November 14, 2019

Pelosi: Impeachment Testimony Was Evidence of Trump’s “Bribery”

The House speaker outlines why Wednesday was so devastating for the president.

Xinhua/ZUMA

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In spite of all the incriminating evidence presented at the first day of impeachment hearings on Wednesday—the testimony of two seasoned diplomats about President Donald Trump’s efforts to pressure a foreign government to interfere in the 2020 election, the bombshell revelation of a phone conversation implicating Trump—some of the media were unimpressed.

“The first two witnesses called Wednesday testified to President Trump’s scheme, but lacked the pizzazz necessary to capture public attention,” an NBC analysis claimed. A Reuters correspondent dismissed the hearing as “consequential, but dull.”

Enter Nancy Pelosi.

Speaking to reporters at her weekly press conference on Thursday, the House speaker delivered a withering verdict on Wednesday’s hearing and its implications for the president. 

“The devastating testimony corroborated evidence of bribery uncovered in the inquiry and that the president abused power and violated his oath,” she said, a significant escalation in her language to allege Trump’s abuse of power.

This moment, in particular, is sure to infuriate Trump:

 

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With just hours left, we need a huge surge in reader support to get to our $400,000 year-end goal. Whether you've given before or this is your first time, your contribution right now matters. All gifts are 3X matched and tax-deductible.

Managing an independent, nonprofit newsroom is staggeringly hard. There’s no cushion in our budget—no backup revenue, no corporate safety net. We can’t afford to fall short, and we can’t rely on corporations or deep-pocketed interests to fund the fierce, investigative journalism Mother Jones exists to do. That’s why we need you right now. Please chip in to help close the gap.

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