Replies

Lee asked if quid pro quo, in and of itself, is impeachable.

Dersh explained that it depends on whether the quo is purely corrupt - as in pecuniary gain - like $. If the quo is in the national interest - obviously not impeachable. If it is partly to help with an election - that would be mixed because although there is an element of personal gain, there is also a national interest motive because - (and here was the kicker) - ALL politicians believe it is in the national interest for them to be re-elected.

So as long as Trump believed the Bidens may be corrupt, he could use his office to pressure an investigation - and that would not be impeachable - even if he ALSO thought it would help him get re-elected.

Thanks, it’s a shame these answers really don’t mean anything. The Democrats have made up their mind to vote guilty, in spite of the law or the evidence.

So as long as Trump believed the Bidens may be corrupt, he could use his office to pressure an investigation - and that would not be impeachable - even if he ALSO thought it would help him get re-elected.

I don't think it matters what Trump believed. What is important is what was objectively true. In this case it was objectively true that an investigation might show that the Bidens were corrupt.

Also, it is not only the Biden's possible corruption that needed to be investigated. Ukraine's possible corruption needed to be investigated. This point is not discussed enough. When Ukraine acquiesced to Joe Biden't threat to withhold aid unless the prosecutor was fired, was that acquiescence corrupt? For example, was there an additional payoff received by some Ukrainian official or other person in exchange for that acquiescence? Has anybody investigated that possibility? Did Ukraine agree to remain silent about Biden's threat and Ukraine's acquiescence? Did Ukraine put out a false story about the threat and the acquiescence? You can probably think of many more possible instances of Ukrainian corruption with regard to Ukraine's acquiescence to Joe Biden's threat.

The American Government had an objectively verifiable interest in finding out whether Ukraine was corrupt in these circumstance. There was an objectively verifiable justification for Trump to request that the Ukrainians conduct such an investigation of themselves.