Should Bolton testify?

redrover said:

Ithink we should hear from Rudy,too. He was in charge of the drug deal.

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i doubt that any of them will testify, honestly. if they do, though, they will lie.

Napoleon said:

No, it isn’t. A separation of powers dispute does not constitute a high crime or misdemeanor. Resolving such disputes is one of the primary functions of the Judiciary.

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This isn’t merely a separation of powers dispute.

Trump wants the Senate to hand him his crown and scepter and bow down to him.

Trump is hiding behind an assertion of a non existent doctrine of “absolute immunity”, which has already lost in court once, decisively. In order to gaslight the folks back home, his lawyers talk about Executive Privilege, even though they never actually asserted it.

In the last year, Trump has tried to steal money appropriated by Congress and reallocate it to his idiotic wall. He is losing in court there too.

He has openly boasted that Article 2 means he can do whatever he wants.

How much longer does the United States feed it needs to continue disgracing itself?

lemmiwinx said:

Bolton should go on Oprah and The View and sell his damn book. Hope he gets rich of it but the senate doesn't need to hear anything he has to say.

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John Bolton will run into legal problems if he did that, that's why his lawyers are passing his manuscript through the legal channels in the White House before publishing. Keep in mind, John Bolton was the U.S. National Security Director. If he, in that position, knew about this deal, knew it was wrong and didn't want any part of it, then it was his duty to report it and put an end to it. But no, he left his job instead and decided he'd write a book and put all of it in the book and make lots of money. But that makes him complicit with the crime. He could actually be indicted for that. It's like watching someone make a bomb that they plan to blow something up with and not reporting it.

There's just absolutely no reason why John Bolton or Mick Mulvaney shouldn't be called as witnesses. None.

If republicans were confident that either of them would help Trump's case, you can be certain that they would be called. It's just glaringly evident that republicans are all involved in a cover up.

Helix said:

i doubt that any of them will testify, honestly. if they do, though, they will lie.

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John Bolton can't lie about what's already in print in the manuscript of his upcoming book.

I agree with Helix that he should but the Republicans won't allow it. Our whole system is broken, ethically challenged and morally bankrupt.

JANFU said:

Should Bolton testify?

Yes-Public and private

Yes- Private- recorded/ will see some later

No he should not testify

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Whats truly sad is that we have come to a place in American history where this is up for official debate in Washington. National interests versus Party interests. Trump's defense, using "national security" as an excuse to avoid Bolton's testimony, is very transparent since Bolton's only contribution would be to pile on the same information that is already well known on the international stage. The evidence is already obnoxiously overwhelming; and as I have stated before, we convict murderers on far less. Thus, Trump's defense is actually acknowledging that Bolton damages Trump.

For that matter; Trump's other defense, that impeaching Trump would start a partisan back-and-forth, is obviously transparent too. First, fear of a partisan back-and-forth is not a defense for his obvious abuse and betrayal of American citizens and American democracy. And second, if the GOP's actual partisan game to impeach Bill Clinton didn't kick off a partisan back-and-forth in Democrats, this legitimate reason for impeachment certainly won't. Of course, given that it was the GOP that went after Clinton for choosing to lie to Congress over embarrassing himself to the world about his adultery and unauthorized blow job, it would be the GOP that defaults into the back-and-forth if Trump loses re-election. Again, Trump's defense highlights right-wing guilt.

Of course, this is all a charade anyway. The GOP has no intention of taking this serious and Bolton's testimony would just be a waste of time.

JANFU said:

Should Bolton testify?

Yes-Public and private

Yes- Private- recorded/ will see some later

No he should not testify

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Hell yea! Public & Private. The GOP's worst nightmare.

Napoleon said:

In no trial anywhere in the country is it permissible to spring new evidence, including testimony, mid-trial.

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Can you provide a link to support this claim that you're making?

Crosscheck said:

I don't trust Bolton anymore than I trust Trump.

If he testifies he will have to answer questions on his statements in his book. If he doesn't testify, his book sales will go up and he won't have to defend any of his statements in the book.

Frankly I think his not testifying would hurt Trump's chances of re-election far more.

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Agree - because he can then spend the next 9 months doing book tours and going on every talk show imaginable to promote his book. IMO - That could do far more damage.

Of course Bolton should testify. And if/when he testifies, he should testify truthfully. The American people deserve to know the truth, the whole truth, and nothing less. Without truth, our democratic republic, is doomed to failure. I'd like to think anyone who loves this great nation would not want such a tragedy for not only ourselves, but for generations to come, regardless of political lean.

straykatz said:

Agree - because he can then spend the next 9 months doing book tours and going on every talk show imaginable to promote his book. IMO - That could do far more damage.

