Trump accuses Democrats of 'attempted coup' on eve of impeachment vote

By Richard Cowan and Susan Cornwell

 

U.S. President Donald Trump speaks during a meeting with Guatemala's President Jimmy Morales in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, U.S., December 17, 2019. REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque

 

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - On the eve of his expected impeachment in the U.S. House of Representatives, President Donald Trump accused Democrats of pursuing an "illegal, partisan attempted coup" and declaring war on American democracy as they seek to remove him from office for pressing Ukraine to investigate political rival Joe Biden.

 

Trump's remarks came in a letter he signed addressed to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, released as House lawmakers met to set the rules for debate ahead of Wednesday's planned vote on two articles of impeachment - formal charges - against Trump.

 

"This is nothing more than an illegal, partisan attempted coup that will, based on recent sentiment, badly fail at the voting booth," Trump's letter stated, alluding to the 2020 U.S. presidential election in which he is seeking another four years in office.

 

The U.S. Constitution gives the House the power to impeach a president for "high crimes and misdemeanours," part of the document's checks and balances among the executive, legislative and judicial branches of the federal government.

 

The Democratic-led House is expected to pass two articles of impeachment charging the Republican president with abuse of power and obstruction of Congress for his dealings with Ukraine.

 

"By proceeding with your invalid impeachment, you are violating your oaths of office, you are breaking your allegiance to the Constitution, and you are declaring open war on American Democracy," Trump added.

 

House Democrats accuse Trump of abusing his power by asking Ukraine to investigate Biden, a former U.S. vice president and a leading Democratic contender to oppose him in the 2020 election. Trump is also accused of obstructing the congressional investigation into the matter.

 

"Look, this has been a total sham from the beginning," Trump told reporters at the White House shortly after his letter was released.

 

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell on Tuesday brushed aside a Democratic request to call four current and former White House officials as witnesses in a Senate impeachment trial expected next month, sending another clear signal that he expects senators not to remove Trump from office.

 

U.S. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell on Tuesday signaled opposition to a Democratic request to call new witnesses in a Senate trial expected next month on whether to remove President Donald Trump from office. Zachary Goelman reports.

 

In duelling speeches on the Senate floor, McConnell said he would not allow a "fishing expedition" after a "slapdash" House impeachment process, while Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer said a trial without witnesses would be a "sham" and suggested Trump's fellow Republicans favoured a cover-up.

 

Members of the House Rules Committee met on Tuesday over the rules for the debate before the historic vote set for Wednesday in the chamber in which Trump is likely to become the third U.S. president to be impeached.

 

If the House approves articles of impeachment as expected, it would set the stage for a trial in the Senate, controlled by Trump's fellow Republicans - on whether to convict him and remove him from office. No president has ever been removed from office via the impeachment process set out in the Constitution, and Republican senators have given little indication of changing that.

 

Schumer has said he wants the trial to consider documents and hear testimony from four witnesses: former national security adviser John Bolton, acting White House Chief of Staff Mick Mulvaney, Mulvaney aide Robert Blair and budget official Michael Duffey.

 

Schumer has argued that such testimony could sway Republicans in favour of removing Trump.

 

Trump has refused to cooperate with the House impeachment process and ordered current and former officials like those mentioned by Schumer not to testify or provide documents.

 

McConnell took aim at Schumer and Representative Adam Schiff, the chairman of the House Intelligence Committee that spearheaded the impeachment inquiry launched in September.

 

"So now, the Senate Democratic leader would apparently like our chamber to do House Democrats' homework for them. And he wants to volunteer the Senate's time and energy on a fishing expedition to see whether his own ideas could make Chairman Schiff's sloppy work more persuasive than Chairman Schiff himself bothered to make it," McConnell said.

 

McConnell and Schumer both said they expected to meet very soon to discuss how to proceed.

 

"From everything we can tell, House Democrats' slapdash impeachment inquiry has failed to come anywhere near - anywhere near - the bar for impeaching a duly elected president, let alone removing him for the first time in American history," McConnell added.

 

The White House also indicated opposition to Schumer's requests for the Senate trial. McConnell has previously said there is "no chance" the Senate will convict and remove Trump and that he would work in "total coordination" with the White House and Trump's defence team.

