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onenote

(42,703 posts) Sat Jan 25, 2020, 12:23 PM Jan 2020

Even if the Senate votes to allow witnesses to be subpoenaed, the public won't see their testimony

Last edited Mon Jan 27, 2020, 01:12 PM - Edit history (1)

live on TV.

I doubt that the Senate will vote to allow witnesses to be subpoenaed. But in the highly unlikely event I'm wrong about that, I'm even more confident that the public won't see the witnesses testify live.

Why? Because of the Clinton impeachment precedent, where the Senate voted (over the near unanimous objection of the Senate Democrats) to allow the House managers to subpoena three witnesses: Lewinsky, Jordan, and Blumenthal. Those witnesses were each deposed IN PRIVATE by the House managers. The written transcripts were entered into the record, but the public didn't see these witnesses and members of the Senate didn't get an opportunity to question them. The only limited exception was that the senate voted (again over Democratic objections) to allow a portion of Lewinsky's videotaped deposition to be shown -- but, obviously, she couldn't be questioned by members of the Senate since she wasn't there in person.

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Even if the Senate votes to allow witnesses to be subpoenaed, the public won't see their testimony (Original Post) onenote Jan 2020 OP

Kick for renewed relevancy onenote Jan 2020 #1

Just wondering if The house managers could request bluestarone Jan 2020 #2

Whether there will be open testimony will be decided by the Senate, not Roberts onenote Jan 2020 #5

One more question bluestarone Jan 2020 #6

They'll simply point to the way the Lewinsky, Jordan, and Blumenthal depositions were conducted onenote Jan 2020 #7

Still a cover-up.... kentuck Jan 2020 #3

Well once his book comes out Andy823 Jan 2020 #4

onenote

(42,703 posts)

1. Kick for renewed relevancy

Reply to onenote (Original post)

Mon Jan 27, 2020, 01:11 PM

Jan 2020

With the Bolton revelation, I am less doubtful about the Senate allowing witnesses (although who and how many is far from certain). And, as indicated above, assuming that Bolton is called to testify, it is a near certainty that the motion will be granted only to allow him to be questioned in private by the House Managers, with the transcript of the deposition entered into the record. Folks hoping for Bolton (or any other witness) to be questioned live on TV are going to be disappointed.

bluestarone

(16,943 posts)

2. Just wondering if The house managers could request

Reply to onenote (Reply #1)

Mon Jan 27, 2020, 01:21 PM

Jan 2020

Roberts allow open testimony? This SHOULD NOT be executive privilege. If it's in a book it should be OPEN?

onenote

(42,703 posts)

5. Whether there will be open testimony will be decided by the Senate, not Roberts

Reply to bluestarone (Reply #2)

Mon Jan 27, 2020, 01:34 PM

Jan 2020

Anything Roberts might do (even if he has the authority which he almost certainly does not) is subject to being overruled by the Senate. The majority in the Senate will vote to follow the same procedure for witnesses as was followed in the Clinton trial.

bluestarone

(16,943 posts)

6. One more question

Reply to onenote (Reply #5)

Mon Jan 27, 2020, 01:52 PM

Jan 2020

What excuse would the RETHUGS use to keep it out of public's eye?

onenote

(42,703 posts)

7. They'll simply point to the way the Lewinsky, Jordan, and Blumenthal depositions were conducted

Reply to bluestarone (Reply #6)

Mon Jan 27, 2020, 02:25 PM

Jan 2020

The Democrats won't push for a debate over public testimony for several reasons.

First, until the witness is questioned, you don't know what they're going to say so the safe route is to conduct the deposition out of the public eye.

Second, pushing on the issue will simply allow the Republicans to publicly beat their chests about how every Democrat save one (Feingold) initially voted against having any witnesses called at all.

Third, the Republicans will note that the decision not to have Lewinsky testify publicly before the Senate (after her deposition) was made by a bipartisan vote in which nearly half of the Republicans joined all of the Democrats opposed having her testify publicly.

Finally, the Republicans will remind everyone that the Senate voted 100-0 to simply introduce the transcripts of the private depositions into the record.

kentuck

(111,097 posts)

3. Still a cover-up....

Reply to onenote (Original post)

Mon Jan 27, 2020, 01:23 PM

Jan 2020

...even with witnesses.

Andy823

(11,495 posts)

4. Well once his book comes out

Reply to onenote (Original post)

Mon Jan 27, 2020, 01:27 PM

Jan 2020

It should be clear to anyone with half a brain that trump is guilty as hell. Now I know his brain dead diehard followers will still adore him, but that won't be enough to get him re-elected in November.

I also think there will be a lot of TV ads using all his "illegal" activities to show why he should not serve another term.

It all boils down to getting voters out I "huge" numbers.

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