Every single American should watch Adam Schiff’s impassioned appeal to his Republican colleagues last night. Please share this.

Here, for those of you who can’t listen to the above video at work, is the transcript of what I think may go down in history as one of the most important political speeches given in our lifetimes.

This brings me the last point I want to make tonight, which is, when we’re done, we believe that we will have made the case overwhelmingly of the President’s guilt. That is, he’s done what he’s charged with. He withheld the money. He withheld the meeting. He used it to coerce Ukraine to do these political investigations. He covered it up. He obstructed us. He’s trying to obstruct you and he’s violated the Constitution. But I want to address one other thing tonight. Okay. He’s guilty. Okay. He’s guilty. Does he really need to be removed? Does he really need to be removed? We have an election coming up. Does he really need to be removed? He’s guilty. Is there really any doubt about this?

Do we really have any doubt about the facts here? Does anybody really question whether the President is capable of what he’s charged with? No one is really making the argument, Donald Trump would never do such a thing, because of course we know that he would, and of course we know that he did. It’s a somewhat different question though to ask, okay, it’s pretty obvious whether we can say it publicly or we can’t say it publicly. We all know what we’re dealing here with this President, but does he really need to be removed? And this is why he needs to be removed. Donald Trump chose Rudy Giuliani over his own intelligence agencies. He chose Rudy Giuliani over his own FBI Director. He chose Rudy Giuliani over his own National Security Advisors. When all of them were telling him this Ukraine 2016 stuff is kooky, crazy Russian propaganda. He chose not to believe them. He chose to believe Rudy Giuliani. That makes him dangerous to us, to our country. That was Donald Trump’s choice. Now, why would Donald Trump believe a man like Rudy Giuliani over a man like Christopher Wray? Okay. Why would anyone in their right mind believe Rudy Giuliani over Christopher Wray?

Because he wanted to and because what Rudy was offering him was something that would help him personally. And what Christopher Wray was offering him was merely the truth. What Christopher Wray was offering him was merely the information he needed to protect his country and its elections, but that’s not good enough. What’s in it for him? What’s in it for Donald Trump? This is why he needs to be removed. Now, you may be asking how much damage can he really do in the next several months until the election? A lot. A lot of damage. Now, we just saw last week, report that Russia tried to hack or maybe did hack Burisma. Okay. I don’t know if they got in. I’m trying to find out. My colleagues on the Intel committee, House and Senate, we’re trying to find out, did the Russians get in? What are the Russian plans and intentions? Well, let’s say they got in and let’s say they start dumping documents to interfere at the next election.

Let’s say they start dumping some real things they hack from Burisma. Let’s say they start dumping some fake things they didn’t hack from Burisma, but they want you to believe they did. Let’s say they start blatantly interfering in our election again to help Donald Trump. Can you have the least bit of confidence that Donald Trump will stand up to them and protect our national interest over his own personal interest? You know you can’t, which makes him dangerous to this country. You know you can’t. You know you can’t count on him. None of us can. None of us can. What happens if China got the message? Now you can say, he’s just joking of course. He didn’t really mean China should investigate the Bidens. You know that’s no joke.

Now maybe you could have argued three years ago when he said, “Hey Russia, if you’re listening, hack Hillary’s emails.” Maybe you could give him a freebie and say he was joking, but now we know better. Hours after he did that Russia did, in fact, try to hack Hillary’s emails. There’s no Mulligan here when it comes to our national security. So what if China does overtly or covertly start to help the Trump campaign? You think he’s going to call them out on it or you think he’s going to give them a better trade deal on it? Can any of us really have the confidence that Donald Trump will put his personal interests ahead of the national interests? Is there really any evidence in this presidency that should give us the ironclad confidence that he would do so?

You know you can’t count on him to do that. That’s the sad truth. You know you can’t count on him to do that. The American people deserve a President they can count on to put their interests first, to put their interests first. Colonel Vindman said, “Here, right matters. Here, right matters.” Well, let me tell you something, if right doesn’t matter, if right doesn’t matter, it doesn’t matter how good the Constitution is. It doesn’t matter how brilliant the framers were. Doesn’t matter how good or bad our advocacy in this trial is. Doesn’t matter how well written the Oath of Impartiality is. If right doesn’t matter, we’re lost.

