Sorry but this defense is complete utter nonsense. First of all, he knew Biden would likely be running. Everybody did. Acting like it couldn't possibly be political before Biden announced is at best naive and at worst dishonest.
Second, the Ukraine hacking the DNC instead instead of Russia is a piece of Russian propaganda. The motives don't line up at all. The hacks were clearly designed to hurt Hilary. Yet Trump takes the Kremlin at his word that Russia didn't interfere. But for some reason Ukrainian corruption is the issue. And not all corruption. Just Biden's son. Yea, nothing personal or political about that.
Third, cooperating with Ukraine to get them to investigate Biden as "punishment" for the govt supposedly hacking our elections makes 0 sense.
If Ukraine did something that he legit thought needed "punishing"there are official channels for doing so. If he really thought there was a worthwhile investigating to carry out on the Biden's that was not personal or political but based on US strategic interests and national security, there are official channels for doing so.
Instead he sent his goons and worked through back channels. You don't associate with a guy like Lev Parnas unless you are doing some dirt. You don't send your personal lawyer to do the work of the justice dept. And you don't keep everyone else in govt in the dark in the meantime, unless once again you're doing something shady.
People from the OMB have said the freeze on the aid is clearly illegal. Bolton called the whole thing a drug deal in a text message that was released in the transcripts, which he didn't even intend for public consumption. And there have been various others who reportedly sounded the alarm during the whole transaction that they were concerned they were doing something illegal.
As soon as Trump got caught, he released the aid. He claimed not to know Lev Parnas after he got nabbed, now there audio of him ordering Parnas to get rid of the ambassador. He's used to surrounding himself with criminals but they have always fallen on their sword in the past. He finally found one that would stab him in the back after being stabbed in the back himself. Everything points to not only that he's guilty but that he knows it and has acted as such from the beginning. I would honestly respect the Republicans more if that just said yes he's guilty but we got the votes so **** off
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