We talk about this as a Ukraine story. But it's also a Russia story. The leverage Trump had on Ukraine came from Russia's invasion of Crimea and continuing support for insurgents in Ukraine. The leverage Trump had on his own government came from the strategic threat posed by Russian aggression. And Trump’s willingness to use military aid to Ukraine as political leverage came from his odd lack of concern about Ukraine falling to Russia.
In this episode, I talk with Evelyn Farkas, the Pentagon’s former point person on Russia and Ukraine, about the Russia-Ukraine crisis Trump exploited. It’s a conversation that changes how I understood this story. It’ll change how you understand it, too.
I also talked with Vox’s Alex Ward about Ukraine envoy Bill Taylor’s testimony, former acting Attorney General Matt Whitaker’s argument that “abuse of power is not a crime,” and the GOP’s fury over the House Democrats’ process.
And, at the end, a thought on why it’s Mitch McConnell, not Donald Trump, who poses the core threat to our constitutional structure.
References:
Read Bill Taylor's opening testimony
"High Crimes and Misdemeanors," explained
Credits:
Producer and Editor - Jeff Geld
Researcher - Roge Karma
Engineers - Malachi Broadus & Chris Shurtleff
Theme music composed by Jon Natchez
Special thanks to Liz Nelson
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Capitol punishment
A step past impeachment
Weeds 2020: The Bernie electability debate
Jill Lepore on what I get wrong
The impeachment trial convicted American politics
The McConnell effect
"Constitutional decay" in the US Senate
Impeachment and Iran
Impeachment in, and beyond, the Beltway
Mr. Feldman goes to Washington
How Andrew Johnson’s impeachment created the template for Trump’s
Was Rudy Giuliani always like this?
What’s wrong with the Republican Party?
With obstruction of justice for all
The biggest difference between Trump and Nixon is Fox News
A no-BS guide to how the House impeachment process really works
The four words that will decide impeachment
We are living through history
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