Trump impeachment evidence overwhelming – House report – BBC News

Trump impeachment inquiry

Media captionWhat does it take to impeach a president?

Evidence for impeaching US President Donald Trump for misconduct in office is “overwhelming”, according to the panel leading the impeachment inquiry.

The president placed personal political interests “above the national interests of the United States”, it states in a key report to House lawmakers.

He did so by trying to “solicit foreign interference” from Ukraine to help his 2020 re-election bid, it says.

The report is designed to lay out the case to remove Mr Trump from office.

He denies any wrongdoing, and has described the inquiry as a witch-hunt.

Before the draft report was released, the Republican president attacked the Democrat-led investigation as “very unpatriotic”.

Following publication, White House press secretary Stephanie Grisham said the Democrats “utterly failed to produce any evidence of wrongdoing” and that the report “reflects nothing more than their frustrations”.

The report now goes to the House Judiciary Committee, which will begin proceedings on Wednesday and consider formal impeachment charges against Mr Trump.

What does the report say?

The Trump-Ukraine Impeachment Inquiry Report was made public on Tuesday by the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence.

It says the inquiry “uncovered a months-long effort by President Trump to use the powers of his office to solicit foreign interference on his behalf in the 2020 election”.

“President Trump’s scheme subverted US foreign policy toward Ukraine and undermined our national security in favour of two politically-motivated investigations that would help his presidential re-election campaign,” it says.

“The president demanded that the newly-elected Ukrainian President, Volodymyr Zelensky, publicly announce investigations into a political rival that he apparently feared the most, former Vice-President Joe Biden, and into a discredited theory that it was Ukraine, not Russia, that interfered in the 2016 presidential election.”

Evidence of misconduct is overwhelming “and so too is the evidence of his obstruction of Congress”, the report says.

…(read more).

Greta Thunberg: Sustainable living should be easier

Published on Dec 3, 2019
Climate activist Greta Thunberg arrived by catamaran in the port of Lisbon after a three-week voyage across the Atlantic Ocean from the United States. The Swedish teen sailed to the Portuguese capital before heading to neighboring Spain to attend the UN Climate Change Conference taking place in Madrid. She told supporters that it should be easier for people to live in a more sustainable way.

Red Rebels in Madrid | Extinction Rebellion

Published on Dec 3, 2019
The action aims to bring attention to the very present impacts of the climate and ecological emergency we face, particularly those from the Global South/Majority World. [a bit more context on the action when the time is right]

“Throughout this COP we want delegates to take a moment to pause and reflect all the past, present and future life lost due to this planetary emergency,” commented XXX from Extinction Rebellion Spain. “This issue is at its core a human rights issue – as well as an environmental one. Unfortunately, the speed and level of commitment from governments so far is not nearly enough. We are heading towards 4 degrees of warming which will mean a lot more suffering and not much justice if we let things continue the way they currently are. We need to think bigger and remember that we are all part of this ecosystem, this one planet together.”

The action, which comes on the second day of COP25, is carried out by Rebels Without Borders, which sees people coming together from more than 19 different nations and all walks of life to the Spanish capital to deliver an Ultimatum to the global community as representatives gathering for this year’s important summit.

Ultimatum for humankind: Time has all but run out Madrid’s COP25 represents a true ultimatum for humankind and all ecosystems: time has all but run out to avert the worst of the catastrophe our planet faces. In the face of such unimaginable carnage, which scientists have been warning about for over four decades, the only viable option is for a massive, peaceful and democratic mobilisation to demand immediate change, not just individual action.

24 years on from the first COP, the summit’s cause has become more crucial than ever. Yet global commitment is criminally absent. Goals set out by previous COPs, including Paris’ COP 21 celebrated agreement, and ignored in a stubborn and suicidal pursuit of business as usual. A mere 16 countries out of the 195 which signed the Paris Agreement are complying with it. Meanwhile, the Amazon, Siberia, the Arctic and Koalas burn.

