Where lies the partisanship?

Bill, let me start by saying how much I had missed our tete-a-tetes. Having said that, I will respond to your query on the cost of "Gas Golf Carts". That was a misprint. What I submitted was "Cost of golf carts since 2017... $588,000, i.e., rentals. What surprised me was your concern over $588,000 but make no reference to our hard(ly) working President spending 1/3rd of his time in office at a Trump owned property at taxpayer expense- a chunk of which goes into his pocket. Amazing.

Second, there was a very good reason why Burisma, Hunter Biden and V.P. Joe Biden wasn't mentioned; they were already investigated and found to have done no wrong. Joe Biden went to Ukraine after notifying congress that reports are showing widespread corruption in the government. Congress was fully aware of Biden's mission to confront the Ukraine government and that the $1 billion in aid will be withheld if the government does not implement reforms. Several things happened. Ukrainian citizens rose up in protest of the corrupted government, the President fled to Russia with billions of dollars and we imposed reforms to be met before any aid is released. Let's get the facts straight and stay away from talking points. Now, this is totally different from what Trump did. The reforms implemented were all met and approved by Congress. Trump, however, would not release the funding until "he had a favor though...". A Quid Pro Quo, a this for that, an announced investigation on the Bidens' for the military aid. In other words a shakedown by the President of the U.S. on a newly elected President of the Ukraine who was in a war with Russia and was in desperate need of the military aid. These facts were all discussed over the last 4 days and, as Lamar Alexander stated last night- proven without question that Trump was guilty of the impeachable charges. This also goes to your other statement that "a sitting President has a moral and a legal obligation to request that a foreign government investigate any corruption involving the misuse of U.S. aid. This is what Obama did and with the notification to congress sent Biden to read the riot act. The difference is Trump did not notify Congress that he was withholding appropriated funds (against the law) and that he was doing so for personal gain (also against the law).

Finally Bill, the issue of partisanship (and I know you're referring to the Dems). Let's get serious. Trump broke several laws and everyone in the Congress knows it. The question is who is condoning the use of obstruction on the part of Trump? Who devised the rules for the so-called trial without witnesses and documents being withheld by the White House? McConnell and the Republicans. The Democratic House investigated the allegations, got the facts and did their constitutional responsibility by impeaching the President. Again I ask you - where lies the partisanship?

As I was about to close, more information apparently came from the shadows about another Trump meeting in May which was being withheld. This may well hold up any voting on whether to order witnesses and documents. Continued obstruction. MORE TO COME.

Peter Compa

Wantage