OA318: Quid Pro Quo Burger

Hooooo boy! Today's episode breaks down the tipping point that finally got House Speaker Nancy Pelosi to back an impeachment inquiry: the now-disclosed whistleblower complaint that lays out exactly how Donald Trump abused our foreign policy to pressure a foreign leader to aid him in his 2020 re-election campaign. It's every bit as bad as it looks, and we walk you through exactly what it means.

Don’t forget Opening Arguments LIVE in Los Angeles, CA on October 12, 2019. Here is the link!!

Here's the topline: Acting DNI Maguire changed his story as to why he withheld the whistleblower complaint to a completely bogus claim of executive privilege. We'll tell you why that won't hold up. We'll also answer:

What's a TELCON, and do we have reasons to believe that the "transcript" of the President's July 25 conversation with Ukranian President Zelenskyy was "Bill Barr"ed? Are we at PEAK YODEL MOUNTAIN? Did the Republicans really email their stupid talking points to Nancy Pelosi? And if so, how do we spot a hack? (Hint: he -- and they're pretty much all 'he's -- will have an "R" after his name.) What did we learn from Maguire's testimony today, and how incriminating was it? (Very.) What does the complaint say and how bad is it? And finally -- what are the FIVE ARTICLES OF IMPEACHMENT Andrew thinks will be brought against this President?

After all that, it's time for a brand-new #T3BE, this time a dreaded real property question that Thomas feels oddly confident about his answer. Do you share his optimism? Let us know!

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Show Notes & Links

Don’t forget Opening Arguments LIVE in Los Angeles, CA on October 12, 2019. Here is the link!! Remember that the operative statute requiring Maguire to have turned over the whistleblower complaint is 50 U.S.C. § 3033, and particularly subsection (k)(5). Here's the New York Times reporting that Trump mentioned Giuliani way back in his first call to Zelenskyy on April 21, 2019. Extortion is 18 U.S.C. § 355(c)(2); treason is 18 U.S.C. § 2381, and neither are a good fit here. What laws are a good fit? Well, how about (a) illegal solicitation of a campaign contribution, 52 U.S.C. § 30121; (b) bribery, 18 U.S.C. § 201 ; (c) obstruction of justice, 18 U.S.C. § 1505, and much more?? Finally, remember that we first discussed illegal campaign contributions back in Episode 116.

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