OH, I would love to read how you were told to interpret how any quotes in the call transcript were nefarious in meaning.
If you mean to discredit my statement by stating I cannot conclude on my own accord that solicitation of aid in investigating a political rival by reading the released transcript, then we can't have a discussion as there is no trust to continue in good faith. That's your prerogative, but English language is something I have a credible grasp on. Enough to understand the context and the literal implications presented.
If this is the law you're talking about, I would like to know where in the transcript this law was broken. I can show you a video of Biden bragging about using our tax dollars to influence a foreign country.
§ 110.20 Prohibition on contributions, donations, expenditures, independent expenditures, and disbursements by foreign nationals (52 U.S.C. 30121, 36 U.S.C. 510).
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Foreign national means—
i.A foreign principal, as defined in 22 U.S.C. 611(b); or
ii.An individual who is not a citizen of the United States and who is not lawfully admitted for permanent residence, as defined in 8 U.S.C. 1101(a)(20); however,
iii.Foreign national shall not include any individual who is a citizen of the United States, or who is a national of the United States as defined in 8 U.S.C. 1101(a)(22).
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Is President Zelenskyy, The President of Ukraine a 'Foreign National'?
Yes, he is.
Below is a quote from the transcript:
"The President: Good because I heard you had a prosecutor
who was very good and he was shut down and that's really unfair.
A lot of people are talking about that, the way they shut your
Very good prosecutor down and you had some Very bad people
involved. Mr. Giuliani is a highly respected man. He was the
mayor of New York City, a great mayor, and I would like him to
call you. I will ask him to call you along with the Attorney General.
Rudy very much knows what's happening and he is a very
capable guy. If you could speak to him that would be great. The
former ambassador from the United States, the woman, was bad
news and the people she was dealing with in the Ukraine were bad
news so I just want to let you know that The other thing,
There's a lot of talk about Biden's son, that Biden stopped the
prosecution and a lot of people want to find out about that so
whatever you can do with the Attorney General would be great.
Biden went around bragging that he stopped the prosecution so if
you can look into it ... It sounds horrible to me."
This is clear with or without context of US and Ukraine's power-imbalanced relationship shown throughout the transcript. There isn't a need for quid pro quo so please don't bother. Just requesting a foreign national to gather information on a political rival in an upcoming election violates the clause listed below. The only legal argument at stake is does this request to gather information on a political rival constitute as an 'other thing of value'. Given that it can help influence an election in favor of the president if something damning is in fact produced then yes. The request is made in context of Trump watching Biden beating him in polls on all media outlets, including Fox News. I don't care to discuss validity of polls so spare us from that detraction as well. The purpose is to show he had motive to expect this information to benefit himself and requested a 'Foreign National' to investigate this.
It doesn't matter if he ever intended to use it. It still has a prospective tangible value of aid in the upcoming election and was requested by a 'Foreign National'.
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Knowingly means that a person must:
i. Have actual knowledge that the source of the funds solicited, accepted or received is a
foreign national;
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The Act and Commission regulations include a broad prohibition on foreign national activity in connection with elections in the United States. 52 U.S.C. § 30121 and generally, 11 CFR 110.20. In general, foreign nationals are prohibited from the following activities:
- Making any contribution or donation of money or other thing of value, or making any expenditure, independent expenditure, or disbursement in connection with any federal, state or local election in the United States;
- Making any contribution or donation to any committee or organization of any national, state, district, or local political party (including donations to a party non-federal account or office building account);
- Making any disbursement for an electioneering communication;
- Making any donation to a presidential inaugural committee.
Soliciting, accepting, or receiving contributions and donations from foreign nationals
The Act prohibits knowingly soliciting, accepting or receiving contributions or donations from foreign nationals. In this context, "knowingly" means that a person:
Has actual knowledge that the funds solicited, accepted, or received are from a foreign national;
Is aware of facts that would lead a reasonable person to believe that the funds solicited, accepted, or received are likely to be from a foreign national; or
Is aware of facts that would lead a reasonable person to inquire whether the source of the funds solicited, accepted or received is a foreign national.
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I've already outlined the appropriate platform of how to investigate a former VP who is also a political rival in an upcoming election. Please refer to my former post.
Just to reiterate it again for clarity: If the president wishes to investigate VP Biden he has Bi-partisan congressional hearings that can do so on the country's behalf. Asking this to be mediated between a foreign government and your personal lawyer with the US Attorney General is not appropriate. It is intellectually dishonest to say otherwise.
Also as frustrating as this may come to some, I won't equivocate the behavior of one to justify another. Please refrain from 'whataboutism' if there isn't a specific point beyond deflection. Should Biden be investigated in a bipartisan congressional committee. In my opinion, sure, if I was him I would welcome/demand it if he knew it would clear his name and he was innocent. If it did not clear him, then great, we get one less corrupt candidate out of our elections. I'm an equal opportunity follow the law person. As we all should be. I strive to present this explanation with upmost clarity.
I regret I can't provide easy to follow links, but quick google search will provide information I referenced from the US FEC.
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That's assuming that Trump was going to use any information obtained against Biden in a direct competition. Biden might or might not be his political opponent (or has he won the Democratic primaries?). Maybe Trump was just trying to get to the bottom of what started the Mueller situation? Well, that's speculation on my behalf, but it's also speculative of the Democrats to assume otherwise.
I could say that I believe someone might in the future kill someone else based on misquoted and deliberately misrepresented information, but that doesn't make the person I'm saying is going to commit a murder an actual murderer. It just makes me a presumptive asshole.
Please see my prior post. But I will concede there is a specific reason I haven't mentioned the 'can you do me a favor' line and then mentions CrowdStrike and a potential Ukrainian Server. I'm only presenting something that is pretty black and white. Not to run wild with speculation. I appreciate your point as it is credible. Just not with Trump's request regarding Biden.
