memeorandum: Trump Is Leaving Congress No Choice But to Impeach (Joyce White Vance/TIME)

12:30 PM ET, September 24, 2019

Top Items:

Trump ordered hold on military aid days before calling Ukrainian president, officials say — President Trump told his acting chief of staff, Mick Mulvaney, to hold back almost $400 million in military aid for Ukraine at least a week before a phone call in which Trump is said to have pressured …

Washington Post:

Seven freshman Democrats: These allegations are a threat to all we have sworn to protect — Reps. Gil Cisneros of California, Jason Crow of Colorado, Chrissy Houlahan of Pennsylvania, Elaine Luria of Virginia, Mikie Sherrill of New Jersey, Elissa Slotkin of Michigan and Abigail Spanberger of Virginia are all freshman Democrats.

Greg Sargent / Washington Post:

Here's a timeline of Trump's latest scandal. It's damning. — The floodgates are opening: Even as more Democrats are moving decisively toward supporting impeachment proceedings, we're now learning that President Trump himself ordered a freeze on aid to Ukraine, just before telling …

Discussion: The Week, Daily Kos, Mediaite and Raw Story

Representative Haley Stevens:

Stevens Statement on Reports of Abuse of Power by President Trump — WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, U.S. Reps Haley Stevens (MI-11) released the following statement: — “Over the last several days, I have been deeply alarmed by reports of serious abuse of power by President Trump.

Washington Post:

Trump confirms he withheld military aid from Ukraine, says he wants other countries to help pay — President Trump was pressed by reporters as to why he blocked aid a week before his call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. — “But very importantly, Germany, France …

Jonathan Bernstein / Bloomberg:

We're Likely Headed for Impeachment — House Democrats are fed up with Donald Trump's lawlessness. Watergate offers a blueprint for what to do next. — Folks, I think the president of the United States is going to be impeached. — The signals are clear.

Discussion: Wall Street Journal, Washington Post, Daily Kos and The Week

Jonathan Chait / New York Magazine:

Why Trump Has Finally Forced the House to Impeach Him — The anticlimactic denouement of the Mueller report produced a mixture of relief and gloating for Republicans. For President Trump it also produced something else: An almost intoxicating sense of impunity, a realization that his attempts …

Discussion: New York Times, The Atlantic, CNN, Raw Story, Hot Air and Axios

Tamar Hallerman / Atlanta Journal-Constitution:

Hank Johnson becomes first Ga. congressman to back impeachment — U.S. Rep. Hank Johnson, D-Lithonia, announced his support for an impeachment inquiry on Tuesday, becoming the first Georgia congressman to endorse proceedings to remove President Donald Trump from office.

Discussion: Washington Post

Mike Murphy / Washington Post:

I'm a Republican. It's time to put GOP senators on the spot with impeachment. — Mike Murphy is a Republican consultant and co-director the University of Southern California Center for the Political Future. He co-hosts the “Hacks on Tap” podcast with David Axelrod.

Discussion: Denver Post

Nicholas Fandos / New York Times:
House Barrels Toward Impeachment Decisions as Democratic Resistance Crumbles

Discussion: Political Wire

Joyce White Vance / TIME:
Trump Is Leaving Congress No Choice But to Impeach

Discussion: Washington Post, Reason and The Week

Brett Samuels / The Hill:
Trump scoffs at rising impeachment calls: 'It's nonsense'

Discussion: Politico and Political Wire

Washington Post:
Trump confirms he withheld military aid from Ukraine, says he wants other countries to help pay

Discussion: BuzzFeed News, CNN, Political Wire, New York Times, Talking Points Memo, Raw Story, The Daily Caller, VICE and The Guardian

Washington Post:
Pelosi quietly sounding out House Democrats about whether to impeach Trump, officials say

Peter Baker / New York Times:
Instead of ‘No Collusion!’ Trump Now Seems to Be Saying, So What if I Did?

Discussion: NBC News, Politico, The Daily Beast, The Week, Axios and Breitbart

Allan Smith / NBC News:
More Dems back impeachment action amid reports Trump ordered Ukraine aid frozen

Discussion: Washington Post, CNN and The Resurgent

John Bresnahan / Politico:
Impeachment momentum spikes, as Pelosi weighs aggressive moves

Discussion: Vox, Washington Post and Mother Jones

Zack Beauchamp / Vox:
The Ukraine scandal makes a stronger case for impeachment than the Mueller probe did

Discussion: Wall Street Journal, Washington Post, ABC News and Mashable

Jonah Goldberg / Los Angeles Times:
Column: The most noxious part of Ukraine-Biden whistleblower affair is Team Trump thinks we're all idiots

Discussion: CANNONFIRE

Randall D. Eliason / Washington Post:
If the Ukraine allegations are true, there are criminal consequences

Discussion: electionlawblog.org and OpenSecrets.org

The Daily Beast:
Not Just Ukraine: Rudy and Bannon Try a Whole New Way to Slime Biden

Discussion: The Guardian, Raw Story, NPR, Breitbart and Washington Post

Politico:
POLITICO Playbook: How the ground is shifting on impeachment

Discussion: Associated Press, Reason, KTLA and The Week

New York Post:
Why is most of the media circling the wagons to protect Hunter Biden?

