Axios: Republicans fear "floodgates" if Bolton testifies
There may be enough new pressure on Senate Republicans to allow witnesses at President Trump's impeachment trial, after the leak from a forthcoming book by former national security adviser John Bolton that contradicts what the White House has been telling the country.
Why it matters: This is a dramatic, 11th-hour inflection point for the trial, with an eyewitness rebuttal to Trump's claim that he never tied the hold-up of Ukrainian aid to investigations into Joe Biden.
* GOP sources say the revelation could be enough to sway the four Republican senators needed for witnesses — especially since Sens. Mitt Romney of Utah and Susan Collins of Maine have already strongly signaled they’d vote for witnesses.
Read more ....
Update #1: Republicans in Trump impeachment trial on the spot over Bolton book report (Reuters)
Update #2: John Bolton's bombshell gives the GOP a glimpse of its nightmare scenario (Washington Post)
WNU Editor: New York Times publishes a few lines from John Bolton's manuscript (that they did not see) that makes the claim (according to their source) that Trump explicitly told John Bolton "he wanted to continue freezing $391 million in security assistance to Ukraine until officials there helped with investigations into Democrats including the Biden".
The problem with this allegation is that Ukraine did get their security assistance, and that top Ukrainian officials (including President Zelenskiy) have said publicly that they were not under any pressure to initiate an investigation on the Bidens or anyone else. So why the fuss? Why the rush for opening the floodgates on witnesses? Can a President be prosecuted because he is open on what he thinks, even though his actions end up being opposite to what his point of view is? You tell me.
14 comments:
This is turning into Kavanaugh Confirmation Hearings - The Sequel. The Dems trot out carefully timed leaks, call them "bombshells" and hope they can throw enough garbage into the process to derail the whole thing. The only thing we're lacking here is a beer-soaked gang rape. But they'll toss that in if they think it'll move the needle.
It's all too predictable. The NY Times receives yet another anonymous source asserting critical evidence to the Dem's favor within the Trump Admin. The pols and media chomp the hook and get violently led by the mouth for a couple days - until the newest NYT revelation is proven false. Again.
I have read that insanity is defined as doing the exact same thing repeatedly and expecting different results.
RINSE,
REPEAT,
R.
Then why did Trump put a hold on the aid? Sure seems like proof of the pudding.
Why did he withhold aid from Afghanistan? Why did he withhold aid from Pakistan? Why did he withhold aid from South Korea?
We obviously need to look into those scandals as well.
(BTW the Ukraine aid was received on schedule and on time.)
Russ
A very weak Anon-like attempt at deflection. Was Trump looking for a personal "This for that" deal in other places?
Bob, Trump paused, delayed or outright canceled aid for Afghanistan, El Salvador, Honduras, Guatemala and Lebanon - at the exact time that he delayed aid for Ukraine.
/maybe it was under the auspices of some nefarious political gain... Or maybe he was exerting political pressure to get concessions on border security.
Also, the Democrat House Managers: Nadler, Jeffries and Lofgren, all voted against the exact same aid package to Ukraine in 2018. Rank hypocrites all.
Its not a deflection. Its an easy routing of your weak argument.
a trial is a trial. If the editor is convinced the Dems are faking things about president Trump, then let there be witnesses and documents, those that thus far are kept from appearing at this impeachment. a little light will shine on the truth, no matter what it is. What is there to fear, to avoid, in making all things available, to confince or to refute. Trump has nothing to fear, nothing to hide. Let the facts thus be brought forth
Moron Russ at it again! NY times quoting from an advance copy of
Bolton book...learn to read, misfit
Sen. Mitt Romney, R-Utah, said it's "increasingly likely" there will be enough Republican senators to vote to call witnesses.
"I think, with the story [about Bolton's book] that came out yesterday, it's increasingly apparent that it would be important to hear from John Bolton," Romney told reporters. Romney said he hasn't fully made up his mind, but he said that what Bolton has to say is "relevant" and that "therefore I'd like to hear it."
"I think it's increasingly likely that other Republicans will join those of us who think we should hear from John Bolton," Romney said. "I've spoken with others who've opined upon this, as well."
you have nothing to fear but fear (and truth) ityself
Even if the entire narrative is correct, POTUS did nothing wrong and, in fact, to do anything else would have been a dereliction of duty on the part of POTUS. At the time that we stumbled into Ukraine in 2014, I called it the stupidest move a major world power had ever made. Based upon what has been learned since indicates it may be even worse than I initially thought. We may have been sold out!!
