On the removal of Sondland and Vindman
Power Line,
by
Paul Mirengoff
Original Article
Posted By: Pluperfect,
2/11/2020 4:43:57 AM
Two of the key witnesses in the Trump impeachment have been removed from their positions. Gordon Sondland is out as Ambassador to the European Union. Lt. Col Alexander Vindman has been reassigned from the National Security Council to the Pentagon.
Democrats are crying foul, of course. But was it improper for Trump to take these personnel actions?
Sondland’s case seems easy to me. Ambassadors serve at the pleasure of the President. Trump lost confidence in Sondland. Thus, his removal made sense.
Vindman’s case is somewhat different and less easy for me. Unlike Sondland, he’s a career government employee and military man.
Reply 1 - Posted by:
Gruntmedic 2/11/2020 5:01:19 AM (No. 314624)
Simple enough,how can you trust them after what they did.
Any boss who has a disloyal employee would fire them.
64 people like this.
Reply 2 - Posted by:
Jen103143 2/11/2020 5:13:58 AM (No. 314632)
Read the comments after the article. They were very succinct and factual. Vindman was an insubordinate leaker, puffed up by his ego and superiority.
68 people like this.
Reply 3 - Posted by:
DW626 2/11/2020 5:27:04 AM (No. 314638)
Latrines always need to be cleaned.
Send fatboy in to do the job.
45 people like this.
Reply 4 - Posted by:
OBX Pete 2/11/2020 6:16:02 AM (No. 314657)
Reassignment???? Too little too late !!!
Lock 'em up!!!
37 people like this.
Reply 5 - Posted by:
dirtyjersey 2/11/2020 6:16:53 AM (No. 314658)
What part of “Commander in Chief” requires leakers and fools in the White House?
50 people like this.
Reply 6 - Posted by:
Rinktum 2/11/2020 6:17:24 AM (No. 314660)
I am of the opinion that all holdovers should be ousted when a new administration comes in now that we see that democrats cannot be trusted to do their jobs without trying to interfere in the work of the present administration. It is unfortunate that this would be a necessary step to ensure that the agenda the President was elected to pursue would actually go forward without sabotage, but it is our reality today. The caliber of individuals who work in Washington is not as good as it should be. Is everyone in that city angling for something or someone’s favor? It truly is a viper’s nest. In the future, it is imperative that the personnel be vetted properly. Whether the disloyalty just appeared during this administration or not, it certainly looks like Obama embedded scores of his people deep inside the workings of our government. Makes me wonder if he did this to keep an eye on Hillary since everyone was assured that she would win or was it something that was only activated when Trump was elected. Regardless, it appears the Obama holdovers cannot be trusted and they must go.
66 people like this.
Reply 7 - Posted by:
jeffkinnh 2/11/2020 6:25:45 AM (No. 314663)
Paul, resist your inner Rummey. The President of the United States was impeached over absurdities due to the actions of this unelected bureaucrat. The weasel scurried over to the President's political enemies over the triviality of not following HIS advice. Granted that the real engine of the impeachment was the dems but Vindman was THE useful idiot that enabled radicalizing and terrorizing this country for months. There are potentially thousands of "Vindmans" in the government of one type or another that, if unchecked and in the right environment, could paralyze the Country with their little ego driven crusades, shouting "FIRE" in a theater FOR NO GOOD CAUSE and unleashing carnage.
Trump let the absurdity play out. He was vindicated. Now it's time to clean out the saboteurs and get the government running without vermin in the works, chewing on wires and gumming up the works.
Working WITH the team is a reasonable and necessary expectation in every endeavour. Vindman however had a more stringent reason to be a team player. He is a military officer, a fact he is proud of, and Trump is his CINC. That connection demands obedience and following a chain of command. Vindman broke military requirements. He is due correction for that.
By both government and military expectations, Vindman was WAY out of line, perhaps to the point of action beyond dismissal, and deserves what Trump has done so far. In fact, if we want government to function at all, Trump's actions are demanded.
65 people like this.
