COVID-19 and Stimulus Payments to Individuals: Considerations on Using Advanced Refundable Credits as Economic Stimulus   What is a refundable tax credit? (3:01) What does “advancing” a tax credit mean? (4:37) How long would it take for the IRS to begin issuing advanced credits? (6:54) How many individuals could receive an advanced refundable tax credit? (8:11)   Resources: Romney Calls for Urgent Action on Additional Coronavirus Response Measures ...

This episode begins with a recap of the amendments that were proposed during nearly 12 hours of arguments on the second day of the impeachment trial. The podcast covers the President's support for the rules in Senate Resolution 483 and the reasoning behind the opposition for these rules. SR483 was adopted with a 53-47 vote.   Pat Cipollone's Opening Statement (5:02) Pat Cipollone offers support for the Senate Resolution (6:07) Process of the impeachment trial explained (6:46) The...

Watching multiple news outlets, it can be interesting to hear how public documents are characterized in different ways. One of the reasons I'm doing this show is so people can hear the words for themselves and make their own decisions, rather than relying on others to characterize a document for them. After seeing this exchange on the Daily Show with Trevor Noah it made me realize how this podcast can be an important service. If only the gentleman in the video would have tuned into episode...

On Friday, December 13th, the House Judiciary Committee did something that had only been done twice before in history by voting on and passing articles of impeachment. The two articles of impeachment are contained within House Resolution 755 titled, "Impeaching Donald John Trump, President of the United States, for high crimes and misdemeanors." This is a reading of the resolution. These episodes are created based on the value-for-value model. Please support the podcast at...

This episode focuses on October’s Incursion into Syria and the withdrawal of US troops that was reported on the in media. However, this episode provides a much deeper understanding of the issues in the region and offers information and analysis on five points with regard to Turkey: Turkey’s strategic orientation toward the United States and Russia, and how that affects Turkish cooperation with the United States and NATO; Turkey’s October 2019 incursion into Syria, including the effect on...

Over the past two weeks, the House Intelligence Committee heard from a dozen witnesses regarding military aid that had been held back from Ukraine. Senator Ron Johnson is one of 17 members of the Senate Ukraine caucus and was among the delegation who attended the inauguration of President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine.  Last week, he was asked by House Republicans to provide his first-hand account with some of the meetings he was involved in and interactions with some of the people...

Continuing the series of episodes following the House impeachment inquiry and focusing on the opening statements of testimony, David Holmes testified in the morning of Nov. 21, 2019, before the House Intelligence Committee. Mr. Holmes, a career Foreign Service Officer, testified that he was present when Ambassador Gordon Sondland spoke directly with President Trump on July 26—the day after President Trump’s call with Ukrainian President Zelensky. See episode 4 for a reading of that phone...

This episode continues the series following the House impeachment inquiry of President Donald Trump, focusing on the opening statements from witness testimony before the House Intelligence Committee. Dr. Fiona Hill testified in the morning of Nov. 21, 2019, before the House Intelligence Committee. Dr. Hill is the former National Security Council senior director for Europe and Russia. She was Lt. Col. Vindman's supervisor. See Episode 12 for Col. Vindman's testimony. She didn't provide an...

Continuing the series of episodes following the House impeachment inquiry and focusing on the opening statements of testimony, Laura Cooper, Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Russia, Ukraine, Eurasia, testified in the afternoon of Nov. 20, 2019. Cooper was asked to testify because, as part of her duties, she interacted with Ukrainian officials who were asking about when the hold on military assistance would be lifted. According to her Department of defense biography, she...

This episode continues the series following the House impeachment inquiry of President Donald Trump, focusing on the opening statements from witness testimony before the House Intelligence Committee. Gordon Sondland, U.S. Ambassador to the European Union, was appointed to the position by President Trump and confirmed by the U.S. Senate on June 29, 2018. Ambassador Sondland is the Founder and CEO of Provenance Hotels, headquartered in Portland Oregon. These episodes are created based on the...

This episode continues the series following the impeachment inquiry, focusing on the opening statements of the House testimony.  Ambassador Kurt Volker was the first to testify behind closed doors on Oct 3. That testimony resulted in the text messages that were released surrounding concerns of withholding military assistance. For those text messages, see Episode 6.  According to his state department biography, Ambassador Kurt Volker is a leading expert in U.S. foreign and national security...