 

"What is Leader McConnell afraid of? What is President Trump afraid of? The truth?" Schumer asked on the Senate floor.

 

"If you're trying to conceal evidence and block testimony, it's probably not because the evidence is going to help your case. It's because you're trying to cover something up," Schumer added.

 

(Reporting by Susan Cornwell and Richard Cowan; Additional reporting by David Morgan, Patricia Zengerle and Makini Brice; Editing by Peter Cooney, Jonathan Oatis and Andrea Ricci)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2019-12-18

Follow Thaivisa on LINE for breaking Thailand news and visa info

If Trump was impeached he would be replaced by another Republican ... so hardly a coup. What he did with Ukraine was worse than Nixon. He’s a crook.

5 minutes ago, Tippaporn said:

Read Trump's letter here:

 

"You Have Found NOTHING!": Trump Sends Angry Letter To Pelosi Slamming "Illegal Attempted Coup"

 

https://www.zerohedge.com/political/you-have-found-nothing-trump-warns-dems-theyre-playing-dangerous-game

 

The Dems have shot themselves in the foot.  They will go the way of the Whigs.

Trump is not a lawyer....

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-50829474

 

whether this man is talking or farting it's the same  . I had a lot more to say but out of respect to other posters I deleted it. 

1 minute ago, AlexRich said:

If Trump was impeached he would be replaced by another Republican ... so hardly a coup. What he did with Ukraine was worse than Nixon. He’s a crook.

BS.  The Dems purposely and then insistently twisted the facts to make it appear as a crime.  And then displayed the double standard of insisting Biden did nothing wrong even though proof is there for all to see.

 

As Trump states in his letter, it was the Dems objective to impeach Trump from Day 1, before Trump could possibly have done anything "wrong."  Proof positive that for the past 3 years they have been searching for something, anything, to remove him.

 

The voters will not forget.

4 minutes ago, candide said:

Trump is not a lawyer....

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-50829474

 

American voters are not fools.

 

Can't link to the article.

so the circus in the UK is over and the circus in the US continues but it too is almost over 

 

as soon as this hits the senate it ends - what a waste of time and resource - anyone sick listening to this total BS day in day out - what   T F was the point

 

I think the American people are sick to the back teeth of this constant attack on Trump - what is it - over 3 years now

 

move on - he is President lol, if anything the democrats are just moving voters to elect him again, just hilarious

 

I did not have sexual relations with that woman - above the waist lol

 

tooooooooooo funny

Giuliani:

 

Dem’s impeachment for innocent conduct is intended to obstruct the below investigations of Obama-era corruption:

- Billions of laundered $
- Billions, mostly US $, widely misused
- Extortion
- Bribery
- DNC collusion w/ Ukraine to destroy candidate Trump

Much more to come.

 

Slated to present evidence to Graham's Senate committee soon after the Senate dismisses the House's farcical and politically motivated Articles of Impeachment BS charges.

 

I just had to check Wiki to see how it defined "coup". I didn't learn anything I didn't know before.

Trump would be wise to check Wiki himself though to understand the meaning of "coup". This is far from a coup.

Or he could talk to persons in Thailand who really do understand what "coup" means.

2 minutes ago, neeray said:

I just had to check Wiki to see how it defined "coup". I didn't learn anything I didn't know before.

Trump would be wise to check Wiki himself though to understand the meaning of "coup". This is far from a coup.

Or he could talk to persons in Thailand who really do understand what "coup" means.

The American people understand the definition of coup.  That's all that matters.

Meanwhile . . . 

 

Latvian government says it flagged ‘suspicious’ Hunter Biden payments in 2016

 

https://johnsolomonreports.com/latvian-government-says-it-flagged-suspicious-hunter-biden-payments-in-2016/

 

“The Office for Prevention of Laundering of Proceeds Derived from Criminal Activity … is currently investigating suspicious activity of Burisma Holdings Limited,” the Latvian agency also known as the FIU wrote Ukraine’s financial authorities.

 

Again, the absolute hypocrisy of the Dems.  On the one hand falsely creating a crime out of thin air and on the other hand looking the other way concerning true crime.

 

Throughout human history great leaders, when faced with adversity, reach deep down inside for the courage and inner fortitude to carry on and carry the day.

 

Throughout the Trump Presidency, when faced with adversity, Trump has reached deep down inside for the whiny, thirteen year old drama queen.

