The "Ukraine" theory confirmed

In our previous installment (scroll down), we looked at Laura Rozen's suggestion that the whistleblower complaint concerned Trump's discussion with the leader of Ukraine. Well, tonight we have confirmation from the WP.

A whistleblower complaint about President Trump made by an intelligence official centers on Ukraine, according to two people familiar with the matter, which has set off a struggle between Congress and the executive branch.

Two and a half weeks before the complaint was filed, Trump spoke with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, a comedian and political newcomer who was elected in a landslide in May.

That call is already under investigation by House Democrats who are examining whether Trump and his attorney Rudolph W. Giuliani sought to manipulate the Ukrainian government into helping Trump’s reelection campaign. Lawmakers have demanded a full transcript and a list of participants on the call.

To repeat my previous summary: Ukraine needs aid to fight the Russians. Trump promised to give said aid -- if the Ukrainians cook up bogus "evidence" against Joe Biden's son.

Personally, I tend to favor the view that Warren will win the primaries. If she does, won't it be remarkable if Trump is impeached over an anti-Biden dirty trick -- a dirty trick which was ultimately not necessary?

The WP sources its story to "two people familiar with the matter." The most obvious possibilities: Former DNI Dan Coates and former acting DNI Susan Gordon. John Bolton is another possibility; he seems vindictive enough.

Marcy's immediate response:

Reminder that Trump's campaign manager is in prison right now for (in part) trying to convince US lawmakers that politicized prosecutions in Ukraine were not.

How soon we forget. How soon I forget (he said, with much scarlet in his cheeks).

Three hours before this news came out, Bill Kristol tweeted...

If the whistleblower complaint is serious—as the IG seems to think—it won’t be Trump being careless or reckless on calls with foreign leaders. It would have to be an apparent quid pro quo—an offer of a U.S. policy in return for Trump’s personal benefit or electoral advantage.

I suspect Kristol knew the truth well before the WP published. (I did not know it, though I suspected.)

Natasha Bertrand reminds us...

The Trump administration was withholding military assistance aid to Ukraine until recently