Fruit of the poisonous tree

For weeks, Republicans have been claiming that the impeachment inquiry isn’t a real impeachment inquiry because the House of Representatives never held a formal vote at the outset. But now, House Democrats are saying they will have that vote this week. Many Republicans still aren’t satisfied. House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy said the investigation was started improperly and therefore cannot be fixed: “it’d be the fruit from the poisonous tree.” Did he get that legal doctrine right?

Meanwhile, Lieutenant Colonel Alexander Vindman, a former White House official who served as the top Ukraine expert on the National Security Council, testified earlier this week. Vindman, who heard the July 25 phone call between President Trump and Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky, testified that crucial words and phrases were left off the transcript of the call and he tried and failed to correct the transcript accordingly.