This episode provides the House impeachment inquiry statement from Lieutenant Colonel Alexander Vindman. Col. Vindman was the second person to testify on Tuesday November 19. He is an Army officer, an Iraq War veteran who was awarded a Purple Heart, and is recognized as an expert in Russia and Ukraine. In July 2018, he was detailed to the White House, in part to coordinate policy on Ukraine.  

This episode provides the House impeachment inquiry statements of Jennifer Williams and Timothy Morrison. The following two episodes will feature the opening statements of two others who testified on Tuesday, November 19.  Jennifer Williams serves as the Special Adviser for Europe and Russia in the Office of the Vice President. Timothy Morrison is the National Security Council's Special Assistant to the President and Senior Director for Europe and Russia. 

On Friday, November 15, Former U.S. Ambassador to Ukraine Marie Yovanovitch testified as part of the impeachment inquiry into President Donald J. Trump. This is her full opening statement. This will be a busy week of testimony for the House Intelligence Committee. Tuesday morning: Jennifer Williams, Special Advisor for Europe and Russia, Office of the Vice President Lieutenant Colonel Alexander Vindman, Director for European Affairs, National Security Council Tuesday afternoon: ...

On Wednesday, November 13, 2019, the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence held a full committee open hearing for the impeachment inquiry with Ambassador William B. Taylor and Mr. George Kent, Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs, both appearing as witnesses.  George Kent Testimony (1:21) Bill Taylor Testimony (18:11) Credits (58:50) The full testimony and questioning is available on YouTube from the House Intelligence Committee. If you'd like...

On October 31, 2019, the House of Representatives voted 232-196 on a resolution that provides the rules of the impeachment investigation. What is an impeachment investigation and why might it important to have a recorded vote? Excerpts from recent report by the Congressional Research Service titled Congressional Access to Information in an Impeachment Investigation provides some helpful details and insight on the process we're starting to see unfold in the House of Representatives.   ...

In the previous three episodes, this show has offered a reading of the White House memo that documented the call between President Trump and the President of Ukraine, the whistleblower's complaint, and texts released by Congress surrounding the issue of withholding military assistance from Ukraine. On October 8, Pat Cipollone, Counsel to the President, sent a letter to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and the three committee chairmen who provided the letter along with the release of text messages...

On October 3, 2019, three committees in the House of Representatives joined in providing an update with regard to impeachment inquiry into President Donald Trump.  Their press release states that current and former State Department officials produced documents surrounding the concern of withholding military assistance from Ukraine around the same time that the administration was looking toward Ukraine to announce an investigation into the 2016 U.S. election and the alleged involvement of...

On September 26, 2019, the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence released a declassified whistleblower complaint. The complainants letter alleged that President Trump sought to pressure the Ukrainian President to take actions to help the president's 2020 re-election. The complaint is available via the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, and the Intelligence Community Inspector General letter regarding the complaint is also available via the committee. In case you...

On September 25, 2019, President Donald J. Trump released a declassified, unredacted memorandum of a telephone conversation with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy from July 25, 2019. The released memorandum is available here: https://www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/Unclassified09.2019.pdf Even though this document is only four pages long, it's likely you've only heard the filtered view of what's in the document through the lens of the media outlet providing the...

President Donald Trump attended the G7 summit recently and suggested that next year the meeting could be held at one of his properties in Florida. That news, in addition to a recent ruling by the Second Circuit allowing a case from the Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington to move forward against the President. These reports led me to wondering. What exactly is the Emoluments Clause? A recent report titled, "The Emoluments Clauses of the U.S. Constitution," was prepared by...

Volume II of  the "Report on the Investigation into Russian Interference in the 2016 Presidential Election,"addresses the President's actions towards the FBI's investigation into Russia's interference in the 2016 presidential election and related matters, and his actions towards the Special Counsel's investigation. This volume consists of four parts. Section I provides an overview of obstruction-of-justice principles and summarizes certain investigatory and evidentiary considerations....

Volume 1 of the "Report on the Investigation into Russian Interference in the 2016 Presidential Election,"describes the factual results of the Special Counsel's investigation of Russia's interference in the 2016 presidential election and its interactions with the Trump Campaign.

Our representatives in Congress don’t rely purely on information from the news media. They have a team of experts and researchers dedicated to providing research from a variety of perspectives that examine all sides of an issue -- and they deliver that information to all members of congress regardless of political affiliation. This is information that deserves to be more accessible to the public, and that's what this show is going to be about. Each week, I'll be bringing you briefings and...