Rep. Adam Schiff: Trump's Potentially Impeachable Offenses Include Bribery

[brooklynite]

Source: NPR

With the House set to begin public impeachment inquiry hearings against President Trump on Wednesday, the man tasked with leading the Democrats' investigation says he already sees several potential impeachable offenses Trump has committed, including bribery.

House Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam Schiff, D-Calif., told Morning Edition host Steve Inskeep during an interview at the Capitol on Tuesday that he thinks there's a clear argument to be made that Trump committed "bribery" and "high crimes and misdemeanors" — both explicitly outlined in the Constitution as impeachable offenses — when pressuring the Ukrainian government to investigate former Vice President Joe Biden's son in exchange for long-promised military aid.

"Bribery, first of all, as the founders understood bribery, it was not as we understand it in law today. It was much broader," Schiff said. "It connoted the breach of the public trust in a way where you're offering official acts for some personal or political reason, not in the nation's interest."

To prove bribery, Schiff said, you have to show that the president was "soliciting something of value," which Schiff thinks multiple witnesses before his committee have testified to in private.

Read more: https://www.npr.org/2019/11/12/778380499/rep-adam-schiff-trumps-potentially-impeachable-offenses-include-bribery

[JudyM]

1. Something very satisfying psychologically about using this clear new term on the eve of the hearings

For folks who found the QPQ concept murky, this gives something much easier to understand and engage in for water cooler talk, and ultimately public opinion. Crisp and strategically delicious. Hopefully a sign of more well-thought-out and well-executed strategy to come.

Go Adam.

[Stuart G]

2. I like the word..."bribery" ..Everyone knows that "bribery" is illegal.(thank you for posting this)

.....another thought....Adam Schiff knows about "bribery." He was a former prosecutor..

[ritapria]

3. Schiff is Right

Enough of this nonsense term :"Quid pro quo"

[LiberalLovinLug]

8. +1000

Its not even the right word for it.

Quid pro quo means you get something for something. Ukraine already HAD acquired that funding, it should have been a matter of a formality. Trump waded in, stopped the transfer of their entitled money, until they carried out his demands. That is extortion. Or bribery.

Its frustrating that Democrats are so loathe to use language because someone somewhere might think they are "going too far". Upset fragile sensibilities. How long did it take for them to use the word "lies", rather than "misstatement".

My gawd. They should be shouting out the word "traitor!"

[FailureToCommunicate]

4. We all know it. Now America needs to see it: Bribery... by thuggery

Too bad PBS (PUBLIC Broadcasting System) is refusing to air the (repeat) hearings in the evening.

[cstanleytech]

5. Obstruction is easily on that list by his willfully trying to block Congress from fulfilling its

Constitutional duty in being one of the checks on the other branches of government going rogue.

[ffr]

6. Master chess against Dinky Dummy Donnie.

NAIL HIS ASS TO THE WALL, SCHIFF!

[BlueIdaho]

7. Well I bet that caught the GOPers flat footed.

They have spent an enormous amount of time greasing the “Quid Pro Quo” nonsense machine...

Fuck yes - Fatso is guilty of bribery.