting...Trump, smelling foul play coming...lectures the Dems on wasting America's time...and abruptly walks out leaving the Dems aghast with open mouths and wide eyes as they stare at the President's back leaving the room...  

 

Bad for country...good for late night comedians...????

[Jingthing]

This is better than reality TV. 

 

The president’s state of mind. People often describe him as “unraveling,” but that implies he was once fully knitted. Whatever his mental starting point, those seeking the method in Trump’s madness lately have encountered less of the former and more of the latter.   The rage, the Nixonian paranoia and the scattered thinking suggest that he feels walls closing in on him. But his own actions are causing the walls to close. His belligerence and refusal to cooperate leave Democrats with less of a choice. He’s stumbling toward impeachment.

 

“I don’t do coverups,” announced the man fighting legal battles to conceal his tax returns and business records. 

 

 

Yeah he doesn't do coverups.
Ask Stormy Daniels.
Ask the bone spurs doctor.
He does the most bigliest coverups.

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[Jingthing]

More political theatrics from both sides...the Dems scheduled an impeachment session just before the meeting...Trump, smelling foul play coming...lectures the Dems on wasting America's time...and abruptly walks out leaving the Dems aghast with open mouths and wide eyes as they stare at the President's back leaving the room...  
 
Bad for country...good for late night comedians...[emoji23]

Nope. There was no impeachment session.

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[mtls2005]

Just now, Puchaiyank said:

More political theatrics from both sides...the Dems scheduled an impeachment session just before the meeting...Trump, smelling foul play coming...lectures the Dems on wasting America's time...and abruptly walks out leaving the Dems aghast with open mouths and wide eyes as they stare at the President's back leaving the room...  

 

Bad for country...good for late night comedians...????

 

Do you live in some other world? I guess the multi-verse is thing now?

 

There was no impeachment session.

 

The only fowl/foul play emanated from the president.

 

How can completing a scheduled meeting on Infrastructure be a waste of America's time?

 

I think anyone would be slack-jawed by trump's behavior today.

 

 

Look I understand the ability to defend trump's actions requires mental gymnastics, and the ability to twist yourself into a pretzel, but please try to stay in the here and now.

 

 

 

 

[wayned]

8 minutes ago, Kasane said:

the Nixonian paranoia

Even when Nixon was being investigated he managed to pass significant bi-partisn legislation  as did Reagan when he was being President.  He can't just stop doing his job because he feels that the walls ar closing in. They are closing in because of his psychopathic actions.

[Briggsy]

This Trump power play was straight out of The Apprentice. But this is not a TV show, this is the running of the U.S. Government. The sooner Trump is under lock and key (at Mar-a-Lago if he likes) and removed from public office and public view the better.

[stevenl]

7 minutes ago, Puchaiyank said:

More political theatrics from both sides...the Dems scheduled an impeachment session just before the meeting...Trump, smelling foul play coming...lectures the Dems on wasting America's time...and abruptly walks out leaving the Dems aghast with open mouths and wide eyes as they stare at the President's back leaving the room...  

 

Bad for country...good for late night comedians...????

Glad to see that finally you're acknowledging his behaviour is a president unbecoming.

[wayned]

1 hour ago, mtls2005 said:

How can completing a scheduled meeting on Infrastructure be a waste of America's time?

Because he didn't have a flying <deleted> of what to discuss as the administration had no plan!

[Emdog]

"...a previously unscheduled Rose Garden appearance.."

So is safe to assume that he just happens to have permanent signs out in rose garden "no collusion" etc?

 His walk out and staged tantrum are similar to young child who hits his head, waits for mommy to show up, and then bursts into crying and wailing session.

 Nancy may have used "the I-word" and he couldn't contain himself? He's called demos traitors, treasonous, enemies of the people, etc etc on public forums....

Who's the snowflake?

[Puchaiyank]

9 minutes ago, Jingthing said:

Nope. There was no impeachment session.

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Democratic leadership — pushed to begin impeachment proceedings during a leadership meeting in Pelosi's office,

 

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi will convene a meeting Wednesday morning to hear from Democrats on whether to move forward with impeachment proceedings against President Trump.

 

ok?

[wayned]

They can start the impeachment investigation without l=filing articles of impeachment.  It would give them more authority in getting documents that they want and making people appear before congress.

[rabas]

15 minutes ago, wayned said:

Even when Nixon was being investigated he managed to pass significant bi-partisn legislation  as did Reagan when he was being President.  He can't just stop doing his job because he feels that the walls ar closing in. They are closing in because of his psychopathic actions.

Watch this unbelievable video and tell me who to blame. Dare you!

60-second animation: how divided Congress has become over the last 60 years

[Jingthing]

Democratic leadership — pushed to begin impeachment proceedings during a leadership meeting in Pelosi's office,
 
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi will convene a meeting Wednesday morning to hear from Democrats on whether to move forward with impeachment proceedings against President Trump.
 
ok?

No. You lied. That meeting was not an Impeachment session. Also if the house does begin impeachment which he's basically begging for as long as he is still president he's obligated to do his job.

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[Jingthing]

They can start the impeachment investigation without l=filing articles of impeachment.  It would give them more authority in getting documents that they want and making people appear before congress.

Yep. Good chance of that.

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[Jingthing]

He's barking mad yes?

How does he still have fans?



Trump seems to be transparently mad


https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/as-impeachment-looms-trump-has-less-method-more-madness/2019/05/22/41c22bec-7cd6-11e9-a5b3-34f3edf1351e_story.html

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[Pedrogaz]

Trump wouldn't know the truth if it flew down from heaven and sat on his ugly orange face.

[mtls2005]

4 minutes ago, Puchaiyank said:

Democratic leadership — pushed to begin impeachment proceedings during a leadership meeting in Pelosi's office,

 

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi will convene a meeting Wednesday morning to hear from Democrats on whether to move forward with impeachment proceedings against President Trump.

 

ok?

 

no.

 

Clearly, our definitions of the term "impeachment session" is not in agreement.

 

Speaker Pelosi is proper to listen to members of her caucus; listening is vastly different from invoking Articles of Impeachment.

 

I realize the president's skin is thin - perhaps due to an overuse of bronzer - but please, he needs get a grip and try not to be so "Sensitive".

 

I do commiserate with your plight, and actually, acknowledge your willingness to forego any semblance of reality to defend trump. But maybe give it a rest, otherwise, the inevitable demise of his presidency will be devasting to your well-being.

 

from the OP article:

 

A source close to Trump said he has been troubled in recent days by see former aide Hope Hicks and other people close to him subpoenaed in the House probe.

 

Ms. Hicks represents a sort of Rosemary Woods, Alexander Butterfield, Haldeman/Ehrlichman nexus.

 

She's the toaster, he's the slice of white bread, out of the bag for the first time and headed to being a "person of color", not orange.

 

 

 

 

[neeray]

" YOU'RE FIRED "

 

It's going to sound oh-so-sweet !

[quandow]

37 minutes ago, Puchaiyank said:

[t]he Dems scheduled an impeachment session just before the meeting.

Absolute rubbish. That was NOT the reason for the session. Yes, impeachment was discussed but was not the headline for the gathering.