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Trump’s lawyers, Senate GOP allies work privately to ensure Bolton does not testify publicly
‘Don’t the American people deserve to know the truth?’ According to Moscow Mitch McConnell and Trump's lawyers — a resounding NO!
The Republicans like to do everything in secret .... they concocted their 2017 healthcare bills and their GOP 2017 tax legislation in secret for example.
Now they want the Senate testimony of John Bolton to be a secret also. Bolton knows a great deal about Trumps "drug deal" regarding Ukraine as Bolton himself so indelicately characterized it.
Why is Trump/GOP going to such lengths to conceal what happened regarding Trumps "perfect call" shakedown of Ukraine? (a strictly rhetorical question)
Because it wasn't 'perfect' at all. Actually, it was a shakedown indistinguishable from your basic mob shakedown. Trump/GOP can't have Americans hearing this ugly truth directly from Trumps National Security Advisor.
Related: Trump Defense Memo Is Wrong About High Crimes and Obstruction
‘Don’t the American people deserve to know the truth?’ According to Moscow Mitch McConnell and Trump's lawyers — a resounding NO!
1/21/20
President Trump’s legal defense team and Senate GOP allies are quietly gaming out contingency plans should Democrats win enough votes to force witnesses to testify in the impeachment trial, including an effort to keep former national security adviser John Bolton from the spotlight, according to multiple officials familiar with the discussions. While Republicans continue to express confidence that Democrats will fail to persuade four GOP lawmakers to break ranks with Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), who has opposed calling any witnesses in the trial, they are readying a Plan B just in case — underscoring how uncertain they are about prevailing in a showdown over witnesses and Bolton’s possible testimony.
One option being discussed, according to a senior administration official, would be to move Bolton’s testimony to a classified setting because of national security concerns, ensuring that it is not public.
To receive the testimony in a classified session, Trump’s attorneys would have to request such a step, according to one official, adding that it would probably need the approval of 51 senators. But that proposal, discussed among some Senate Republicans in recent days, is seen as a final tool against Bolton becoming an explosive figure in the trial. First, Republicans involved in the discussions said, would come a fierce battle in the courts. Trump’s trial begins in earnest Tuesday on the two impeachment charges: abuse of power and obstruction of Congress. They center on the allegation that Trump withheld military aid and a White House meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to pressure Ukraine to investigate his political rivals, including former vice president and 2020 candidate Joe Biden. The Trump administration stonewalled the House impeachment probe, denying witnesses and documents.
The Republicans like to do everything in secret .... they concocted their 2017 healthcare bills and their GOP 2017 tax legislation in secret for example.
Now they want the Senate testimony of John Bolton to be a secret also. Bolton knows a great deal about Trumps "drug deal" regarding Ukraine as Bolton himself so indelicately characterized it.
Why is Trump/GOP going to such lengths to conceal what happened regarding Trumps "perfect call" shakedown of Ukraine? (a strictly rhetorical question)
Because it wasn't 'perfect' at all. Actually, it was a shakedown indistinguishable from your basic mob shakedown. Trump/GOP can't have Americans hearing this ugly truth directly from Trumps National Security Advisor.
Related: Trump Defense Memo Is Wrong About High Crimes and Obstruction