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hlthe2b

(102,298 posts)
Sun Jan 26, 2020, 07:55 PM Jan 2020

**Breaking** Bolton's book draft confirms Trump withheld aid to Ukraine pending help with Biden

Trump Tied Ukraine Aid to Inquiries He Sought, Bolton Book Says

Drafts of the book outline the potential testimony of the former national security adviser if he were called as a witness in the president’s impeachment trial.


https://www.nytimes.com/2020/01/26/us/politics/trump-bolton-book-ukraine.html

President Trump told his national security adviser in August that he wanted to continue freezing $391 million in security assistance to Ukraine until officials there helped with investigations into Democrats including the Bidens, according to an unpublished manuscript by the former adviser, John R. Bolton. --snip--

Multiple people described Mr. Bolton’s account of the Ukraine affair. --snip--

For example, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo acknowledged privately that there was no basis to claims by the president’s lawyer Rudolph W. Giuliani that the ambassador to Ukraine was corrupt and believed Mr. Giuliani may have been acting on behalf of other clients, Mr. Bolton wrote.

Mr. Bolton also said that after the president’s July phone call with the president of Ukraine, he raised with Attorney General William P. Barr his concerns about Mr. Giuliani, who was pursuing a shadow Ukraine policy encouraged by the president, and told Mr. Barr that the president had mentioned him on the call. A spokeswoman for Mr. Barr denied that he learned of the call from Mr. Bolton; the Justice Department has said he learned about it only in mid-August.

And the acting White House chief of staff, Mick Mulvaney, was present for at least one phone call where the president and Mr. Giuliani discussed the ambassador, Mr. Bolton wrote. Mr. Mulvaney has told associates he would always step away when the president spoke with his lawyer to protect their attorney-client privilege.


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**Breaking** Bolton's book draft confirms Trump withheld aid to Ukraine pending help with Biden (Original Post) hlthe2b Jan 2020 OP
Matthew Miller said the House should subpoena the book, NOW. dem4decades Jan 2020 #1
They sure should godammit. triron Jan 2020 #18
But is the book really evidence? democrattotheend Jan 2020 #20
Oh boy. PandoraAwakened Jan 2020 #2
Is Collins concerned? ... Hermit-The-Prog Jan 2020 #3
And, Adam Schiff responds to the news: hlthe2b Jan 2020 #4
How great is it that we can count on him? our House? Hermit-The-Prog Jan 2020 #8
Sadly the trial is as "fair and balanced" as "Fox News". mwooldri Jan 2020 #16
Deeply malaise Jan 2020 #5
I'm betting she's VERY disappointed, as well! dchill Jan 2020 #7
Does anyone think Collins REALLY thinks Trump will pull her over the line in November? hlthe2b Jan 2020 #6
it could very well be fear of what he will do if she opposes him Hermit-The-Prog Jan 2020 #9
So, do you believe in the theory that Putin has the "goods" via the RNC hack on all the R's? hlthe2b Jan 2020 #10
very likely ... Hermit-The-Prog Jan 2020 #12
McConnell didn't fear shit. He KNEW the fix was in (that's why no vote on garland) Volaris Jan 2020 #26
Moscow Mitch is not the only Republican in the Senate Hermit-The-Prog Jan 2020 #28
I do. erronis Jan 2020 #14
Like HER head being on the pike? ooky Jan 2020 #11
figuratively, yes. Putin prefers polonium. Hermit-The-Prog Jan 2020 #13
I honestly don't think the Senate Repugs care. Makes no diff to them. YOHABLO Jan 2020 #15
I think Bolton will start doing media interviews mainstreetonce Jan 2020 #17
Well he sure as shit is gonna get asked about it. calimary Jan 2020 #25
Who do you think leaked this to the NYT? DeminPennswoods Jan 2020 #19
Maybe someone in the WH.. It has been reported they've had the draft. hlthe2b Jan 2020 #21
Does Bolton still have allies in the NSC? DeminPennswoods Jan 2020 #22
Michael Schmidt on MSNBC just now said WH has had the book since Dec 30 wishstar Jan 2020 #23
Why would they want to leak it? To backstab dump? nt UniteFightBack Jan 2020 #29
Please pardon my French. BadgerMom Jan 2020 #24
When is this book coming out? Hope he's got tapes Laura PourMeADrink Jan 2020 #27
Scheduled for March, but it has been reported WH MAY try to hold it up in review process hlthe2b Jan 2020 #30
Thought it already passed NSA check. Doesn't matter huh. I can see Laura PourMeADrink Jan 2020 #32
K&R UTUSN Jan 2020 #31

democrattotheend

(11,605 posts)
20. But is the book really evidence?
Sun Jan 26, 2020, 09:24 PM
Jan 2020

Many politicians take poetic license when writing books like this. I can't see it carrying the same weight as sworn testimony.

