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The Investigation

ABC News

It's one of the rarest political events in American history, one that only three presidents have ever experienced before today. Just months after the release of Special Counsel Robert Mueller's report, the White House finds itself under fire from a new front: an impeachment inquiry. Who was on that July 25th call between President Trump and President Zelensky? What was promised and who was pressured? And how has that one phone call raised the question, once again, of possible foreign intervention in U.S. elections and "quid pro quo" demands to other foreign leaders? We'll bring you all of our exclusive reporting -- from the halls of Capitol Hill to Maiden Square in Kyiv. Along the way, you'll get insight from legal analysts and historians, politicians and principals -- those who are driving the developments in this rapidly-unfolding story -- all as we count down the days until an impeachment vote and a possible senate trial. read less

Our Editor's Take

The Investigation podcast is about politics. It is a report on the then-anticipated first presidential impeachment vote of Donald Trump. The cohosts are Kyra Phillips and Chris Vlasto of ABC News. These hosts detail the facts and information available on this topic. While covering a unique event in American history, the hosts share their findings. In addition, they interview guests who were close to Trump. This gives an added layer of insight into the story.

Told through a crime drama lens, The Investigation explores the case behind this impeachment. The podcast examines how the situation in America escalated. Every new episode's theme acts as the title for these miniature documentaries. The cohosts discuss issues while waiting for the Mueller Report. They discuss the reality of supposed "fake news.” The podcast shares true stories and reveals the truth of the situation. It also offers opinions on misconduct and the lack of leadership in the White House.

In one episode, the hosts of The Investigation sit down with Trump's former lawyer, John Dowd. He discusses his loss of respect for people in the White House as well as a Russian phone call. Then, the hosts bring on Lanny Davis to discuss his thoughts on Dowd and his perspective on the situation. The show also examines the psychology behind Trump's actions and his influence. By including various perspectives, this podcast offers clarity through the discourse.

This limited series talks about things that happened behind closed doors. It highlights examples of greed and corruption. Each interview on The Investigation introduces new information. Former spokesperson for Trump, Mark Corallo, joins to explain his opinions. He discusses the administration and tells why he decided to leave.

The Investigation also analyzes the reactions of law enforcement. It shares the experiences of the people involved with Trump's first impeachment. This show is a good time capsule to explain the issues of that era.

