Bolton's claims scramble impeachment trial as key Republicans weigh calling witnesses
President Trump’s lawyers struggled to keep their impeachment defense on track Monday, insisting Democrats had failed to prove their case while resisting escalating attempts to subpoena former national security advisor John Bolton.
Democrats say Trump abused his power by asking Ukraine to investigate former Vice President Joe Biden, a potential opponent in this year’s election, while withholding nearly $400 million in security aid for Ukraine’s conflict with neighboring Russia. If Bolton is called as a witness, he could provide a first-hand account of the alleged connection between the two issues.But on Monday, Trump’s lawyers continued to argue that Democrats had not provided any first-hand witnesses to Trump’s role.
The Trump team’s focus on Biden served two purposes — distracting from Democratic allegations against Trump and providing an avenue for him to besmirch a politician he views as a potential formidable challenger in November. Sen. Angus King predicted that five to 10 Republicans would join 47 Democrats to subpoena witnesses for the Senate trial.The dispute created another head-snapping moment in the Trump presidency.
“They have for 25 years undermined the credibility of John Bolton on item after item, in not trusting his judgment, his temperament,” he said.“He is known to be a voracious note taker,” said a Democratic aide working on the impeachment trial, and may have a “contemporaneous account” of his conversations with Trump on Ukraine.
“I NEVER told John Bolton that the aid to Ukraine was tied to investigations into Democrats, including the Bidens,” he tweeted shortly after midnight. “In fact, he never complained about this at the time of his very public termination. If John Bolton said this, it was only to sell a book.” “Those of us who lived through the Clinton impeachment, including members of this body, full well understand that a presidential impeachment is tantamount to domestic war, but thankfully protected by our beloved First Amendment, a war of words and a war of ideas. But it’s filled with acrimony and it divides the country like nothing else,” he said.
President Trump denied allegations by his former national security advisor that he withheld aid in return for Ukraine to investigate Joe Biden and his son Hunter.
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