Extinction Rebellion groups around the world demand the following of their governments, which each country adapting the demands to their context: That governments Tell the truth by declaring a climate and ecological emergency, working with other institutions to communicate the urgency for change. Governments must act now to halt biodiversity loss and reduce greenhouse gas emissions to net zero by 2025. Governments must create and be led by the decisions of a Citizens’ Assembly on climate and ecological justice.

Climate activist Greta Thunberg lands in Lisbon ahead of COP25 climate summit

Published on Dec 3, 2019
Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg landed in Lisbon, Portugal on Tuesday after sailing across the Atlantic to attend the U.N. Climate Change Conference (COP25) in Madrid, Spain. Thunberg, her father, and the crew aboard La Vagabonde sailed for 20 days from New York on a yacht that saved on carbon emissions and reduced their carbon footprint.

Thunberg was greeted by activists and Lisbon’s mayor, and told supporters that she will continue to spread the message that climate action should be a top priority for world leaders when she attends COP25.

Greta Thunberg: Sustainable living should be easier

Published on Dec 3, 2019
Climate activist Greta Thunberg arrived by catamaran in the port of Lisbon after a three-week voyage across the Atlantic Ocean from the United States. The Swedish teen sailed to the Portuguese capital before heading to neighboring Spain to attend the UN Climate Change Conference taking place in Madrid. She told supporters that it should be easier for people to live in a more sustainable way.

Public To See Trump Impeachment Report Tuesday; Inquiry Continues | Rachel Maddow | MSNBC

MSNBC Dec 3, 2019

Rep. Adam Schiff, chairman of the House Intelligence Committee, tells Rachel Maddow that the report on the Donald Trump impeachment inquiry will be released publicly on Tuesday, but the impeachment committees will continue to investigate, issue subpoenas, and hear new witnesses even after this initial report heads to the House Judiciary Committee. Aired on 12/02/19.

Adam Schiff: Ignoring Trump Obstruction Hurts Congress Oversight Power | Rachel Maddow | MSNBC

MSNBC Dec 3, 2019

Rep. Adam Schiff, chairman of the House Intelligence Committee, talks with Rachel Maddow about ongoing investigations into whether anyone else was involved in Michael Cohen lying to Congress, and the importance of holding Donald Trump to account for obstruction of Congress for the sake of protecting the balance of power in the U.S. government. Aired on 12/02/19.

Trump Embarrassment: White House Officials Resign As Dems Prep New Impeachment Hearings | MSNBC

MSNBC Nov 27, 2019

Two employees of the White House Office of Management and Budget resigned over the administration’s handling of Ukraine. House Dems are shifting from investigating the Ukraine plot by gathering evidence, to moving towards formal impeachment as Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerry Nadler announces more public hearings and invites Trump and his counsel to attend. Glenn Kirschner, Joyce Vance and Maya Wiley join MSNBC’s Chief Legal Correspondent Ari Melber. Aired on 11/27/19.

Noam Chomsky – History of US Rule in Latin America

PHubb

History of US Rule in Latin America; Elections and Resistance to the Coup in Honduras – Professor Noam Chomsky PhD. Filmed by Paul Hubbard at Massachusetts Institute of Technology on 12-15-09
http://www.socialistworker.org

Richard Wolff: Price of coffee beans have dropped but the cost of your cup of coffee hasn’t

Democracy At WorkDec 3, 2019

“Over the last three years the price of coffee (per pound, at the farm, the beans, the coffee beans) has gone from over $1.20 per pound to $0.55 per pound. It destroyed the livelihoods of tens of thousands of small coffee farmers all over the world through Honduras, El Salvador, Guatemala, Costa Rica… If you haven’t noticed a drop in the price of coffee that might be because the company delivering your coffee drink is keeping the extra money they get by not having to pay as much for coffee as they used to and using it for their profits.” We’re taking a look back this week.
This clip comes from Episode 30 of this season, which aired in the first week of August: “Win Win For Women’s Soccer”
Watch the full episode here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q_gLw…