Hermit-The-Prog

(33,356 posts)
3. Is Collins concerned? ...
Sun Jan 26, 2020, 08:20 PM
Jan 2020

Moscow Mitch and Leningrad Lindsey will disavow the existence of Bolton or his book, because the House failed to drag Bolton into the basement and subject him to the Iron Maiden or even waterboarding. How can you believe witnesses who have not been interrogated properly?

Sekulow will scream, "What about Obama? He never gave nukes to Ukraine!"

Every Russiapublican Senator should receive telephone calls demanding Bolton's testimony.

Hermit-The-Prog

(33,356 posts)
8. How great is it that we can count on him? our House?
Sun Jan 26, 2020, 08:31 PM
Jan 2020

Wonder if anyone can figure out how many hours of work have been devoted to this impeachment trial by all the good and honorable people.

mwooldri

(10,303 posts)
16. Sadly the trial is as "fair and balanced" as "Fox News".
Sun Jan 26, 2020, 09:15 PM
Jan 2020

But yeah, let's hear what Bolty has to say. Agreed.

hlthe2b

(102,298 posts)
6. Does anyone think Collins REALLY thinks Trump will pull her over the line in November?
Sun Jan 26, 2020, 08:30 PM
Jan 2020

Are her own pollsters hiding any bad news from her too?

Hermit-The-Prog

(33,356 posts)
9. it could very well be fear of what he will do if she opposes him
Sun Jan 26, 2020, 08:35 PM
Jan 2020

Collins knows how vindictive and vicious TrumPutin is. Maybe she also knows how closely Putin is involved and is scared of the resources he will bring to bear.

Hermit-The-Prog

(33,356 posts)
12. very likely ...
Sun Jan 26, 2020, 08:54 PM
Jan 2020

The money trail is likely to be the most damaging. Beyond that, the money and disinformation that could be spread, by Putin, probably scares many GOP Senators. Remember that even they thought that Hillary was certain to win right up until she didn't. They fear what can be unleashed against them.

Volaris

(10,272 posts)
26. McConnell didn't fear shit. He KNEW the fix was in (that's why no vote on garland)
Mon Jan 27, 2020, 02:02 AM
Jan 2020

If this nation is to have a future as a functional democracy of any stripe, I want McConnell UNDER OATH IN A COURTROOM at some point in the next 5 years...sitting senator or not.

calimary

(81,323 posts)
25. Well he sure as shit is gonna get asked about it.
Mon Jan 27, 2020, 12:18 AM
Jan 2020

He’s opened up a real kettle of fish this time.

EVERYBODY’S gonna be hounding him for an interview. There won’t be much of a way to get the toothpaste back into the tube on this one.

DeminPennswoods

(15,286 posts)
22. Does Bolton still have allies in the NSC?
Sun Jan 26, 2020, 09:31 PM
Jan 2020

Of course Bolton has all of his notes that he used for the book, so it could be more selective leaking from him.

wishstar

(5,270 posts)
23. Michael Schmidt on MSNBC just now said WH has had the book since Dec 30
Sun Jan 26, 2020, 09:32 PM
Jan 2020

he said that Bolton's lawyer just released a letter about Bolton sending the draft to WH for review last month. Michael wouldn't say of course any more about his sources for his NY Times article, but implication is that insiders from WH may be the leakers.

BadgerMom

(2,771 posts)
24. Please pardon my French.
Sun Jan 26, 2020, 10:43 PM
Jan 2020

Screw Bolton and his book. I hope he sells no copies. He’s a coward and a traitor. He sold out his country in order to sell books.

He could have testified. He could have spoken up. He could have had the courage of the whistleblower. Vindman. Yovanovitch.

Screw him.

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