Reply 8 - Posted by:
bpl40 2/11/2020 6:36:44 AM (No. 314668)
Purposefully violating the chain of command, is in itself a court martial offense. No, he doesn't deserve to be allowed to slink into the night.
55 people like this.
Reply 9 - Posted by:
mathman 2/11/2020 6:36:51 AM (No. 314669)
Lt Col Alex Vinman falsely believed that he set US policy. He "directed" DJT in what to say.
He thought he was in charge. It was as if the clay told the potter what to make.
That is not the task of the NSC. No one gets paid to tell their boss what to do.
44 people like this.
Reply 10 - Posted by:
chance_232 2/11/2020 6:55:11 AM (No. 314677)
They didnt lose their employement. They lost their position.
In tje case of Vidman, active duty are routinely reassigned. And in the military, accusing a senior officer, i. E CIC.....of wrongdoing, with no proof, normally gets one court marshalled.
33 people like this.
Reply 11 - Posted by:
janjan 2/11/2020 6:58:22 AM (No. 314678)
This impeachment scam was a well coordinated coup and Vindman was part of it. The country owes him nothing. If he didn’t see this coming he’s a fool.
35 people like this.
Reply 12 - Posted by:
PChristopher 2/11/2020 7:06:59 AM (No. 314683)
The counterargument is that “whistleblowers” like Vindman won’t come forward in the future if they face the consequences he did. A true whistleblower would have the truth behind him. Vindman had nothing.
35 people like this.
Reply 13 - Posted by:
Daisymay 2/11/2020 7:21:26 AM (No. 314689)
I agree with #7 that Holdovers should be out when the New President comes in. Holdovers will never have allegiance to a new President and in some cases, as has happened to President Trump, they may work against Him! Seems President Trump is now cleaning House, which is long overdue! Also, I think President Trump should stop the practice of having so many people listening in on his foreign phone calls. Maybe have Two or Three Loyal people who can be trusted to listen if it's necessary at all.
20 people like this.
Reply 14 - Posted by:
Dodge Boy 2/11/2020 7:52:22 AM (No. 314707)
Kellyanne Conway was interviewed the other day. She said there will be more. A lot more. Good. This purge should have been done long ago, but, better late than never I guess.
31 people like this.
Reply 15 - Posted by:
Bur Oak 2/11/2020 8:03:12 AM (No. 314710)
It is my understanding that Obama greatly expanded the NSC and that Trump was merely reducing the numbers and Vindman was part of the reduction, justifiably so.
Mirengoff's position shows one of the problems with the government. Once a government program has been instituted it can't be shutdown or even reduced. It must remain and can only expand.
9 people like this.
Reply 16 - Posted by:
walcb 2/11/2020 8:04:05 AM (No. 314711)
The only flack Trump is getting due to this Vindman reassignment is from the usual ankle biters.
20 people like this.
Reply 17 - Posted by:
little guy 2/11/2020 8:07:29 AM (No. 314713)
Honestly, one of the few things I fault Trump and his staff for is not properly cleaning house when they arrived. I fully understand not doing anything harsh to dominate headlines ("Trump fires single-mom expert!" or "Trump hates non-supporters!", etc.) but after you get your feet wet, say ... 6 months or so ... you can tell who the shirkers are and the back-stabbers. Even Paton allowed a few local Nazis to stay in power to avoid chaos and prevent the electric system from failing. But three years in is wa-a-a-y too long for this to go on. Get rid of them all .... NOW!!
Re: The lying weasel who broke the chain of command and circumvented his own hierarchy. That he did is not just insubordination squared but mutiny!
Imagine being at war and on a battleship and this moron Vindman is in the engine room and can see nothing from the bridge and he thinks the ship should go slower to be safe and pull starboard --- after the captain says full steam and hard port. He'd be removed alright and thrown into the brig and probably shot to boot.
18 people like this.
Reply 18 - Posted by:
Periwinkel 2/11/2020 8:13:45 AM (No. 314718)
Vindman, and I believe his twin, are headed to the War College. Most of the LTCs he will find there are fairly conservative. Vindman will get his com-uppance from his fellow students. It's a shame, though, for the Vindmans to take up two slots when better soldiers are available.