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Episodes

"Apples to Clouds"
Jan 21 2020
"Apples to Clouds"
Over 20 years ago, he was part of an investigation into a sitting president and senior counsel to Ken Starr. Now, Paul Rosenzweig joins "The Investigation" co-hosts Chris Vlasto and Katherine Faulders, and calling the impeachment trial of President Trump a "watershed moment in American history" and summarizing the Senate leadership’s strategy as "very simple—to move as fast as they can...avoid as much evidence as possible." But Rosenzweig, who currently serves as resident senior fellow of the National Security and Cyber Security Program at the R Street Institute, cautions against comparing this era to the time of Clinton: "The comparison...is kind of apples to clouds...[in] which every assertion of executive privilege was eventually overcome." Later, ABC News chief White House correspondent and co-host of the "Powerhouse Politics" podcast Jonathan Karl shares his latest reporting on the White House response and his own prediction that the Senate trial will last "two weeks or less," largely due to "impeachment fatigue in the country." Follow Chris on Twitter @vlasto Follow John on Twitter @santucci Support this podcast with a review on Apple Podcasts: http://bit.ly/2UJIsJs Recommended listening... -- Start Here: The daily 20-minute news podcast from ABC News. http://bit.ly/2SA62eg -- Powerhouse Politics: Headliner interviews and in-depth looks at the people and events shaping U.S. politics. http://bit.ly/2SsGwr7 -- FiveThirtyEight Politics: Nate Silver and the FiveThirtyEight team cover the latest in politics, tracking the issues and "game-changers" every week. https://53eig.ht/2RF3eb1 ==================== The Investigation is produced by ABC Audio. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
"Very Stretched, Very Thin, Very Different"
Dec 17 2019
"Very Stretched, Very Thin, Very Different"
As the impeachment inquiry prepares to move to a trial in the Senate, former Congressman Bill McCollum sits down with "The Investigation." As one of the House impeachment managers during the Clinton impeachment trial, McCollum shares his view of the impeachment inquiry: "it's that grave a nature that ought to be determined by the voters next year, the election." The former Congressman sees little comparison between impeachment trials, calling the case against President Trump, "Very stretched, very thin, very different." But first, "The Investigation"team along with Senior National Correspondent Tom Llamas give an inside look into ABC's investigation of 2020 candidate Mike Bloomberg and allegations that his company has a culture of sexist commentary and a toxic environment for his female employees that arose in the 80's and 90's. Follow Chris on Twitter @vlasto Follow John on Twitter @santucci Support this podcast with a review on Apple Podcasts: http://bit.ly/2UJIsJs Recommended listening... -- Start Here: The daily 20-minute news podcast from ABC News. http://bit.ly/2SA62eg -- Powerhouse Politics: Headliner interviews and in-depth looks at the people and events shaping U.S. politics. http://bit.ly/2SsGwr7 -- FiveThirtyEight Politics: Nate Silver and the FiveThirtyEight team cover the latest in politics, tracking the issues and "game-changers" every week. https://53eig.ht/2RF3eb1 ==================== The Investigation is produced by ABC Audio. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
"We Know How The Movie Ends"
Dec 9 2019
"We Know How The Movie Ends"
As the impeachment inquiry continues with committee counsels testifying before the House Judiciary Committee, former Republican counsel for the House Oversight Committee during the impeachment of President Clinton, Barbara Comstock, joins "The Investigation." Comstock, a former Congresswoman from Virginia and now an ABC News contributor, reveals what she called "an odd thing for Republicans to be saying" when it comes to the impeachment process and shares her theory as to why she believes the American public is not engaged: "We know how the movie ends, and we know the final chapter won’t be until next November." Then, co-hosts Chris Vlasto and John Santucci discuss ABC News Chief Justice Correspondent Pierre Thomas' exclusive interview with FBI Director Wray, as all eyes turn to the FBI with the release of the Department of Justice Inspector General’s report into the origins of the Russia investigation. Follow Chris on Twitter @vlasto Follow John on Twitter @santucci Support this podcast with a review on Apple Podcasts: http://bit.ly/2UJIsJs Recommended listening... -- Start Here: The daily 20-minute news podcast from ABC News. http://bit.ly/2SA62eg -- Powerhouse Politics: Headliner interviews and in-depth looks at the people and events shaping U.S. politics. http://bit.ly/2SsGwr7 -- FiveThirtyEight Politics: Nate Silver and the FiveThirtyEight team cover the latest in politics, tracking the issues and "game-changers" every week. https://53eig.ht/2RF3eb1 ==================== The Investigation is produced by ABC Audio. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
"We Were Horrified"
Nov 26 2019
"We Were Horrified"
