Sunday, January 12, 2020

Impeachment Reached, Con't


Lora asked:

Do reporters get any sense of whether any Republican senators feel secretly frustrated by McConnell’s strategy? Or, are they all in?

CARL HULSE, chief Washington correspondent: The Republican senators most frustrated with Mr. McConnell have already said so publicly, like Lisa Murkowski. The more moderate Republicans also trust that Mr. McConnell will do whatever he can to protect them during the trial.

All of the Republicans are comfortable starting with what Mr. McConnell referred to as the Clinton trial precedent. But there are several keeping their options open on witnesses. There will be a big test vote on that at some point, and then we’ll know who’s on board. There’s a growing sense among senators I’ve talked to that there will be some witnesses.

There will be no witnesses, especially John Bolton.

John Bolton will be blocked from testifying at Donald Trump’s impeachment trial, the president has indicated, despite the former national security adviser insisting he would do so if he received a subpoena.

Trump claimed in an interview with Fox News host Laura Ingraham on Friday night he would “love everybody to testify”, including Bolton, secretary of state Mike Pompeo and acting chief of staff Mick Mulvaney.

But he went on to say “there are things that you can’t do from the standpoint of executive privilege”.

“Especially a national security adviser,” Trump added. “You can’t have him explaining all of your statements about national security concerning Russia, China and North Korea, everything. You just can’t do that.”

Asked if that meant he would invoke executive privilege to prevent Bolton from testifying, Trump said: “I think you have to for the sake of the office.”

GOP senators will not test Trump on this, especially Collins.  Mitch will make sure that the GOP position is to support the White House on blocking witnesses, and that it would be up to the courts to decide otherwise.  Chief Justice Roberts won't touch it either, saying the issue should be worked out on a case-by-case basis.  Neither will the media help, they'll just bring up the time Eric Holder refused a subpoena on Operation Fast & Furious.

So no, there won't be any witnesses.  Like Clinton's trial the determination will be "There's already enough evidence."

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