Alexander Vindman is a political soldier. Please don't be fooled by the Purple Heart; look at John Kerry's.
30 people like this.
Reply 19 - Posted by:
Lawsy0 2/11/2020 8:18:50 AM (No. 314727)
At every change of administration, all employees are expected to put their resumes on their bosses desks to be handed to the transition team for the incoming Governor's approval or removal. Why should the US government be any different just because we are bloated beyond all bloat? The cause-in-fact US departments fail is all the lifetime hires and appointments. Hiring Freeze is not the only remedy. Trump has a better remedy.
10 people like this.
Reply 20 - Posted by:
Turninggrey 2/11/2020 8:26:11 AM (No. 314735)
Mirengoff will never get a click from me. He is simply another guy with a word processor attempting to appear "complex and nuanced". Trump has EVERY right to decide how his National Security Council is manned. ALSO, "Lt Col Stay Puft Marshmallow Man" is simply another member of the Army. Sometimes these "Spot Light" warriors need a change. Trump is simply getting him ready for what every motivated officer should want. A command combat tour. No, Mirengoff, a freaking Army Lt Colonel is not exempt from being assigned after screwing the pooch. He will go to the Pentagon where he will be mostly met with disdain from the actual Major and Lt Col officers who know of his "hate America" lifestyle.
25 people like this.
Reply 21 - Posted by:
Chiritwo 2/11/2020 8:52:28 AM (No. 314765)
Looks like we do have 2 tiered justice system. Why hasn't he been charged. Barr, where are you?
15 people like this.
Reply 22 - Posted by:
starboard 2/11/2020 8:56:19 AM (No. 314772)
The NSC is infested with government employees who think they, not the president, should be running the country. It's the hub of the Anti-Trump Deep State and is where many leakers come from. They act with impunity because they know their job is safe. What if they thought their job was in jeopardy? A whole different story and attitude. Obama expanded the NSC three times the original size. The whole dept needs to be sanitized and reorganized with new management...top to bottom.
Also, I would like to see abolished the rule / regulation that protects federal employees from being fired. Perhaps in President Trumps second term he may have the right congress to get rid of some of these bad rules and regulations.
10 people like this.
Reply 23 - Posted by:
earlybird 2/11/2020 9:25:29 AM (No. 314799)
Mirengoff just can’t take off his #NeverTrump hat. Vindman was NOT a whistleblower. Vindman the Ukrainian was an authorized listener on a phone call between President Trump and President Zelensky. Vindman disagreed with what he thought was the President’s policy. He was wrong. He ran with it. He blew his little whistle at Eric Ciaramella, probably John Bolton, his lawyer twin brother and others.
He is still in the military. He has gone back to the Department of Defense.
Why would Mirengoff want him to remain “in government”, as he expresses it? And why in the White House?
22 people like this.
Reply 24 - Posted by:
DCGIRL 2/11/2020 9:58:54 AM (No. 314844)
I'm still scratching my head wondering WHY did he keep them on. They should have been gone 30 days after he took office.
4 people like this.
Reply 25 - Posted by:
Strike3 2/11/2020 10:13:35 AM (No. 314860)
Vindman was not trusted by his entire Ranger outfit. That level of judgement is good enough for me.
9 people like this.
Reply 26 - Posted by:
Venturer 2/11/2020 10:42:16 AM (No. 314904)
Vindman is a sneak .
He should be forcibly retired from the military
3 people like this.
Reply 27 - Posted by:
kiwinews 2/11/2020 11:06:47 AM (No. 314940)
It seems to me if an employee has publicly declared that they are working against their employer's lawful goals, there is every reason to remove and replace them with someone who supports the mission. Or what am I missing here?
5 people like this.
Reply 28 - Posted by:
MorningStar 2/11/2020 11:14:18 AM (No. 314952)
Vindman was Russian-born, not Ukranian. His parents emigrated to the US when he was young.
1 person likes this.