The co-founders of Fusion GPS, Glenn Simpson and Peter Fritsch, speak out to "The Investigation," breaking their silence about the origins of the now infamous Steele Dossier and weighing in on the current impeachment inquiry involving Ukraine. "We were horrified when it [the Steele Dossier] was published because it's not the kind of thing that we do," Simpson told "The Investigation," of the publication of the raw information, adding that the information that Steele, a former MI6 agent hired by Fusion, brought back to them was "a digital Pearl Harbor...the government of Russia attacked our political system." The two former investigative reporters who were original hired by the Republicans to investigate then candidate Donald Trump leading up to the 2016 election have released a new book entitled "Crime and Progress: Inside the Steele Dossier and the Fusion GPS Investigation of Donald Trump." Follow Chris on Twitter @vlasto Follow John on Twitter @santucci Support this podcast with a review on Apple Podcasts: http://bit.ly/2UJIsJs Recommended listening... -- Start Here: The daily 20-minute news podcast from ABC News. http://bit.ly/2SA62eg -- Powerhouse Politics: Headliner interviews and in-depth looks at the people and events shaping U.S. politics. http://bit.ly/2SsGwr7 -- FiveThirtyEight Politics: Nate Silver and the FiveThirtyEight team cover the latest in politics, tracking the issues and "game-changers" every week. https://53eig.ht/2RF3eb1 ==================== The Investigation is produced by ABC Audio. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
"A Very Troublesome Telephone Call"
Nov 12 2019
"A Very Troublesome Telephone Call"
The impeachment process for a sitting president can be a daunting task. Just ask Arkansas Governor Asa Hutchinson, formerly a Congressman from Arkansas who served on the House Judiciary Committee during impeachment proceedings against Clinton. Hutchinson, who was one of 13 "prosecutors" – referred to as House Managers- during Clinton's impeachment trial in the Senate, sits down for an interview with "The Investigation" co-hosts Chris Vlasto and John Santucci. "It [was] an unwise call," Hutchinson said, referring to that July 25th phone call between President Trump and Ukrainian president Zelenskiy, adding "but that doesn't mean that a president ought to be impeached." As the House gears up for two days of the first public testimony surrounding the impeachment inquiry, Hutchinson reminds: "you cannot impeach a sitting president without the support of the American public...you’re not going to gain the confidence of the American public without having public testimony." ABC News senior congressional correspondent Mary Bruce also joins. Follow Chris on Twitter @vlasto Follow John on Twitter @santucci Support this podcast with a review on Apple Podcasts: http://bit.ly/2UJIsJs Recommended listening... -- Start Here: The daily 20-minute news podcast from ABC News. http://bit.ly/2SA62eg -- Powerhouse Politics: Headliner interviews and in-depth looks at the people and events shaping U.S. politics. http://bit.ly/2SsGwr7 -- FiveThirtyEight Politics: Nate Silver and the FiveThirtyEight team cover the latest in politics, tracking the issues and "game-changers" every week. https://53eig.ht/2RF3eb1 ==================== The Investigation is produced by ABC Audio. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
"We Are Kind of Enemies"
Nov 5 2019
"We Are Kind of Enemies"
"The Investigation" co-hosts Chris Vlasto and John Santucci interview two recipients of the International Women's Media Foundation "Courage in Journalism" award: Ukrainian journalists Nastya Stanko and Anna Babinets. Stanko, a war reporter who is often on the front lines of conflict in Eastern Ukraine and was once held hostage while on the job, stressed the importance of US military aid because even with peace agreements, "nobody believes Putin" and "if we will have this military aid from US, we will have this protection. And for people in Ukraine, it's also very important that we have this partner." Babinets, an investigative journalist focused on government corruption and big crime in Ukraine, explained their fears and frustration with reporting in their home country: "we almost never get our words in Ukraine because in some point and some understanding, we are kind of enemies of Ukraine." "The Investigation" also catches up with senior national correspondent Terry Moran and Capitol Hill reporter Katherine Faulders, breaking down the latest news on the impeachment inquiry. Follow Chris on Twitter @vlasto Follow John on Twitter @santucci Support this podcast with a review on Apple Podcasts: http://bit.ly/2UJIsJs Recommended listening... -- Start Here: The daily 20-minute news podcast from ABC News. http://bit.ly/2SA62eg -- Powerhouse Politics: Headliner interviews and in-depth looks at the people and events shaping U.S. politics. http://bit.ly/2SsGwr7 -- FiveThirtyEight Politics: Nate Silver and the FiveThirtyEight team cover the latest in politics, tracking the issues and "game-changers" every week. https://53eig.ht/2RF3eb1 ==================== The Investigation is produced by ABC Audio. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices