TPM Reader PM makes their case against my reasoning on impeachment …

At every further step in this discussion, I find myself sharpening my disagreement with your conclusions (thank for your applications of the socratic method :).

Keeping it short: The difference in moving forward with impeachment in the present circumstances is the difference between gathering around a single purpose and principle that can be formulated in fundamentally patriotic terms, and being mired in an unruly mess of legalistic language that will draw on for months without ever (or only very rarely) exiting the world of fake lawyers’ panels on CNN.

The Washington Post has gotten hold of a draft internal IRS memo which argues that the IRS and Treasury Department have no choice but to hand over the President’s taxes.

This seems like little more than a legal analysis that states what I think everyone who has looked at the law understands, which is that it’s crystal clear: To follow the law they have no choice but to hand over the returns. The only real argument I’ve seen from conservatives is that the law itself is unconstitutional. But the text of the law is clear.

Some very interesting numbers in a just released Quinnipiac Poll.

Here are numbers that jump out to me.

President Trump’s numbers are 38% approve, 57% disapprove. On May 2nd those numbers were 41%-55%. 54% of voters say they would “definitely not vote” for President Trump. 31% say they’d “definitely vote” for him.

TPM Reader JP has thoughts about Nancy Pelosi and the difference between leading the Democratic caucus and being – whether she wants it or not – the Democrats current national leader. The inside game and the outside game, if you will. I have some comments in response below …

Was reading yet another reference to Pelosi’s infighting with her caucus:

In observing the public machinations and gyrations Speaker Pelosi continues to conduct regarding impeachment I found myself thinking back to the position she took during the ACA debate. More than anything I think it highlights the significant gap in her effectiveness at inside baseball (passage of legislation) and outside baseball (directing the public politics regarding a compelling national issue such as impeachment). Ultimately both goals are the same: keep your caucus unified and get a win for your side (and then sell the win to the country).

A highly knowledgable lawyer writes in the following about the Trump accounting firm subpoena …

Judge Mehta wrote a smart and detailed opinion. And his decision not to grant a stay pending appeal sends a strong message that he views Trump’s arguments as extremely weak.

Trump of course has appealed and will seek review in the Supreme Court if he loses in the court of appeals.

His goal is to run out the clock until the middle of next year, which will make it hard for the House to analyze the documents, conduct further investigations, and reach any conclusions before November 3. It also will mean that any conclusions will be lost in the swirl of a highly partisan election contest.

Over recent months I’ve had a number of readers write in to ask if I’d put all my book reviews and recommendations in one place. So I’ve done that. After the jump are recommendations for just over 60 books – all what I’d call serious popular history, with a few examples stretching over into more academic books. The topics range from language and alphabets to Rome and Late Antiquity to Christianity, Islam, the Renaissance, pre-history and ancient civilizations, Israel, Eastern Europe and a number of other topics. Many of them I’ve recommended at some point over the last couple decades. A number are recommended for the first time. And I’m not done. I have at least 15 or 20 more I plan to add.

Important read. It appears that Rudy Giuliani and John Solomon got the US Ambassador to Ukraine canned (membership required) as part of their efforts to get the government of Ukraine to target Joe Biden.

TPM Reader EJ on what is to be done …

Regarding your response to TPM reader AB in the post “I8 Angry Democrats,” I respectfully think that you’re missing something that seems clear to me from TPM’s own coverage. But first we have to backtrack. I think there are a couple of key points we agree on: One is that even the redacted Mueller report presents evidence of impeachable acts. The other is that the biggest practical barrier to impeachment is the unification of Senate Republicans against it under McConnell’s control, regardless of that evidence. (I think we disagree on the conclusion the latter leads to, but I do agree about the significance of the fact itself.)

TPM Reader LS reported last week from her Indivisible Book Club …

I’m off to attend my Indivisible book club today.. I’m close to dropping out. Last time, the eye rolls descended upon me for agreeing that there might be a right-wing conspiracy. But this club is Joe Biden territory, consisting of older voters, would-have-been Republicans, and naive observers.

This note from TPM Reader DR from a few days ago got me thinking along the lines I mentioned in my post from over the weekend …

I think people are missing a basic point about Biden’s lead. It’s not so much a sign of his strength as of the other candidates’ weakness. Democrats are looking at the alternatives and aren’t all that impressed. Sure, Joe has flaws but they’re no worse than those of the other candidates, who are far less tested. How will they stand up against the onslaught? Joe isn’t very exciting but he’s a known quantity. I doubt the campaign will tell us anything we don’t already know about him.