Not long after the former Ukrainian chump government engineered the coup against the previous government, Hunter Biden gets a 50K per month job with a major Ukrainian oil company even though he had no experience in the industry, no practical knowledge of Ukrainian culture, or the language The coup plotters/chumps knew they'd need some muscle to assist them in their power play, especially since such a move would likely lead to a confrontation with Russia. Understand increased tensions in Cold War 2 is not something we need, nor can we readily afford it, winning is far from certain, and even if we "win" we gain nothing of value. Essentially American interests are polar opposite to those of the Ukrainian coup plotters in this instance.
Unfortunately the proclivity of American leadership to make decisions based upon ideology makes them vulnerable to manipulation. The coup leaders could've whispered "democracy" or some other nonsense into the ears of Anerican leaders and they are now "sold." Dangle a high paying do birthing job in front of them and/or their associates and the deal is now finalized. Some reports indicate a Romney associate has a similar position to the one Hunter Biden. How many others are there?
Esau sold his birthright for some stew when he was starving. Hunter Biden sold out his country for 50K per month. How much did the Rombey associate require to sell out his country?
Keep in mind Ukraine has lost Crimea over this stupidity. They should want this investigation even more than America should as they've been hurt even worse than us Given the gravity of this situation, POTUS would have been absolutely correct in trying to encourage the Ukrainians to investigate the Bidebs as they were/are front and center in all of this It's vital that we understand how and why we were sold out so hopefully such things do not occur in the future.
Given that the scene of the crime is in Ukraine, it would make sense for POTUS to ask Ukraine to investigate this. Also, given the devastating affects of the exacerbation of Cold War 2 and the violation of our interests, it would make sense for a prudent POTUS to use any and all leverage America might have including the withholding of aid to hey them moving on an investigation of the Bidens.
In removing the government that instigated this, the Ukrainians have made solid progress in fixing things Unfortunately until a proper investigation is conducted to fully determine how this happened I don't think they are ever going to be able to heal. In pushing this, Trump would have been acting as a friend to Ukraine while properly fulfilling his duties as POTUS.
So even if everything the Democrats allege is correct, nothing wrong was done. In fact, it would've been wrong to do othetwise!! If Trump is "guilty," then he's guilty of properly executing his duties as POTUS underscoring why he needs to be reelected.
LOL- - out come the butt-hurt clones! First of all no one has seen this manuscript. The NYT is quoting anons like they always do. And all you Truth Seekers know their track record. The Dems could have subpoenaed Bolton during the House hearings, but it just too urgent to save the nation and remove Trump immediately - to save Democracy.
Oh wait. No it wasn't. The Dems then waited 33 days to send the articles to the Senate. Went on vacation, did lots of earnest pressers and watched LSU stomp Clemson.
The Dems claimed to have already presented "overwhelming", "uncontested" and "incontrovertible" evidence. They explain this to us everyday. Let them stand on the fine work they've already done, not whine to the Senate about accommodating their carefully timed leaks.
I say no witnesses, no documents, no nothing for the Dems. Romney and the other backstabbers can whinge with the Dems at their political peril.
/Feel free to continue nipping at my ankles.
I would add here that Trump IMHO is absolutely 100% correct here in his take on executive privilege. If intimate details of conversations between POTUS and his advisors are made public, this is going to undermine his ability to conduct foreign policy. Such actions would likely reverberate beyond Trump having a devastating on the ability of future Presidents to operate in the foreign policy arena. As such, while a trial involving "witnesses" assuming its conducted fairly will exonerate Trump the negative effects of overriding executive privilege will be devastating. As such, Congress and the Courts would be prudent to respect it.
As for Nr. Bolton, I generally like him. Infortuvateky he's one dimensional. All he has is a hammer. Some jobs require a chisel!! One dimensional people tend not to function well in the real world where actions have consequences. Also, due to the lack of ability to think past their one dimension their judgement is clouded.
Given the baggage associated with Mr. Bolton, I'd treat any testimony he has with extreme skepticism. The leadership of Ukraine says no quid pro quo. Trump says no quid pro quo. I'd ho with their accounts as far more credible.
Even if Trunp did expect help on his campaign, there's nothing improper here. Zelenski was elected in significant part to end the war with Russia. As Russian leadership respects Trump it is in Ukrainian interests to have Trump in office as opposed to a democrat that the Russian leadership not only doesn't respect but holds in contempt. By helping Trump Zelenski and his team would be acting in Ukraine's interests. If Trump needed to prod them to act in their interests, he showing himself to be a friend of Ukraine and America both as Zelenski seems to be genuinely trying to move in a direction that would deescalte the conflict with Russia that is in the best interests of America and Ukraine.
I've felt for years that Bolton came under the heading of nothing is impossible for the man who doesn't have to do it.
Exactly!! This is often the case with government bureaucrats. As such, the fact that JB exhibits this tendency in the extreme is hardly surprisung.
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