 

I am deeply embarrassed for my American friends and family.

 

 

4 minutes ago, Tippaporn said:

The American people understand the definition of coup.  That's all that matters.

Ahhhh we do and the house doing their constitutional oversite duty is not a coup Donald trump betraying the constitution and extortion are impeachable offenses and rightfully so 

6 minutes ago, Tippaporn said:

Meanwhile . . . 

 

Latvian government says it flagged ‘suspicious’ Hunter Biden payments in 2016

 

https://johnsolomonreports.com/latvian-government-says-it-flagged-suspicious-hunter-biden-payments-in-2016/

 

“The Office for Prevention of Laundering of Proceeds Derived from Criminal Activity … is currently investigating suspicious activity of Burisma Holdings Limited,” the Latvian agency also known as the FIU wrote Ukraine’s financial authorities.

 

Again, the absolute hypocrisy of the Dems.  On the one hand falsely creating a crime out of thin air and on the other hand looking the other way concerning true crime.

 

Jumping on the russan disinformation bandwagon are we now?

The voters will not forgive.

 

 

For some the penny drops very slowly! As stated many times, support for the impeachment hoax is tanking. Evidently Trump is going to win a LANDSLIDE thanks to the unhinged behavior of the democrats.

 

""I don’t believe that poll for one second,” said the gobsmacked Toobin this week. The new survey also shows that support for impeachment among Democrats has declined to 77%, down somewhat from its earlier posting of 90%."

https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/opinion/cnns-jeffrey-toobin-disparages-cnn-poll-showing-decline-in-support-for-impeachment

Trump should chill and work on his anger management..  and watch a good movie like.. All The President's Men...

2 hours ago, sirineou said:

whether this man is talking or farting it's the same  . I had a lot more to say but out of respect to other posters I deleted it. 

Like this is lie number 13, 677 since he took office?

1 hour ago, Tippaporn said:

Giuliani:

 

Dem’s impeachment for innocent conduct is intended to obstruct the below investigations of Obama-era corruption:

- Billions of laundered $
- Billions, mostly US $, widely misused
- Extortion
- Bribery
- DNC collusion w/ Ukraine to destroy candidate Trump

Much more to come.

 

Slated to present evidence to Graham's Senate committee soon after the Senate dismisses the House's farcical and politically motivated Articles of Impeachment BS charges.

 

Relevant to impeachment how?

1 hour ago, Tippaporn said:

Meanwhile . . . 

 

Latvian government says it flagged ‘suspicious’ Hunter Biden payments in 2016

 

https://johnsolomonreports.com/latvian-government-says-it-flagged-suspicious-hunter-biden-payments-in-2016/

 

“The Office for Prevention of Laundering of Proceeds Derived from Criminal Activity … is currently investigating suspicious activity of Burisma Holdings Limited,” the Latvian agency also known as the FIU wrote Ukraine’s financial authorities.

 

Again, the absolute hypocrisy of the Dems.  On the one hand falsely creating a crime out of thin air and on the other hand looking the other way concerning true crime.

 

I cant see how if hunter biden committed mass murder it is relevant to what trump is being impeached for.

2 hours ago, smedly said:

so the circus in the UK is over and the circus in the US continues but it too is almost over 

 

as soon as this hits the senate it ends - what a waste of time and resource - anyone sick listening to this total BS day in day out - what   T F was the point

 

I think the American people are sick to the back teeth of this constant attack on Trump - what is it - over 3 years now

 

move on - he is President lol, if anything the democrats are just moving voters to elect him again, just hilarious

 

I did not have sexual relations with that woman - above the waist lol

 

tooooooooooo funny

The ‘circus in the UK’ is not over.

 

There are multiple continuing court cases in which Congress seeks access to/Trump seeks to block access to multiple items of evidence, multiple witnesses.

 

This is not over by a long way. 

 

 

Once again Trump, the master of projection, accuses others of the crimes he himself is committing.

 

 

Just now, Sujo said:

I cant see how if hunter biden committed mass murder it is relevant to what trump is being impeached for.

Because Trump was justified in requesting Ukrainian assistance in resolving the Biden corruption.  The entire impeachment scam charge is that the Dems twisted Trump's true motivation to appear as though he were requesting the assistance solely for political gain.