Reply 29 - Posted by:
Harlowe 2/11/2020 11:32:32 AM (No. 314976)
#6- Precisely. Some sources are calling PresidentTrump’s removal ofSondland andVindman as “vindictive.” One commentary suggested that“had this been a criminal investigation, this so-called ‘FridayNightMassacre’ could have been a crime” and linked it to“a piece of U.S.Code about the criminal repercussions of retaliating against witnesses and informants.”
According to an article written by HansA.vonSpakovsky(ElectionLawReformInitiative and SeniorLegalFellow)published April 23,2018 via Heritage, “Trump Has the Constitutional Authority to Fire Mueller – Here’s Why,” a “president staffs the executive branch with more than 4,000 political appointees” and only “about a quarter require approval by theSenate. The remainder are “inferior” officers who can be appointed by the president or other top executive branch officials, such asCabinet secretaries.” These officials, excluding judges and certain other officers, “serve at the pleasure of the president. That means they can be removed by the president for any reason or no reason.”
Although a statement cited in the article pertains to a case brought before the U.S. Supreme Court, “common sense” suggests it would be applicable to the powers of any president: “The president has to ‘have some power of removing those for whom he cannot continue to be responsible’ because the ‘buck stops with the President,’ the Supreme Court said.”
2 people like this.
Reply 30 - Posted by:
swarfer 2/11/2020 11:37:57 AM (No. 314979)
NSC members serve at the discretion of the president, period. Like it or not, the president as chief executive, head of foreign policy and chief law enforcement officer has the authority AND DUTY to withhold foreign aid to protect the American taxpayer from fraud or corruption or to ensure aid is not directed against the interests of the United States. If the president put a subtle spin or pressure on the Ukrainian president to do something about corruption it is admirable, irrelevant and totally subjective. That's the president's job, period.
Mr. Biden publicly admitted to interfering in the Ukranian investigation of corruption surrounding his son which ultimately is funded with US foreign aid and no one but the president seemed willing to do anything about it. Mr. Biden should have thought about it before he decided to run for president. If congress doesn't like what the president is doing they can pass legislation to override the president. That's how it works.
Mr. Vindman decided that he would work against his commander in chief and take part in a non-criminal political impeachment process to try remove his boss from office making his own personal decision as to what the President of the United States authority should be, not elected officials, or the voters. He should be condemned for what he is, an unelected, self-appointed political operative hiding behind a uniform, actively working to interfere with the workings of the executive branch to satisfy his own personal political agenda. The fact that Mr. Vindman was a former Ukrainian national tells you all you need to know about corruption in Ukraine.
1 person likes this.
Reply 31 - Posted by:
weejun 2/11/2020 12:07:48 PM (No. 314995)
I can't agree more with the comments here. Anyone who's been in the military knows the rules. The reason Vindman didn't think there would be any repercussions to his insubordination is obvious: an overly pompous, self-inflated ego. Our society's obsession with the individual and individual rights has gotten out of hand, and has now bled over into the US military, where being a part of a team is the essential element. This guy has spent way too much time around the seat of governmental power and has obviously gone off the rails in terms of the uniform he wears. I find it ironic that his US Army class A uniform prominently displays "U.S." insignia on its lapels, which is supposed to remind Vindman and every member of the military that they work for the American people, not themselves.
0 people like this.
Reply 32 - Posted by:
DVC 2/11/2020 1:15:56 PM (No. 315075)
Mirengoff has always hated Trump.....but it looks like he is finally starting to see that what the President is doing is right, good and normal. But it looks like he struggled against his reflexive Trump-hate to get to this reasoned position.
I hope he can finally put that irrational, wrong headed hate of Trump behind him and be a normal, sane conservative again. This looks like a halfway decent first step.
0 people like this.
We can only hope they kept the traitors around to backwards spy on them to see who their contacts were.
I am also hopeful that is why they let Epstein's cash disappear, so they could see who picked it up.
1 person likes this.
Reply 34 - Posted by:
Tet Vet 68 2/11/2020 6:04:18 PM (No. 315343)
Predict LTC Vindman remains a career LTC. COL is not in his future--War College attendance or not. Bet he is red lined from school and his career is toast--as it should be.
0 people like this.
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