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Exactly and while promoting his book nobody will be able to challenge him on his statements.

You see it and I see it but this truly shows you that the Republican senators are checker players and not chess players.

1. No, Mr. Bolton should not testify.

2. Nobody should testify.

3. They should just take the vote.

4. If President Trump is acquitted, it will be entertaining to see what the Dems come up with next in their three-year battle to remove him from office. They will not accept the acquittal graciously. They have invested too much effort in their anti-Trump crusade. And, of course, the liberal media will want the Resistance to continue.

5. 2020 is going to be quite a year in American politics!

The leak was to force a call for witnesses.
Does Bolton actually know anything that would change already made up minds? Was what was leaked in context?
Bolton could answer that question, confirm or deny, put rumors to rest, without being called before congress.
Right now I have a lot of questions. Will a Bolton testimony change anything? Not sure.

Jay59 said:

More stinging analysis. Are you trying to bury us in endless factual minutia?


Probably for time reasons. Depositions can take as long as necessary. Live debate cannot.

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Name ANY trial that took a break so witnesses could be deposed? Being "deposes" means rehearsing witnesses before trial and prevents any ability to catch someone in a lie.

NO! The trial is NOW! If the Senators as "jurors" want to drag this trial on and on, THEY sit in their chairs and listen to witnesses. The trial of the president that doesn't even met the standards of a TV show trial has to stop. It is telling the world we have one of the most incompetent, anti-due process and anti-rule of law legal system in the world.

joko104 said:

Name ANY trial that took a break so witnesses could be deposed? Being "deposes" means rehearsing witnesses before trial and prevents any ability to catch someone in a lie.

NO! The trial is NOW! If the Senators as "jurors" want to drag this trial on and on, THEY sit in their chairs and listen to witnesses. The trial of the president that doesn't even met the standards of a TV show trial has to stop. It is telling the world we have one of the most incompetent, anti-due process and anti-rule of law legal system in the world.

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Lots of trials hear new witnesses. Deposition is done in front if both parties

JANFU said:

Should Bolton testify?

Yes-Public and private

Yes- Private- recorded/ will see some later

No he should not testify

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Even if he does testify won’t it be a case of his word against Trump’s? Trump has already denied telling Bolton he expected investigation into the Bidens in exchange for aid. Or he might surprise everyone and testify that Trump never said it but rather that like Sondland he just assumed that it was.

In any case, sure call everyone. We’ve got money to burn.

JANFU said:

Should Bolton testify?

Yes-Public and private

Yes- Private- recorded/ will see some later

No he should not testify

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If we're interested in the truth and figuring out exactly what happened, then yes.

If we're interested in a cover up and trying to dismiss as quickly as possible, then no.

And it's as simple as that.

Bolton should testify, but only if the Reps get someone (Hunter) they want too.

If you would stop crying then yes but I don’t think that John Bolton should not play into what the democrats are looking for! In my opinion, I don’t really care because it already had been done! Get over it!

I don't even know what Bolton is going to say. I do know he's pushing his new book, which explains his recent desire to testify now.

Never mind that he's had a year to call a presser, walk up to a mic and spill everything he knows (whatever that is). That wouldn't have been profitable. Wait until your book is ready to come out, then save the republic.

I suspect Bolton could be a gigantic nothingburger. The NY Times did not provide any quotes from Bolton's book which could mean there's only smoke and no sizzle.

I honestly hope that John Bolton controls the hearing. It’s funny because the democrats hate Bolton but since he published a book they are in love with John. Is it because they (the leftist media hack) are hoping that John is like James a victim ? What if John Bolton wrote a book because he knew that everyone would twist his words to get leftist upset and more against the president?

Ikari said:

If we're interested in the truth and figuring out exactly what happened, then yes.

If we're interested in a cover up and trying to dismiss as quickly as possible, then no.

And it's as simple as that.

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It is and many Trump supporters have problems with truth

Overitall said:

Even if he does testify won’t it be a case of his word against Trump’s? Trump has already denied telling Bolton he expected investigation into the Bidens in exchange for aid. Or he might surprise everyone and testify that Trump never said it but rather that like Sondland he just assumed that it was.

In any case, sure call everyone. We’ve got money to burn.

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And Trump has an excellent record on telling the truth?

JANFU said:

And Trump has an excellent record on telling the truth?

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No politician is 100% honest. And even their staff can’t be considered pillars of truth. Bolton at one time was considered by dems pariah. Someone who can’t be trusted. Now he is?