Trump’s Mob Boss Tactics Failed In Ukraine — But They Work Here

At the core of the Ukraine scandal that led to President Donald Trump’s impeachment was a simple quid pro quo. Trump wanted Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to announce the beginning of an investigation into former Vice President Joe Biden, his likely 2020 rival, in exchange for U.S. support.

That scheme came very close to working, but it fell through and was exposed before it came to fruition. But as the coronavirus crisis has engulfed the United States, once again, Trump tried the same gambit — this time with state governors.

And this time, it worked.

Trump was, according to testimony and evidence brought forward during the impeachment proceedings, quite explicit about what he wanted from Zelensky in the summer of 2019. Ambassador Bill Taylor testified: Continue reading.