If the truth doesn’t matter, we’re lost. Framers couldn’t protect us from ourselves, if right and truth don’t matter. And you know that what he did was not right. That’s what they do in the old country, that Colonel Vindman’s father came from. Or the old country that my great grandfather came from, or the old countries that your ancestors came from, or maybe you came from. But here, right is supposed to matter. It’s what’s made us the greatest nation on earth. No constitution can protect us, right doesn’t matter any more. And you know you can’t trust this President to do what’s right for this country. You can trust he will do what’s right for Donald Trump. He’ll do it now. He’s done it before. He’ll do it for the next several months. He’ll do it in the election if he’s allowed to. This is why if you find him guilty, you must find that he should be removed. Because right matters. Because right matters and the truth matters. Otherwise, we are lost.

Senate Republicans are trying everything they can not to listen. They’re reading books. They’re walking out of the Senate chamber. They’re telling their constituents that they aren’t hearing anything new, while simultaneously blocking any new evidence from being heard… We have to keep trying to break through, though, for the good of our country. We’ can’t give up. I know it’s unlikely, given what we’ve seen thus far, but we have to redouble our efforts. I rarely ask you do anything, but please share this video with everyone you know. And please, for God’s sake, call your Senators right now. This really is our last chance to keep this Republic of ours.

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23 Comments

  1. Frosted Flakes
    Posted January 24, 2020 at 7:16 am | Permalink

    I wish we had a Columbo type on MM who is able to bracket out the appeal to emotions and read between the lines. I wonder why Schiff brought up the Russian hacking of Burisma there? What might be the motivation behind offering that little tidbit? Come on Columbo wannabes . Think!

  2. Columbo
    Posted January 24, 2020 at 8:05 am | Permalink

    I’m sorry, Frosted Flakes, I’m just a little confused about the exact quote you are talking about. I’m sorry. I’m sure it’s my confusion. I get confused sometimes. It drives my wife crazy. Can you help me and share the exact quote you’re talking about? I’m really sorry to bother you with that.

  3. Max
    Posted January 24, 2020 at 9:29 am | Permalink

    He gives an explicit scenario regarding Bursima and how the Russians can use that information against us during the upcoming election. Perhaps reread it. It doesn’t take any investigation. It’s right there.

  4. Frosted Flakes
    Posted January 24, 2020 at 10:08 am | Permalink

    I wouldn’t say it requires an investigation but reading between the lines and figuring out what might be the primary motivation behind a statement an requires thought and bracketing of assumptions.

    The possible threat of possible Russian interfering in 2020 elections is immediately pertinent to this impeachment trial of Trump in what way? Schiff dedicated a lot of “prime time” to that little bit. Why? Do you reject the Mueller report findings? Is Schiff rejecting these Mueller report? Perhaps reread it Max. They did an investigation Max. It is right there Max.

    Several days ago I suspected that Schiff was going to start highlighting the possible Russian hacking of Burisma. How did I anticipate it? I am no Columbo.

  5. Max
    Posted January 24, 2020 at 10:31 am | Permalink

    It’s pertinent in that Trump instigated and welcomed Russian interference through hacking and distributing both information and disinformation during one election and we are observing actions that point to that again. Do you think our very stable genius in charge will choose to do the right thing all of a sudden, FF? How is this rejecting the Mueller report findings? Perhaps we stop trying to read between lines and look at what’s actually being said and done. Bully for you that you guessed that Schiff would bring up a topic that he absoluety should address. Well, I suspected a few days ago that water would still be wet.

  6. Frosted Flakes
    Posted January 24, 2020 at 11:17 am | Permalink

    The Mueller report showed no collusion between Russia and Trump. Impeachment was not pursued as a result of the Mueller report. So you are saying that a hot topic for this impeachment should be POSSIBLE Russian actions (we are not sure happened) that might follow a pattern of something that happened before—that was investigated thoroughly—and that did not lead to impeachment? Huh? It might follow the same pattern of that other thing that we chose to not impeach on? Huh?

