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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsBreaking - Bolton willing to testify to SENATE if subpoenaed
Link to tweet
STATEMENT OF JOHN R. BOLTON
Posted on January 6, 2020
During the present impeachment controversy, I have tried to meet my obligations both as a citizen and as former National Security Advisor. My colleague, Dr. Charles Kupperman, faced with a House committee subpoena on the one hand, and a Presidential directive not to testify on the other, sought final resolution of this Constitutional conflict from the Federal judiciary. After my counsel informed the House committee that I too would seek judicial resolution of these Constitutional issues, the committee chose not to subpoena me. Nevertheless, I publicly resolved to be guided by the outcome of Dr. Kuppermans case.
But both the President and the House of Representatives opposed his effort on jurisdictional grounds, and each other on the merits. The House committee went so far as to withdraw its subpoena to Dr. Kupperman in a deliberate attempt to moot the case and deprive the court of jurisdiction. Judge Richard Leon, in a carefully reasoned opinion on December 30, held Dr. Kuppermans case to be moot, and therefore did not reach the separation-of-powers issues.
The House has concluded its Constitutional responsibility by adopting Articles of Impeachment related to the Ukraine matter. It now falls to the Senate to fulfill its Constitutional obligation to try impeachments, and it does not appear possible that a final judicial resolution of the still-unanswered Constitutional questions can be obtained before the Senate acts.
Accordingly, since my testimony is once again at issue, I have had to resolve the serious competing issues as best I could, based on careful consideration and study. I have concluded that, if the Senate issues a subpoena for my testimony, I am prepared to testify.
What about the House? There's still a lot of holes you could fill in for Chairman Schiff...
Hoyt
(54,770 posts)Dennis Donovan
(18,770 posts)gratuitous
(82,849 posts)Or is this just so much eyewash from Bolton, knowing that Mitch McConnell's Senate will absolutely, 100%, under no circumstances, subpoena him?
Dennis Donovan
(18,770 posts)Ilsa
(61,695 posts)"You're subpoenaed! Go! Now!"
Dennis Donovan
(18,770 posts)Link to tweet
Susan Hennessey ✔ @Susan_Hennessey
Bolton saying he will testify if subpoenaed effectively forces McConnell's hand. It's hard to imagine how Senate Republicans could possibly justify not calling him.John Bolton ✔ @AmbJohnBolton
I have posted a brief statement regarding testimony on the Ukraine impeachment matter before the Senate at: https://www.boltonpac.com/2020/01/statement-of-john-r-bolton/
Susan Hennessey ✔ @Susan_Hennessey
Even if McConnell had votes to prevent Bolton from testifying, Bolton is clearly going public with story (either in Senate or in interviews/his book). If a small delay in story getting out is worth political hit, that's surely a sign McConnell is TERRIFIED of what Bolton knows.
12:04 PM - Jan 6, 2020
Things just got real for Moscow Mitch!
gratuitous
(82,849 posts)I thought Moscow Mitch couldn't possibly stall out on the Garland nomination to the Supreme Court for a full year, but I was wrong on that one. I figured public pressure would force his hand in the Senate, but McConnell serenely absorbed any approbation until the November 2016 election provided full vindication for him.
Who's going to force McConnell's hand in subpoenaing Bolton? We the People? Mitch is impervious to that pressure, as he demonstrated four years ago. The media? Please. As long as one voice at Fox supports him, Mitch will float above any media controversy, and certainly won't be answering any hostile questions.
This looks as staged as a professional wrestling "feud."
kentuck
(111,104 posts)Such as those with the redacted emails in the OMB?
Dennis Donovan
(18,770 posts)See my post upthread
Drifter
(4,751 posts)that the Senate will not call any witnesses.
Cheers
Drifter
MineralMan
(146,317 posts)He and the others are the reason McConnell wants no witnesses. Crooks never want witnesses.
Buckeyeblue
(5,499 posts)Recursion
(56,582 posts)Pence has a long enough attention span to see a war through. Bolton knows this. Trump served his purpose.
Buckeyeblue
(5,499 posts)Recursion
(56,582 posts)I'd be chomping popcorn if the stakes were lower. But I still kind of love this.
cry baby
(6,682 posts)for Bolton. And less than a week later hes willing to testify?
Lets remember that these bastards are transactional, not moral. If he is just now ready, hes made a deal with the devil.
Color me a strong skeptic of his sudden change of heart.