Discussion: The American Spectator

Melissa Nann Burke / Detroit News: Stevens backs impeachment inquiry for Trump amid Ukraine controversy

Mona Charen / The Bulwark: Since When Does Trump Care About Corruption?

Washington Post:

Britain's Supreme Court rules Prime Minister Boris Johnson suspended Parliament illegally — LONDON — Britain's highest court dealt a major blow on Tuesday to Prime Minister Boris Johnson, ruling that his controversial decision to suspend Parliament was unlawful, in a landmark judgment …

Discussion: Coffee House and Lawyers, Guns & Money

BBC:

Live Reporting — Cabinet phone meeting expected today — ITV political editor tweets... He adds: “The PM is expected to fly home overnight tonight, a few hours earlier than planned, so that he can be in Parliament tomorrow.” — 'It's time we took things forward' - Johnson

Discussion: Associated Press, Townhall and Slate

Owen Bowcott / The Guardian:
Boris Johnson's suspension of parliament unlawful, supreme court rules

Discussion: Outside the Beltway, Splinter and Balloon Juice

The Daily Beast:
Supreme Court: Boris Johnson ‘Unlawfully’ Halted Democracy Over Brexit

Discussion: Politico and One America News Network

Mark Landler / New York Times:
Boris Johnson's Suspension of Parliament Was Unlawful, U.K. Supreme Court Rules

Discussion: Talking Points Memo, Bloomberg, The Week and Common Dreams

Thomas Kaplan / New York Times:

Bernie Sanders Proposes a Wealth Tax, Taking Aim at Billionaires — Mr. Sanders is embracing an idea at the center of Elizabeth Warren's presidential campaign. His proposal goes further in who would be taxed and how much money would be raised. — WASHINGTON — Senator Bernie Sanders …

Discussion: Vanity Fair, Daily Wire, The Independent, PJ Media Home, The Week, Common Dreams and twitchy.com

Mike Allen / Axios:
Scoop: Bernie Sanders one-ups Warren with his own wealth tax

Discussion: CNBC, Politico, Washington Post and Vox

A. G. Sulzberger / New York Times:

The Growing Threat to Journalism Around the World — In many countries, journalists are being targeted because of the role they play in ensuring a free and informed society. — Mr. Sulzberger is the publisher of The New York Times. — [This Op-Ed was originally delivered as a talk at Brown University on Monday.]

Discussion: Vox, CNN, VICE, U.S. Political News …, Fox News, Slate and Mediaite, more at Mediagazer »

Adam Shaw / Fox News:

Trump touts nationalism in UN address: ‘The future does not belong to globalists’ — President Trump on Tuesday aggressively touted the importance of national sovereignty in his speech to the U.N. General Assembly, calling for other nations to “love” and stand up for their countries and warning …

Discussion: Axios, Washington Post and Breitbart

Kathryn Watson / CBS News:
Donald Trump says future belongs to “patriots” not “globalists” in United Nations General Assembly speech - live updates

Discussion: Breitbart, The Gateway Pundit and American Military News

Nahal Toosi / Politico:
It's ‘Dictator Day’ at the U.N. — with Trump in the middle

Discussion: Raw Story and Foreign Policy

Gideon Resnick / The Daily Beast:

Warren Is Spending Campaign Cash to Unseat Susan Collins — In an email sent to her campaign supporters, Warren's campaign manager said that they plan to devote staffers to helping win back the Senate. — Sen. Elizabeth Warren's (D-MA) presidential campaign is putting resources into Maine …

Alex Thompson / Politico:
Warren announces $10 million-plus ad buy in early states

Discussion: Political Wire, New Republic and Vanity Fair

Daniel Lippman / Politico:

Trump snubs Jared Kushner's signature accomplishment — When President Donald Trump huddled with campaign aides in the late spring to discuss his bid for reelection, White House senior adviser Jared Kushner told his father-in-law he should highlight last year's historic passage of the First Step Act …

Discussion: Power Line, The Week and Raw Story

Monmouth University Polling Institute:

Dem Primary in Flux — Many see no need to choose between electability and issue alignment — West Long Branch, NJ - Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren has joined former Vice President Joe Biden at the front of the pack in New Hampshire, according to the latest Monmouth University Poll.

Discussion: New York Times, Politico, Reno Gazette-Journal, Suffolk University and The Guardian

The Daily Beast:

Fox News Guest Calls Greta Thunberg ‘Mentally Ill Swedish Child’ as Right Wing Unleashes on Climate Activist — Throughout the day on Monday, conservatives on television and social media mocked and belittled the 16-year-old climate activist. — The Daily Wire's Michael Knowles joined …

Discussion: RedState, The Guardian, The Daily Caller, Louder With Crowder, NPR, The Week, BuzzFeed News and Daily Kos

Jeremy Barr / Hollywood Reporter:
Fox News Won't Book Guest Again After “Disgraceful” Comments About Greta Thunberg

Discussion: AOL.com, PJ Media Home, The Gateway Pundit and Mediaite

Charles P. Pierce / Esquire:

Donald Trump's Ukraine Business Is the Beginning of the End — Mr. Madison thought it indispensable that some provision should be made for defending the Community agst. the incapacity, negligence or perfidy of the chief Magistrate. The imitation of the period of his service, was not a sufficient security.

Discussion: Raw Story