Page 2 - ARUBA TODAY

A2 UP FRONT
Tuesday 1 OcTOber 2019
Continued from Front Wednesday and Thursday remains on impeachment:
Meanwhile, the circle of to depose Marie "Masha" most Democrats expressing
officials with knowledge Yovanovitch, the U.S. am- support, the vast majority
of Trump's phone call to bassador to Ukraine who of Republicans opposed.
Ukraine's president wid- was removed by the Trump The polls disagreed over
ened with the revelation administration earlier this whose opinions are chang-
that Secretary of State Mike year, and Kurt Volker, ing — Quinnipiac showing
Pompeo listened in on the who resigned last week as increased impeachment
July 25 conversation. America's Ukrainian envoy. support coming more from
Pompeo's presence on the Members of intelligence Democrats, CNN from Re-
Ukraine call, confirmed by committee on Friday will publicans.
two officials who spoke interview Michael Atkinson, Schiff said on Sunday
on condition of anonymity the inspector general for that his intelligence panel
to discuss an internal mat- the intelligence community would hear from the still-
ter, provided the first con- who first received the whis- secret whistleblower "very
firmation that a Cabinet tleblower's complaint. soon" but that no date had
official heard Trump press Democrats are driving the been set and other details
President Volodymyr Zel- proceedings toward what remained to be worked
enskiy to investigate Hunter some hope is a vote to out.
Biden's membership on the impeach, or indict, Trump A day after Trump de-
board of a Ukrainian gas by year's end. They have manded to meet the whis-
company. It is that call, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell of Ky. attends a news launched a coordinated tleblower, whom he has
conference with members of the Senate Republican Leader-
and the circumstances sur- ship, Tuesday Sept. 24, 2019, after their policy luncheon on Cap- messaging and polling repeatedly assailed, he
rounding it, that are fueling itol Hill in Washington. strategy aimed at keep- said when asked about the
the new Democratic drive Associated Press ing any political backlash person: "Well, we're trying
for impeachment. in closely divided districts to find out about a whistle-
McConnell, a steadfast different matter." "Rep. Adam Schiff illegally from toppling their House blower," who made his per-
Trump defender, nonethe- Trump took to Twitter to de- made up a FAKE & terrible majority. fect call "sound terrible."
less swatted down talk that fend anew his phone call statement, pretended it to Meanwhile, an outside The whistleblower's attor-
that the GOP-controlled with Zelenskiy as "perfect" be mine as the most impor- group that supports GOP ney, Andrew Bakaj, said
Senate could dodge the and to unleash a series tant part of my call to the House candidates was Monday that the person "is
matter of impeachment of attacks, most strikingly Ukrainian President, and starting anti-impeachment entitled to anonymity. Law
if the House approved against House intelligence read it aloud to Congress digital ads on Monday and policy support this,
charges against Trump. committee Chairman and the American people," against three House Demo- and the individual is not to
"It's a Senate rule related Adam Schiff. The Demo- the president wrote. "It bore crats from districts Trump be retaliated against. Do-
to impeachment, it would crat, he suggested, ought NO relationship to what I won in 2016. The ads by the ing so is a violation of fed-
take 67 votes to change, to be tried for a capital of- said on the call. Arrest for Congressional Leadership eral law."
so I would have no choice fense for launching into a Treason?" Fund accuse Reps. Matt Separately, the Justice De-
but to take it up," McCon- paraphrase of Trump dur- Trump tweeted repeatedly Cartwright of Pennsylvania, partment disclosed that
nell said on CNBC. "How ing a congressional hear- through the day but was, Elaine Luria of Virginia and Trump recently asked Aus-
long you're on it is a whole ing last week. for the most part, a lonely Elissa Slotkin of Michigan of tralian Prime Minister Scott
voice as the White House "tearing us apart," and are Morrison and other foreign
lacked an organization among the first in which leaders to help Attorney
or process to defend him. Republicans are trying to General William Barr with
Senior staffers, including use the impeachment issue an investigation of the ori-
acting chief of staff Mick against Democratic candi- gins of the Russia investi-
Mulvaney and White House dates. gation that has shadowed
counsel Pat Cipollone, However, support across his administration for more
were to present Trump this America for impeachment than two years.
week with options on set- has grown significantly from Justice spokeswoman Kerri
ting up the West Wing's re- its level before the House Kupec said Trump made
sponse to impeachment, launched its formal inquiry the calls at Barr's request.
officials said. last week. Trump was requesting help
A formal war room was un- A new poll from Quinnipi- for U.S. Attorney John Dur-
likely, though some sort of ac University shows 47% of ham's investigation into the
rapid response team was registered voters say Trump origins of special counsel
planned to supplement the should be impeached and Robert Mueller's probe into
efforts of Trump and Giu- removed from office, while Russian interference in the
liani. But Trump was angry 47% say he should not. Just 2016 election. The inves-
over the weekend at both a week before, it was 37% tigation outraged Trump,
Mulvaney and press secre- for impeachment and 57 who cast it as a politically
tary Stephanie Grisham for percent against. That was motivated "witch hunt."
not being able to change before the White House The Russia probe remains
the narrative dominating released its rough version Trump's motivating factor,
the story, according to two of the call between Trump according to Tom Bossert,
Republicans close to the and Ukraine's president the president's former
White House not authorized and House Speaker Nancy homeland security adviser.
to speak publicly about pri- Pelosi's announcement of "I honestly believe this
vate conversations. a formal impeachment in- president has not gotten
Democrats have orders quiry. his pound of flesh yet from
from House Speaker Nan- In the CNN poll, 47% said past grievances on the
cy Pelosi to keep momen- Trump should be im- 2016 investigation," Bossert
tum going despite a two- peached and removed said Sunday on ABC. "If he
week recess that started from office, up from 41% in continues to focus on that
Friday. Staff for three com- May. Both polls showed dra- white whale, it's going to
mittees are scheduled on matic partisan polarization bring him down."q