    Water is wet. Why, again, in your opinion, should Schiff highlight the possible Russian hacking of Burisma in this impeachment?

  7. Lynne
    Posted January 24, 2020 at 11:23 am | Permalink

    Max, don’t worry. The only person here who takes FF seriously is HW.

  8. Anonymous
    Posted January 24, 2020 at 11:42 am | Permalink

    It’s amazing to me that we can’t even get 4 out of 53 Republican Senators to listen to reason. One would have thought, after signing the oath, some would feel compelled to show courage and stand up.

  9. Frosted Flakes
    Posted January 24, 2020 at 11:47 am | Permalink

    It’s almost like some of these senators have reasons for rejecting your reasons.

  10. Max
    Posted January 24, 2020 at 11:59 am | Permalink

    Thank you, Lynne. You just saved me some time and aggravation.

  11. Lynne
    Posted January 24, 2020 at 12:09 pm | Permalink

    Anonymous. yeah. And surely there are Senators from states with people honorable enough not to tolerate this from them? In a way, the Senators are on trial too and decent people will not vote for them. The question is if Americans are mostly decent people or not.

  12. Lynne
    Posted January 24, 2020 at 12:10 pm | Permalink

    FF, oh they have reasons. Greed. Arrogance. Selfishness. Myopic views. etc

  13. Frosted Flakes
    Posted January 24, 2020 at 12:30 pm | Permalink

    If Lynne gets her way Americans must be decent. If Lynne does not get her way Americans must not be decent.

    This not just childish. This is baby stuff.

  14. iRobert
    Posted January 24, 2020 at 3:05 pm | Permalink

    Trump is going to get his way. The GOP Senators not so much. They’re deliberately being compromised.

    Anonymous, GOP Senators are being extorted and threatened into staying in lock-step. They are being sacrificed in

  15. iRobert
    Posted January 24, 2020 at 3:11 pm | Permalink

    The strategy of the Democrats should be to make sure as many Republicans as possible throw away their reputations and careers, or even their freedom, in defense and coverup of Trump. Some night even get whacked.

  16. iRobert
    Posted January 24, 2020 at 3:13 pm | Permalink

    Some might even get whacked…is what I meant to type.

    I also meant to say in the previous comment that “They are being sacrificed in a very clever and humiliating manner. I’m all for it.”

  17. iRobert
    Posted January 24, 2020 at 3:23 pm | Permalink

    It’s not Trump or his cabinet, or his official campaign, that is threatening GOP Senators to stay in lock step. They don’t have the means. It’s the same folks who set Hillary up with her voter ID and GOTV firm in 2016. They do have the means, and are devising strategies far beyond the capabilities of Trump’s official people.

  18. iRobert
    Posted January 24, 2020 at 3:50 pm | Permalink

    Schiff eluded to it and CNN just mentioned it too – the GOP casualty list.

  19. Wobblie
    Posted January 24, 2020 at 5:49 pm | Permalink

    Aloha, Nader just called Trump a dictator

  20. iRobert
    Posted January 25, 2020 at 5:59 am | Permalink

    Mahalo. You mean Nadler.

    For a moment I thought you were bringing Ralph into this.

  21. Hyborian Warlord
    Posted January 25, 2020 at 12:12 pm | Permalink

    Monday at 1:00 PM

  22. Anonymous
    Posted January 26, 2020 at 6:23 am | Permalink

    3 days of argument torn to shreds in 2 hours. Schiff is a liar.

  23. Lynne
    Posted January 26, 2020 at 1:09 pm | Permalink

    Wait? Is Anonymous a Russian troll?

2 Trackbacks

  1. […] with the exception of Mitt Romney, didn’t heed the warning. They heard Schiff say, “Can any of us really have the confidence that Donald Trump will put his personal interests ahead of …,” and they went right ahead and voted to […]

  2. […] with the exception of Mitt Romney, didn’t heed the warning. They heard Schiff say, “Can any of us really have the confidence that Donald Trump will put his personal interests ahead of …,” and they went right ahead and voted to […]

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