What evidence of bribery is there in President Trump's phone conversation with Ukrainian President Zelenskyy? We may not have the full transcript, but Trump did release a redacted version. What evidence can be gleaned from it?
There is much. Read on. Let's point it out.
Is the flow of the conversation consistent with bribery? If the conversation, alone, does not spell out bribery, is it consistent with the charge, so that if you take all the evidence found elsewhere, it all fits together?
Read on, and you might wonder if any other evidence is even necessary.
Early in the conversation, President Trump makes a point to remind Zelenskyy what the U.S. does for that country. "I will say that we do a lot for Ukraine. We spend a lot of effort and a lot.of time. . . . the United States has been very, very good to Ukraine. I wouldn't say that it's reciprocal necessarily because things are happening that are not good but the United States has been very very good to Ukraine. . . ."
We must guess that Zelenskyy was briefed in advance of what the situation was between the two countries. Elsewhere, he has denied that he knew the U.S. was withholding almost $400 million in military aid. In his response to what Trump just said, though, he makes a point to suggest his country is in position for more -- if it cooperates with whatever President Trump might want from him.
". . . The United States is doing quite a lot for Ukraine," Zelenskyy says. "I would also like to thank you·for.your great support in the area of defense. We are ready to continue to cooperate for the next steps. Specifically, we are almost ready to buy more Javelins from the United States for defense purposes . . ."
He makes it clear what he wants, and he makes it clear he is willing to cooperate in order to get it.
So, President Trump then tells him what he would like Zelenskyy to do. "I would like you to do us a favor though because our country has been through a lot and Ukraine knows a lot about it. I would like you to find out what happened with this whole situation with Ukraine, they say Crowdstrike ... I guess you have one of your wealthy people... The server, they say Ukraine has.it. There are a lot of things that went on, the whole situation .. I think you're surrounding yourself with some of the same people. I would like to have the Attorney General call you or your people and I would like you to get to the bottom of it. As you saw yesterday, that whole nonsense ended with a very poor performance by a man named Robert Mueller, an incompetent performance, but they say a lot of it started with Ukraine. Whatever you can do, it's very important that you do it if that's possible."
Zelenskyy's reply? "Yes it is very important for me and everything that you just mentioned earlier." What was mentioned earlier? All the things the U.S. has done for Ukraine, the military aid and such. So, Zelenskyy is saying that the investigation into Crowdstrike is important because of the military aid, and the things the U.S. does for his country. "For me as a President, it is very important and we are open for any future cooperation," Zelenskyy says.
Open to any future cooperation? Does that not translate into, You do this for me, and I'll do that for you? Quid pro quo? You be the judge.
"We are great friends and you, Mr. President, have friends in our country so we can continue our strategic Partnership," Zelenskyy says. "Strategic partnership"? They have discussed what each side needs to do. They haven't specified that that is what the partnership is dependent on, but it is the reflection of what they have discussed. Zelenskyy then further makes it clear that he will investigate. "I also plan to surround myself with great people and in addition to that investigation, I guarantee as the President of Ukraine that all the investigations will be done openly and candidly," he says.
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