The woman who knew too much

Stanford law school professor Pamela Karlan’s testimony to the House Judiciary Committee regarding the impeachment of Donald Trump:

What would you think if, when your governor asked the federal government for the disaster assistance that Congress has provided, the President responded, ‘I would like you to do us a favor.’

That was 115 days ago.

Donald Trump, 21 hours ago, on withholding appropriated disaster funds from states whose governors are insufficiently servile towards him (he is already using the praise he has extorted in this way in campaign ads):

Trump singled out the Democratic leaders of Washington and Michigan, noting that he had advised Pence not to call them as the healthcare crisis plagues their states and people fall sick and die.
….“He calls all the governors,” Trump said. “I tell him, I mean, I’m a different type of person. I say Mike, don’t call the governor of Washington, you’re wasting your time with him. Don’t call the woman in Michigan.”

“If they don’t treat you right, I don’t call,” Trump said.

Now all the truth is out,
Be secret and take defeat
From any brazen throat,
For how can you compete,
Being honor bred, with one
Who were it proved he lies
Were neither shamed in his own
Nor in his neighbors’ eyes;
Bred to a harder thing
Than Triumph, turn away
And like a laughing string
Whereon mad fingers play
Amid a place of stone,
Be secret and exult,
Because of all things known
That is most difficult.

Yeats, “To a Friend Whose Work Has Come to Nothing”