 

That's how the Biden corruption is relevant.  It proves that the entire impeachment scam was nothing more than an illegal attempt to remove a constitutionally elected U.S. President.  And why?  To cover Democratic corruption in Ukraine.

3 minutes ago, Tippaporn said:

It's over as soon as it hits the Senate.  What are you on about?

I wouldn’t put so much faith in the Senate, Mitch McConnell has yet to decide what’s best for Mitch McConnell.

1 hour ago, Tug said:

Ahhhh we do and the house doing their constitutional oversite duty is not a coup Donald trump betraying the constitution and extortion are impeachable offenses and rightfully so 

But he will get away with it as the Republican senators have already been told how to vote, impartially of course, and he will sadly get 4 more years in office as like Johnson in the UK he will have no viable opposition.

 

The only good thing is that he will definitely be gone within 5 years unless like Xi declares himself president for life.

2 hours ago, AlexRich said:

If Trump was impeached he would be replaced by another Republican ... so hardly a coup. What he did with Ukraine was worse than Nixon. He’s a crook.

I didn't know Nixon was involved with the Ukraine. 

 

"He's a crook"..... that must be in difference to when Nixon stated "I an not a crook". Even tho he was. 

2 minutes ago, Thailand said:

and he will sadly get 4 more years in office as like Johnson in the UK he will have no viable opposition.

Sorry but I had warned again and again since Trump won and the leftist tantrum began, that to win the next election dems must stop the hate and negativity and campaign positively on how to improve Americans lives. They did not stop the unhinged hatred and tantrums, and now you act shocked that there is no "viable opposition"? Just stunning.

2 hours ago, Tippaporn said:

Meanwhile . . . 

 

Latvian government says it flagged ‘suspicious’ Hunter Biden payments in 2016

 

https://johnsolomonreports.com/latvian-government-says-it-flagged-suspicious-hunter-biden-payments-in-2016/

 

“The Office for Prevention of Laundering of Proceeds Derived from Criminal Activity … is currently investigating suspicious activity of Burisma Holdings Limited,” the Latvian agency also known as the FIU wrote Ukraine’s financial authorities.

 

Again, the absolute hypocrisy of the Dems.  On the one hand falsely creating a crime out of thin air and on the other hand looking the other way concerning true crime.

 

 

"In his column, Solomon wrote that in 2016, a Latvian prosecutorial agency asked the Ukrainian government for information that might indicate that a series of “suspicious” funds were transferred to the Ukrainian natural gas company Burisma and that Hunter Biden, who was a Burisma board member at the time, and other colleagues might have benefited from it. Solomon repeatedly framed Hunter Biden as the possible recipient of money laundering -- even though he also repeatedly admitted that the information Ukraine gave to Latvia in response contained no evidence of any incriminating activity:

...Arturs Saburovs, the Third Secretary at the Latvian embassy in Washington, confirmed his country flagged the transactions in February 2016 after seeing public reports that Burisma was under investigation in Ukraine and that Hunter Biden served on the company’s board."

 

https://www.mediamatters.org/trump-impeachment-inquiry/john-solomons-new-scoop-about-ukraine-and-hunter-biden-debunks-itself

 

In other words, it was a routine request occasioned by public reports. No investigation was underway by the Latvian government. Unless you want to call a request for further info from the Ukrainians an investigation.

3 hours ago, Tippaporn said:

American voters are not fools.

How can you possibly say that when they elected Trump? If anything, that was the final nail in the coffin's lid of the total dumbing down of the American system and people. I never even imagined anything worse than George W Bush, then along came Trump.

3 hours ago, Tippaporn said:

BS.  The Dems purposely and then insistently twisted the facts to make it appear as a crime.  And then displayed the double standard of insisting Biden did nothing wrong even though proof is there for all to see.

 

As Trump states in his letter, it was the Dems objective to impeach Trump from Day 1, before Trump could possibly have done anything "wrong."  Proof positive that for the past 3 years they have been searching for something, anything, to remove him.

 

The voters will not forget.

What twisted facts? The incomplete but still damning phone transcript provided by Trump himself or perhaps the testimony of those on the phone call with him or maybe the testimony of his own ambassador to the EU or no, maybe that given by his own ambassador to the Ukraine and state department staff?