News media have finally gotten around to translating the Latin phrase "quid pro quo" into English. It means "this for that." And it's no accident that "quid" in British slang means "money," so the term "quid pro quo" easily translates into American usage as "money for that."
In turn, this becomes the legal term "bribery," and since the Constitution establishes bribery as grounds for impeachment, it's time to stop the word games and get to the task at hand.
Lawyers can argue the difference between bribery and extortion, but to resident word maven Pug Mahoney, the difference is one of direction: Bribery is giving or offering money, and extortion is demanding money.
Either way, there's an offer of something of value in exchange for something else of value.
White House defense folk claim that since the threat of withholding military aid to Ukraine did not actually happen and the aid was later delivered, there wasn't really any quid pro quo.
But attempted bribery is also a crime.
Quid pro quo.
This for that.
Whether it worked or not, you actually tried.
You're fired.
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