Russia is so yesterday and so is quid-pro-quo apparently.
As Democrats are preparing for their impeachment inquiry, a new memo has apparently gone out because everyone is suddenly using the word “extortion.”
The Washington Examiner reports:
Extortion: Democrats test new charge against Trump
In recent weeks, some Democrats have struggled to cite a crime committed by President Trump in the Ukraine affair. While the Intelligence Community inspector general suggested the president might have violated campaign finance laws, Democrats have generally not specified what law or laws Trump might have broken — instead pointing out that, beyond treason and bribery, the Constitution does not list particular offenses that qualify for removal from office. The House has wide discretion in deciding what conduct, criminal or not, is impeachable.
Now, however, Democrats appear to be testing a new charge: The president committed extortion.
“We have a crime — extortion,” Democratic Rep. Eric Swalwell told Fox News’ Martha MacCallum Wednesday.
“You’ve already decided there was a crime?” asked MacCallum.
“Yes, that’s why we’re doing this,” said Swalwell. “A crime was committed. We’re now looking at the suspect, the president, who confessed to the crime, by the way.”
The Democratic idea, apparently, is that Trump withheld U.S. military aid for Ukraine as part of a demand that Ukraine investigate the Bidens and events in Ukraine connected to the 2016 election. That is the alleged extortion to which Trump has “confessed,” according to Swalwell.
Watch below:
NEWS: @RepSwalwell tells @margbrennan that the House Intelligence Committee has evidence of an “extortion scheme.” WATCH –> pic.twitter.com/iEMScIJxkj
— Face The Nation (@FaceTheNation) November 10, 2019
This is all about messaging:
Democrats are crafting a story about Trump bribery and extortion as the focus of the impeachment hearings. pic.twitter.com/no9jzposSq
— Sarah Reese Jones (@PoliticusSarah) November 11, 2019
"It would be no different than if somebody intercepted my paycheck, that I earned, and said 'You don't get this until you do me a favor.'"@glennkirschner2 discusses Pres. Trump's phone call with Ukraine, describing it as both "bribery" and "extortion".https://t.co/c67KVcdgP1
— MSNBC (@MSNBC) November 11, 2019
This pretty much sums it all up:
They will keep poll testing until something sticks, and their online bots will continue to screech OrangeManBad.
— FundingRENJ (@FundingRENJ) November 11, 2019
It’s like the Mueller investigation never even happened.
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