Donald Trump's bribery

jerrycurl
read the transcript
jerrycurl
no quid pro quo
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jerrycurl
i was a dam builder
jerrycurl
across a river deep and wide
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paradiso
jerrycurl: There exists no transcript.
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paradiso
There's a contemporaneous, edited memo that was published.
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You've never read this memo.
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The memo explicitly contains an illegal solicitation of a bribe.
18:22 paradiso
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-politics/trump-ukraine-summary-impeachment-phone-call-transcript-zelensky-a9120521.html
paradiso
That article name falsely includes the word "transcript".
minion
your mom drinks pop, that much we know
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President Zelensky: “I’m very grateful to you for that because the United States is doing quite a lot for Ukraine. Much more than the European Union especially ... we are almost ready to buy more Javelins from the United States for defence purposes.”
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paradiso
Mr Zelensky responds by agreeing with Mr Trump that leaders like Angela Merkel in Germany and Emmanuel Macron are not doing enough for his country. He says he agrees “1000%”.  He then goes on to add that Kiev is “very grateful” to the US and is almost ready buy more Javelin missiles for the purpose of defence against Russia. The Ukrainian president is making it clear how much his nation needs the US. Mr Tr
18:23 paradiso
ump does not mention on this call the hundreds of millions of dollars in aid to Ukraine he delayed  a few days before speaking to Mr Zelensky, but the business-like nature of the relationship is clear.
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President Trump: “I would like you to do us a favor though because our country has been through a lot and Ukraine knows a lot about it. I would like you to find out what happened with this whole situation with Ukraine...”
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With the relationship seemingly now clearly defined, Mr Trump immediately asks for a favour, about helping him with an investigation. Essentially asking for help from a foreign power that could eventually assist him in his attempt to get re-elected in 2020.
minion
paradiso it was a favor which the russians could refuse so no quid pro quo
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paradiso
minion: That appears to be incoherent.
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paradiso
Would you like to try again?
minion
i couldn't be more clear
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paradiso
"the russians"
minion
it's confirmed your mom likes these nuts
paradiso
I appreciate you rapidly self-ignoring.
18:25 paradiso
For the room, it doesn't matter how Zelensky responds.
paradiso
If you solicit a bribe, you are in violation of the US federal bribery statute, which I can cite.
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The criminal act is merely in the solicitation of a bribe.
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Recall, though, the federal code was created after the US Constitution, which explicitly mentions "bribery".
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paradiso
That is, the "bribery" in the US Constitution is not defined or limited by the US federal code definition, but it's helpful to know.
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Ultimately, the "bribery" in the US Constitution is defined by Congress as part of its general Article I powers, but I would guess they would use the US federal code definition as guidance.
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https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/18/201
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(b)Whoever—(2)being a public official or person selected to be a public official, directly or indirectly, corruptly demands, seeks, receives, accepts, or agrees to receive or accept anything of value personally or for any other person or entity, in return for:
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(A)being influenced in the performance of any official act;
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Trump sought something of personal value in return for being influenced in the performance of an official act.
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Case closed.